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The City of Seattle
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A resolution relating to further advancing the goals of the One Seattle Plan Comprehensive Plan; directing the Office of Planning and Community Development to develop proposed changes to zoning and development standards and potential Comprehensive Plan amendments to create more opportunities for housing.
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Recitals:
On December 16, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance 127375, which updated Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan including an updated vision for growth over the next 20 years (2024 - 2044) toward becoming a more affordable, equitable, and livable city with expanded housing opportunities across the city as guided by a citywide Growth Strategy that describes the location, type, and density of planned development and that provides a framework for implementation through zoning legislation.
On December 16, 2025, the City Council issued Resolution 32183 associated with the Comprehensive Plan adoption, including intended goals and outcomes for the Comprehensive Plan related to inclusion, affordability, accessibility, livability, and safety, and a docket of potential amendments to the Comprehensive Plan for environmental review and consideration for adoption into the Plan through an annual amendment process, including new and expanded Neighborhood Centers. The work was directed to be included as part of a 2026 Work Program.
On December 16, 2025, the City Council adopted Ordinance 127376, known as Permanent State Zoning Compliance or “Phase 1” legislation, which allows a greater variety of middle housing types and at least 4 units on each lot in areas across the city in alignment with Chapter 332, Laws of 2023 (also known as House Bill 1110) as well as other state requirements.
On January 28, 2026, the Mayor transmitted Council Bill 121173, known as Centers and Corridors or “Phase 2” legislation which proposes zoning changes in Neighborhood Centers, new and expanded Urban Centers, and along frequent transit corridors, consistent with the Growth Strategy in the Comprehensive Plan.
The Washington State Legislature, as part of the 2025 legislative session, adopted House Bill 1491 (enacted as Chapter 267, Laws of 2025) establishing requirements for local governments, including The City of Seattle, to allow certain uses and densities and enact other tools to achieve transit oriented development in transit station areas, including around light rail and bus rapid transit stops.
Mayor Katie B. Wilson outlined a vision and values platform, currently on the Mayor’s website, which emphasizes the need for affordable and abundant housing options in thriving neighborhoods, providing that people of every income should have access to safe, and stable housing that is affordable, and neighborhoods that are vibrant, connected, and resilient places.
On April 2, 2026, Mayor Katie B. Wilson announced an accelerated and combined approach to implement future phases of the Comprehensive Plan Zoning Update in a press release, in response to Seattle’s housing shortage and affordability challenges, with the intent to allow and promote the building of more housing close to jobs, services, amenities, and transit.
The Office of Planning and Community Development has redefined subsequent phases of Comprehensive Planning work such that combining the analyses called for in Resolution 32183 with the “Taller, Denser, Faster” accelerated approach outlined by the Mayor, would best streamline efforts to achieve the aforementioned goals and outcomes.
Seattle continues to be in a housing affordability crisis and residential rental and ownership options are out of reach for many residents, including a disproportionate impact to communities of color and lower income residents, who are at greater risk of displacement pressures.
According to the Comprehensive Plan Housing Appendix (Figure A-51 and page A-113), an estimated 32 percent of households in Seattle are considered cost burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent, mortgage, and other housing costs, and an estimated 19 percent of renters spend more than half of their income on rent. Therefore,
Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Seattle, the Mayor concurring:
Section 1. The City Council directs the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) to conduct State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) analysis for all those items described in Section 2 of Resolution 32183 where additional SEPA analysis is required at the earliest opportunity and to combine that analysis with the additional analysis described in Section 2 of this resolution.
Section 2. The City Council further directs OPCD to study land use and zoning changes that have the potential to create more opportunities for housing, including the following areas of additional analysis:
A. Areas within walking distance of frequent transit stops, including areas not directly adjacent to major arterials;
B. Regional and Urban Centers, including possible expansions;
C. New and expanded Neighborhood Centers, including those identified by City Council in Section 3 of Resolution 32183 and those in the 2022 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) scoping report; and
D. Transit station areas as defined by and consistent with new state requirements in Chapter 267, Laws of 2025, including consideration of options to exceed those requirements.
Section 3. The City Council directs the Office of Planning and Community Development to undertake public engagement in partnership with the Mayor’s Office and City Council to inform and support recommendations stemming from those items identified in Sections 1 and 2 of this resolution as well as any other changes that promote the development, affordability, and variety of housing to meet a range of household needs and income levels across the city, reduce and mitigate displacement, and meet the goals and outcomes identified in Section 1 of Resolution 32183 for a livable, safe, accessible, and welcoming city. The City Council requests recommendations be transmitted to the City Council as soon as practicable.
Adopted by the City Council and signed in open session in authentication of its adoption on .
President of the City Council
Signed in concurrence on .
Katie B. Wilson, Mayor
Attested on .
Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
Seal