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!

• 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.)

• 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”.  

What’s next?

• Montlake Neighborhood Center (NC)

  •  Montlake’s NC reduced boundary passed 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, and 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 has nearly completed 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!