(The Center Square) – Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera is concerned that the city’s Office of Planning and Community Development is rushing its comprehensive plan update with a lack of transparency regarding the process.
A city’s comprehensive plan is best described as a roadmap for how the city will grow over the next 20 years and beyond. The plan has to be updated every 10 years, meaning Seattle must adopt an update plan this year.
The major theme of the proposed update is addressing the city’s ongoing housing crisis in terms of supply and affordability.
OPCD’s proposed plan seeks to enable the city to add more than 330,000 homes to meet future housing needs.
Currently, Seattle’s housing capacity is approximately 165,000 housing units.
OPCD first began engagement for the updated comprehensive plan in 2022. However, Rivera expressed concerns regarding the plan’s process during Monday’s Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan meeting.
According to Rivera, OPCD has failed to release plans for transportation, utilities, and climate resilience needs, which is required by the Washington State Growth Management Act.
However, One Seattle Plan Project Manager Michael Hubner said that the plan details are available as of Monday. The final plan proposal includes appendices on transportation, utilities, and climate resilience needs.
Rivera says OPCD has been late in delivering the city’s comprehensive plan and is concerned some parts of the process have been consequently rushed.
OPCD transmitted its final legislation to the Seattle City Council on Monday only after closing public comment on proposed zoning changes on Dec. 20.
“The [Washington State Growth Management Act] requires ‘early and continuous public participation’ in the development of comprehensive plans, yet many of my constituents have lingering questions about the department’s proposed changes, how they were determined, and how OPCD has incorporated their feedback into the plan,” Rivera said in a statement prior to the Monday morning meeting.
OPCD Director Rico Quirindongo said the office has been working with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office to ensure that the policy framework built into the plan represents the city’s needs. Quirindongo added that the excess number of moving parts in the process has slowed down progress for the department to make its deadline.
“I think because of all of those parts and pieces it has taken the time that it has taken over the last two and a half years,” Quirindongo said during the meeting.
Rivera is requesting OPCD provide more details and transparency on the plan in order to address a major issue facing Seattle.
“We have vulnerable populations who need a safe place to live, and we have bus drivers, teachers and young people returning home to Seattle who cannot afford to rent or buy in the city,” Rivera said. “The need is critical.”
OPCD will come back to the Seattle City Council on Jan. 15 to present Harrell’s recommended growth strategy that addresses housing needs.