Council unanimously approves establishment of Aurora Square Community Renewal Area

From the City of Shoreline

In an effort to spark economic renewal of the 70+ acre Aurora Square commercial area, on September 4, 2012, Shoreline’s City Council adopted Resolution 333 creating the Aurora Square Community Renewal Area (CRA). With the CRA, the City is freed to work in cooperation with the Aurora Square property owners and developers to draft an economic renewal plan for the area.

Washington law (RCW 35.81) allows cities to establish a community renewal area along with a community renewal plan to help areas that need renewal. In the case of Aurora Square, the Council and many community members believe economic renewal is needed. Once a CRA is established, the City gains a toolkit designed to help it facilitate renewal. For example, while Washington law typically limits cities from working with private enterprise, cities are encouraged to partner with private enterprise to rejuvenate a CRA, a tool than can be particularly effective at helping Aurora Square reach its potential.

The Aurora Square commercial area is comprised of ten separate pieces of oddly shaped property creating disconnected islands of buildings that are difficult to navigate. What’s more, current building and stormwater laws add more challenges for individual property owners in the area who wish to redevelop their site. Together, these challenges have stymied redevelopment, limited reinvestment and produced poor sales, values and rents.

The City regularly surveys its citizens about ways to improve Shoreline, and better shopping, entertainment, and destination restaurants are constantly mentioned. Aurora Square has the potential of accomplishing all of these opportunities. By creating a CRA, the City will be able to work directly with property owners to plan improvements that benefit all property owners. Aurora Square can become a model of “lifestyle Shoreline,” with smart-built infrastructure, residences, offices and generous open spaces tied to transit, neighborhoods, and the Interurban Trail.