It will be soon easier and cheaper for trucks like Yummy Gyros, a frequent visitor to the Seattle Central campus (Image: Yummy Gyros)

As City Hall prepares to enter its weeks-long end of year budget session, the Seattle City Council has a busy Tuesday wrapping up some legislative business including some final votes on a few key bills. Below, we’ve included some notes from a council memo on the day’s activities in front of the full council in the afternoon. CHS previously reported on a few of these proposals including the plan to suspend street permit fees for food trucks in the city and better solutions to holding property owners accountable on vacant buildings.

Notes from the council briefing on Tuesday’s votes are below:

   Building a new Memorial Stadium at Seattle Center
There’s a new stadium and school at the works at the Seattle Center. The resolution, which will have its final vote at Tuesday afternoon’s Full City Council meeting, reaffirms the City’s support to advance the projects. Additionally, the legislation will request the Mayor’s Office and Seattle Center create the necessary paperwork to get the project underway, transmitting their work to the Council for approval.
View a presentation, view a map, and read a fiscal note.

 

   Cracking down on vacant buildings
There has been an explosion of vacant buildings in recent years. For example, the number of unsecured vacant buildings rose 41% from 2021 to 2022. These buildings pose a public safety risk. On Tuesday afternoon, the Full City Council will be taking its final vote on legislation to strengthen standards for securing vacant buildings, require that such buildings be kept free of graffiti, as well as other changes.
View a presentation and read a report.

 

   Free permits for food trucks and small sidewalk community events until 2026
On Tuesday afternoon, the Full City Council will take its final vote on legislation that would help activate downtown – and throughout the city – by creating more food options and events. The bill would waive permit fees for food trucks and small-scale sidewalk events through January 2026.
View a presentation

   Water rates rising less than expected
On Tuesday afternoon, the Full City Council will take its final vote on an update about proposed increases to water rates. Because of cost savings, rates are proposed to only rise 2% between 2024 – 2026 instead of the originally approved 3.6% – 5.5%. Currently, a typical household spends about $49 a month. With the new proposed rates, a household would pay about $51 a month in 2026, a rise of about $2 a month over 3 years.
View a presentation, read a memo and read the study.

 

   Activating downtown with zoning changes
On Tuesday afternoon, the Full City Council will take its final vote on two pieces of legislation intended to activate downtown by modifying zoning rules. The first bill would rezone certain sections of downtown along 3rd Ave. to add residential density, encourage investment, and possibly incentivize a downtown school.

The second bill, also part of the Downtown Activation Plan, would add zoning flexibility to the Belltown neighborhood. Seattle’s hotel occupancy rates are expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2024, so more capacity is needed. This bill would encourage investment in the Belltown area, support street activation, and is responsive to community requests.

Downtown rezone – View a presentation, read a memo, and view the proposed rezone map.
Belltown lodging use flexibility – View a presentation, read a memo, and read a brief report.

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