More specifically, they're taking aim at a widespread rule that requires almost every new apartment building in the US to include at least two separate stairwells.
This part of local codes, they say, is an outdated safety measure that really just makes apartment units smaller, more expensive, and darker (yes, darker).
City planners there sometimes call these single-stair buildings "Seattle Specials" — they simply wouldn't be possible in pretty much any other city.
Almost all of Europe, as well as Asia, Mexico and South America, allows single-stair buildings of six stories or higher.
Germany allows single-stair buildings to stretch to about 20 stories, while Switzerland has no such limit.
Persons:
Chris Gannon, Gannon, Stephen Smith, Michael Eliason, Eliason, James F, Brian Court, We're, Sean Jursnick, Jursnick
Organizations:
City Council, Center for, Housel, Miller Hull Partnership, Eliason, City, Fire Protection Association
Locations:
Texas, Austin, Seattle, New York City, America, California, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon, North America, It's, Union, Seattle's, Hill, Denver, Europe, Asia, Mexico, South America, Germany, Switzerland, Honolulu, California , Oregon, Washington