CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to land use and zoning; amending Chapter 23.32 of the Seattle Municipal Code at pages 52, 53, 54, 55, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 97, 98, 99, 102, 115, 116, 117, 118, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 190, 214 and 215 of the Official Land Use Map to rezone land in the Seattle’s Industrial areas.
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WHEREAS, in 2019, the City convened an Industrial and Maritime Strategy Council to advise the City on development of an Industrial and Maritime Strategy; and
WHEREAS, the stakeholder committee consisted of a City-wide committee and four regional committees representing Georgetown/South Park, SODO, Interbay, and Ballard; and
WHEREAS, the principles that guided the Industry and Maritime Strategy Council focused on:
• Actions to strengthen racial equity and recovery;
• Using the power of local workers and companies to chart a blueprint for the future using the principles of restorative economics to support the cultural, economic, and political power of communities most impacted by economic and racial inequities;
• Strengthening and growing Seattle’s industrial and maritime sectors so communities that have been excluded from the prosperity of our region can benefit from our future growth;
• Promoting equitable access to high quality, family-wage jobs and entrepreneurship for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color through an inclusive industrial economy and ladders of economic opportunity;
• Improving the movement of people and goods to and within industrial zones and increasing safety for all travel modes;
• Aligning Seattle’s industrial and maritime strategy with key climate and environmental protection goals; and
• Developing a proactive land use policy agenda that harnesses growth and economic opportunities to ensure innovation and industrial jobs are a robust part of our future economy that is inclusive of emerging industries and supportive of diverse entrepreneurship; and
WHEREAS, in May 2021, the Industrial and Maritime Strategy Council issued a report recommending 11 strategies to advance the guiding principles of the Council; and
WHEREAS, six of the 11 strategies recommended some changes to land use; and
WHEREAS, on July 8, 2021, pursuant to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and the City’s environmental polices set out in Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 23.50, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) issued a Determination of Significance and initiated a SEPA scoping period to seek public comment on four distinct land use alternatives, each based on a new industrial land use policy framework, reflective of the Strategy Council’s recommendations and received 105 comments; and
WHEREAS, on December 15, 2021, OPCD issued the Industrial and Maritime Strategy Draft Environmental Impact Statement; and
WHEREAS, OPCD held two public hearings during a 75-day public comment period and received 142 comments; and
WHEREAS, in September 2022, OPCD issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement featuring a preferred alternative; and
WHEREAS, OPCD is proposing five ordinances that together implement the land use strategies recommended by the Industrial and Maritime Strategy Council and were studied in the Industrial and Maritime Strategy Environmental Impact Statement, including: (1) an ordinance amending Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan to create a new land use policy framework, (2) an amendment to the Seattle Municipal Code to establish new industrial zones and development standards consistent with the proposed Comprehensive Plan Policies, (3) an ordinance to remove the provision of the Industrial Commercial zone from the existing Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 23.50, (4) an ordinance amending Seattle Municipal Code Title 25 to address noise in the shoreline areas of the Ballard Interbay Northend Manufacturing Center, and (5) an ordinance to apply the proposed new zones to land in Seattle’s industrial areas; and
WHEREAS, the proposed ordinance amending the Official Zoning Map is consistent with the range of alternative studied in the Industrial and Maritime Environmental Impact Statement; and
WHEREAS, these proposed amendments to the Official Land Use Map provide for 85 percent of Seattle’s industrial land to be in the core Manufacturing, Maritime, and Logistics zone, intended to protect legacy industries and builds on the City’s historical investments in industrial infrastructure including its deep-water port, rail, and freight transportation infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments in the suite of bills that implement the maritime and industrial strategy leverage future investments of up to five Sound Transit light rail stations by applying a new zone that facilitates employment dense, industrial transit-oriented development and space for emerging industries; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments apply a new zone to provide healthier transitions between industrial and nonindustrial areas; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Official Land Use Map, Chapter 23.32 of the Seattle Municipal Code, is amended to rezone land located on pages 52, 53, 54, 55, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 97, 98, 99, 102, 115, 116, 117, 118, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 190, 214 and 215 of the Official Land Use Map, all as shown on Attachment 1 to this ordinance.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force: 90 days after its approval or unsigned and returned by the Mayor; 90 days after the City Council's reconsidered passage after its veto by the Mayor; or, if not returned by the Mayor within ten days after presentation, 105 days after its passage by the City Council.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2023, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2023.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2023.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2023.
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Elizabeth M. Adkisson, Interim City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Industrial & Maritime Rezone Maps