Montlake Rezoning Task Force Update
Author: Janice Sears
Current Update!
As you will recall, the State’s HB 1110 was passed in 2023 effectively eliminating single family zoning for cities over 25,000 pop. in the entire state of WA in order to increase density and accommodate growth while making housing affordable – a tall order!
Temporary Legislation was passed by the Seattle City Council to meet the State’s 6/30/2025 implementation deadline.
Montlake joined a coalition of 22 other Seattle Neighborhoods, called “Seattle Residents for Thoughtful Growth”, (SRTG) to challenge the “overreach” by the city in permanently implementing HB1110.
A whopping 114 Amendments were proposed to accompany permanent legislation. Despite Rep Hollingsworth’s letter to Montlake summarizing many, but not all, of Montlake’s concerns, and detailed input from the Montlake Rezoning Task Force (MRTF), the Amendments did not address our concerns, many made things worse and they mostly passed!
There was one Final Public Hearing on 9/12.
Voting on permanent legislation of HB1110 by the Select Committee of the Seattle City Council occurred 9/17-9/19. (Formal passage by the City Council will occur by October.)
One bright spot was the adoption of Amendment 102 which will hopefully protect some of Seattle’s older trees and groves.
One dim spot is the evolution of “corner stores” to “ground floor commercial” which will now be allowed on every lot (with only 2 foot setbacks)!
So, in the end the city is requiring significantly more density than required by HB1110 based on questionable growth numbers! Montlake will now be zoned for duplexes, fourplexes and sixplexes (in addition to ADU’s) in our formerly single-family neighborhood with potentially little or no off-street parking. Things such as Seattle’s healthy and coveted tree canopy are at risk with major “setback” reductions! Heights are planned to significantly increase along with Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Historical Design Reviews (and standards) will be gone. Seattle and Montlake’s old infrastructure will most certainly be “stretched”.
Please click on the Zoning tab above for more information.
But also know that upzoning must be economically feasible, the lot must be suitable and the owner must be willing for upzoning to be implemented!
A huge thank you to the MRTF for all their work on behalf of Montlake!
And a huge thank you to all of you who wrote letters, signed petitions and attended meetings!
What’s next?
Montlake Neighborhood Center (NC)
Since Rep Hollingworth was unable to submit an Amendment to further reduce our NC boundary Montlake’s NC boundary passed as is on 9/17 (scroll down to Montlake) after our initial area reduction.
The next step for the Seattle City Council is to finalize zoning/heights within the 30 Neighborhood Centers, including Montlake, later this year, after their budgeting break, or the beginning of 2026.
The current plan submitted by the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) calls for NC2-55 (55 feet mixed use) in our commercial district (along 24th between E Calhoun and Boston streets), LR3 (50 feet residential) between Roanoke and E Newton Streets and 24th and 25th and LR2 (40 feet residential) between 20th and 22nd and E Louisa and E Lynn Streets.
Details on these zoning types can also be found in the Zoning tab above.
MRTF is currently working on a counter suggestion to reduce zoning/heights in our NC to be more in scale with our unique neighborhood. This will be presented to Rep Hollingworth’s office in early December.
All suggestions, comments and questions are welcome via zoning@Montlake.net!
