UPDATE: This amendment was not passed.
The Vote: During the chaotic Select Committee sessions in September 2025, many of the more “restrictive” or “expensive” transparency amendments were either voted down or moved into Resolution 32183 (the “Docket”).
The “Docket” Trap: Moving an amendment to the Docket means the Council didn’t kill it, but they didn’t pass it either. They essentially assigned it to OPCD to “study” in 2026. This means it is not legally binding for the Phase 2 rollouts currently underway.
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If your mailbox has been empty lately, you aren’t just missing coupons; you’re missing a legal right.
As we gear up for the Phase 2 (Centers and Corridors) rezoning, a major procedural “red flag” is waving over City Hall. In our recent meeting with our District 1 representative, Councilmember Rob Saka, we learned that the City passed a transparency law last year (Amendment 110 to CB 120985) intended to end the era of “stealth rezoning.”
The Law: No More Blindsiding
Before this amendment, the City could rezone an entire neighborhood (“area-wide rezoning”) without ever sending a single piece of physical mail to the people living there. They’d just post a digital notice and call it a day.
Amendment 110 changed that. It now requires the City to:
“Send mailed notices of area-wide rezones to property owners, commercial lessees, and building managers within and near proposed boundary changes.”
In plain English? If you live within 300 feet of a proposed zone change, like the massive shift from Neighborhood Residential to LR2 planned for 39th Ave SW, the City is legally obligated to put a notice in your physical mailbox.
The Problem: The Clock is Ticking
The Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan has set a lightning-fast schedule:
- April 6, 2026: The first major Public Hearing.
- June 18, 2026: The target date for the final vote.
Here is the vulnerability: If you haven’t received that mailer yet, the City is currently out of compliance with its own law. How can they hold a “procedurally valid” public hearing on April 6th if the neighbors haven’t been legally notified?
Our Strategy: Push Back Now
We cannot wait until the June vote to point this out. If we want to move the needle on the 39th Ave SW boundary, we need to hold them to the letter of the law now.
What you can do:
- Check your mail: If you live within 300 feet of the proposed Morgan Junction expansion and haven’t seen a rezone notice, document it.
- Email the Planners: Send a note to Brennon Staley and the OPCD team (and CC Councilmember Saka).
- Ask the Question: “Why is the City proceeding with an April 6th hearing when the mandatory physical notices required by Amendment 110 have not been delivered?”
The City is trying to race toward a June 18th finish line. Let’s make sure they don’t trip over the transparency laws they just passed.
Stay tuned to Save 39th for a template email you can send today.
In plain English? If you live within 300 feet of a proposed zone change—like the massive shift from Neighborhood Residential to LR2 planned for 39th Ave SW—the City is legally obligated to put a notice in your physical mailbox.
The Problem: The Clock is Ticking
The Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan has set a lightning-fast schedule:
- April 6, 2026: The first major Public Hearing.
- June 18, 2026: The target date for the final vote.
Here is the vulnerability: If you haven’t received that mailer yet, the City is currently out of compliance with its own law. How can they hold a “procedurally valid” public hearing on April 6th if the neighbors haven’t been legally notified?
Not Just a Notice, We Need the Facts
It’s not enough for the City to send a vague postcard with a QR code. Amendment 110 was created so that you would know exactly what is happening to your specific block.
Request that these mailers contain Direct and Specific Language, not just “Seattle Plan” jargon. A “procedurally valid” notice should clearly state:
- The Current Zoning: (e.g., Neighborhood Residential)
- The Proposed Zoning: (e.g., Lowrise 2)
- The Specific Impact: Exactly how many feet of height or how many extra units are being added to your street.
If the mailer doesn’t tell you how your property is changing, it isn’t a “notice”, it’s a distraction.
Our Strategy: Push Back Now
We cannot wait until the June vote to point this out. If we want to move the needle on the 39th Ave SW boundary, we need to hold them to the letter of the law now.
What you can do:
- Check your mail: If you live within 300 feet of the proposed Morgan Junction expansion and haven’t seen a rezone notice, document it.
- Email the Planners: Send a note to Brennon Staley and the OPCD team (and CC Councilmember Saka).
- Demand Specifics: In your email, tell them: “We expect the mandated mailers to include plain-language descriptions of the zoning changes for our specific blocks. A link to a 800-page PDF is not a ‘notice’, it’s a hurdle.”
- Insist on Input: Remind them that the purpose of this mailer is to invite public comment, not just to inform us of a finished deal.
The City is trying to race toward a June 18th finish line. Let’s make sure they don’t trip over the transparency laws they just passed.