UPZONING: Your turn to comment @ City Council’s all-day public hearing Monday

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

As we’ve been reporting, the City Council is reviewing the next phase of upzoning, the “Centers and Corridors” proposal. Mayor Katie Wilson says she wants upzoning to go further than currently outlined – “taller, denser, faster” – but that would start with Phase 3, while what’s before the council now is Phase 2. Whatever your opinion, tomorrow (Monday, April 6) is the next major all-day hearing, and you can comment in person or remotely. Here’s the council’s reminder with the basics on how to participate:

The Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan, chaired by Councilmember Eddie Lin (District 2), will host the first public hearing for Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Plan on Monday, April 6, with separate sessions for remote and in-person public comment.

*Remote public comment will be at 9:30 a.m. Registration to provide remote public comment will be open from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. The hearing will continue until all signups have had the opportunity to speak.

*In-person public comment will begin at 3 p.m. In-person public commenters can sign up outside of the Council Chamber from 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. The hearing will continue until all signups have had the chance to speak.

More information can be found on the agenda for the April 6 Comp Plan Public Hearing. Additional information can be found on the City Council’s Comprehensive Plan webpage.

To see what, if any, changes are currently proposed for your neighborhood (or elsewhere), you can use the city’s interactive map.

Derek April 6, 2026 (8:20 am)

Done. Upzone all of it. Everywhere. No height requirements. or don’t ever complain about homeless or housing costs again.

Platypus April 6, 2026 (11:58 am)

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That is the right answer. Other cities have done this, saved a ton of time, a ton of money, and didn’t have the consequences that seemingly some people are afraid of. The fear is someone will build a skyscraper in the middle of quiet neighborhood street (hyperbole), but the real answer is we should allow that to happen, and acknowledge that it won’t because no developer would make that choice, or it would be stopped at a better part of the process.We are putting in laws to protect the absurd from happening, at the expense of the necessary from taking place; all the while complaining about the consequences.
- savetheearth April 6, 2026 (4:56 pm)
  
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  But will up zoning cause even more demise of the climate ie: cutting of trees, replacing grass/lawns with concrete…???
  - RO April 6, 2026 (6:03 pm)
    
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    Homes have to go someplace, and denser housing results in lower per capita carbon emissions than sprawl or low density urban development. But if you’re suggesting we should pair increased housing density with an aggressive program of tree planting in medians, parking strips, and public spaces then I wholeheartedly agree with you.
  - k April 6, 2026 (6:39 pm)
    
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    No, upzoning allows for greater density, meaning people living up instead of spreading out. Which in turn preserves tree canopy, fewer and smaller lawns, etc.
B April 7, 2026 (11:43 am)

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I support upzoning but it must be done with intention. You must not have lived in a place without strict zoning laws. It’s jarring to see 3-4 story buildings next to skyscrapers. It’s ugly to look at too.

wetone April 7, 2026 (8:42 am)

Something to think about is who’s going to pay needed infrastructure rebuilding and updating to support needs of these new builds ? The water systems, sanitation systems, electrical, gas lines, waste disposal, road and bridge structures and so much is nearing 75+ years old in the Seattle area. If Seattle jobs continue to decline and Seattle government pushes higher density without doing proper due diligence, I see Seattle area turning into a big mess to put it politely…… Nothing is free and the thinking style of just increasing density, build away attitude is a cure, making Seattle more affordable is a short term pyramid scheme mentality that will be very costly for most all…….

WS98 April 7, 2026 (1:25 pm)

I support upzoning but let’s be real, the current plan is not creating affordable housing. We’re regularly seeing an $800k SF rebuilt with 4 units – each one selling for $700k.