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The Department of Community Development (DCD) administered the City's comprehensive plan and provided direction and support for the City's physical and economic development through community planning. DCD was established in 1969 and assumed the responsibilities of the City Planning Commission and the Urban Renewal Program. In 1972, the Office of Economic Development was created in the Department to provide information to businesses that were expanding or relocating in Seattle. DCD was the lead agency for implementing various types of grant funded projects, such as Neighborhood Improvement Program, Targeted Neighborhood Assistance Program, and Neighborhood Development Program. DCD was abolished in 1992 and its programs were relocated in the Department of Neighborhoods, Department of Housing and Human Services, Planning Department, and other agencies. DCD records include material from the City Planning Commission, Zoning Commission, the Metropolitan Arts Commission, the Urban Renewal Program, and the Board of Adjustment.

Correspondence and memoranda of James Braman, director of Department of Community Development from 1969-1974.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, studies, and reference materials relating to DCD's activities, projects, and mission. These are the Director's personal office files and include some materials of an administrative nature. Arranged alphabetically.

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Working files of Department directors. Includes correspondence, memoranda, notes, and reports relating to planning, and project and program development. These files were generated by Paul Schell, James Hornell, Darel Grothaus, and Evelyn Sun.

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Maps and drawings for various planning studies related to zoning and land use, urban renewal, and neighborhood development. Most of the maps were created by the City Planning Commission, but also included are materials from the Zoning Commission, Office of Urban Renewal, and Department of Community Development. This series includes the 1956 Comprehensive Plan of Seattle which consists of a single land use map.

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Grant applications, financial plans, guidelines, correspondence, and reports relating to renewal projects and neighborhood improvements. Non-cash grants in aid represent non-project funds and are considered the City's share of project costs.

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Correspondence, reports, YANIP newsletters, activity reports, and press clippings relating to the Yesler-Atlantic Neighborhood Improvement Project.

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Correspondence, publications, and promotional materials relating to the City's attempt to lure Chiyoda Chemical and Engineering Construction Company of Japan to build a plant in Seattle.

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Correspondence, reports, and reference materials relating to economic development planning. Includes studies concerning the Convention Center and the Industrial District Improvement Program.

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Correspondence, environmental impact statements, drawings, and landscape designs relating to construction of an urban open space park in the Westlake Mall triangle. None of the design proposals submitted during this phase of the project were implemented.

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The Land Use Planning Project was a Model City Program venture operated by DCD. It was designed to develop a land use plan in the East Model Neighborhood. Records include correspondence, reports, notes, and reference material of the project director.

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Horwood was supervisor for certain Model Cities projects operated by the DCD in 1970-1971 and then beamce a senior planner. Her records include the Model Neighborhood Land Use Planning Project, Model Neighborhood Transportation Study, and Interstate-90. Included are correspondence, reports, studies, and reference materials. Approximately two-thirds of the records are at the University of Washington and the remainder are in the Regional Archives.

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Correspondence, reports, and notes relating to the development of the Pioneer Square Historic District. Two-thirds of the series consists of news clippings and copies of the Pioneer Square Gazette. Of particular interest are reports and correspondence from 1952-1954 that include the initial proposals for the preservation of Pioneer Square.

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Files of the director of the Housing Division (est. 1977), formerly the Housing Rehabilitation Section. Includes correspondence, reports, and working papers relating to housing rehabilitation, low income housing, and Federal housing loan programs.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, contracts, drawings, accounting records, and newspaper clippings relating to urban renewal, Neighborhood Improvement Projects, and Neighborhood Development Projects. Include records for Yesler-Atlantic, South Seattle, Northlake, South Park, Leschi, and North Greenwood projects. Early records in this series were generated by the Urban Renewal Program office, originally housed in the Mayor's Office.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, drawings, and financial records relating to urban renewal and neighborhood development projects. McIver was program coordinator and his files relate to monitoring of department projects.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and Federal loan materials relating to the rehabilitation of single and multi-family housing units, especially in the central area. These are primarily the files of program coordinator Bill Stalzer.

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Working files of the property development coordinator relating primarily to property appraisals, acquisition, disposition, and demolition in urban renewal areas.

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Central housing rehabilitation files. Includes correspondence, reports, and financial records especially relating to the Neighborhood Housing Rehabilitation Program and the earlier Urban Renewal Program.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, issues papers, and newspaper clippings relating to DCD input and influence on U.S. Postal Service office site selection. Records illustrate the site selection process, and the federal government's lack of adherence to City urban development plans. Arranged alphabetically by site.

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Correspondence, memoranda, meeting notes, issues papers, reports, newspaper clippings, and presentation materials relating to DCD concerns over University expansion. Subjects include urban renewal plans, cooperative understandings between the City and University, and DCD input on specific University projects.

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Correspondence, memoranda, meeting notes, minutes, reports, issues papers, newspaper clippings, and presentation materials relating to transportation and parking problems in the University District. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

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Correspondence, contracts and agreements files, financial data, ordinances, and maps relating to improvements in the Leschi neighborhood. These appear to be files of the project manager.

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This project was managed under the Community Betterment Program. Includes correspondence, ordinances, specifications, cost statements, and drawings relating to landscaping and especially tree placement in the Fremont neighborhood.

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Model Cities project operated by DCD to rehabilitate and revitalize a small area in the East Model Neighborhood by drawing upon existing City, State and Federal resources rather than creating new service agencies. Includes correspondence, reports, minutes, and maps.

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Correspondence, reports, financial data, and drawings related to the Neighborhood Development Project in South Park.

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Correspondence, reports, financial data, and drawings relating to neighborhood development in the North Greenwood area.

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Applications to HUD for funding of projects through the Neighborhood Development Program.

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Notices regarding parcels in North Greenwood NDP, Leschi NDP, Pike Place Project, South Park Project, and Yesler-Atlantic NIP. Acquisition notices include legal description, address, name of owner, acquisition date, occupancy status and price paid. Disposition notices include parcel numbers, address, purchaser, bid opening date, contract and closing dates, price and net income to City, and intended development use. Arranged chronologically and by project.

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Neighborhood improvement project records relating to the paving of SW Cloverdale Street and 8th Avenue SW in the Highland Park area of West Seattle.

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Correspondence, memoranda, financial statements, grant applications, and agreements relating to the Neighborhood Development Program.

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Files maintained by project staff including correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other working papers related to acquisition and disposition of property, and planning and improvements in the University Addition-Northlake area.

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Itemized appraisals of real property including structures in the University Addition-Northlake area. Used for documenting neighborhood conditions and for property acquisitions related to the Urban Renewal Program.

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Correspondence, memoranda, and reports relating to acquisition and disposition of property, and physical improvements in the South Seattle Redevelopment Project area.

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Itemized appraisals of real property including structures in the South Seattle area. Used for documenting neighborhood conditions and for acquisitions related to the Urban Renewal Program.

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Project manager of the Yesler-Atlantic Neighborhood Improvement Project. Records include correspondence, reports, and statistics relating to acquisitions, demolition, rehabilitation, and disposition of property in the neighborhood.

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Correspondence, reports, work programs, and working papers relating to urban renewal and improvements in the Yesler-Atlantic neighborhood. Includes materials about social services, housing rehabilitation, pedestrian pathways and parks, commercial development, and religious structures.

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Itemized appraisals of real property including structures. Used for documenting conditions in the neighborhood and for property acquisitions related to urban renewal and neighborhood revitalization. Includes comparable sale appraisals.

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Correspondence, property appraisals, immovable fixtures appraisals, work programs, and drawings relating to rehabilitation and development of the Pike Place Market area.

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The Board of Adjustment was created in 1957 by the new Zoning Ordinance. It was a division of the City Planning Commission and had power to hear, decide, and grant or deny applications for variances and conditional use permits. The Board began hearing zoning and variance appeals from decisions of the Hearing Examiner (3400) following the latter's creation in 1973. In 1980, application and appeal processes were consolidated in the Department of Construction and Land Use (2000) with development of the Master Use Permit system. The Board functions were superseded and it was abolished in 1981.

Minutes of Board luncheon meetings held immediately following public hearings. Includes discussion and action on modifications of previous Board actions, adoption of Board policy, election of officers, and authorization time period extensions on variances.

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Copies of Board reports to City Council including appeals to Council of Board actions and statistical breakdowns of the type of appeals.

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The Urban Renewal Program was established in 1959 with Federal funds to eradicate urban "blighted areas" in the City. It was administered by the Executive Department until it was transferred to the Department of Community Development in 1969.

Files of the Urban Renewal Director. Includes correspondence, reports, and notes relating to urban renewal projects and administration of the program.

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Correspondence, reports, budgets, minutes, and maps relating generally to urban renewal. Includes administrative materials.

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Files of the City's Chief Urban Renewal Planner. Includes correspondence, planning notes, reports, and employment and census data relating to blighted neighborhoods, urban renewal projects, and City services and ordinances concerning redevelopment. Also contains reference material on urban renewal from other cities.

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Correspondence, grant applications, reports, and newsletters related to Federally funded program to study the social, economic, and physical needs resulting from blight, slums, and deteriorating neighborhoods and commercial districts. The CRP was authorized by Federal legislation in 1959.

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Generally small scale projects designed to demonstrate the improvements possible through neighborhood improvement projects. Includes correspondence, studies, maps, and project monitoring records.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and financial data relating to the City's Capital Improvement Program and its relation to the urban renewal process.

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Correspondence, agreements, financial statements, and relocation data forms relating to the relocation of individuals and businesses from urban renewal areas including Yesler-Atlantic, North Greenwood, Leschi, Ballard, and University Addition.

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Urban Renewal Program correspondence, arranged chronologically.

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SURE was established in November 1958 by 300 local firms and individuals. The non-profit organization assisted the City in long-range neighborhood urban renewal planning. Records include correspondence, reports and studies, committee minutes, and financial records relating to SURE's operation and urban renewal projects. Major projects included Yesler-Atlantic, Cherry Hill, and University Addition-First Hill.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and other documentation relating to the Cherry Hill Urban Renewal Project (Project Wash R-4 NA). Also known as Conservation Project No. 1, this was Seattle's first urban renewal project. It covered nearly 63 acres and was bounded by E. Cherry and Yesler Streets and 17th and 23rd Avenues.

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Chronological correspondence of DCD's Relocation Services. Relates to relocation of tenants and homeowners of property demolished as part of urban renewal and neighborhood development programs.

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The City Planning Commission was created in 1924 to prepare plans and gather data for the development of the City, to advise City Council on current problems and long range planning, and to participate in administration of the City's Zoning Ordinance. An independent nine-member commission was established with adoption of a new City Charter in 1946. It was provided with authority to hire as needed to carry out its planning and advisory functions. The Planning Commission also administered the Board of Adjustment following its creation in 1957. The city planning process was reorganized in 1980 and the Commission's planning function was transferred to the Department of Community Development. The current Commission is an advisory agency that reviews development plans and reports to the Mayor and City Council. It is composed of 15 members all of who must be Seattle citizens.

Proceedings of the City Planning Commission including debate, hearings, and Commission actions.

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Files of the City Planning Commission's planning director. Records relate primarily to the Central Business District. Also included are materials on greenbelts, fire station planning, and zoning.

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Correspondence, studies, and working papers of the City's assistant planning director. Subjects include hi-rise zoning, transportation planning, annexations, school planning, and the Central Business District study.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, grant applications, and studies relating to the Commission's planning function with the greatest emphasis on zoning and central area planning. This series was the City Planning Commission's central file.

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Correspondence of the Planning Commission's assistant director for administration. Includes material relating to the zoning ordinance and conditional use/variance applications.

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Records of Donald Monson, director of the CBD study. Includes correspondence, surveys, and economic data relating to planning issues in Seattle's business center.

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Copies of reports and studies relating to city planning, urban design, and zoning. Also includes working files for various studies.

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Applications for conditional use permits and variances, CPC committee recommendations, and Commission action. Includes correspondence and notices of hearings. The years 1955-1958 are missing.

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Correspondence to the Planning Commission requesting amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. Includes ordinance amendment drafts, notices of hearings, and copies of Commission minutes.

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Files generated by a petition to change a zoning designation. Includes property affected, justification for change, correspondence to Commission, meeting agendas, minutes of public hearings, actions taken by Commission, and zoning maps. Arranged chronologically.

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Aerial photographs of Seattle commissioned by the Planning Commission.

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Rezone agendas, minutes, correspondence, rezoning petition reports, maps, and notes from City Planning Commission public hearings relating to rezone requests. Arranged chronologically.

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The Zoning Commission was established in 1920 to survey the City, divide it into districts or zones, and recommend land use in those areas. The City Engineer, Superintendent of Buildings, one Parks Trustee, and six individuals appointed by the Mayor comprised the Commission membership. In 1923, the Commission presented a draft ordinance to City Council which became the City's first Zoning Code. Commission activities were superseded by creation of the City Planning Commission in 1924. Although inactive, the Commission was not abolished until 1936.

Proceedings of regular and special meetings and including annual reports. The early minutes include reports from other cities regarding zoning used by Seattle as it began the zoning process.

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The Municipal Arts Commission was created in 1955 to advise City government regarding the artistic and cultural development of the City. The Commission was reorganized in 1957 and its advisory responsibility was extended to recommendations regarding the design of new physical structures to be constructed in the City. In 1961, the Commission's responsibilities were broadened to include historic preservation recommendations. The Commission was abolished in 1971 and replaced by the Seattle Arts Commission.

Minutes and agendas of the Municipal Arts Commission meetings.

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Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and press clippings relating to the programs, activities, and administration of the Municipal Arts Commission. Includes materials on Commission input regarding planning for construction of physical structures in the City.

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