CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION relating to the One Seattle Plan Comprehensive Plan update; calling for additional measures by City departments to further advance the goals of the One Seattle Plan; and requesting that the Office of Planning and Community Development and other City departments develop additional amendments to the Comprehensive Plan in 2026.
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WHEREAS, The City of Seattle adopted its Comprehensive Plan with Ordinance 117221 in 1994, pursuant to the provisions of the Growth Management Act, chapter 36.70A RCW; and
WHEREAS, the City has made amendments to its Comprehensive Plan most years through its annual update or major update process, as authorized by the Growth Management Act; and
WHEREAS, in April 2021 the Office of Planning and Community Development published a Market Rate Housing Needs and Supply Analysis that found that housing supply was not keeping pace with demand, housing costs were increasing faster than incomes, market development was producing few new homeownership units, the City lacked sufficient development capacity for middle housing, the supply of affordable rental units did not meet the needs of lower income households, and many lower income households commuted long distances from communities outside the City to reach their jobs; and
WHEREAS, in July 2021 the Office of Planning and Community Development published a Racial Equity Analysis of Seattle 2035 and Urban Village Strategy that identified ongoing racial disparities in housing and access to opportunity and made recommendations to advance racial equity in the next update of the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Planning and Community Development, in cooperation with other City agencies including the Seattle Planning Commission, began in 2022 a series of programs and events, under the title One Seattle Plan, to engage the public in discussions about potential changes to the Comprehensive Plan, consistent with the One Seattle Plan Public Participation Program and documented in the One Seattle Plan Public Engagement Report; and
WHEREAS, in July 2022 the Seattle City Council adopted Resolution 32059 confirming the City’s intent to address climate change and improve resiliency as part of the One Seattle update to the Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, in March 2024 the Office of Planning and Community Development published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement analyzing the potential effects of five different growth alternatives in the City through 2044, conducted two public hearings on April 17, 2024 and April 22, 2024, and received comments from the public on this document; and
WHEREAS, in March 2024 the Office of Planning and Community Development published a Draft Comprehensive Plan Update rooted in a deliberate approach to creating more housing, encouraging density near amenities and frequent transit, and mitigating displacement; and
WHEREAS, in January 2025 the Office of Planning and Community Development published a Final Environmental Impact Statement that included analysis of a preferred growth strategy alternative, with the same growth and employment numbers as alternative five in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement; and
WHEREAS, the City reviewed applicable adopted statutes for cities planning under the Growth Management Act passed subsequent to the City’s last major update of the Comprehensive Plan in 2016 and incorporated or addressed all relevant provisions into the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered public testimony made at public hearings and other pertinent materials regarding the proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, various City Councilmembers have proposed a range of amendments to the Proposed One Seattle Plan that may require additional environmental review and staff recommendations on such amendments; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The City Council (Council) recognizes the significance of the Comprehensive Plan as the roadmap for where and how the City will grow and invest in our communities over the next 20 years. The Council intends for the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan and its related work to advance the following goals and outcomes:
A. Welcoming and Inclusive. New growth should welcome newcomers while preventing the displacement of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and under-resourced households. The Plan is intended to help communities thrive in place and provide opportunities for former residents who have been displaced to return.
B. Affordable. The City’s growth strategy supports housing options that work for all families and increase housing supply, including but not limited to the development of duplexes, triplexes, stacked flats, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and unit conversions. The Plan should make it easier for multigenerational households to live together and stay rooted in their communities. Furthermore, the Council encourages additional housing supply in areas of the city that have historically been exclusionary in their zoning, to reduce market pressure resulting in displacement of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and under-resourced households.
C. Accessible. Council encourages the design of homes and public spaces that meet ADA standards, support aging in place, and create child-friendly environments. New growth should build with mobility and independence in mind, so everyone, regardless of ability or age, can navigate their neighborhood and live comfortably.
D. Livable. The Plan advances our climate goals, reducing dependence on cars and fostering vibrant communities where walking is easy, enjoyable, and part of daily life with access to restaurants, grocery stores, transit, and everyday essentials. Council intends to continue to invest in outdoor spaces, parks, and shared areas that bring people together and make neighborhoods feel welcoming, connected, and resilient.
E. Safe. The Plan prioritizes safety through a new Public Safety Element and supports well-lit streets, safe sidewalks, active public spaces, and community-driven planning.
Section 2. Departmental Work Program for 2026 and associated environmental review. The Council requests that the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), and any other relevant departments add the following items to their 2026 Work Program:
A. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Conduct SEPA analysis and make recommendations to the Council on amendments to regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), including:
1. Allowing ADUs that share a common wall with the principal unit to be subdivided onto a separate unit lot from the principal unit they are accessory to.
2. Removing ADUs from calculations of floor area ratio.
3. Increasing the maximum size of ADUs with three or more bedrooms to 1,200 square feet.
4. Excluding ADUs from being counted toward maximum density regulations.
B. Environmentally Critical Areas. Conduct SEPA analysis and make recommendations to the Council on legislation to allow areas of a lot located in specified environmentally critical areas to count in density calculations.
C. Frequent Transit Service. Conduct SEPA analysis and make recommendations to Council on legislation to amend the definition of major transit service to include frequent transit service.
D. Parking Requirements. Conduct SEPA analysis and make recommendations to Council on legislation to remove parking requirements citywide for all land uses in all zones.
E. Tree protection.
1. Conduct SEPA analysis and make recommendations to Council on updates to the City’s tree regulations, particularly focused on improving regulations regarding tree protection areas.
2. Continue to protect Tier 1 trees as well as development sites, such as the Sequoia House in West Seattle, from development that is harmful to Seattle’s heritage trees.
F. Incentives. As part of the City’s planned review of the Mandatory Housing Affordability program, consider incentives for the provision of required inclusionary housing on-site through modifications to program requirements, such as home-ownership affordability levels, term of affordability limitations, and other incentives.
G. Vacant Sites Downtown. Undertake efforts to spur development of vacant sites in Downtown Seattle, in particular the block bounded by James Street, 3rd Avenue, Cherry Street and 4th Avenue, and consider appropriate penalties for leaving property vacant.
H. Anti-Displacement Strategies. Develop proposals for new zoning in regional centers, urban centers, and neighborhood centers in areas that were historically redlined or have experienced significant displacement, and report to Council on the potential displacement impacts of any proposed zoning changes. Include strategies in these proposals to reduce displacement pressure on existing homeowners in these areas, and to incorporate strategies that provide opportunities for displaced families to return to areas that have seen significant displacement.
I. Height Limits. Conduct SEPA analysis, if needed, and make recommendations to Council on legislation to increase height limits in Neighborhood Residential and Lowrise 1 zones, from 32 feet to 35 feet.
J. Amenity areas. Conduct SEPA and develop proposals to reduce or eliminate amenity areas in Neighborhood Residential and Lowrise zones to facilitate design flexibility and tree protection.
Section 3. Comprehensive Plan annual amendments to be considered in 2026. The Council requests that OPCD and other relevant departments develop the following proposed amendments to the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, including conducting public engagement and new or additional environmental reviews. The Council also requests that OPCD present its analyses and the Mayor’s recommendations to the Seattle Planning Commission and to the Council as part of that planning effort.
A. Building Heights in Neighborhood Centers. Analyze and make recommendations for changes to the Comprehensive Plan to allow building heights greater than six stories in Neighborhood Centers near major transit stations, especially light rail stations, or near existing concentrations of amenities and services.
B. Additional Neighborhood Centers. Analyze and make recommendations for changes to the Comprehensive Plan and the Official Land Use Map to add nine additional neighborhood centers, described below and included in maps attached to this resolution:
1. Alki: generally located west of 59th Avenue S, north of SW Hinds Street and south and east of Alki Avenue SW (Council District 1).
2. Broadview: generally located between N 130th Street on the north, Linden Avenue N/Interurban Trail on the west, N 122nd Street and N 125th Street on the south, and Palatine Ave N and 1st Ave NW on the west (Council District 5).
3. Dawson: generally located around the intersection of S Dawson Street and Wilson Avenue S in the Seward Park neighborhood (Council District 2).
4. Gasworks: generally located between N 38th Street, N Northlake Way and Ashworth Avenue N and north of Gas Works Park touching the Fremont Urban Center on its west end between N 35th Street and N 36th Street (Council District 4).
5. Loyal Heights: generally located between NW 85th Street and NW 75th Street on the north and south. The boundary on the west side of the village would run along 28th Avenue NW between NW 85th Street and NW 83rd Street, and 27th Avenue NW south of NW 83rd Street. The boundary on the east would abut the Crown Hill Urban Center for one block along 21st Avenue NW between N 85th Street and NW 83rd Street and then run along 22nd Avenue NW south of NW 83rd Street (Council District 6).
6. Roanoke: generally located between Interstate 90 and E Howe Street, Harvard Avenue E, and 12th Avenue E in the North Capitol Hill neighborhood. It would be located across Interstate 5 from the Eastlake Urban Center (Council District 3).
7. South Wedgwood: generally located between NE 70th Street and NE 60th Street, west of 37th Avenue NE and east of 30th Avenue NE located adjacent to the proposed Wedgwood Neighborhood Center, which is located north of NE 70th Street (Council District 4).
8. Nickerson: generally located between 3rd Avenue W and 4th Avenue NE, south of the ship canal, and including the eastern edge of the Seattle Pacific University campus. Council requests that OPCD analyze two boundary options as shown in the map in Attachment 1 (Council District 7).
9. Phinney Ridge: generally located between N 75th Street and N 57th Street to the north and south. The boundary on the west side would run along Palatine Avenue N between N 75th Street and N 62nd Street, then by Greenwood Avenue North until N 57th Street. The boundary on the east side would run along Phinney Avenue N between N 75th Street and N 67th Street, as well as between N 59th Street and N 57th Street, and generally along Dayton Avenue N between N 67th Street and N 59th Street.
C. Analyze and make recommendations for changes to the Comprehensive Plan and the Official Land Use Map to modify the following neighborhood centers, as shown in Attachment 2 to this resolution: Tangletown, Upper Fremont, Magnolia Village, North Magnolia, East Ballard, and West Green Lake.
D. Additional Amendments. Analyze and make recommendations for changes to the Comprehensive Plan that may be initiated by the Executive, including potential amendments to the plan and appendices that may be necessary to comply with new state requirements that have future deadlines for full compliance, and including subarea plans for regionally designated centers and/or high-capacity transit station areas.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Potential Neighborhood Center Boundary Maps
Attachment 2 - Proposed Neighborhood Center Boundary Map Modifications