City Beautiful's urbanism content creator, Dave Amos, recently visited the Seattle area to explore future transit-oriented development sites and the planning that is going...

Today is the last day for public comments in the latest round of process around the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell to guide the next 20 years of city growth. Housing advocates are pushing the City to go bigger.

In approving a unanimous update to its Comprehensive Plan, the Shoreline City Council is set to go well beyond the minimum requirements of state law in pursuit of creating additional housing options and more vibrant neighborhoods.

The King County Council approved a motion getting on board with Executive Dow Constantine's vision to add housing and other uses transforming the County's campus in Downtown Seattle. The vote pushed the idea a small step toward becoming a reality.

A small tweak to Seattle's land use code will allow a 182-unit tower to move forward in Belltown after years of appeal. Clearer direction around stacking height incentives like those in the sustainability-focused Living Building program could potentially allow more homes throughout downtown in the coming years.

Proposed Phase 2 One Seattle Comprehensive Plan changes would focus on midrise zones, in hopes of adding additional housing capacity in existing urban centers and the 30 proposed “neighborhood centers.” OPCD hopes to introduce Phase 2 legislation in May, with council passage expected around September 2025. Public comment is open until December 20.

District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales announced Wednesday morning that she will resign in January, saying she has been undermined and frozen out of legislating by the more conservative-leaning Seattle City Council majority. The resignation sets up another council appointment and a special election next fall.

All too often, public hearings increase costs and consume time without meaningfully impacting decisions. Uytae Lee of About Here digs into the history of the public hearing and its utility, and whether another paradigm is worth pursuing.