@pwalchtaylor.bsky.social
Seattlite, housing designer and advocate, Urbanist, cyclist. Volunteer @urbanistorg. He/Him
Reposted
Bad cops are expensive.
February 13, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Bad cops are expensive.
As many of us watch the Big Game today, I am reminded that in the year of our lord 2022 the NFL had to pay $1 billion to players because it assumed black peoples had lower base IQs than white people when determining brain damage.
www.npr.org/2021/10/20/1...
www.npr.org/2021/10/20/1...
NFL agrees to end race-based brain testing in $1B settlement on concussions
The league accepted changes after an outcry over test score adjustments known as "race-norming," which make it harder for retired Black players to win dementia awards.
www.npr.org
February 8, 2026 at 8:10 PM
As many of us watch the Big Game today, I am reminded that in the year of our lord 2022 the NFL had to pay $1 billion to players because it assumed black peoples had lower base IQs than white people when determining brain damage.
www.npr.org/2021/10/20/1...
www.npr.org/2021/10/20/1...
Seattle just dropped the latest corridors, neighborhoods centers, LR, and MR zoning changes. The zoning changes, minor as they are, will eliminate 3 out of 4 departures on a stacked flat building we’re working on.
one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com?utm_medium=e...
one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com?utm_medium=e...
One Seattle Plan Zoning Update
This website shows proposed zoning changes that implement the new Growth Strategy in the One Seattle Plan, including updates to Neighborhood Residential zoning that fulfill requirements in House Bill ...
one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com
January 29, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Seattle just dropped the latest corridors, neighborhoods centers, LR, and MR zoning changes. The zoning changes, minor as they are, will eliminate 3 out of 4 departures on a stacked flat building we’re working on.
one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com?utm_medium=e...
one-seattle-plan-zoning-implementation-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com?utm_medium=e...
All of these environmental groups seem to forget that the alternative to urban growth isn’t no growth, it’s sprawl. Tell me, how bulldozing forest and fields helps orcas, and other plants and animals? How does more driving and more parking lots and more roads help the environment?
FYI here is the list of local conservation groups that have signed onto an amicus brief trying to force the City of Seattle to go back to the drawing board when it comes to the environmental review of the growth plan that was approved in December.
January 27, 2026 at 5:53 PM
All of these environmental groups seem to forget that the alternative to urban growth isn’t no growth, it’s sprawl. Tell me, how bulldozing forest and fields helps orcas, and other plants and animals? How does more driving and more parking lots and more roads help the environment?
The SEPA exemption has saved so much time and money previously waisted on studies that go nowhere and helped get housing built faster. Sign in con to help that crucial reform from being rolled back.
🚨 IMPORTANT 🚨
Historic preservationists are attempting to roll back the critical SEPA exemptions that #waleg passed for infill housing. In other words, #SB5609 would require historic preservation review even for projects that are SEPA-exempt.
There’s a hearing tomorrow!
Sign in CON now:
Historic preservationists are attempting to roll back the critical SEPA exemptions that #waleg passed for infill housing. In other words, #SB5609 would require historic preservation review even for projects that are SEPA-exempt.
There’s a hearing tomorrow!
Sign in CON now:
CSI
app.leg.wa.gov
January 27, 2026 at 5:55 AM
The SEPA exemption has saved so much time and money previously waisted on studies that go nowhere and helped get housing built faster. Sign in con to help that crucial reform from being rolled back.
An unprotected bike lane is really just a narrow parking spot.
January 27, 2026 at 5:10 AM
An unprotected bike lane is really just a narrow parking spot.
A car got pulled over for failing to yield to me on my bike with kids using a crosswalk. I was shocked. I think this is the second time I have seen a driver pulled over for anything in 10+ years of living in SE Seattle.
January 26, 2026 at 5:16 PM
A car got pulled over for failing to yield to me on my bike with kids using a crosswalk. I was shocked. I think this is the second time I have seen a driver pulled over for anything in 10+ years of living in SE Seattle.
If you want to see less housing built, requiring AC at $5-10k a unit is a great way to do it. This will kill projects at a time when it’s already difficult to build and will result in higher rent for everyone.
if you haven't signed in pro or submitted writing in support of HB 2265 Protecting tenants from periods of extreme heat - you can do so here:
we mandate heating to protect renters. in a warming world, we need to protect from extreme heat as well.
app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?...
we mandate heating to protect renters. in a warming world, we need to protect from extreme heat as well.
app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?...
HB 2265 Washington State Legislature
app.leg.wa.gov
January 19, 2026 at 9:19 PM
If you want to see less housing built, requiring AC at $5-10k a unit is a great way to do it. This will kill projects at a time when it’s already difficult to build and will result in higher rent for everyone.
$750k for two bathroom stalls at Mt. Baker Playground. This is one reason Seattle can’t have nice things like public bathrooms. You could buy a townhouse and let people use the bathrooms for that much money.
www.seattle.gov/parks/about-...
www.seattle.gov/parks/about-...
Mount Baker Park Public Restroom - Parks | seattle.gov
This project bring the bathroom to meet accessibility requirements as part of Seattle Parks and Recreation's major maintenance and asset management program.
www.seattle.gov
January 18, 2026 at 6:16 PM
$750k for two bathroom stalls at Mt. Baker Playground. This is one reason Seattle can’t have nice things like public bathrooms. You could buy a townhouse and let people use the bathrooms for that much money.
www.seattle.gov/parks/about-...
www.seattle.gov/parks/about-...
This project has greatly improved my family’s life. I use it nearly every work day to get my kids safely to daycare. It has made it safer to bike and walk to get groceries, coffee, library books, and more.
6/🏙️ Beacon Hill Safety Project
Nearly 1.7 miles of protected bike lanes, traffic calming, and pedestrian upgrades opened from the Jose Rizal Bridge to Jefferson Park.
This happened because Beacon Hill Safe Streets organized for over a decade—pushing back when projects were cut.
Nearly 1.7 miles of protected bike lanes, traffic calming, and pedestrian upgrades opened from the Jose Rizal Bridge to Jefferson Park.
This happened because Beacon Hill Safe Streets organized for over a decade—pushing back when projects were cut.
December 23, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This project has greatly improved my family’s life. I use it nearly every work day to get my kids safely to daycare. It has made it safer to bike and walk to get groceries, coffee, library books, and more.
This seems like such a non-issue. If a logo will help lease space the go for it. I’ll save my outrage for more important things, of which there are many.
They're trying to squeak one more Harrell Administration priority through before the end of the year: allowing huge-ass corporate signs on skyscrapers in Downtown Seattle.
services.seattle.gov/Portal/Cap/C...
services.seattle.gov/Portal/Cap/C...
December 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
This seems like such a non-issue. If a logo will help lease space the go for it. I’ll save my outrage for more important things, of which there are many.
Reposted
Early Sunday morning, a driver struck and killed a 38-year-old named Allie who was biking across Beacon Ave S. The driver fled the scene. As a lifelong cyclist who’s had my share of close calls, my heart goes out to Allie’s family and friends.
December 16, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Early Sunday morning, a driver struck and killed a 38-year-old named Allie who was biking across Beacon Ave S. The driver fled the scene. As a lifelong cyclist who’s had my share of close calls, my heart goes out to Allie’s family and friends.
Reposted
So: @theurbanist.org is holding our holiday party next Tuesday, which is also our biggest fundraiser of the year.
I'll be there, and if you spring for the VIP ticket you even get to hear me make some remarks about how pivotal Urbanist reporting will be in 2026.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
I'll be there, and if you spring for the VIP ticket you even get to hear me make some remarks about how pivotal Urbanist reporting will be in 2026.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
The Urbanist Winter Holiday Party
Come celebrate the holidays with The Urbanist team, elected officials, and urbanist community members!
www.eventbrite.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:31 AM
So: @theurbanist.org is holding our holiday party next Tuesday, which is also our biggest fundraiser of the year.
I'll be there, and if you spring for the VIP ticket you even get to hear me make some remarks about how pivotal Urbanist reporting will be in 2026.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
I'll be there, and if you spring for the VIP ticket you even get to hear me make some remarks about how pivotal Urbanist reporting will be in 2026.
www.eventbrite.com/e/the-urbani...
All you paid protesters out there better watch out. Sen. Christian is coming for you this session.
December 2, 2025 at 2:52 AM
All you paid protesters out there better watch out. Sen. Christian is coming for you this session.
Seattle voters in a nutshell: we need more housing options, but also let’s tax the folks who will provide those options.
November 22, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Seattle voters in a nutshell: we need more housing options, but also let’s tax the folks who will provide those options.
My Northwest is doing its best to start blaming Katie Wilson for things happening while Bruce Harrell is still mayor. Can’t wait to see what they say when she’s actually in office.
November 22, 2025 at 9:32 PM
My Northwest is doing its best to start blaming Katie Wilson for things happening while Bruce Harrell is still mayor. Can’t wait to see what they say when she’s actually in office.
Fuse can gloat all they want, but Amazon is shipping every job it can to Bellevue (the real HQ2). It’s already down 10k employees in Seattle, up to 14k in Bellevue, and laying the ground work to move a lot more. This means less revenue for Seattle and probable a lot more driving.
When Amazon 1st announced they would open a 2nd HQ outside of Seattle, the usual WA conservatives gloated that progressives making wealthy corporations pay what they owe in taxes had backfired.
Flash forward 8 years and Amazon's HQ2 is a bust & Seattle's Jumpstart tax is keeping our services afloat
Flash forward 8 years and Amazon's HQ2 is a bust & Seattle's Jumpstart tax is keeping our services afloat
November 20, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Fuse can gloat all they want, but Amazon is shipping every job it can to Bellevue (the real HQ2). It’s already down 10k employees in Seattle, up to 14k in Bellevue, and laying the ground work to move a lot more. This means less revenue for Seattle and probable a lot more driving.
A whole lot of Seattle council members are convinced you can’t build on hills. Maybe they should walk around Capitol Hill or Queen Anne sometime.
September 18, 2025 at 5:58 PM
A whole lot of Seattle council members are convinced you can’t build on hills. Maybe they should walk around Capitol Hill or Queen Anne sometime.
Reposted
Guys please come to the comp plan hearing Friday, I’m begging you besties
September 8, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Guys please come to the comp plan hearing Friday, I’m begging you besties
I was going to post about how amazing it was that I can now ride from Beacon Hill to South Park to Georgetown to downtown almost entirely in PBLs. But instead I’ll post this picture of a guy who smashed into the bike lane seconds after I rolled through:
August 29, 2025 at 7:04 AM
I was going to post about how amazing it was that I can now ride from Beacon Hill to South Park to Georgetown to downtown almost entirely in PBLs. But instead I’ll post this picture of a guy who smashed into the bike lane seconds after I rolled through:
For some reason @seattledot.bsky.social has geofenced the streets of Yesler Terrace so bike share bikes lose most power just as you hit the hills. Meanwhile the cars are all going 25+. I with SDoT didn’t see bikes as a bigger threat than cars.
August 12, 2025 at 6:57 PM
For some reason @seattledot.bsky.social has geofenced the streets of Yesler Terrace so bike share bikes lose most power just as you hit the hills. Meanwhile the cars are all going 25+. I with SDoT didn’t see bikes as a bigger threat than cars.
Another great parking job by @seattledot.bsky.social, blocking the entire sidewalk next to the light rail station. It’s telling about their priorities.
July 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Another great parking job by @seattledot.bsky.social, blocking the entire sidewalk next to the light rail station. It’s telling about their priorities.
Overheard on Beacon Hill: “You can’t drive downtown anymore because of all the bike lanes!” and “Bike lanes make it more dangerous for bikers.” Of course said by someone who probably hasn’t rode a bike since they were 7.
June 12, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Overheard on Beacon Hill: “You can’t drive downtown anymore because of all the bike lanes!” and “Bike lanes make it more dangerous for bikers.” Of course said by someone who probably hasn’t rode a bike since they were 7.
We have no trees on our property (our backyard is townhouses) but live on a tree lined street (15th Ave S) and it’s wonderful. We have beautiful trees outside our window and a shady front yard. CM Moore doesn’t know what she’s taking about.
Cathy Moore is arguing that trees on private property are often better than trees in public parks. "I don't think that you can necessarily get the benefit of a tree by it being in a park," she says.
May 1, 2025 at 5:22 PM
We have no trees on our property (our backyard is townhouses) but live on a tree lined street (15th Ave S) and it’s wonderful. We have beautiful trees outside our window and a shady front yard. CM Moore doesn’t know what she’s taking about.
Here is the alternative to urban development. Tree activists trying to stop new infill development aren’t just anti-housing, they’re anti-tree.
Another West Bremerton forest bows down to the needs of sprawl, that either can’t or won’t be met by urban infill. No bus serves this Neighbourhood in the nearest elementary school is 3 1/2 miles away.
April 29, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Here is the alternative to urban development. Tree activists trying to stop new infill development aren’t just anti-housing, they’re anti-tree.