Seattle City Council passes SODO rezoning plan

Name: Seattle City Council approves SODO housing plan
Uploaded: 2025-03-18T19:45:21-07:00
Description: Seattle's SODO neighborhood could be home to more than just sports teams, and soon.

Seattle City Council approves SODO housing plan

Seattle's SODO neighborhood could be home to more than just sports teams, and soon.

SEATTLE, Wash. - The Seattle City Council has passed a plan to rezone SODO and create a "Makers District" with 1,000 new housing units in the area.

The ordinance passed with a 6-3 vote Tuesday night.

The backstory:

Council President Sara Nelson, who proposed the legislation, urged swift action, arguing that Seattle’s affordability crisis is worsening. However, other council members, including Rob Kettle and Dan Strauss, expressed concerns about the last-minute introduction of nine amendments.

"This is essentially a spot rezone," Kettle said. "If you want to have a strong port and a strong business, you need stability. This bill is unstable."

The advanced development includes 500 affordable housing units and is backed by local stadium authorities. However, the Port of Seattle strongly opposed the plan, citing concerns about preserving industrial land and protecting maritime jobs. The port is one of the last deep-water ports in the country, and longshoremen worry that the rezoning plan will jeopardize the city’s economic future.

Council members received the amendments just 24 hours before the scheduled vote, prompting calls for a delay for as short as a week or two months.

Nelson, however, insisted that council members must act.

"It's everybody's responsibility to really dig into material that comes up at the last minute and be prepared to make decisions when the time comes," she said.

Critics argued the development would disproportionately impact marginalized communities by placing them in an area lacking green spaces, schools, and grocery stores.

When asked whether she was comfortable placing marginalized groups in undesirable areas, Nelson declined to give a direct answer.

"I am not going to say answer yes or no to that question, because I do feel that it is, it is not. It's an unfair characterization of what is happening here," Nelson said.

Strauss also raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the process.

"If we’re making this decision before approving the freight corridors, we need to understand how to get cargo into interstates before making changes," Strauss said.

His comment comes as Seattle voters approved a transportation levy that included funding to improve port connections to I-90 and I-5, but that work has yet to begin. The Seattle Department of Transportation recently presented the 2025 work plan to the council, outlining efforts to plan those spot improvements.

One of the nine amendments, Amendment G, passed 7-2, extending the effective date of the legislation to June 30 to allow the Port of Seattle to assess the impact of a U.S. Coast Guard expansion at Terminal 46.

Nelson argued this was an easy decision as she seeks to create housing as the affordable housing crisis continues to grow.

"This is a monumental step forward for Seattle," said Patience Malaba of the Housing Development Consortium. "The Stadium Makers’ District will not only address our city’s urgent need for housing but also support local businesses, create jobs, and make the area safer and more vibrant for all."

The Source: Information in this story is from the Seattle City Council and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.