Seattle Land Use and Sustainability Committee Meeting - July 23, 2026

The Land Use and Sustainability Committee of the Seattle City Council met in a special meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The sole agenda item was a briefing and discussion on the Northgate, Downtown, and Manufacturing & Industrial Center (MIC) Subarea Plans. The meeting was called to order at 9:34 a.m. by Chair Eddie Lin, with Councilmembers Dan Strauss, Dionne Foster, Joy Hollingsworth, and Alexis Mercedes Rinck present (the minutes record five present, but the transcript indicates only four were present at roll call; Councilmember Foster joined online later). No formal actions were taken; the item was an information item for committee discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

Six members of the public testified, offering a range of perspectives:

• Steve LeCroix (representing Thornton Creek Alliance) supported the plan's goals for tree canopy, walkability, and affordable housing but stressed that these must not be mutually exclusive. He cited that Northgate lost 18.55 acres of tree canopy between 2016 and 2021 and recommended respecting Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's 200-foot riparian management zones. He urged against giving away mid-block corridors (as happened with the Modera project on NE 8th) and suggested considering NE 8th as a pedestrian street, enhancing Hubbard Homestead Park, and using best practices for lighting to reduce light pollution.
• Megan Cruz (downtown resident) praised the plan's goals but argued the actions don't reflect on-the-ground reality, particularly the proposed upzones on Third Avenue, which is the nation's largest transit corridor. She mentioned the city's technical report proposes upzoning with market rate towers at 500 to 100,000 homes with parking for 75% of the units. She called for partnership with downtown's neighborhood council, more attention to preservation landmarks, and a stronger project review process.
• Sabrina Boglio (on behalf of the Port of Seattle and Northwest Seaport Alliance) thanked the committee for advancing the MIC subarea plans and for upholding the no net loss principle for industrial land.
• Jean Bateman (35-year downtown resident and small business owner) thanked the committee for restoring the five neighborhoods and removing the previously proposed waterfront neighborhood. She raised concerns about the unclear Flume map and district boundaries, specifically the Pike Place Market Historical District and proposed waterfront district, and noted the approved CEPA document incorrectly refers to a "waterfront historical district" and places the market inside it, which is factually wrong. She also requested more information on the cultural strategies for downtown revitalization report.
• Hannah Ziff (Pioneer Square resident) opposed widening streets for fire trucks, arguing that widening one street would require widening all and would harm the city's beauty and walkability. She urged the council to find alternative solutions.

Discussion Items

Northgate Regional Center Plan

• Alison Miller (OPCD Community Planning Manager), Jesse London (OPCD Regional Centers Planner), and Erica Bush (OPCD/SDOT District Planner) presented an overview. The plan aims to transform Northgate from a car-oriented, surface-parking-heavy area into a complete urban neighborhood, leveraging assets like the light rail station, the redeveloping Northgate Mall site, medical uses, the Kraken Iceplex (over a million visitors yearly), and natural features such as Thornton Creek and Beaver Pond.
• The plan is structured around five policy themes: neighborhood for all seasons, living with place, create Northgate, connected communities, and shared abundance.
• Key initiatives include adding mid-block corridors to improve walkability (exchanging density for developer-built pedestrian pathways), strategic zoning changes, a transportation project list developed with SDOT, an ecology corridor connecting Barton Woods to Thornton Creek, and exploring a native food forest with partners.
• Chair Lin asked about Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) conditions and deadlines. The presenters explained that PSRC requires subarea plans for all regional centers and MICs by the end of 2027. PSRC has asked to revisit the Northgate boundary after adoption; the plan currently maintains the existing shape but details a future evaluation.
• Chair Lin also asked about engagement with Thornton Creek Alliance and how to address impervious surfaces. Jesse London described engagement phases (nearly 2,000 participants, focus groups with underrepresented groups) and noted the plan incorporates feedback from local organizations. On mitigation, he noted Northgate's state of transition offers opportunities to use zoning requirements for mid-block corridors, open spaces, and other amenities.

Downtown Regional Center Plan

• The same presenters (Alison Miller, Jesse London, with Erica Bush) presented the downtown plan, covering five distinct neighborhoods and districts. The plan's vision themes: downtown is home, make downtown safe and welcoming, make use of every square foot, stewarding our home for the next seven generations, and find our way.
• The plan calls for 13,500 new housing units by 2044 and 60,000 net new jobs over 20 years. It includes policies for housing conversions, station area redevelopment, activating vacant lots, supporting creative industries and small businesses, prioritizing climate resilience and indigenous-led design, rebalancing street space, and enhancing wayfinding.
• The future land use map introduces a waterfront district (not renaming neighborhoods) and identifies place types for each area, including studying anti-displacement approaches in the CID and maintaining lower scale near Pike Place Market.
• Chair Lin asked about flexibility in the face of uncertainty in the tech sector and office vacancies. The presenters acknowledged that the plan aims to diversify downtown's economy beyond tech, making it an attractive place for a variety of industries, and that the plan is designed as a living implementation roadmap.

Manufacturing & Industrial Center (MIC) Subarea Plans

• Jim Holmes (OPCD Senior Planner) presented the Ballard-Interbay Northern MIC (BINMIC) and Greater Duwamish MIC plans, which are implementation actions of the Industrial Maritime Strategy. That strategy, initiated in 2019, involved an interdepartmental team and a 60+ stakeholder group, and in June 2021 the advisory council adopted consensus recommendations. Key elements include stronger protections for industrial land, no new residential uses (with some exceptions), and master planning for the Wascca site (in Duwamish) and the National Guard Armory site (in Interbay), both state-owned.
• The plans share the same chapter structure (vision, land use, transportation, economic development, environment, public services). Highlights include integrating future Sound Transit light rail stations, preserving water-dependent uses in Salmon Bay (BINMIC) and the container port (Duwamish), ensuring healthy transitions to residential areas, and improving connections (e.g., Reconnect South Park).
• Policies include one-time boundary adjustments for station areas (with no net loss of industrial land and no housing in station overlays), maintaining freight networks, investing in workforce development, addressing contaminated lands, promoting electrification and shore power, and preparing for sea level rise.
• Vice Chair Strauss offered extensive comments, highlighting the historical significance of the area (tidelands, Indigenous presence), the economic importance of the maritime industry (one-third of sales and use tax comes from maritime and industrial zones), and the need to recognize tribal sovereignty and trust lands. He also emphasized the need for better connectivity in Inner Bay and for flexible land use around future light rail stations. He praised the plans and expressed interest in follow-up regarding tribal trust lands.
• Chair Lin asked about long-term climate risks for the MICs. Jim Holmes noted that some industrial areas near South Park already flood during high tides and storms, and that long-term investments are needed to protect from sea level rise, alongside improvements in stormwater management, green building, and electrification.

Key Outcomes

No formal votes or decisions were taken at this briefing. The meeting served as an information item (Inf 2932) to allow committee members to hear presentations and discuss the subarea plans. The committee will continue to deliberate on these plans as part of the 2026 comprehensive plan amendment cycle. Staff will incorporate feedback and follow up on specific issues raised, particularly around tribal trust lands and the Northgate boundary conditions. The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:59 a.m. (minutes record 11:00 a.m.).