Plans and Policy
Policy Lab: Will the Last Progressive in Seattle Turn On the Lights
Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson celebrated a shift to the right and an end to "ideological experimentation." But progressives are pioneering lots of innovative ideas and should be stockpiling programs for friendlier climes. What are yours?
Planners Proposed Bigger Upzones Before Harrell’s Team Intervened, Records Show
A paper trail from fall 2023 shows that Mayor Harrell's office overruled his planning department and cut transit corridor upzones and halved the number of proposed "neighborhood centers" before release of the growth strategy.
Urbanist Leader Rian Watt Talks Housing Crisis on Hacks & Wonks Podcast
The Urbanist's Executive Director Rian Watt appeared on Crystal Fincher's Hacks and Wonks podcast on April 9 to talk about the housing crisis. He offered three fixes for the Seattle Comprehensive Plan.
Op-Ed: Growth Plan Fails to Put Enough Housing for Workers in Seattle
Cloud City Coffee is an anchor in the Maple Leaf business district. Seattle's growth plan isn't what the city needs to allow its employees to live close by.
Harrell Hopes to Fill Downtown Storefronts by Easing Code Restrictions
In a bid to reactivate Downtown Seattle, Mayor Harrell has proposed easing code restrictions in hopes of filling vacant storefronts with newly permitted uses like crafting studios, greenhouses, medical offices, art installations, public restrooms, and research laboratories.
Op-Ed: Six Ways to Improve Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan
Suggestions to improve the One Seattle plan include allow bigger buildings, embrace transit-oriented development, and jettison parking requirements. We can create a Seattle that pulls the working class in rather than pushing them out.
Growth Plan Falls Short of Seattle’s Needs, Planning Commission Says
The Seattle Planning Commission has given the proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan a once-over. The reviews are not good.
Op-Ed: Harrell’s Anemic Growth Plan Is Not ‘Space Needle Thinking’
The mayor's comprehensive plan proposal failed to deliver real solutions on housing abundance, affordability, and climate. It promises only modest zoning changes at the margins and 100,000 additional homes over 20 years.