Yearly Archives: 2025

The Washington Association of Fire Marshals is proposing changes to Washington state building code that would require five-foot wide access path to accessory dwelling units, but builders paint the requirement as overkill, adding another obstacle to housing development. 

The 100-unit housing project had been conceived in Kenmore, but was moved to Redmond after community opposition doomed its prospects. Affordable housing leaders see the way Redmond completed the hand-off as a model to be replicated elsewhere.

Take the 13th installment of The Urbanist's crossword series, which runs every two weeks. If you love to take a contemplative moment with a brain-teasing puzzle, but you’re tired of nationally syndicated crosswords with no local flair or stance on high-capacity transit, you’re right where you need to be.

The changes will impact riders throughout King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties as Sound Transit eliminates routes where travel times are competitive with new light rail options. The agency is also planning to launch a new overnight bus network to improve regional access.

At the forum that The Urbanist is co-hosting on October 11, Bellevue City Council candidates will answer questions about transportation issues and how Bellevue can be a more equitable city.

The Seattle City Council added a series of series of height and density bonuses for stacked flats as they amended Mayor Bruce Harrell's proposed update to the City's Comprehensive Plan in September. The bonuses could unleash the city's former single family zones to create a stacked flat multiplex boom, ranging up to 12-plexes.

Work will continue on upgrades to E Union Street that will allow Route 2 buses to return to the corridor, but the idea of reopening the street to all westbound traffic has been taken off the table -- at least for now.

Mayor Bruce Harrell has proposed a 0.1% sales tax hike for public safety investments, including doubling the size of the civilian CARE department. However, CARE’s future rests on cooperation from the Seattle Police Officers Guild, which has sought to limit the fledgling agency in the past.