Seattle Planning Commission Calls for New Residential Density

A recently published white paper written by the Seattle Planning Commission calls on the city to follow in the footsteps of the city of Minneapolis and the state of Oregon.

1 minute read

January 22, 2020, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Single-Family Neighborhood

icaroferracin / Shutterstock

Doug Trumm reports on a white paper published by the Seattle Planning Commission calling on the city to make dramatic changes to the city's zoning.

The commission's "Growth Strategy White Paper" builds on work begun with the commission's Neighborhoods for All report published last year. The paper makes an explicit call for Seattle to follow in the footsteps of Minneapolis, the state of Oregon, and Cancouver, British Columbia in legalizing three of four units per residential lot.

"Switching base zoning to triplexes or fourplexes will be viewed as revolutionary to many Seattleites," writes Trumm. "A draft recommendation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) report was scuttled for less. But other cities have led the way and shown it’s possible, and conditions in Seattle–including the city council–have changed."

Among the changes in Seattle listed by Trumm: continuously rising housing prices and uneven growth around the city. On that latter point, Trumm notes that the city's "urban villages have shouldered an incredible load when it comes to infill development despite representing a tiny fraction of the overall land." Also, writes Trumm, "[t]he planning commission notes a whopping 80% of Seattle’s housing growth over the past decade or so has been within Urban Villages."

Wednesday, January 8, 2020 in The Urbanist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square