Last week, I penned a piece on seven key features of the Seattle 2035 comprehensive plan. But what I neglected to mention is that the Seattle City Council will be discussing the plan at all of the standing committees over the next two months. It’s a different approach from years past where committee discussion on the comprehensive plan was typically limited to just the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee. This time around, staff from the Office of Planning and Community Development will present the plan at each committee and dive into issues that relate to their disciplines (e.g., transportation topics at the Transportation and Sustainability Committee). Councilmembers will be able to learn about the plan in depth and weigh in on how it could be further refined. The meetings also serve as an important avenue for members of the public to focus in on key issues and provide testimony on individual topics of the plan.

The committees, topics, and dates/times for the comprehensive plan review are as follows:

CommitteeDate and TimeTopic
Planning, Land, and ZoningJune 7 @ 9.30amGrowth strategy and land use
Sustainability and Transportation June 21 @ 2pmTransportation
Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods
and Finance
July 6 @ 9.30amHousing and neighborhood
planning
Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic
Development, and Arts
July 12 @ 9.30amCapital facilities, economic
development, and arts and culture
Energy and EnvironmentJuly 12 @ 2pmEnvironmental implications and
utilities
Human Services and Public Health July 13 @ 2pmCommunity well-being
Education, Equity, and Governance July 20 @ 2pmSchools and growth
Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries, and WaterfrontJuly 21@ 9.30amParks, open space, and
recreation

In addition to the committee meetings, there will be two public hearings on the plan during the summer. Council will look toward fall for final amendments and ultimate adoption of the plan.

Article Author

Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.