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The City of Seattle
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An ordinance relating to the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area; modifying the boundaries; amending Ordinance 113029, as previously amended by Ordinances 115998, 120303, and 124514; modifying the assessment structure for the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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Recitals:
In 1986, through Ordinance 113029, The City of Seattle established the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area (CHBIA), providing for the levy of special assessments upon businesses within the CHBIA for the purpose of enhancing conditions for operating those businesses.
In 1991, the City Council passed Ordinance 115998, increasing the original assessment rates for the CHBIA.
In 2001, the City Council passed Ordinance 120303, further increasing the assessment rates for the CHBIA.
In 2014, the City Council passed Ordinance 124514, establishing the current boundaries of the CHBIA.
The CHBIA has experienced significant changes in commercial activity, development patterns, and business operations since the most recent boundary modification and assessment updates, creating a need to better align the district boundaries and assessment structure with current conditions.
The current ratepayers advisory board for the CHBIA has expressed support for the proposed boundary adjustment.
The City has reviewed the proposed modified boundaries and proposed modified assessment structure to ensure that they align with RCW 35.87A.075 and RCW 35.87A.080.
On August 21, 2026, in accordance with RCW 35.87A.075 and RCW 35.87A.140, the City Council held a public hearing regarding the proposal to modify the CHBIA's boundaries and assessment rate. Therefore,
Be it ordained by The City of Seattle as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of Ordinance 113029, last amended by Ordinance 124514, is amended as follows:
Section 1. District Established. As authorized by RCW Chapter 35.87A, there is hereby established a Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area within the boundaries described below and as shown on the map attached as Exhibit "A". (When a street or alley is named, the area boundary is the centerline of the right-of-way). The District shall have two areas as follows:
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Area Two
• Starting at the intersection of East Roy Street and Broadway East, head south and include all parcels with frontage along Broadway E in their entirety, and, additionally, the following parcels are included: 6003501340, 6003501330, 6003501320, 6003501325, 6003001385, and 6003001350
• At the intersection of East Pike Street and Broadway, proceed west along the center of the right-of-way
• At the intersection of East Pike Street and Harvard Avenue, head north until Harvard Avenue runs perpendicular to the northernmost extent of the parcel 6003001335
• Follow the northern boundary of parcel 6003001335 headed east until the intersection with parcel 6003001320
• Proceed north following the western boundary of parcels 6003001320 and 6003001310, inclusive of parcel 6003001315
• From the northwestern point of parcel 6003001310, head north crossing East Denny Way and proceed north through the alleyway that runs parallel to Harvard Avenue in between parcels 6003002110 and 6003002046, including all parcels abutting this alleyway to the east
• Continue north through this alleyway until the intersection of this alleyway and East Thomas Street
• At this point on East Thomas Street, proceed west along the center of the right-of-way of East Thomas St to the intersection of Harvard Ave
• At the intersection of Harvard Ave and East Thomas St proceed north along the center of the right-of-way of Harvard Avenue, excluding parcel 6003502155
• At the intersection of Harvard Avenue and East Roy Street, proceed east to the starting intersection of East Roy Street and Broadway East
((East: The eastern lot line of Lots 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, Block 32, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; extending to the eastern lot line of Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, Block 31, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; extending to the eastern lot line of Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, Block 30, Supplemental Plat, A Pontius Addition; extending to the eastern lot line of Lots 4, 5 and 6, Block 29, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; and extending to the eastern lot line of Lot 2, Block 64, John H. Nagle's 2nd Addition and;
Continuing to the center of the right-of-way of East Thomas Street, and extending eastward to the center of the right-of-way of 10th Avenue East and;
Continuing along the center of the right-of-way of 10th Avenue East between East Thomas Street and East John Street, and extending westward along the center of the right-of-way of East John Street to a line extending from Lot 6, Block 46, John H. Nagle's Addition and;
Continuing along the eastern lot line of Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Block 46, John H. Nagle's Addition, and extending to the center of the right-of-way of East Denny Way and;
Continuing along the center of the right-of-way of Nagle Place between East Denny Way and the center line of East Pine Street and;
Continuing along the eastern lot line of Lots 3, 4, 5 and 6, Block 14, John H. Nagle's Addition, then continuing east along the northern boundary of King County Parcel Identification Number 6003000416, then continuing south along the eastern boundary of King County Parcel Identification Number 6003000416 to the center line of East Pike Street.
West: The center of the right-of-way along Harvard Avenue between East Roy Street and a line extending from the southern lot line of Lot 9, Block 33, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; and continuing along the southern lot line of Lot 9, Block 33, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition to its eastern lot line boundary and;
Continuing along the eastern lot line of Lots 6, 7 and 8, Block 33, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition, and extending to the eastern lot line of Lots 11 and 12, Block 34, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; and continuing along the southern lot line of Lot 11, Block 34, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition, and continuing to the center of the right-of-way of Harvard Avenue East; and continuing along the center of the right-of-way along Harvard Avenue East to East Harrison Street and;
Continuing along the center of the right-of-way along East Harrison Street between Harvard Avenue East and a line extending from Lot 6, Block 36, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition and;
Continuing along the eastern lot line of Lots 4, 5 and 6, Block 36, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition; and continuing along the eastern lot line of Lot 3, Block 65, John H. Nagle's 2nd Addition; and extending to the eastern lot line of Lot 6, Block 50, John H. Nagle's 2nd Addition and;
Continuing along the eastern lot line of Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Block 50, John H. Nagle's 2nd Addition; and extending to the eastern lot line of Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Block 47, John H. Nagle's Addition; and extending to the eastern lot line of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Block 34, John H. Nagle's Addition; and extending to the center line of the right-of-way of East Howell Street and;
Continuing along the center of the right-of-way of East Howell Street between a line extending from the eastern lot line of Lot 1, Block 34, John H. Nagle's Addition, and the center of the right-of-way of Harvard Avenue and;
Continuing along the center of the right-of-way of Harvard Avenue between East Howell Street and the center line of East Pike Street.
North: East Roy Street between the center of the right-of-way of Harvard Avenue East and extending to the northern lot line of Lot 10, Block 32, Supplemental Plat, A. Pontius Addition.
South: The center of East Pike Street from the center line of Harvard Avenue, extending to a line extending from the eastern lot line of Parcel 6003000416.))
Section 2. Section 2 of Ordinance 113029, last amended by Ordinance 124514, is amended as follows:
Section 2. Levy of Special Assessments. To finance the activities authorized in Section 8, there is levied and shall be collected a special assessment upon the businesses in the area, determined as follows:
1) The City will levy special assessments for the purpose of operating a Business Improvement Area Program by applying the following rates against "the gross proceeds of the sales" or "the gross income of the business" as reported for City Business and Occupation or Utility Tax purposes, unless otherwise specified:
(a) All Business, unless exempted, and with the exception of banks, savings and loan, or other financial lending institutions and Seattle Central Community College, shall pay $2((.00 (Two Dollars))) per $1,000 (((One Thousand Dollars))) annually.
(b) All banks, savings and loan, or other financial lending institutions shall pay a flat rate of (($3,500 (Three Thousand Five Hundred Dollars))) $5,000 annually.
(c) Seattle Central Community College shall pay a flat rate of (($1,750 (One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars))) $5,000 annually, which has been agreed upon by the College and the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area.
2) The total assessment upon any single business site within the area shall not exceed (($3,500 (Three Thousand Five Hundred))) $5,000 annually. A minimum assessment of $50((.00 (fifty dollars))) will be applied to every business within the boundaries.
3) From 2032 onward, the assessments described in subsection 2.1.b and 2.1.c, and the assessment ceiling described in subsection 2.2 of this ordinance, each increase by $200 per year.
Section 3. Section 17 of Ordinance 113029, last amended by Ordinance 124514, is amended as follows:
Section 17. Commencement of Assessments. Assessments shall commence as of September 1, 1986. Changes to rates of assessments adopted by this ordinance shall commence ((May 1, 2001)) January 1, 2027.
Section 4. The untitled map attached to Ordinance 113029, amended through Ordinance 124514 as “Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area: Area Two” (attached to this ordinance as Exhibit B), is replaced with a new map, “Proposed Boundary Modification”, attached to this ordinance as Exhibit A. In case of a conflict between the description of the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area boundaries and the map, the description shall control.
Section 5. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Proposed Boundary Modification
Exhibit B - Existing Boundaries
This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council and signed in open session in authentication of its passage on .
President of the City Council
on .
Katie B. Wilson, Mayor
Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk