Filling in the Blanks: City Council Votes to Put Vacant Lots to Use

Before the recession/depression, contractors and investors snapped up downtown's valuable vacant land, brimming with dreams of skyscrapers and saucy condos. But as the housing market, employment and desire to live in Belltown all tanked, these oases of opportunity slowly degraded. Now, they lie fallow, just waiting to be put to use. With useful things. Like food carts! But not for long, if the City Council has anything to do with it.

Today, the Seattle City Council adopted a new legislature, designed to pep up these cesspools of garbage and crushed hopes. According to the press release, qualifying lots can, under this legislation, house "art, mobile food vending, retail kiosks, tree nurseries, or community graders."

But therein lies the thrust. According to the press release, lots (and lot owners) must adhere to a number of provisions.

"To take advantage of the pilot program, lots must: already have legally established accessory parking; have been cleared for construction as of June 1, 2010; or have an active building permit as of June 1, 2010.  The pilot project would only apply to the following zones: Seattle Mixed, Highrise, Downtown, Industrial, and Commercial with the exception of NC1."

Hopefully, these necessary steps won't scare the lot owners away. Because really…food carts!