Activity at site of former Shari's restaurant

Site of former Shari's at Parkwood Plaza
Photo by David Carlos

Story & Photos by David Carlos

There's activity at the former Shari's Restaurant and Pies at 15252 Aurora Ave. N. in Parkwood Plaza.

A leasing listing on cityfeet.com describes plans for a small multi-tenant retail strip: a 4,800-square-foot, one-story building that could accommodate up to four tenants, each with about 1,200 square feet.

The listing estimates availability around February 2027.

Parkwood Plaza photo by David Carlos

A commercial permit (COM25-2716) is under review and nearing completion but hasn't been formally issued yet.

The Shoreline Shari's closed in August 2024, with demolition following in July 2025.

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8 story multifamily development near Shoreline South light rail station

Architect's rendering of The Leeway, under construction near Shoreline South light rail station

One of the new multi-family housing projects being built across the freeway from the Shoreline South light rail station is the Leeway.

At more than 400,000 square feet and eight stories encompassing 360 units, Leeway in Shoreline is one of the largest mixed-use developments in the area.

Tiscareno Architects integrated over 3,000 square feet of retail space in a way that helps differentiate one end of the building from the other.

The project type is planned for five stories of Type III-A construction (protected wood-frame interior, noncombustible exterior) built atop three stories of Type I-A construction (fire-resistive concrete/steel), with 249 structured parking stalls, mostly below grade. 

Construction began in March 2026 and is anticipated to be completed in Summer of 2028.

It will join its companion building The Line.

According to the Daily Journal of Commerce, the Leeway, at 142 NE 147th, will have a long, skinny footprint. It will look south to both The Line and Shea Properties 550 unit Verdant, also on the corner of 1st NE.

--Diane Hettrick

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Shoreline City Council to hold public hearing on March 30 regarding removal of restrictive covenants on City-owned property located at 18351 10th Avenue NE

The Shoreline City Council will hold a public hearing, as required under RCW 35A.21.410, on Monday, March 30, 2026, at 7:00pm to receive comments (written or oral) on the removal of two restrictive covenants from property the City owns located at 18351 10th Avenue NE, Tax Parcel 616390-0120 (City’s Parcel). 

The property is currently, and will continue to be, used for surface water management in the area.

The restrictive covenants were placed on the City’s Parcel, along with 29 other parcels, by Evergreen Homes in 1947 as part of their development of the area. A local realtor is requesting all 26 property owners to agree to the removal of the restrictive covenants. 

The purpose of the public hearing is to give people an opportunity to provide input on whether the City Council should agree to the removal of the restrictive covenant on the City’s Parcel.

• The first restrictive covenant that the realtor seeks to remove limits development on the properties to single residences. This restrictive covenant is contrary to the MUR-70 zoning for the area. If 75% of the property owners agree to remove the covenant, it will be removed. The properties could then be consolidated for development under the City’s MUR-70 zoning.

• The second restrictive covenant the realtor is seeking to have removed is the racially restrictive covenant. While this covenant has been legally unenforceable under federal and state law since 1948, this action will remove it permanently from the list of restrictive covenants found on the property deeds.

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Black Angus /125th Street Grill site will become affordable housing

From Google Earth - the 125th St Grill before demolition.

Story and photos by David Carlos

The property where the 125th Street Grill and Black Angus Motor Inn once stood at 12241-12245 Aurora Ave N, Seattle will become affordable housing.

There will be 2 phases:

Groundbreaking for the new housing complex was done in July, 2025.
Drone photo by David Carlos, taken 9-23-25. Looking southwest.  

Phase 1: The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) is first building a 7-story, 90-unit affordable housing complex on the site for homeless and low-income seniors.

Phase 2: 130 units for workforce housing with room for families, commercial space. (Workforce housing is for middle-income workers who don't qualify for low-income housing but can't afford market-rate housing.)

The 125th St Grill and Black Angus Motor Inn are already demolished. 

Drone photo by David Carlos, taken 9-23-25. Looking east.  

The construction company is Runberg Architecture Group.

Per Runberg's website: "When completed, the two phases combined will create a vibrant, mixed-age community in an underutilized corner of a rapidly developing neighborhood in north Seattle."

This is an early conceptual rendering of the Phase 1 building
Courtesy www.lihihousing.org

The City of Seattle Office of Housing is awarding $9 million for the project. per the LIHI Housing website: 

"Additional funding for the project includes $5 million from the state Housing Trust Fund and 9% tax credits from Washington State Housing Finance Commission. LIHI received a HUD 202 Senior Housing award that provides rental assistance for 90 units.

"This will ensure long term affordability as seniors will pay 30% of their income for rent. Senator Murray included $3 million in the HUD budget."

There is no published completion date for Phase 1. There is no published start date for Phase 2.

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Mosqueda, Dembowski celebrate housing supports in impact fee legislation

County Councilmembers Mosqueda and Dembowski

King County Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and Rod Dembowski on Wednesday partnered on amendments to King County school impact fees legislation passed Tuesday to support multi-family housing and starter homes. 

Impact fees are state-authorized charges many jurisdictions in Washington impose on new residential development, with the funds (collected by King County here) used by school districts to pay for capital projects like the construction of new school buildings.

With construction costs soaring, housing production is already lagging across the region. 

Joe Mizrahi, Seattle School Board member stated:

 “There is a direct impact between affordable housing and school enrollment, and when families are pushed out of our region by the lack of affordable homes, school enrollment falls and operating dollars for teachers, counselors, and special education fall with it.

"But when workers can afford to live near their kids’ schools, families stay rooted and students thrive. The approach to impact fees led by CM Mosqueda keeps this capital revenue stream in place while prioritizing the housing that actually brings and keeps students in our schools.”

Mosqueda and Dembowski teamed up on amendments designed to ensure the impact fees legislation does not pose a barrier to the housing needed across King County. 

Combined, their amendments cap fees on family units, exempt affordable housing, and ensure analysis and consideration of housing impacts.

King County is facing a severe shortage of affordable housing, first-time homeownership options, and family-sized units. As outlined on the Regional Affordable Housing Dashboard, many families in King County are cost-burdened or experiencing displacement from our region, often moving out of the state altogether. This is driving declining school enrollment and hurting communities.

"The high cost of housing is driven in part by the high cost to build it. Excessive impact fees, many approaching $20,000 per unit, unreasonably increase housing costs and reduce access.

"I have raised these concerns for years, and so was happy to join with Councilmember Mosqueda to address this issue by revising the impact fee formula," Dembowski said.

"The new formula strikes a reasonable balance that ensures new development helps cover the cost of new schools, while recognizing that fees cannot be so burdensome that housing is not accessible and affordable.

"This bold action sends a strong signal that King County is serious about taking action to implement the recommendations in the Regional Affordable Housing Task Force Report and cut the cost to build new homes."

The amendments include:

1. A fee cap on family-sized units

1. Mitigates impacts to housing feasibility by capping fees on multifamily units at $5000 per unit, creating predictability for these projects and avoiding large spikes in fees that may render needed projects infeasible
2. Allows for annual amendments to lower the school impact fees
3. Sets expectation that the fee cap will be a part of future renewals, beginning in 2026
4. Maximum school impact fee amount applies to middle housing and apartment units
5. Allows for fee cap to be recalibrated every 4 years to align with capital facilities planning and allow time for data collection

2. Affordable housing exemption

1. Sets forth County’s intent to implement the state-authorized affordable housing exemption for all qualifying housing projects

3. Housing impacts analysis

1. Adds staff from the housing, homelessness, and community development division to the school technical review committee
2. Requires school districts to work with the King County Executive to analyze the impact of a proposed school impact fee on housing production, including feasibility of projects of various types based on various school impact fee amounts
3. Requires a report to the Council that accompanies each school impact fee ordinance with evaluation of housing impacts

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Application to adjust lot lines to demo a portion of the Shops at Richmond Beach

Artist's conception of Acoya Richmond Beach

 

8/20/2025

PLN25-0077; NOA Post and Site Plan

Notice of Application

Project/Permit Number: PLN25-0077 Location: 18840 8th Ave NW and 600 NW Richmond Beach Rd (#012603-9058 and -9056) Project Description: Adjustment of lot lines within the existing shopping center in order to support development of a 230-unit assisted living facility w/ below grade parking (130 stalls), demolition of a vacant building, and demolition of a portion of the existing shopping center Comment Deadline: Friday, September 5, 2025 Project Manager: Alicia Halberg, AICP, 206-801-2552, or ahalberg@shorelinewa.gov

Application has been made to adjust lot lines and proceed with demolition of buildings at the Shops at Richmond Beach.

One of the buildings is vacant, but the other houses two very popular businesses - the Santa Fe Cafe and Beach House Greetings.

The goal is to build a 230 unit assisted living facility with 130 stalls of below grade parking - the Acoya Richmond Beach. 

See our previous article on the project.

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Shoreline abolishes parking mandates

In his 2025 State of the City Speech Mayor Chris Roberts said Shoreline will become
one of the first cities in the state to abolish parking mandates (photo by Oliver J Moffat)

By Oliver J. Moffat

The Shoreline city council voted to delete the city's "arbitrary" parking mandates, placing the onus on property owners to decide how much pavement they need.

The Shoreline city council abolished parking mandates at the August 11, 2025 meeting, joining Bothell, Spokane, Port Townsend, Bellingham, and Bremerton in scrapping the “arbitrary” rules.

Last winter, the council gave city staff and the planning commission six months to eliminate vehicle parking minimums citywide in Shoreline. The council voted 6-to-0 to wipe parking mandates from the city’s development code.

In his 2025 State of the City Speech, Mayor Chris Roberts spoke in support of Shoreline becoming one of the first cities in the state to abolish parking mandates. 

“We know that parking is one of the largest costs associated with development, up to $60,000 a space. These costs are reflected in increased costs of rent and the amount we pay for goods and services.

"These parking mandates also have environmental and community impacts, as they increase the amount of impervious surface, increase the number of heat islands, and make walking less pleasurable,” he said.

According to the city, parking mandates make housing more expensive by increasing housing construction costs. When developers have to build more parking than they need, it leads to fewer homes being built, higher home prices, and escalating rents.

Parking spaces sit empty under the Kinect apartment building next to the Shoreline North light rail station
(photo by Oliver J Moffat)

Too much parking means too much pavement, leading to fewer trees and vegetation, increased heat island effects, and more stormwater runoff, said the city.

“I’m certainly supportive of this,” Councilmember Keith Scully said previously. “I sort of evolved from [my] Planning Commission days when I was supporting at least some parking minimums to now... because we want affordable housing and reduced hardscape, and trees. And something's gotta give… if you're mandating all those things. And parking is the obvious choice,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Laura Mork supported the measure and said abolishing parking mandates “puts the onus on the people who are building the units… whether it's multifamily, single-family, commercial, to understand what is needed. And so the onus is on them…”

Councilmember John Ramsdell was absent from the meeting, but at a recent meeting, he spoke in favor of abolishing parking mandates. 

"I'm very much in support of eliminating parking minimums. They let the market determine… what level of parking is going to be attractive for home buyers or residents or developers in the community, who are providing… much-needed housing".

He added, "having parking minimums is just going to encourage more urban sprawl and more use of our cars. So I'm very much in favor of this.”

The Shoreline Planning Commission recommended abolishing parking mandates and told the council, "elimination of this arbitrary set of standards will assist with the City’s competing goals by reallocating land from the car-centric sprawling parking lots to areas that can be used to retain trees, provide housing, protect critical areas, reduce stormwater runoff, and even reduce heat islands.”

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Fircrest Urban Forest

Fircrest master development plan

By Kathleen Russell

Save Shoreline Trees, Co-chair

Last week, 18 public right-of-way trees were cut down along 15th Ave NE, north of the Fircrest entrance at NE 155th St. (See article)

Remaining trees along 15th NE to Hamlin Park Rd are on the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) site and approximately 15 trees will be cut down. 

While these tree removals will be visible from 15th, tree removal placards are not required. 

In addition, a Clearing and Grading permit has been issued to DSHS. 

This allows 175 trees to be cut down for the construction of the new 120-bed skilled nursing facility, laundry and parking area.

Due to project size, DSHS is required to fund the frontage improvements along 15th NE at the Fircrest entrance north to Hamlin Park Rd including tree replacements, a 10-foot- wide path for pedestrians and bicyclists, separated from vehicle traffic by a buffer of at least three feet where feasible, and pedestrian trails.

As stated in the Hearing Examiner Decision, issued May 3, 2024, there is the requirement that 80% of the trees on the Fircrest campus must be retained and an annual inventory of trees be submitted to the City of Shoreline. 

There are approximately 2,444 trees on the Fircrest campus. No trees will be removed within the boundary of the protected historic Chapel area unless trees are determined as hazardous. The Chapel is a City of Shoreline Landmark recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. (See previous article)

With all of the upcoming changes, Fircrest will retain its urban forest. An example of how trees and development can co-exist.

I appreciate the time Shoreline Planning Manager Elise Keim spent answering my questions about tree removal at Fircrest.

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Alexan 185 under construction near 185th Transit Station

Photography by David Carlos

One short block east of the 185th Transit Station, the Alexan 185 apartment building is under construction.

When finished, the building will have 299 units (60 affordable). Unfortunately, the building was permitted before ground floor commercial space was a requirement.

The crane is hard to miss
Photography by David Carlos

Developers wanted to voluntarily put in a coffee shop, but the City code at the time required off street parking to go with any commercial use and they didn't have the extra space in the project.

There are two levels of below grade parking for 232 vehicles for tenants.

Artist's rendition of Alexan 185

It is expected that the building will be completely leased within two years, especially with the location so close to light rail.

The address is 811 N 188th Street. It is a project of TCR Trammell Crow Residential.

--Diane Hettrick

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Shoreline's tree removal fees tower over neighboring cities despite Council axing

Trees stand over a property in North City recently purchased by a local middle housing developer 
Photo by Oliver Moffat

By Oliver Moffat

Timber! Shoreline’s council slashed tree felling permits this week, but the fees still stand above other cities.

At the Monday, March 3, meeting, the council chopped Shoreline’s fees down to $3,325 for big trees. That’s a big cut from the $15,000 big tree fee the council adopted in January, but the fees still soar over nearby cities.

City staff recommended setting the removal fee on the tree’s environmental value to the community over twenty years. But in a five-to-two vote, the council adopted higher fees proposed by the Tree Preservation Code Team, a group of Shoreline residents. 

Based on data from the Forest Service’s i-Tree tool, the city said a tree with a trunk diameter at breast height (DBH) of 24 inches or greater provides between $900 to $1,500 worth of environmental benefits to the community in carbon sequestration, storm water mitigation, air pollution removal, and energy usage savings.

Councilmember John Ramsdell supported the staff’s recommended lower fees and said, 

“I have had many years of experience working with low-income seniors, and I know there are a lot of seniors who would find even [that option] to be burdensome… if they need to remove a tree because it was endangering the structure of their foundation or if they needed to … build a ramp to be able to ingress and egress their home.”

The new fee adopted this week is based on the city’s estimated cost of purchasing, planting, and maintaining a replacement tree for three years. A permit to remove a 24-inch DBH tree will cost $3,325 plus $100.00 for every additional inch of trunk girth. Proceeds from the fees will be used to plant replacement trees. 

Deputy Mayor Laura Mork supported the higher removal fees and said, 

“The really big trees are the ones that we're most particularly trying to save, and so I think the cost should go up much more quickly when they are starting at that size. And below that size, I can appreciate more modest numbers.”

The city’s debate over tree rules is not over. In the 2025-2026 budget, the council allocated $200,000 to perform a comprehensive update to its tree code. 

Council member Keith Scully supported the higher fees and said, 

“The housing stuff is important, and we have to keep prioritizing it, but I've been concerned from the start that we not trash the city while chasing affordable housing.

"And my concern given the rapid pace of redevelopment in our single-family zones already, is as we start emphasizing these alternate housing types (which we should) that we make sure that we're preserving our trees.

"We're going to look at the tree code, and quite frankly… it's a mess, and we need to clean it up and make it understandable. But for the short term, I don't want to see a run on chainsaws at Home Depot so folks can go in and get them all cleared out before we do that.”

Last year, King County called Shoreline’s tree code “comprehensive” and listed the city along with Kirkland and Lake Forest Park as having some of the most restrictive private property tree codes in the county. 

Fees and retention rules vary widely:

• Bothell: Doesn't specify tree removal fees on their website for small residential lots but has retention rules for trees in critical areas.

• Brier: Requires replacement and charges $500 plus staff time to remove up to 100 trees; removing more than 101 trees costs $1000.

• Edmonds: Requires tree replacement or a $1000 fee, with appraisal-based fees for trees over 24 inches.

• Kenmore: Charges $52.50 to remove a minor tree plus $1,758.75 for exceptional trees. 

• Kirkland: Charges $600 for a removal permit and requires 2:1 or 3:1 replacement ratios for big trees.

• Lake Forest Park: Charges $120.00 for a permit to remove a tree and adds an additional fee of $95 per hour for a review by an Urban Forest Planner.

• Lynnwood: Removal of big trees costs $193.00. 

• Mountlake Terrace: Requires developers to replace trees or pay $781 per tree. These fees can be waived if 20% of the housing units are affordable. 

• Woodinville: Tree removal permits are included in the construction permit fee or cost $42 without construction.

• Woodway: Requires tree replacements and charges removal fees but does not say how much on their fee schedule.

In 2022, Shoreline strengthened the city’s tree preservation rules. Those changes increased the number of trees that need a special permit to be removed, lowered the “significant” tree threshold to six inches in diameter, and increased the percentage of big trees that must be retained on a development site. 

Those rules were also proposed by the Tree Preservation Code Team.

Since then, the city has significantly strengthened tree preservation rules.

The city legalized cottage housing in 2023, but the rules were so restrictive that no developers ever applied for a permit. Cottage housing developers had to retain 35% of trees on a property, while single-family home developers only needed to retain 25%. 

And the city charged cottage housing developers up to $15,000 to remove a big tree, a fee single-family developers didn’t have to pay. 

The state’s Middle Housing bill made such shenanigans illegal: cities can’t favor single-family developers while penalizing middle housing developers. The Tree Preservation Code Team proposed those cottage housing tree rules too.

The planning commission and city staff recommended simply striking the cottage housing rules, but instead, the city council expanded the cottage housing rules citywide when they adopted new development codes earlier this year. 

At the same time, the council shrunk the percentage of a lot a developer can cover with hardscape, such as pavement and buildings. 

Building rules that would surely stump a housing developer. 

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Op-Ed: Wanting to protect our mature trees and welcoming green spaces is not code for “don’t build homes"

Trees are the view
Photo by Christine Southwick

I suspect that many, if not most, of the readers of Shoreline Area News also read The Seattle Times. 

However, in this late winter of Middle Housing enthusiasm, reconsidering tree codes, and discussions of the importance of getting folks out of their cars as much as possible, I’d like to share part of an long article published the end of January:

More concrete, less green: A cautionary tale about upzoning from South Park
By Alex Fryer January 24, 2025 Publication: Seattle Times.

…. “In fiery City Hall remarks at a Jan. 6 meeting, Councilmember Cathy Moore took on what she considered weakness in the comp plan regarding affordability and trees.

"I'm going to be looking at this with the eye of — does this in fact produce affordable housing? What I've seen so far is that it does not. And simply equating density with affordability is a lie. It's a myth,"

Moore said from the dais.

"The other thing that's critically important that I'll be looking at this plan is trees. Again, people diminish trees as a NIMBY issue. They are not a NIMBY issue. They are an ecological necessity and I think unfortunately the building industry has been able to capture the dialogue on affordability and trees, and they've been very successful in pitting trees against affordability and they're not either-or. They can very much coexist, and that's our goal is to coexist in this city.”

I’m new to Shoreline politics and trends, but am deeply concerned by the destruction of so many large trees in the area, as well as the obvious extensive increase in impervious surfaces, even in the short time we’ve been here.

From a climate change perspective this seems incredibly shortsighted. I don’t need to review for Shoreline Area News readers the numerous benefits of mature trees in terms of temperature control, storm water mitigation, water table protection, pollution control, air quality improvement - not to mention beauty and wildlife. 

To assume that efforts to protect these trees means that it’s nothing more than a means to stop builders or restrict affordable housing is absurd…. but very effective.

Wanting to protect our mature trees and welcoming green spaces is not code for “don’t build homes" - especially affordable efficient homes for young families and those of us who are in our last decades.

There are many techniques and ways to design new housing that minimize the destruction of large trees. Are builders used to doing it? Apparently not. Is it more expensive? Yes. Does it take some imagination and effort? Of course. Is it possible? Absolutely.

Should we do it? If we care about the quality of life for our kids and grandkids, I believe we must.

Trish Woollcott
Shoreline

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Shoreline development code update enables middle housing types and changes to minimum parking standards

On January 13, 2025 the Shoreline City Council adopted updates to the City’s Development Code (the Code) with Ordinance 1027. 

The updates, along with the new zoning map, help carry out the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 

The Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan on December 16, 2024. 

The updates to the Code include significant changes that enable new middle housing types, as well as changes to minimum parking standards, ADU requirements, permit timelines, and more.

You can find the updated Code on the City’s ‘Picture It’ webpage. This page has a drop-down menu with links to the updated Code and zoning map.

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Then and Now: Patty's Eggnest and Jiffy Lube Properties at Northgate

Patty's Egg Nest is the brown building, center back and Jiffy Lube is in the foreground
Photo by David Carlos February 25, 2024

Shoreline is not the only area of Puget Sound undergoing rapid change and development.

Many readers will remember Patty's Eggnest restaurant at the corner of NE Northgate Way and Roosevelt Way NE

A Jiffy Lube was next door.

The property was sold some time ago and construction has been underway for an apartment complex. Eventually there will be 184 units, shops, and 88 parking spaces.

The property now - January 12, 2025. Photo by David Carlos

Aerial photographer David Carlos has been keeping his eye on it and shares his then and now photos.

--Diane Hettrick

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One year of construction on the Alta North City building

Alta North City begins construction 2023

Two photos exactly one year apart from each other.

Under construction: A $9 million, 6-story apartment building at 15th Ave NE and NE 179th St in Shoreline.

Alta North City one year later 2024
Photo by David Carlos

There will be 228 units, with retail space on the ground floor. The building will be called Alta North City. 

The property was previously the site of the very popular Leena's Cafe. The owner of Leena's, who also owned the old building, promised to reopen in the new building.  

 

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Shoreline Place redevelopment

Looking southwest, over the top of Town & Country Market (silo)
Drone photo by David Carlos

Merlone Geier is in the process of redeveloping the former 1960’s era Aurora Square Sears into Shoreline Place. 

This multi-phased mixed use project will incorporate previous planning efforts from the City and community while creating shopping and living experiences that meet current market demands and reflect the unique characteristics of the area. 

For additional updates and information visit www.ShorelinePlace.com.

Still in the plans are a small "town green" as well as a dog park and retail spaces. Round Table Pizza and Chipotle are open on the lower level and they have signed leases with Mod Pizza, and Big Chicken.

Looking east, the Town & Country silo is to the right. Straight ahead is Pet Evolution, next to Bed Bath & Beyond. The new construction site has been completely cleared. Drone photo by David Carlos.

Pet Evolution featuring pet food, supplies, and grooming, is holding its ribbon cutting and grand opening on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 10:45am PDT. This event will be held at 15515 Westminster Way N Suite C, Shoreline, WA 98133 with the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce.

Construction materials and equipment and huge piles of dirt on the lower level, looking directly south
Drone photo by David Carlos

Sears building. Drone photo by David Carlos

Front and center is the old Sears building. In the background, the six story Department of Transportation building. Behind Sears is a former auxiliary parking lot, now used for construction equipment and next to it are the piles of dirt.

In the lower, right corner, cars are parked at existing businesses on a separate land parcel, not owned by Merlone Geier.

--Diane Hettrick

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