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Seattle committee advances first major update to industrial land use policy in decades

According to Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office, the legislation would create an estimated 35,000 new jobs and 3,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council’s Land Use Committee voted Thursday to advance a five-bill package to update the city's more than 35-year-old policies and zoning on industrial lands.

The Industrial and Maritime Strategy Legislation would create three new industrial zones and update existing zoning and development regulations to prepare for growth near light rail stations, create pathways to careers, strengthen land-use protections for existing industries, and create healthier transitions between industrial and nonindustrial areas, particularly in the Georgetown, South Park, and Ballard neighborhoods.

The legislation is expected to go to a full Seattle City Council vote on July 18.

According to Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office, the legislation would create an estimated 35,000 new jobs and 3,000 new homes over the next 20 years. Eleven percent of the city's total area contains industrial land, or approximately 7,000 acres, and generates nearly 100,000 living-wage jobs, according to his office.

The Industrial and Maritime Strategy Council was formed in 2019 and developed 11 strategies in 2021 to support the next generation of industrial and maritime jobs while providing equitable access to opportunities for the BIPOC community and women. The strategy council is made up of more than 60 representatives from businesses, developers, labor and workforce and communities near industrial areas.

“Developed in collaboration with neighbors and leaders in these fields, this proposal advances key shared priorities: A diversified economy with industries and jobs accessible to people of all backgrounds, critically needed new affordable housing, and a more sustainable city for generations to come," Harrell said in April.

In addition to updating existing zoning, the three new industrial zones the legislation would create include: 

Maritime, Manufacturing and Logistics  – This zone would strengthen land use protections for core and legacy industrial and maritime areas to better prevent the encroachment of other developments, such as mini-storage and big box stores, that are incompatible with industrial and maritime uses. This zone is particularly applicable near the shoreline or deep-water port, rail and freight infrastructure, and around existing clusters of industrial or maritime suppliers and services.

Credit: Seattle City Council

Industry and Innovation – This zone would encourage new development in multi-story buildings that accommodate industrial businesses mixed with other dense employment uses such as research, design, offices, and technology through a system of density bonuses. Modern industrial development would support high-density employment near Sound Transit light rail stations and commercial areas. 

Credit: Seattle City Council

Urban Industrial  – This zone would aim to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities with a vibrant mix of affordable, small-scale places for light industry, makers, and creative arts, as well as industry-supporting ancillary retail or housing spaces to create better, integrated, and healthier transitions along the edges between industrial areas and neighboring urban villages, residential, and mixed-use areas in Georgetown, South Park, and Ballard. 

Credit: Seattle City Council

For more information on the Industrial and Maritime Strategy Legislation and an interactive map of the proposed rezoning, visit seattle.gov.

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