REZONING: City unveils long-awaited details of what a ‘Neighborhood Center’ would include

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Mayor Wilson‘s announcement about the city’s response to federal immigration enforcement was not the only major announcement from her office this afternoon. The other has to do with rezoning related to the updated Comprehensive Plan (aka One Seattle Plan). The toplines are in this summary, with this overview:

This legislation described in this document, called Centers and Corridors, will help to implement the vision in the One Seattle Plan by increasing our capacity to build apartments and condos more widely in areas with access to transit, shops, and services . Specifically, this legislation would rezone land in newly designated Neighborhood Centers, in new and expanded Urban Centers, and along frequent transit corridors . It would also update development standards in Lowrise (LR) and Midrise (MR) zones including modifying height and floor area ratio (FAR) allowances in Lowrise zones, creating a new 6-story MR zone, updating setback standards in MR zones, removing maximum width and depth requirements in MR zones, and implementing minor changes to FAR measurement techniques and standards for screening parking.

Under the updated Comprehensive Plan, West Seattle has seven Neighborhood Centers and one expanded Urban Center (Morgan Junction. This would rezone those areas and “properties adjacent to frequent transit routes located in the Urban Neighborhood place type.” When the Neighborhood Centers – an entirely new area designation – were announced, the city said rezoning details would be worked out later, and that’s what this is about. The summary says:

These changes aim to increase capacity for apartments and condominiums throughout the city . Consequently, most proposed rezones would allow development of up to 5-6 stories, where construction of apartments and condominiums is considered more economically feasible . Building apartments and condominiums at a smaller scale is challenging given the higher requirements for energy efficiency, sprinklers, construction methods, elevators, accessibility, condo liability insurance, and solid waste.

The interactive map you can use to find out details about specific areas is here. The legislation with details needs City Council approval; its full text is here. No date announced yet for the first meeting at which this will be reviewed.

EVGuy January 29, 2026 (10:36 pm)

Who doesn’t want their neighbor’s single family home to be turned into a 5 story apartment complex? Especially with no added parking and the same two lane road out front?

Nolan January 30, 2026 (1:22 am)

Completely agreed. In fact, I think you and I can agree that 6 stories is too little. We deserve more businesses, more neighbors, better transit service, and a stronger sense of community than the current “Neighborhood Center” plans deign to allow us.
- EVGuy January 30, 2026 (2:49 am)
  
  I’m not sure that jamming 400 more people into a space where there was previously 40, while still keeping the support apparatus for the original count, is “better”. I don’t see any plans to widen any of those streets; given how SDOT has acted, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if their solution is to just…get rid of the car lane completely, and make it bus only. And hey, who doesn’t want to ride the bus? Well apparently, not the drivers, unless they’re encased in an impenetrable shield…tough luck for the rest of the passengers who don’t get their own. Having seen West Seattle change over the last 20 years, increased density has certainly brought _more_, but not _better_. If you want stronger community, go talk to your existing neighbors instead of trying to import new ones.
  - Kathy February 2, 2026 (5:07 pm)
    
    EVGUY, I just rode the buses home from an appointment downtown and lived to tell about it! I suggest you take a deep breath, say a little prayer and try it yourself, you really don’t have to be that brave. West Seattle’s problem is our bus service is infrequent and often unreliable in many areas. We are a public transportation and bike lane desert. Meanwhile there are far too many people driving cars in West Seattle and usually going 5-25 miles over the speed limit. That is much scarier to people trying to walk, bike or take the bus than actually riding on the bus.
- Actualperson January 30, 2026 (6:15 am)
  
  Nolan. You have any commitments from restaurants, employers that building thousands of apartments here will guarantee that they’ll move in. You have proof people moving in will be truly carless? Has Metro/ST guaranteed increased service? My bet? The answer to all these questions is: NO.
- Anne January 30, 2026 (8:02 am)
  
  You & I don’t -all of this would need more-much more infrastructure -where does that money come from-property taxes?? You think the more housing there is the cheaper it will be? I don’t . The more property taxes go up the higher rent goes up which makes renting / leasing even more expensive for average income folks -not to mention low income folks & businesses as well.
  - Foop January 30, 2026 (12:07 pm)
    
    This is not doing enough. Widening the streets is the opposite. Build more commercial so we don’t have to drive anywhere, get more busses running and more operators. I barely drive in the city as is. I bike and bus whenever possible which is 90% of my trips. My partner has started to enjoy biking with me to places but *only* when there are protected bike lanes which severely limits our mobility in West Seattle. The commenters here always rage on about parking but the answer isn’t more parking, it’s fewer cars. We were a one car household until I picked up a need to drive outside the city multiple times a week (busses can’t cut it for the stuff I need to haul and my destinations, like Snoqualmie) and if my partner felt safer on a bike here we could go back to a one-car household.
- IDC9 January 31, 2026 (1:21 am)
  
  Considering that, in downtown Auburn, they are building up to seven stories now, six stories does seem a bit on the low side, especially for a large, global city like Seattle.
k January 30, 2026 (6:51 am)

Exactly! Seeing so many single-family homes in a city is weird, especially on or just adjacent to main arterials. Neighborhood businesses need neighbors to thrive!
- Kyle January 30, 2026 (2:23 pm)
  
  Seattle actually has some of the lowest percentages of SFH’s in its housing stock compared to other US cities. https://constructioncoverage.com/research/cities-with-the-most-single-family-homes
IDC9 January 31, 2026 (1:20 am)

I certainly wouldn’t. Love them or hate them, single family neighborhoods are an important part of our cities and towns, and shouldn’t be completley replaced by apartment blocks and condo towers.

Watertowerjim January 30, 2026 (6:13 am)

Lots of beautiful homes in that Belvedere-ish neighborhood west of the bridge being added to the junction footprint. You can apply to turn your parking strip into a handicap spot. I suggest people start gaming that as soon as possible.

Canton January 30, 2026 (7:31 am)

I’m all in on 34 stories per private lot. As long as it’s foreign investors, or Blackrock holding the titles…

C January 30, 2026 (8:20 am)

Great, so just expanding over-priced apartments that many can’t afford- push out the low and middle income folks!

Meyer January 30, 2026 (8:49 am)

No, increasing housing supply will lower prices and slow down their price increase, even if they are “luxury” units since that makes last year’s luxury units old and thus their price drops and so on.
- Kyle January 30, 2026 (9:58 am)
  
  SFH prices won’t drop, those are becoming an endangered species. The new condos will cost what a SFH used to cost, that’s how this “pencils” for for-profit developers.
- C January 30, 2026 (10:13 am)
  
  Haven’t seen that happen yet as a renter of over 20 years but I’ll keep my fingers and toes crossed.
- 1994 January 30, 2026 (10:39 pm)
  
  Increasing housing supply has not lowered rents. Some rent has gone down in the last year due to increased availability ….. but only by something like 5% which does not help lower wage earners.

Thomas January 30, 2026 (8:52 am)

This is all about destroying neighborhoods! Seattle hates people who own their homes!The city’s goal is to line the city coffers with revenue. They allow these monstrositys to be built with no parking. The vision they had that we would create Urban Villages where people would live and work.Was pure fantasy.

k January 30, 2026 (9:36 am)

It’s so weird when people talk about “the city” as if it is this monolith, and not representative of the people who live here. If it were up to me, parking would be removed on one side of every arterial to create protected bike lanes. There would be a significant increase in remaining street parking that was designated for disabled use only. Trying to pack people into “Urban Villages” to spare the maximum amount of single-family zoning was a mistake from the outset. Density should extend FAR into the neighborhoods, creating a local customer base for small businesses. When you build a city that requires everyone to drive, the only businesses who survive are the ones who can afford a big enough attached parking lot to house all the cars while people shop. There is no better way to support small businesses than to support increased density.
- EVGuy January 30, 2026 (2:42 pm)
  
  If your small business requires destroying a neighborhood to pack it full of people so you have customers, I think you should take your business elsewhere. Our neighborhoods are not here to make your business pan out. I’m fine with having to drive a few miles to get to a store or restaurant, and not have to deal with constant traffic next to my house for people trying to do the same. And if your small business fails, well, more room for houses.
  - k January 31, 2026 (8:12 am)
    
    If what you want is a bunch of big yards to separate houses and no small businesses, that’s called a suburb, and there are plenty of them around Seattle. You don’t need to live in a city if you don’t like cities, and you definitely don’t need to spend your time and energy trying to force your neighbors into your suburban utopia ideal. Chances are your neighbors are in the city because they like city living. Funny that.
    - Look Both Ways February 1, 2026 (12:23 pm)
      
      West Seattle is essentially a mini suburb, with easy urban access. That’s why homeowners bought here and pay the taxes they do. If renters seek a more urban dense utopia with transit & small businesses on every block, they are welcome to not renew their leases on this peninsula, and move downtown where there’s ample vacant inventory.

Nothx January 30, 2026 (9:19 am)

Great, just another path for demolishing small, character homes for ugly, over priced apartments. Can’t there be a caveat where existing single family homes are exempt from re-zoning? Build up on buildings that are already businesses?

k January 30, 2026 (10:44 am)

Re-zoning doesn’t require them to be torn down. It just creates a legal path for that to happen IF THE OWNER OF THAT HOME WANTS TO. The whole push against upzoning is predicated on wanting to tell other people what to do with their property. If your neighbor wants to sell to a developer who will put 6 homes on the lot, good for them, it’s their house. Sheesh.
- Kyle January 30, 2026 (11:31 am)
  
  Not talking about 6 homes. 4-6 stories of condos will be allowed in most of the up zoned areas.
  - Foop January 30, 2026 (12:11 pm)
    
    Most of the upzones areas are on our busiest arterials with access to mass transit. Pretending like we’re tearing up this tranquil quiet neighborhoods for housing is so disingenous. I wouldn’t want to live in a house along 35th anyway, I cant imagine my kids playing next to that road. It’s honestly a shame we relegate renters exclusively to these roads, forcing them to live next to air and noise pollution constantly, rather than upzoning everything within a 10 minute walk of major transit stops.Renters deserver a choice too, one whether they would rather be door to door with a bus, or a few minutes walk away with more peace.
  - k January 30, 2026 (12:31 pm)
    
    Which is fine, and doesn’t change the fact that no one is forcing you to do anything you don’t want with your property, and trying to tell your neighbor how to use their property is obnoxious.
    
    If your neighbor wants to sell to a developer who will put 4-6 stories of condos on the lot, good for them, it’s their house. Sheesh.
    - Kyle January 30, 2026 (2:13 pm)
      
      Why not 10 stories? Why not 20 according to your logic. Actually the city still restricts you to a 6 ft privacy fence, which will be worthless next to a 6 story building peering over your house. Not to mention the 1-2 years you’ll live next to an active construction site. So yeah people will care when you change the rules at this big of a step function.
    - K January 30, 2026 (2:42 pm)
      
      We get it. You want your neighbors to only do things with their property you approve of. Very neighborly of you.
    - Kyle January 30, 2026 (5:47 pm)
      
      I actually think you don’t get it. Everyone follows the zoning laws. It’s part of the collective rules and regulations our representatives vote on. Changing them from 4 homes to 6 stories matters. Not very neighborly of you to think that it doesn’t.
    - k January 31, 2026 (8:17 am)
      
      Kyle, I live adjacent to a street zoned for apartments for decades, and it’s still mostly single-family homes because the people living there kept their properties as-is. The apartments that did go up are genuinely our best neighbors. It’s a SF home that has seven (literally seven) vehicles parked on the street for one two-bedroom home. It’s a SF home that refuses to do yard maintenance to the point my disabled child’s mobility device can’t traverse the sidewalk.
      
      This hellscape of apartments ruining the neighborhood doesn’t exist. Zoning changes don’t force development, they allow it. Single family homeowners can ruin things just fine on their own, and apartments can be good neighbors.
      
      What you’re experiencing is the fear of being in the minority, finding yourself as an “other” when all of the people around you have a different vision of what makes a neighborhood great. You need to get over it.
    - Kyle January 31, 2026 (12:48 pm)
      
      What you are experiencing is an inability to make a logical argument. Never said anything about people and neighbors being good/bad based on their housing choices. That’s just you projecting. I pointed out that the scale of these changes are not 4-6 homes as you stated, but 5-6 stories. Your argument was then that it doesn’t matter anyone should be able to build anything anywhere which has never been the case in Seattle. Lastly, personalizing your attack that I need to “get over it” and I’m just experiencing being an “other” is another low form of a failed logical falicly.

GH January 30, 2026 (9:46 am)

WONT ANYBODY THINK OF THE AESTHETIC CONCERNS OF WEALTHY SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERS!?!? TRULY SOCIETY’S MOST DOWNTRODDEN CLASS.

EVGuy January 30, 2026 (2:43 pm)

Get your own property and you can complain too. Until then, stop trying to tell those that do what to do with it.
- GH January 30, 2026 (6:14 pm)
  
  I own a single family home. It doesn’t entitle me to control my neighbors property. It doesn’t entitle me to demand the city pursue a policy of artificial housing scarcity.
  - IDC9 January 31, 2026 (1:24 am)
    
    Exactly! For as much as we might want to limit or decide what happens on our neighbors’ properties, we don’t have the right to determine what they do with their land, just as much as they don’t have the right to determine what we do with our land.

Michael January 30, 2026 (11:51 am)

Those complaining about single family home neighborhoods losing their character are more than welcome to sell their homes and leave. The many of us that want a city to evolve won’t miss you.

GH January 30, 2026 (12:05 pm)

I also always get a chuckle out of those comments because a huge part of the housing stock in WS is pretty unremarkable looking boxes from the 40s & 50s. They’re still perfectly fine homes, but not exactly architectural treasures.
EVGuy January 30, 2026 (2:46 pm)

What does “evolve” mean in this context? You actually would like to see West Seattle turn into downtown Seattle? It’s already lost the 1-2 story feel with the massive amount of 4-6 story condos and apartments everywhere – now we get to drive through urban canyons, watching as small shops are priced out so that the landowner can build another high rise. I haven’t met anyone yet who says, “West Seattle would be so much better if we just jammed another ten thousand people in”. Evolving this city should mean more than just trying to jam the maximum amount of people into the minimum amount of area.
Thomas January 30, 2026 (6:06 pm)

Really sell my hose and leave! No way my family has been in Seattle over 100 years West Seattle since 1928!!!.!

Bobby January 30, 2026 (2:35 pm)

I think all the single-family homeowners are forgetting that their value will skyrocket if there’s only a few of them left and they live in a 15 minute walkable city. All for it. West Seattle is the most bike lane deprived

Exasperated January 30, 2026 (8:15 pm)

Who is going to want to buy a single family home right next door to a 6-story condo building? For those of us in the affected zone it’s now a game to see who sells out to a developer first and screws over their neighbors. And are you really claiming that you can’t ride a bike on our streets now, but you would be able to with 6-story buildings instead of single family homes?

WestSeattleDerm January 30, 2026 (10:41 pm)

The focus on pasting LR2 and LR3 zoning around business centers and parks that were created decades ago is concerning. Cars and SUVs are just growing and growing. The business centers and parks created in West Seattle were built around people who largely lived and worked nearby.The West Seattle proposed upzoning locations aren’t on the proposed light rail path, if you’re one that believes that the light rail will come to fruition. Public transit to Admiral for instance, isn’t enough to motivate anyone to give up there car(s). The I5 Corridor North to South is proposed as only LR3? West Seattle streets which struggle to let 1 car pass each way, if at all, are getting LR3, and a 10-15 minute drive to the I5 just to get anywhere.Residential zoning without zoning for local jobs to exist just means you’re adding more long distance car commuters.This plan is so lacking of a vision to help solve our regional challenges.

wetone January 31, 2026 (10:16 am)

Here’s are story and what single family home owners can expect with the new rezoning in Seattle. We live 8 blocks west of junction, bought the house 35+ years ago, single family zoning. Small house large yard because we like green spaces along with area to garden. Same style house next door sold 8 months ago, we tried to buy and worked with elderly owners in doing so. Long story sort local realtor and builders tied the deal up with what I would say unethical practices. Permits were also submitted to city before closing,…..Permits were for 4 units with parking area in between the 2 structures with 10’ foot driveway less than 5’ from our house. New rezone allows 10’ setbacks off sidewalk and almost 40’ height. None of the neighbors are happy with build as it has huge impacts to a quiet family neighborhood from increased traffic, noise impacts, green areas gone and darkness from 40’ tall buildings. This type (4unit) of build does not belong in this type of neighborhood. Neighborhoods get zero opportunity to comment on new builds today. Most all of the rezone changes were pushed by builders and realtor associations. These builds have little to do with helping lower cost of housing, it’s purely profit driven. So get ready if you live in a nice quiet neighborhood, enjoy it as your light and greenery might not be there next year ;) As far as neighboring home values rising from these builds think again especially if you have a large family home, it’s all about dirt value and builders wait for surrounding home owners to sell and repeat process. It will have impacts such as driving taxes higher from sales of new units. Thanks city……..

Admiral2009 January 31, 2026 (12:25 pm)

Basic Economics 101 more supply lowers cost. Restrictive zoning, regulations and permit cost reduce supply and raise cost. People constantly identify housing affordability as a big issue. Basic economics says increased supply reduces cost. Increasing supply means adding density!

Shawn February 1, 2026 (10:12 am)

Houses are expensive because of zoning. Upzoning is essentially the only viable option to reduce the price of housing. This is a decent first step, but it’s wildly insufficient for the severe housing shortage we have right now. How many thousands of potential residents have been chased off by housing costs artificially inflated by ridiculous zoning? Leaving growth on the table. At the very least we need to have roughly tripled our density in west Seattle before the train is complete. For that we’ll need a ton more apartment buildings that are much taller than some nimbys are going to like. Ignore nimbys. They don’t care about the city at all, just their own selfish demands.

wetone February 1, 2026 (11:39 am)

Shawn, curious what happens in 30yrs when both bridges need replacement to access West Seattle if area is built up to your idealism ? and about nimbys, most people in this area bought many years ago in an area that was single family neighborhoods for a reason and been there much longer than you most likely and living in a house. City is allowing building of many properties and areas without proper infrastructure and safety for such. I think everyone agrees Seattle needs more housing, but needs to be located in proper areas such as urban village sites that have easy access to transportation, shopping and more. Not destroying family neighborhoods that most today still enjoy and most living in these areas do not have easy access to that mentioned above. Seattle should not be opening up zoning changes trying to justify ST which in most likelihood never come to WS ;) As far as cost go….. City of Seattle itself is major cost issues, investor/ builder returns, anyone can follow money trial pretty easily. Seattle used to be know as the Emerald City, those days are long gone……..
- K February 1, 2026 (4:34 pm)
  
  “…Seattle needs more housing, but it needs to be in the right areas…” so, Not In Your Back Yard? Gotcha. Thanks for saying it out loud.

Zoner February 1, 2026 (1:02 pm)

People should be able to build whatever they want on their property. Well, what about people living across the street from the new zoning? How come they don’t get the same privilege?

Zoner February 2, 2026 (3:14 pm)

Seems like some of the lines between zones disproportionately impact some property owners. One side of the street sees its value rise because of the rezone, while the other side sees it plummet because it isn’t rezoned. Creating a 2 block zoning canyon here.

wetone February 3, 2026 (9:33 am)

Yep, Seattle government today is allowing such builds in most all neighborhoods today and the neighborhoods have no say so or comment period. This is type of build going in on the block we live. While not blocking views it does block much of the sunlight we have today with added noise from traffic 5’ from house to the parking area. The 2 bed 1 bath home on 6250sqft lot will now have 8-12 bedrooms and bathrooms. Lot was not being utilized as it could be, but new builds should not be as impactful as what is being allowed today in non serviced neighborhoods. Again if you think these are being built to make housing more affordable think again, it’s a very profitable business to those involved. Realtors, builders, and city (from increased tax base of dirt these projects are built on). Just as a pyramid scheme, build till market tanks, banking profits then leaving impacted areas a dark mess ;( Won’t be long before any house/lot in Seattle priced under $1.3mil is turned into one of these types of projects. It’s the dirt………..being the driving force.

Planner 1234 February 3, 2026 (5:14 pm)

The biggest irritation around this upzoning is the complete lack of any planning whatsoever. It is the wild wild west here in West Seattle with $800,000 6000SF properties being bulldozed to jam 3 $800,000 skinny houses on to the same lot. The building designs look like they were done off of an 8 year old’s minecraft project. These upzones are not creating affordable housing and only providing more expensive sterile designed houses. All the while ignoring the fact that there is no street infrastructure upgrade or plan to accommodate the removal of huge swaths of historically single home neighborhoods. These upzones with no plan only provides developers with more lucrative projects and much more tax revenue for the city at the cost of its soul. Taxes are based on square footage… of course it makes revenue sense to allow these monoliths to be built. This isn’t about logical density or affordable housing.

k February 3, 2026 (5:56 pm)

Saying it again for the folks in the back…

It’s only profitable to developers when there’s a housing shortage.
It’s only massively profitable to developers when there’s a massive housing shortage.
If there is enough housing, the developers don’t make money building more of it.
It is possible for a project to both alleviate the housing shortage and turn a profit for someone. Two things can be true at the same time.
The existence of profit does not negate the need for the housing.

Sorry, comment time is over.