Seattle proposal to end ‘single-family zoning’ label garners wide support in public hearing

File photo of homes for sale in the Seattle neighborhood of Laurelhurst. (A McClin, Flickr)

The Seattle City Council’s Land Use Committee held the first public hearing on Wednesday for a proposal to remove the “single-family zoning” label, which received overwhelming support from speakers.

Seattle and Tacoma are considering changes to single-family zoning

The bill – sponsored by Councilors Teresa Mosqueda and Dan Strauss – would instead replace the nickname of single-family zoning of the city with “neighborhood residential zones.” While it won’t change the actual density of Seattle, it is seen as a necessary first step toward fairer housing practices while removing a term that is believed by many to be ingrained in discriminatory politics.

During Wednesday’s public hearing, a large majority of commentators expressed their support.

“I think building a sustainable, inclusive and just city requires us to be more hospitable in our one-family zones, and the renaming is a small win for that vision because language matters,” said Calvin Jones of Tech 4 Housing.

“Given the troubled and discriminatory history of single-family homes, Seattle needs to take action not only to make this important name change, but also to address the racist legacy of single-family zones for our city,” agreed Mackenzie, director of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Policy, on Chase .

Members of several other local groups and neighborhood organizations were similarly in favor of the proposal, including representatives from Futurewise, Urbanist, 350 Seattle, and the Queen Anne Community Council.

Of the around 14 commentators who took part in the public forum on Wednesday, two expressed their opposition.

“I have a feeling that our city is special and we don’t have to do it like Chicago and New York,” said resident Sylvia Stewart. “What we should be doing to keep our city beautiful is to get some architects to look at each neighborhood and find out where the best places are to design the city to keep our city beautiful for years to come . “

Seattle begins laying the groundwork for a new approach to single-family zoning

“I would suggest using the term ‘single household’ instead, which is a more inclusive language,” suggested Zoe Jenkins.

Councilors will next review the existing draft bill for possible changes, with plans to formally bring it to the Land Use Committee sometime in early August.

The Council then plans to start work on a separate proposal that would “include alternatives that would consider allowing a wider range of housing types in single-family homes”. This process would take an estimated six months while the council works with local communities and carries out the necessary environmental assessments.