Pioneer Square Business Stakeholders-

The Alliance for Pioneer Square team is working diligently to keep the Pioneer Square community informed regarding new resources and opportunities available to them. This roundup is part of a series of weekly messages capturing new resources and opportunities. Find each weekly email to date on our website.

*Please see this roundup's new resources and opportunities highlighted in RED*

What's Happening

• *NEW* Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6- Northwest Seattle), Chair of the Land Use Committee, introduced legislation to make outdoor dining permanent in Seattle. This begins the final step in the pathway to permanence for street cafes and the legislation incorporates aspects of the design charrettes that have created the street café on Ballard Avenue.  

The Safe Starts Legislation creates permanent regulations including fee structures, structural standards, and design goals. Throughout this process, Councilmember Strauss and SDOT are working to ensure rules are right-sized for Seattle, there is adequate transition time for businesses, there are flexible options for year-round vibrancy, and Seattle’s businesses are supported as they continue to recover from the pandemic. This bill is scheduled to be heard in the Transportation and Utilities Committee in December after the budget process wraps up this fall. Learn more here.

• *NEW* Starting Monday, October 24th, rate adjustments to Seattle’s on-street paid parking will take effect at locations throughout the city. This seasonal adjustment is part of SDOT's regular process to help ensure enough parking spots are available, based on the latest real-world parking usage data and seasonal trends. SDOT typically makes these parking rate updates three times per year, in the spring, summer, and fall. Pioneer Square's updated on-street parking rates will range from $1-$3 depending on location and time. Evening parking will remain free for now. Learn more here.



• The City of Seattle plans to officially end its Civil Emergency Proclamation after October 31st. This change aligns with Washington state and Governor Inslee’s decision to end the statewide state of emergency the same date. Starting November 1st, some of the temporary systems and waivers that were implemented during the pandemic will be removed and others will be phased out over time. City departments are informing stakeholders of upcoming changes, collaborating with labor partners, and working to identify any temporary measures that should be made permanent. Examples of policies/programs impacted by this change and those not impacted, can be found here. 

Worker and Business Resources

• *NEW* Beginning March 1, 2023, an updated version of the Washington State Food Code will be implemented. Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Food Protection Program has created a new Food Code updates webpage that covers what to expect and includes a series of factsheets to clearly explain the changes. Updates to the food code include date marking, vomit and diarrhea cleanup plans, employee health (informing the person in charge) and more.

• *NEW* The Alliance is sharing information regarding foot traffic coming and going from the south end of the district this upcoming holiday season. To better inform business operations on game and event days, follow this link to the Lumen Field and Event Center, WAMU Theater and T-Mobile Park event calendar for November, December and January.

• *NEW* The Digital Sales Access Program is back. This partnership between the Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED), Comcast, Kay Tita, Square and Quickbooks aims to remove digital access barriers that negatively impact small businesses. Originally launched in 2021, the Digital Sales Access Program will provide a free point of sale (POS) system that allows small businesses — particularly those operating as “cash-only” — to expand their operations to accept debit, credit and other digital forms of payment.

Applications for the Digital Sales Access Program will be accepted until November 18th, 2022.To learn more on the program’s services, eligibility requirements and apply, go to kaytita.org/dsap/program. 

• The Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) is leveraging nearly $2 million in federal funding to support the economic recovery of small businesses who experienced property damage. Through the Storefront Repair Fund, small businesses can apply for $2,000 grants to help repair storefront property damages that occurred on or after January 1, 2021. Storefront Repair Fund grants will help cover costs to repair current property damage or reimburse business owners for costs paid out of pocket for past damages. Eligible property damages include broken windows, broken doors, broken locks and etching on windows. This grant will not cover loss of stolen goods or damages such as graffiti.

OED will accept applications from small businesses on a continued basis until all funding has been spent. Applications will open on October 18, 2022. Applicants are encouraged to review the eligibility, required documentation, selection process and additional information on the program's website before applying. Interested businesses can learn more about the Storefront Repair Program and apply here.

• The Seattle Office of Economic Development's Shop to the Beat program is back. Shop to the Beat matches small retail businesses with local musicians to host free in-store performances during peak shopping hours. The aim of the program is to help increase foot traffic and sales for retailers as well as provide competitive pay for musicians who were significantly impacted by the pandemic.

Small retail business interested in having a FREE performance at their location can participate in this program by submitting the Shop to the Beat Application to share contact information and select preferred days, times and style of music. Local musicians interested in performing at a small business this holiday season can visit the Gigs4U website to register as a musician. (Enter the following referral code: S2B). Apply for Shop to the Beat by December 1, 2022!  

Partner Efforts

• *NEW* Thank you to all those that were able to join the Alliance at Sound Transit's Chinatown International District (CID) kick-off open house on October 13th and for sharing your thoughts on their engagement approach and what to study further as part of the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions project. Your feedback is shaping the content and approach for an upcoming workshop series and Sound Transit looks forward to sharing a summary of that feedback in advance of it's next meeting. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 2nd from 4:30 to 6:30p at Union Station (401 S. Jackson St.).

Building on the feedback Sound Transit received at the open house and through the online survey, they invite you to join a workshop focused on options for further study. They’ll bring forward concepts shared with them by community and agency partners and begin to explore opportunities and challenges together. The Alliance seeks a group of passionate and dedicated neighborhood stakeholders to participate with us in Sound Transit and City of Seattle-hosted meetings/workshops to make a better light rail project for the neighborhood and for the region. We need you to represent Pioneer Square neighborhood interests from your point of view to Sound Transit and City of Seattle. 

By participating in the workshops with us, you can help Sound Transit prioritize which impacts are most harmful and need to be minimized and help the agency understand the trade-offs related to the project design and operation. If you are interested in participating in this process, contact [email protected].

• *NEW* In partnership with Commute Seattle, the Mobility Innovation Center at the University of Washington launched the Seattle Commute Survey. This statewide survey gathers information about how over 500,000 employees in Washington State commute to work. Commuting information gathered by this survey is important to state and local governments in deciding how to invest tax dollars in transportation. Commute Seattle will also use this information to determine possible adjustments to commuter benefits package. Complete the survey online by Friday, November 18th. Survey respondents will be eligible for a drawing to receive $100 gift cards to locally owned Seattle businesses.

Questions? The Seattle Commute Survey Webpage has more information. Want to find an easy, affordable and climate friendly way to get to work? Visit Commuteseattle.com. 

• *NEW* Seattle Good Business Network is excited to have support from a Seattle Public Utilities Waste Free Communities Grant to help identify needs and develop services to support businesses in becoming more circular (keeping materials out of the landfill and putting towards regenerative use). They'd love your input! 

What does your business need to help you reduce waste and streamline your operations? Take their survey to help them understand your needs and develop future business resources. As an incentive, everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win one of three $150 restaurant gift cards. The survey closes on November 14!

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square is partnering with the Seattle Metro Chamber to bring you All-Chamber After Hours, a community networking event that brings together local chambers, businesses associations and other professionals from the Seattle metro area.

Join us on November 9 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the beautiful Embassy Suites Seattle Downtown-Pioneer Square for appetizers, music, local art, and the opportunity to hear about what local organizations are doing in the community and learn how you can get involved. Register here to attend and use code Alliance$5OFF for $5 off your ticket (available through October 26th). Please contact Isabelle teDuits with any questions.

Other Neighborhood Updates

• *NEW* The Alliance for Pioneer Square invites you to an informative rodent prevention workshop on Tuesday, November 1st from 12-1:30p at Expansive, to learn how to prevent rodent activity and damage in and around your property. This in-person workshop will be hosted by King County Public Health (King County Public Health (PHSKC) with participation and support from local partners and agencies including Waste Management Seattle (WM), Recology, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and the Metropolitan Improvement District (MID).

Please note, this meeting will be held in person only and spaces are limited to only 25 attendees. All attendees will receive a gift bag with a variety of rodent prevention supplies. RSVP here to attend.

• *NEW* King County election day is November 8th this year. Did you know you can drop your ballot off in Pioneer Square? Our 24/7 ballot drop box is located at the corner of 2nd Ave. S. and S. King St. Be sure to return your ballot by 8p on November 8th! For a map of all drop boxes, click here.

• The Alliance for Pioneer Square is hosting an in-person Open House this on Thursday, October 27th from 3:30 to 5:30p and invites the community to pop into the Alliance's office located right at the heart of Pioneer Square. Join us to catch-up on what we've been up to and are currently working on, meet the entire Alliance staff (both old and new) and checkout our workspace. You're guaranteed to have a great time and meet other business owners, residents, and employees in our community.

Drop in anytime during the Open House and let us know here if you plan to stop by. Refreshments will be served. Questions? Contact us. We cannot wait to reconnect with all of you.

• Please join us for the Pioneer Square BIA Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 16th from 4-5:30p (to be held at The 101) as we celebrate all the successes we have achieved together this past year and look ahead to 2023. All Ratepayers in good standing are invited to meet the BIA Stakeholder Board, the Alliance board members, and Alliance staff as well as learn about new initiatives planned for the upcoming year. You will also have a chance to meet and connect with both your first floor and upper level neighbors, including welcoming some new faces! RSVP here to attend.

Additional Resources

• Save $5 with code PIONEERSQ on First Thursday Artwalk with Veo, one of Seattle's new bikeshare providers. Learn more about their class II e-bikes in Seattle here. Driving to Pioneer Square? Check out mobile-friendly DowntownSeattleParking.com for parking locations throughout the neighborhood. 

• Each Friday, we give neighborhood businesses and organizations the opportunity to share a series of photo and video content to the Alliance for Pioneer Square’s social media channels via stories, feed posts and live video updates, for the entire day. Fill out the Google Form to get started with the process or email our Marketing Manager, Thembela Mavuso at [email protected] if you have any questions.

• The Pioneer Square Business Owners & Managers Facebook group is an opportunity for business owners and retailers to participate in an online forum and share resources, support and stories. We invite you to join the group and connect with other neighborhood businesses. Click here to join the Pioneer Square Business Owners and Managers Facebook page.

Please let us know how we might best support you. Feel free to contact any of us with comments, questions, suggestions, or concerns.