Breaking Down the Seattle City Council's 'War on Density'

Recent legislation considered (with some approved) by the Seattle City Council Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee takes anti-development politics to a new level in a city reacting to years of growth.

1 minute read

June 19, 2015, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Seattle City Council

Mayor McGinn / Flickr

Josh Feit reports on the latest development in an anti-development crusade from an outgoing city councilmember in Seattle. "Already pushing blank-check 'neighborhood conservation district' legislation to halt development in single-family zones, [Councilmember Tom] Rasmussen set out yesterday to make it more difficult for developers to build in multi-family zones—the stretches of apartment and town homes in low-rise zones on the edges of single-family neighborhoods in places such has Capitol Hill and Ballard," according to Feit.

The proposed legislation would come as amendments to earlier legislation proposed by Councilmember Mike O’Brien. Councilmember Rasmussen, however, wanted more out of the slow growth measure. Feit provides amendment by amendment analysis of Councilmember Rasmussen's platform.

Feit's coverage provides a lot of insight into the development politics of the Seattle City Council, as well as how future elections are influencing the politics of a fast-growing city.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015 in Publicola

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