The Montlake Rezoning Task Force (MRTF) ‘s  Mission is to work with the City of Seattle, on behalf of the Montlake Community, to accommodate growth while at the same time preserving the uniqueness of our Historic Neighborhood.

About ten talented and committed professional Montlake neighbors have worked diligently since December on this mission!

 Current Updates:

1. Members of the MRTF met with the Office of Planning and City Development (OPCD) on April 24th to walk Montlake and share community concerns, understand criteria and discuss options.
2. Members of the MRTF met with Representative Hollingsworth and her staff on May 7th to present ideas that increase density in Montlake while better preserving our historic community, per our mission. The MRTF was commended by the Hollingsworth team on our professional approach!

   1. Bright yellow educational flyers were distributed to every doorstep in Montlake prior to May 7^th asking for community letters to CM Hollingsworth, City Council and Mayor with concerns. Thank you to all Montlakers who sent letters and feedback to the City Council – please keep it up and cc Zoning@Montlake.net.
   2. It appears that our Neighborhood Center (NC) boundary has been reduced, adjacent to the Arboretum, and that the WSDOT site has been added. (We are awaiting official confirmation.)

3. MRTF has joined a group of 13 neighborhoods to share ideas and work together on impacting the implementation of HB1110.

   1. HB1110 was passed by the WA State Legislature back in 2023. This bill effectively eliminates all single-family zoning in Seattle as well as reducing setbacks etc. So, the entire Montlake Community, outside our NC, can also be upzoned much more than with our current ADU’s. HB1110 potentially affects Montlake more than the NC designation.
   2. A citywide letter and petition were circulated explaining the impacts to our neighborhoods along with concerns. Seattle is going above and beyond what is required by HB1110. Please continue to read and sign the petition!
   3. Many Montlakers testified in person, remotely or in writing at the public hearing on May 19th. Thank you! We’ll let you know about upcoming opportunities to testify.
   4. HB1110 must be implemented statewide by the end of June. Interim legislation was passed by the City Council on May 28^th, to meet this deadline. There is concern that the City of Seattle has included more than needed in the bill that will adversely affect our fair City! Items of concern include loss of setbacks/tree canopy, building heights and lot coverage. Amendments were included in the passage to “keep the door open” on issues prior to passage of permanent legislation.

Next Steps:

1. The MRTF is taking a little breather!
2. Our next meeting is the 3^rd week of June. We will be strategizing:

   1. Which issues to focus on and how to impact the permanent legislation for the implementation of HB1110.
   2. How to further impact our Neighborhood Center’s boundaries and zoning (heights) prior to implementation.

3. The current City Council steps and timing are below, per CM Hollingsworth, but subject to change:

   1. HB1110 Interim Legislation end of May – Complete!
   2. HB1110 Permanent Legislation-June (Appears this have moved to October per Seattle Times.)
   3. Phase I NC Boundaries-June-August (prior to budgets)
   4. Phase II NC Zoning- (after budgets) in 2026

4. Updates should be listed here – https://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/2025-comprehensive-plan but things change quickly.

Prior Accomplishments:

1. Well researched background information was gathered and posted on Montlake.net. You’ll see the Rezoning tab above where this wealth of information is accessible to all and is updated regularly!
2. Flyers and posters summarizing this information were beautifully designed and distributed to all Montlake residents and posted around the community.
3. Several MRTF members along with other Montlake residents have “testified” at City Council meetings.
4. Feedback was and continues to be solicited from Montlake residents. This feedback went/goes to Joy.Hollingsworth@Seattle.gov and Zoning@Montlake.net.
5. Montlake concerns from this feedback were summarized nicely in a letter signed by the MCC that went to Joy Hollingsworth, our City Council representative, (who is also the leader for this project), as well as to all other City Council members and the Mayor. This letter is attached (or provide the link).
6. Members of the MRTF met with Representative Hollingsworth’s staff for a walkabout in Montlake while sharing Montlake’s concerns – a very productive meeting!
7. MRTF has met with and keeps in contact with other designated NC neighborhoods in D3 such as Madison Park and Madrona during the City’s fluid process.

A huge thank you goes to the Montlake Rezoning Task Force’s dedicated volunteers for all their continued amazing work!

Please reach out to Zoning@Montlake.net with any questions, comments or concerns.

I will continue to post updates via Montlake.net monthly.

Correction to yesterday’s post/email: The email for the Montlake Rezoning Task Force is zoning@montlake.net.

The Montlake Rezoning Task Force hopes that you will read and then sign and share the petition related to the Interim Legislation of the State’s upzoning HB 1110! City Council votes at 10 am on Tuesday- so the time to act is now.

What can you do right now?

Every signature on the Montlake Rezoning Change.org petition helps show City Council that real Seattle residents are paying attention. Read it to learn more about the changes that the City is implementing to zoning rules beyond what is state-mandated. [Petition · Change One Seattle Interim Ordinance to Implement HB1110 and Grow Housing Responsibly – Seattle, United States · Change.org}

Please note:

• There is no need to donate – that money goes to Change.org, not to our local efforts.
• You can stay anonymous – there’s an option to hide your name.
• Look for the confirmation email – it’s a two-step process to sign the petition. 
• You won’t be contacted after – petition organizers don’t see your email address.

Thank you from the Montlake Rezoning Task Force!

Greetings Montlakers,

The future of Seattle’s neighborhoods, including Montlake, is being decided – right now.

IMPORTANT: The Interim Ordinance, up for final vote on May 27, applies to every single-family lot in the city. It shrinks setbacks, raises roof heights, and expands lot coverage—changes that will fast-track demolition and large-scale redevelopment across neighborhoods, destroying Trees, greenspaces, and the enjoyment of existing properties.

What can you do right now?

STEP 1: ✍️Every signature on our Change.org petition helps show City Council that real Seattle residents are paying attention. Read it to learn more about the changes that the City is implementing to zoning rules beyond what is state-mandated.

• No need to donate – that money goes to Change.org, not to our local efforts.
• You can stay anonymous – there’s an option to hide your name
• Look for the confirmation email – it’s a two-step process
• No spam – petition organizers don’t see your email address

STEP 2: 🖂 Email Council members – use content from this email, or from Montlake.net/rezoning.

• Mayor Bruce Harrell – Harrell@Seattle.gov or (206) 684-4000
• Rob Saka – District 1 – Saka@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8801
• Mark Solomon – District 2 – Solomon@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8802
• Maritza Rivera – District 4 – Rivera@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8804
• Cathy Moore – District 5 – Moore@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8805
• Dan Strauss – District 6 – Strauss@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8806
• Robert Kettle – District 7 – Kettle@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8807
• Alexis Mercedes Rinck – At Large City Council member Rinck@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8808
• Sara Nelson – At large City Council member – Nelson@Seattle.gov or 206-684-8809

STEP 3:📣 Forward this email to 5 neighbors. Most people we talk to aren’t aware of the proposed changes that could soon reshape our neighborhood.

STEP 4:🧑‍⚖️ Attend the public hearing May 19 (Mon) @ 9:30am & 4pm, City Hall  Agenda – Watch live, or listen to the meeting by calling in: 206-684-8566. For remote comments – register here from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Show up at 3pm with a sign identifying you as: Seattle Citizens for Minimum HB1110. Some other sign ideas include: Save Our Neighborhoods — Implement HB1110, Not a Developer Giveaway | Seattle Voters for Minimum HB1110 | Yes to Density + Affordability | No to Speculation on Tiny Lots | Minimum HB1110 — Real Housing, Real Affordability | Missing Middle, Not Mini-Mansions — Support Minimum HB1110 | Preserve Trees + Neighborhoods — Enact Minimum HB1110 | Don’t Sell Our Trees to Developers | Middle Housing, Not Maximum Profit | Affordable for People, Not Just Profitable for Developers | Neighborhoods Deserve Smart Growth — Minimum HB1110 | Density Yes — Displacement No | Stop the Land Grab — Respect Minimum HB1110

Together, we can make a difference!

We believe Seattle can do better

The Mayor’s office is moving too fast, making changes without fully informing its citizens and without a good understanding of the Plan’s impact on our neighborhoods.

1.     Yes, to Middle Housing—done right. Seattle has many examples of Middle Housing that follow existing standards and comply with State Law HB 1110. These multi-family homes are consistent with the greenways, scale, and character of nearby houses. Let’s shape our policies to encourage more of this kind of housing.
2.     The One Seattle Plan overestimates what’s needed. With realistic demand forecasts, the scale of upzoning could be significantly reduced.
3.     Keep tall buildings where they belong.
4.     Don’t fly blind into zoning changes. The City Council members will vote on this massive upzone before receiving critical traffic and safety information. We are asking City Council members to understand the traffic and safety impacts of proposed rezoning before—not after—making their decisions.

May 7th recap – Amendments to Interim Ordinance

▶️ Seattle City Council Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan 5/7/2025

This meeting included discussions on Council Bill 120969, which proposes zoning changes to align with Washington State’s HB 1110. However, the bill goes beyond what the law requires—modifying setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage in ways that will accelerate teardowns and invite bulldozers into established neighborhoods. The outcomes from this meeting included:

1. City Councilmember Cathy Moore added an amendment that closes a loophole in the Ordinance that would have allowed developers to use greater lot coverage to build oversized single-family homes—McMansions. We appreciate that fix. But these changes aren’t necessary for multi-family housing either. Thoughtful design can result in middle housing that fits the scale and character of existing neighborhoods and complements adjacent homes.
2. City Councilmember Bob Kettle confirmed that setbacks matter when he requested an amendment to preserve 20-foot setbacks along Queen Anne Boulevard—the only place in the entire city where they’ll remain. If they’re worth protecting there, why not elsewhere? Queen Anne and other neighborhoods already have plenty of middle housing that fits the scale and character of adjacent homes without rewriting the rules. Let’s make more like those—not fewer.

April 30 recap – Council Meeting on One Seattle Urban Forestry

▶️  Select Committee on Comp Plan – One Seattle Urban Forestry – 4/30/2025

City Council focused on Seattle’s trees—vital not just for the environment, but for the character, health, and livability of our neighborhoods. Several councilmembers offered easy questions and left the harder ones unasked, even as public concern about tree loss continues to grow. However, Councilmember Cathy Moore didn’t settle for vague reassurances. She challenged what she called the “disingenuous representation of what is happening with the tree ordinance,” and urged her colleagues to “pierce false narratives.” Her comments—starting at 2:05:32—reflect a real connection to her constituents and a willingness to speak up when it counts. Shortly after, Alexis Mercedes Rinck brought depth and personal experience to the conversation, drawing from her prior work. Her comments helped reframe trees not as an afterthought, but as infrastructure—a foundation of neighborhood safety, health, climate resilience, and equity. We could use more of this kind of leadership on the Council—especially when the stakes are this high.

The Interim Ordinance should follow Bob’s lead. Two and a half hours in, at 2:34, Councilmember Bob Kettle proudly highlights the Queen Anne Seattle Children’s Home project—a 59-townhouse development now known as McGraw Court—as an example of thoughtful design. And he’s right to be proud. The project preserved mature trees, including massive elms, firs, and a cedar that was carefully built around. It respected setbacks and kept building heights consistent with surrounding homes.

The Seattle Children’s Home project is exactly the kind of development Friends of Queen Anne believes the City Council should encourage by amending the Interim Ordinance. It shows that new housing can preserve mature trees, respect setbacks, and stay in scale with surrounding homes—all while adding dozens of new units. If future Middle Housing follows this example, we can grow in a way that strengthens, rather than disrupts, the character of our neighborhoods.

“It’s important for the City to know that this can be done.” Kettle says. Yes, McGraw Square shows we can keep doing Middle Housing right. Ask Bob Kettle to support Interim Plan amendments that make projects like McGraw Square possible in the future.

Next Steps & Resources

The May 19th public hearing(s) will shape the final version ahead of the Select Committee vote on May 21 and the full City Council vote on May 27. 

We urge the City to adopt an ordinance that meets—but does not exceed—the requirements of state law HB 1110. The law allows Seattle to apply the same standards to Middle Housing as it does to single-family homes, and that’s exactly what it should do.

• May 19, 2025: Public hearing sessions at 9:30 AM (remote) and 4:00 PM (in-person) at City Hall. Agenda – Watch live, or listen to the meeting by calling in: 206-684-8566. For remote comments – register here from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
• May 21, 2025: Select Committee vote on interim legislation
• June 2025: Meetings will be set up to vote on the One Seattle Plan by end of June.

Resources and information:

• Website – Montlake.net and Montlake.net/rezoning
• Contact us – Rezoning@Montlake.net with any questions.
• Share with us – Rezoning@Montlake.net Please cc your letters to council with us!

Come join us at the East Gateway Park Work Party this Sunday!

The sun is even expected. All ages welcome.

Bring your own tools but if you don’t have any no worries – we do.

It’s a great way to enjoy the spring and meet your neighbors!

Any questions, please text Tom Brown 303-601-2841.

We have new flowers in in bloom at one of Montlake’s two neighborhood owned and beloved mini parks! Be sure to stop by and view the beauty or plan to visit at the Garden and Art Tour on June 1st. 

On Sunday May 18th from 10am-2pm, there will be a clean up for the East Gateway Park (northeast corner of Boyer and 24th Ave. Come if you can help, as we get the Park looking its best for the upcoming Montlake Garden and Art Tour!

What’s in bloom:

Native Columbine, wild iris, Columbine & blue bells are in full bloom at East Gateway Park! Our own little park will be featured in the Montlake Garden Tour in June 1st.

The Montlake Rezoning Task Force (MRTF) has been created to represent the Montlake Community in response to the Mayor’s plan to include Montlake as one of 30 neighborhood centers (NC) in its upzoning plan for Seattle. The City’s plan affects about 24 blocks, nearly 400 historic homes, roughly 30% of our neighborhood! 

The Task Force’s Mission is to work with the City of Seattle, on behalf of the Montlake Community, to accommodate growth while at the same time preserving the unique character of our Historic Neighborhood. 

About ten talented and committed professional Montlake neighbors have worked diligently for several months on this mission! 

Accomplishments so far:

1. Well researched background information was gathered and posted on Montlake.net. You’ll see the Rezoning tab above where this wealth of information is accessible to all and is updated regularly!
2. Flyers and posters summarizing this information were beautifully designed and distributed to all Montlake residents and posted around the community. 
3. Several MRTF members along with other Montlake residents have “testified” at City Council meetings. 
4. Feedback was and continues to be solicited from Montlake residents. This feedback went/goes to Joy.Hollingsworth@Seattle.gov and Zoning@Montlake.net. 
5. Montlake concerns from this feedback were summarized nicely in a letter signed by the Montlake Community Club Board Presidents that went to Joy Hollingsworth, our City Council representative, (who is also the leader for this project), as well as to all other City Council members and the Mayor. You can find the letter below.
6. Members of the MRTF met with Representative Hollingsworth’s staff for a walkabout in Montlake while sharing Montlake’s concerns – a very productive meeting!
7. MRTF has met with and keeps in contact with other designated NC neighborhoods in D3 such as Madison Park and Madrona during the City’s fluid process. 

Next steps:

1. Members of the MRTF are meeting with the City Planning Office later this month to share community concerns, understand criteria and discuss options. 
2. MRTF is working to finalize a comprehensive Plan B to present to Representative Hollingsworth, the City Council and Mayor that increases density in Montlake while better preserving our historic community, per our mission. 
3. MRTF is also exploring any impact we can have on the implementation of HB1110 passed by the WA State Legislature back in 2023. This bill effectively eliminates all single-family zoning in Seattle as well as reducing setbacks etc. So, the entire Montlake Community, outside our NC, can also be upzoned much more than with our current ADU’s. HB1110 potentially affects Montlake more than the NC designation. 
4. The whole upzoning process was on hold until 4/11 when all six appeals from other communities were dismissed. This delay gave the MRTF more time to work on our plans. 
5. The current City’s timeline can be found in the Rezoning tab above under “About Montlake Rezoning” near the bottom of the section. There will be an opportunity to “testify” again at upcoming City Council meetings. We will keep you updated on this! 

A huge thank you to the Montlake Rezoning Task Force’s dedicated volunteers for all their amazing work!

Please reach out to Zoning@Montlake.net with any questions, comments or concerns. 

Thank you,

Janice Sears

Chair, Montlake Rezoning Task Force

Check out the daffodils before they are gone! Thanks to Tom Brown and the other volunteers for making this a neighborhood gem for us all to enjoy!