Northgate Stakeholders

Situation
In December 2003, after a 10-year stalemate on how to make progress on revitalizing Seattle’s Northgate area (a designated Urban Village), the City Council, with the Mayor’s concurrence, passed the Northgate Framework Resolution. It called for the creation of a 22-member Northgate Stakeholders Group. The purpose of the Group was to advise the City on large lot developments, open space and pedestrian connections, needed transportation improvements, and the 5th Ave NE Streetscape Design.

Process
The City selected Triangle Associates to convene the Northgate Stakeholders Group, design its process, and facilitate their meetings so the diverse interests represented could provide advice on specific issues to the City on an aggressive schedule. By the group’s fifth meeting, it reached consensus on what to do about Thornton Creek, which had been the primary point of contention in the previous decade.

Results
Triangle has continued to facilitate Northgate Stakeholders Group meetings. To date, the group has provided nine formal advice memoranda to the Mayor and City Council. At the request of City, the group has also provided several less formal memoranda to convey the sense of the group on issues. Triangle designed quarterly community forums to gather public input before the Stakeholders finalized their advice to the City. Triangle is credited with successfully channeling the group’s energy in positive directions that have allowed Northgate’s revitalization to proceed.