CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; amending Sections 23.74.002 and 23.74.008 of the Seattle Municipal Code to allow residential uses in the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District.
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WHEREAS, Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan includes policy LU 10.2, which states that the City will “Preserve industrial land for industrial uses, especially where industrial land is near rail- or water-transportation facilities to allow marine- and rail-related industries that rely on that transportation infrastructure to continue to function in the city.” and
WHEREAS, Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan includes policy LU 10.3, which states that the City will “Ensure predictability and permanence for industrial activities in industrial areas by limiting changes in industrial land use designation. There should be no reclassification of industrial land to a non-industrial land use category except as part of a City-initiated comprehensive study and review of industrial land use policies or as part of a major update to the Comprehensive Plan.” and
WHEREAS, Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan includes policy LU 10.8, which states that the City will “Prohibit new residential development in industrial zones except for certain types of dwellings, such as caretaker units and, in urban industrial zones, dwellings for workers, that are related to the industrial area and that would not restrict or disrupt industrial activity.” and
WHEREAS, additional new housing in industrial areas outside of the limited industrial-related housing currently allowed could have significant impacts on the City’s industrial areas; and
WHEREAS, the Council intends to further strengthen the City’s policies and regulations to further limit changes to the boundaries of industrial areas, and further limit rezones to non-industrial uses in the Urban Industrial zone within Manufacturing/Industrial Centers; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 23.74.002 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 126862, is amended as follows:
23.74.002 Purpose, intent, and description of the overlay district-Rezone requirement-Rezone criteria
A. Purpose and intent. The purpose of this Chapter 23.74 is to implement the City's Comprehensive Plan, including the neighborhood plan for the Greater Duwamish Manufacturing/Industrial Center, by establishing a Stadium Transition Area Overlay District for the area shown on Map A for 23.74.004. The Stadium Transition Area centers on large sports facilities and allows uses complementary to them. It is intended to contribute to a safer pedestrian environment for those attending events and permits a mix of uses, supporting the pedestrian-oriented character of the area as well as the surrounding industrial zone, while minimizing conflicts with industrial uses. Within the overlay district, use provisions and development standards are designed to: create a pedestrian connection with downtown; discourage encroachment on nearby industrial uses to the south; and create a pedestrian-friendly streetscape. Allowing a mix of uses, including office development, restaurants, lodging, residential uses, and maker uses and arts, is intended to encourage redevelopment and to maintain the health and vibrancy of the area during times when the sports facilities are not in operation.
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Section 2. Section 23.74.008 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 126862, is amended as follows:
23.74.008 Uses.
Notwithstanding the use provisions of the underlying zone, the following use provisions apply:
A. The following uses are permitted in buildings existing on June 1, 2023:
1. Artist's studio/dwellings;
2. Major institutions.
B. The following uses are prohibited:
1. Heavy manufacturing uses;
2. High-impact uses;
3. Solid waste management;
4. Recycling uses;
5. Animal shelters and kennels;
6. Veterinary offices;
7. Pet grooming;
8. Airports, land and water based;
9. Hospitals;
10 Elementary and secondary schools;
11. Drive-in businesses, including gas stations;
12. Bus bases;
13. Flexible-use parking1; and
14. Residential uses, except for those allowed under SMC 23.74.008.C. ((otherwise allowed as an administrative conditional use in the Urban Industrial zone pursuant to subsection 23.50A.062.C)).
1 Parking required for a spectator sports facility or exhibition hall is allowed and shall be permitted to be used for flexible-use parking or shared with another such facility to meet its required parking. A spectator sports facility or exhibition hall within the Stadium Transition Overlay Area District may reserve non-required parking only outside the overlay district and only if:
(a) The parking is owned and operated by the owner of the spectator sports facility or exhibition hall; and
(b) The parking is reserved for events in the spectator sports facility or exhibition hall; and
(c) The reserved parking is south of South Royal Brougham Way, west of 6th Avenue South and north of South Atlantic Street. Parking that is provided to meet required parking will not be considered reserved parking.
C. In areas zoned Urban Industrial, residential uses are permitted as a conditional use east of 1st Avenue S pursuant to the criteria contained in subsection 23.50A.062.C:
1. Except that criterion 23.50A.062.C.3 does not apply within the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District (STAOD);
2. Only where the following occur, the total number of residential units permitted in the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District may not exceed 990 units;
3. Except that, if any site is determined to be a geologic hazard area by the Director, a covenant shall be required and recorded to run with the land in perpetuity;
4. Except that criterion 23.50A.062.C.4 does not apply within the STAOD, and instead the following criteria must be met: All dwelling units shall have sound-insulating windows sufficient to maintain interior sound levels at 45 decibels or below in consideration of existing environmental noise levels at the site. The applicant shall submit an analysis of existing noise levels and documentation of the sound insulating capabilities of windows as part of the conditional use permit application;
5. only where the following occur: The building containing residential uses shall have at least three signs in conspicuous locations, such as in the residential lobby, the leasing office, and on the exterior of the building visible from the residential entry, that use clear language to convey the following information:
a. That the project is located in an industrial area, and that residents, by choosing to live in the area, accept the industrial character of the neighborhood and agree that existing or permitted industrial uses do not constitute a nuisance or other inappropriate or unlawful use of land, and
b. If the project has been determined to be in a liquefaction zone, that the building is in a liquefaction zone and that residents understand that there may be heightened risk during earthquakes; and
6. Except that a Master Use Permit application for a development containing residential uses in the Stadium Transition Area Overlay District pursuant to the criteria contained in subsection 23.50A.062.C must contain an executed and recorded agreement stating that the development has not used City funding, will not use City funding and will not seek City funding for the construction of the project, maintenance of the project, or any environmental remediation of the site on which the development is located. The agreement shall be recorded on the title of the property on which that development is located; and
Residential uses otherwise allowed as an administrative conditional use in the Urban Industrial zone pursuant to subsection 23.50A.062.C are prohibited west of 1st Avenue S.
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect on June 30, 2025.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025 and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
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Approved / |
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returned unsigned / |
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vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2025. |
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)