Why is zoning in Montlake changing?
Upzoning is part of the City’s growth strategy to increase the housing supply, and to generate more affordable housing. Upzoning is driven by a new state housing law (HB1110), and by the Mayor’s One Seattle Plan. Much more information is found on the Background and Process page.
When is the new zoning coming?
Before any zoning changes happen, the One Seattle Plan establishes the overall Growth Strategy, and one part of that is to designate block-by-block areas of Seattle as Neighborhood Centers. On January 6th, the Mayor sent the One Seattle Plan to City Council for review, modification and approval. They are working on it currently with possible approval in May.
The City intends to finalize the One Seattle Plan first, then roll out the actual zoning changes in two phases. Phase 1 zoning addresses new state law HB1110 and should be in place by June 30, 2025. Phase 2 applies increased building height, housing density, and lot-coverage rules to the Neighborhood Centers, and will take effect later in 2025.
What are Neighborhood Centers?
Neighborhood Center is a new concept for Seattle. Neighborhood Centers are residential areas targeted for significantly increased housing density and building heights, and they’re centered around either a local business district or a major transit stop. There are 30 proposed Neighborhood Centers as shown and described on this map, and Montlake is one of them. Proposed Neighborhood Centers are defined on block-by-block basis, with a specific zoning type shown on each block.
Is the comment period closed? How do I give feedback?
No. The City Council is currently accepting feedback, and the Montlake Community Club needs your feedback as well. Here are three ways you can provide your feedback:
- Send your feedback directly to City leaders:
- Our District 3 Council Representative: Joy Hollingsworth (most important)
- All nine City Council members: council@seattle.gov
- Mayor Harrell: bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
- Speak at one of the three scheduled City Council public hearings. Prepare a two-minutes speech to read. Bring a hardcopy for Council.
– February 5
– April 30
– May 16
Public hearing dates subject to change. Check the City Council calendar. - Send a copy of your feedback to the Montlake Community Club: zoning@montlake.net. The MCC Board represents the entire Montlake community, so they would like to know what’s on your mind.
I’ve already sent my feedback for the December 20, 2024 deadline; do I need to do more?
That feedback probably went to the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD), and not to the Seattle City Council. The Seattle City Council needs your feedback as they are the final decision makers. Please also send a copy to MCC: zoning@montlake.net. The MCC needs to know your position on these changes.
Will the change in zoning really create more housing, and more affordable housing?
The One Seattle Plan relies primarily on people selling their property to developers who will then build to the new, higher-density zoning regulations. The expectation is that developers would build the largest buildings possible with the most units allowed (and possibly with the least amount of required parking), because that typically maximizes their profit.
More availability is supposed to lower the cost—economic supply and demand. However, it’s not clear that it would, and that’s a major point of contention with the current plan as expressed by City Council members in meetings with OPCD on January 6th and 15th.
If lots are zoned for MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability), developers get some incentives to develop affordable housing, but that doesn’t ensure they would benefit enough to make it more profitable for them, so they may opt to build more expensive housing. That is already a common practice with the existing zoning rules.
For more information about housing supply and the effect on affordability, see this interview with Patrick Condon.
Will the new zoning regulations force me from my home?
No. The proposed rezoning would not force you to sell or leave your home. Depending on what happens around you, you may want to leave, but that would be your choice.
Will my property taxes go up?
Your property’s assessed value could increase based on the new zoning, and if so, your property taxes could increase. Per state law WAC 458-07-030, property is assessed according to its “highest and best use,” which is defined as “ . . . the most profitable, likely use to which a property can be put. It is the use which will yield the highest return on the owner’s investment.” In other words, if it’s zoned for a more profitable type of building such as a 5-story apartment, that could increase its assessed value.
How might property resale values be affected?
That’s difficult to predict. It would likely depend on the size and location of the lot, the size and condition of the buildings on it, and what happens in the area surrounding the property. Here’s how realtors in Madrona addressed this question:
“While a few homes might see their property values rise due to upzoning, the property values and the desirability of many more homes on these streets would fall. Current property owners are asking us if the City will reimburse for these losses. Depending on an individual home’s proximity to new multi-family development and resulting impacts on light, views, street parking and quiet enjoyment, values could drop by anywhere from 10-50%.”
Does Montlake’s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places affect rezoning?
Montlake is the only complete neighborhood in Seattle listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and the only Historic District in Seattle chosen as a Neighborhood Center. That designation does not protect Montlake’s historic houses and buildings from being replaced with new buildings, but the Draft Environmental Impact Statement did address impacts to historically significant neighborhoods and concluded that there was a “Potential for significant adverse impacts.” However, the report’s conclusion was that the impacts could be “avoided/minimized with mitigation.” It’s not clear what kind of mitigation could avoid/minimize the impact of tearing down a designated historical asset, while still allowing it to be torn down.
I still have questions. Who can help me?
For questions about the current City Council review/approval process, contact Joy Hollingsworth’s District 3 staff at d3help@seattle.gov.
For more information, including new zoning plan details, see the Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD)’s One Seattle Plan website. Contact info is included.
Learn more
The contents of this webpage were assembled by a small group of Montlake Community Club members to help educate the neighborhood about upcoming zoning changes proposed by Mayor Harrell. Any opinions expressed are not necessarily representative of the greater Montlake community.
