Wednesday, September 16, 2026 · 7:00–9:00 PM · Keystone Congregational Church, 5019 Keystone Pl N (one block north of the Good Shepherd Center, at the corner of N 51st St and Keystone Pl N — downstairs social hall; street parking nearby in the neighborhood)
Please note the location change: for this meeting only, we’re gathering at Keystone Congregational Church instead of the Good Shepherd Center — a larger space just one block north.
The Wallingford Community Council is back from summer break, and we’re kicking off the fall with a conversation about neighborhood public safety. Our guest is Captain George Davisson of the Seattle Police Department’s North Precinct, who will share what’s happening across our precinct and take your questions about safety in Wallingford. There’s plenty of room — bring a neighbor.
We’ll also share brief updates on the Comprehensive Plan and other neighborhood issues, plus a look at what’s ahead for WCC this fall — including our October 7 meeting on the Aurora Ave planning study. All are welcome. Questions? Reach us at communications@wallingfordcc.org.
As part of our mission to support and inform the community, the Wallingford Community Council (WCC) is sharing important updates on major events scheduled for Gas Works Park this summer.
While WCC is not responsible for organizing or managing these events, we remain committed to advocating for neighborhood concerns — including noise, traffic, and park access impacts — as we communicate regularly with city officials and departments. We are sharing this information to help you plan your summer and minimize surprises.
Date
Time
Event Details
Thursdays (through Sept 17)
6 – 8 PM
Yoga in the Park · ~2,000 attendees · Weekly
Saturday, July 25
12 – 9 PM
Day Trip · Large Concert · ~10,000 attendees · Ticketed
An example of one of these events — the Day Trip Festival on July 25 (promotional image, seattle.daytripfest.com).
🏆 Behind the Scenes: How WCC Is Working for You at Gas Works
Big events bring big crowds — and noise, traffic, and wear on the park. Here’s some of what your Wallingford Community Council has been doing year-round, in coordination with the City, to keep neighborhood concerns front and center:
Tracking what these crowds actually look like. The July 4 event drew an estimated 45,000 people — well above the 25,000 originally projected, with World Cup visitors in town. We share these numbers with the City so permit decisions reflect real neighborhood impact.
A direct line to Seattle Parks leadership. We’ve built a working relationship with Seattle Parks — including the new Parks Director — so we get advance word when plans change.
Eyes on the ground for the biggest events. We’ve lined up a volunteer environmental specialist to help monitor impacts — noise, crowd size, and park conditions — during this summer’s largest gatherings.
A clear way to report problems. We compiled the event schedule above and the City contact list below so neighbors always know exactly who to call about noise, traffic, or parking.
Protecting the landmark towers. WCC backed a preservation review of the historic Gas Works structures before any City removal of features flagged for safety.
Reopening the shoreline (Waterway 20). We’re working with the City and consultants to reopen the fenced-off Lake Union shoreline just west of the park for public recreational access.
📞 Who to Contact About Event Impacts
If you have issues with traffic, parking, noise, crowd size, or other impacts, contact the city departments overseeing event permitting. Organizers are required to conduct timely public outreach (at least 30 days prior).
Please call AND email. Voicemails are deleted by staff once heard, but emails are retained and counted as official community comments tied to the event permit. Only written comments show up when the City reviews an event afterward. Photos help — attach them if you can.
We encourage you to share your concerns with all relevant City departments and your City Council representatives — not Parks alone. Event scheduling is split across Parks, Special Events, and Economic Development, so comments reach the right desk faster when they go broadly.
April brings the wonderful colors of spring flowers along with fresh challenges to be addressed on citywide rezone proposals with the restart of Phase 2 Comp Plan legislation. There is a compressed timeline with only 2 meetings left and two public hearings between March 19–June 18. There will be amendments by Council representatives and voting in June.
It is now a reality that EVERY Neighborhood Residential (NR) lot—formerly single family—due to passage of the permanent Middle Housing legislation CB 120993 on December 16, 2025 in Phase 1, has increased capacity to allow building of 4–6 housing units on 5,000 square foot lots citywide. Phase 2 proposals under Council review include changes to Lowrise 1, 2, 3 zones, Neighborhood Commercial, and Midrise zones add more zoning layers to increase housing unit capacity per lot.
The most important contribution you can make is to use your voice at Public Hearings—either remotely or in person—and by contacting City Council representatives directly to advocate for your neighborhood.
WCC is excited to announce our Annual Board Meeting Election night will be held Tuesday, May 5. Our keynote speaker will be an Assistant Police Chief from the Seattle Police Department. To be eligible to vote for Board positions, you must pay your WCC 2026 membership dues before the April 12–13 deadline at wallingfordcc.org. Thank you to those of you who support us with new and renewed memberships and donations.
If you would like to be considered for a board position, please contact our nominating committee at pres@wallingfordcc.org.
Warm regards, Bonnie Williams, President — Wallingford Community Council
📅 Upcoming WCC Meeting
Next General Meeting
📅 Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM 📍 Good Shepherd Center, Room 202 | Seattle, WA 98103
Agenda:
Phase 2 Zoning Update: Preview ahead of April 6 Public Hearing
WCC Board Updates & Community Announcements
Waterway 20 Kickoff — April 8 at Gasworks Brewery
Dan Strauss Community Meeting — March 25 (Wed). Contact Dan.Strauss@seattle.gov or 206-684-8806.
City Council has restarted Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Plan with a compressed schedule running March 19 through June 18, 2026. This process will determine rezoning for Neighborhood Residential lots facing frequent transit bus corridors and 30 new neighborhood centers citywide—including Wallingford and Tangletown.
Key Phase 2 Dates
Date
Time
Event
March 19, 2026
2:00 PM
Select Committee Meeting (completed — video available)
Background: State Zoning Compliance (HB 1110) — Phase 1
The City Council passed Permanent State Zoning Compliance legislation CB120993 on December 16, 2025, effective January 21, 2026. The legislation comprehensively updates Seattle’s Neighborhood Residential (NR) zones—formerly single-family zones—to comply with Washington State HB 1110.
HB 1110 requires cities to allow a wider variety of “middle” housing types, including duplexes, triplexes, and stacked flats, in single-family zones. The state mandates that the densest housing be located near major transit (light rail and Rapid Ride). Middle housing is defined as buildings compatible in scale, form, and character with single-family houses that contain two or more attached, stacked, or clustered homes—including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, sixplexes, townhouses, stacked flats, courtyard apartments, and cottage housing.
NR zones now have a density limit of 4–6 units per 5,000 square foot lot and a 32 foot / 3 story height maximum, with the exception of stacked flats at 42 feet / 4 stories.
What Phase 2 Proposes
Mayor Harrell’s One Seattle Plan has been controversial since its introduction in October 2024. Key concerns have focused on the scale of proposed housing growth—330,000 units, far beyond the Environmental Impact Study requirement of 80,000–120,000 units over 20 years—and questions about affordability and adequate public outreach.
OPCD has primarily proposed Lowrise 3 (LR3) zoning of 5–6 stories for NR lots facing bus corridors and NR lots surrounding 30 proposed neighborhood centers. Critics argue LR3/5–6 stories is out of scale with existing neighborhoods unlike NR zone 3 story heights and goes beyond what HB 1110 requires.
The March 19 meeting introduced additional proposals for changes to Lowrise 1–3 categories and Midrise zones, including a new 6-story Midrise zone. The proposed development standard changes to Lowrise 1 and 2 for greater heights, if passed, will change lowrise zones across the city—including the 2019 conversions of 750 lots from single family to Lowrise 1, 2, 3 inside the Wallingford Urban Village (now Center). In 2019, 45th and Stoneway were upzoned to 4–8 stories, which has led to significant apartment development around Stoneway in just 7 years.
Key Areas Impacted in Wallingford
Bus Corridor Map – Wallingford zoning impact areas
Wallingford Ave & N. 40th St. (Routes 31/32): LR3 proposed from I-5 along 40th to Wallingford Ave N., south to N. 35th St. and across to Stoneway.
Tangletown Business Core: NC-40 → NC-55–65 (5–6 stories).
Surrounding Tangletown: ~400 NR homes proposed for LR3 (5-story).
Meridian Avenue N. (Route 62): NR corridor from N. 50th to N. 56th proposed for LR3 (5-story).
Public Meeting #1: Wed April 8, 7–8:30 PM at Gasworks Brewery Public Meeting #2: Tentatively Thu May 26, 7 PM, Venue TBD
The WCC’s two-year grant from the WA Dept of Ecology (2026–2028) is moving forward. Two public outreach meetings are scheduled to reopen access to Lake Union through the fenced-off area just west of Gas Works Park known as Waterway 20.
Committee chaired by Ted Hunter is hiring consultants for soil contamination analysis.
🗳️ May 5 Annual Meeting & Board Elections
Tue May 5, 7–8:30 PM Good Shepherd Center Chapel (Top Floor)
Special Speaker: Assistant Police Chief, Seattle PD
Membership dues must be paid by April 12–13 to vote. wallingfordcc.org or mail check to 4108 Midvale Avenue North, Seattle 98103.
Community Updates — Seattle Neighborhood Alliance
WCC President Bonnie Williams attended the first meeting of a new networking organization for Seattle Community Council leaders, held at Doric Lodge in Fremont in mid-March. This coalition is a support group for strengthening operations of Community Councils citywide. There is no political alignment at this time. Members are encouraged to seek help and share expertise on website design, recruitment of members, and more effective neighborhood outreach.
🗓️ 2026 Meeting Schedule
April 1 (Wed)
General Meeting, Good Shepherd Room 202
May 5 (Tue)
Annual Meeting & Board Elections, Good Shepherd Chapel. Police speaker.
June 3 (Wed)
General Meeting
Jul–Aug
Summer break
🙋 Volunteer
Secretary: Needed urgently to take meeting minutes through May election
Gasworks Park Monitor (2–3 volunteers): Help track event impacts this summer
Legislative Liaison: Track state bills through the legislative session
Seattle City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on Tuesday, July 28 at 2:00 PM on Council Bill 121215 — legislation that would eliminate the public’s right to appeal future Environmental Impact Statements on the Comprehensive Plan and Comp Plan amendments to the City’s Hearing Examiner. The vote was postponed from July 21, which gives residents a short window to weigh in.
Take Action Before Tuesday, July 28
If you believe residents should keep a meaningful voice in major rezones and environmental review, contact the City Council before the July 28 vote and ask them to preserve the public’s right of appeal to the Hearing Examiner.
Several Councilmembers had not stated a position as of the July 15 committee vote — including Strauss, Rivera, Juarez, Saka, Kettle, and Hollingsworth. A short, respectful message from constituents can make a difference. Written comments emailed to Council are retained in the public record; a brief note in your own words carries more weight than a form letter.
What CB 121215 Would Do
Amendment 1 (sponsored by Councilmember Hollingsworth) passed out of the Land Use Committee on July 15. It provides longer public comment periods — but the underlying bill still eliminates the right to appeal future Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) on the Comprehensive Plan and Comp Plan amendments to the Hearing Examiner.
The appeal process is one of the few tools residents have to require that the environmental and neighborhood impacts of major rezones are studied honestly before decisions are locked in for decades. Removing it shifts these decisions toward a top-down process with fewer checks.
How We Got Here
Earlier this year, a King County Superior Court sent the “Orca” appeal back to the City’s Hearing Examiner, finding the examiner had incorrectly dismissed an appeal filed by a private citizen during the narrow window allowed after the Final Environmental Impact Statement. That ruling requires the Council to pause action on Phase 2 Comprehensive Plan legislation — the neighborhood corridor upzones along frequent transit routes and the roughly 30 proposed Neighborhood Centers citywide (Tangletown included) — until the appeal is resolved. No hearing date has been set.
CB 121215 would remove the appeal pathway that produced that pause, clearing the way for future phases of upzoning — including Phase 3 proposals now under environmental study (Resolution 32183), which contemplate a new Gas Works / South Wallingford Neighborhood Center of roughly 29 blocks and boundary changes in Tangletown. That EIS is expected to be complete in 2027.
Why This Matters for Wallingford
Wallingford neighbors broadly agree the city needs more housing. The question is whether residents retain a voice in how that growth happens — and whether the process still requires honest study of impacts on our streets, tree canopy, schools, and the mix of family-sized homes. Preserving the right of appeal keeps that voice intact.
Prepared by the Wallingford Community Council. For questions or to get involved in our Land Use & Zoning work, visit wallingfordcc.org or join us at a monthly meeting.
Hello, Wallingford! I’m honored to have been elected President of the Council for the 2026–2027 term. I’m grateful to Bonnie Williams for her years of capable leadership, and I look forward to building on her work — advancing our initiatives, expanding our voice at City Hall, and deepening community ties for everyone who lives here, between the lake and the lake, from the freeway to the speedway.
Please join us on Wednesday, June 3 to meet the new board, and to get the latest on the Comprehensive Plan Phase 2 “Centers and Corridors” rezoning proposals. With the final Public Hearing set for July 23, the window to make your voice heard is closing — come learn how to use it.
— Alexis Chartouni, President
📅 Reminder: WCC Monthly Meeting — Wednesday, June 3
Wednesday, June 3 · 7:00 PM Room 202, Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Ave N) Topic: Phase 2 “Corridors and Centers” map update, ahead of the July 23 Public Hearing.
🏙️ Comp Plan Phase 2: Where Things Stand
The City Council is finishing its review of the Phase 2 “Centers and Corridors” rezone maps. The proposals — first released as online maps in October 2024 — would change zoning for thousands of individual lots citywide, including many along Wallingford’s frequent-transit corridors (the #31/#32 and #62 bus routes) and within the new Tangletown Neighborhood Center. The June 3 meeting will cover the latest from the Council’s May 14 committee session (the May 28 session was canceled) and how to weigh in before the hearing.
Public Hearing: Thursday, July 23 · 9:30 AM (morning & afternoon sessions) Committee review: Thursday, July 30 · 9:30 AM Possible final Council vote: Wednesday, August 5
Two related zoning bills are moving quickly, with little time for public input:
CB 121196 — “Housing Opportunities.” Would allow significant building-height increases and spot rezones in several areas, including Fremont/Stone Way, Belltown, Downtown, the U District, Madison-Miller, and Rainier Beach. The Land Use & Sustainability Committee voted on May 20 to advance it to the full Council, with a vote expected June 2.
CB 121215 — rescission of SEPA appeal rights to the City Hearing Examiner. Would exempt the environmental reviews (EIS) tied to Comprehensive Plans, Comp Plan amendments, area-wide rezones, and zoning-code amendments from appeals to the City Hearing Examiner — removing the public’s main formal way to challenge an inadequate environmental impact study. A Land Use Committee public hearing is set for Tuesday, July 1, with chances to comment on June 3 and June 17 (9:30 AM, Land Use Committee).
Make your voice heard. Email your councilmember — for Wallingford, District 4’s Maritza Rivera (maritza.rivera@seattle.gov); for Tangletown and South Green Lake, District 6’s Dan Strauss (dan.strauss@seattle.gov) — along with Land Use Chair Eddie Lin (Eddie.Lin@seattle.gov) and Mayor Wilson (mayor@seattle.gov) to oppose removing the public’s right to appeal environmental reviews (CB 121215).
🗓️ Save the Date: Annual Waterway Walk — Sunday, June 14
Sunday, June 14 · 2:00 PM Meet at the Wallingford Steps (south end of Wallingford Ave N, across from Gas Works Park) ~1-hour tour of the waterways along the north shore of Lake Union. Optional happy hour after at Ivar’s Salmon House.
💧 Waterway 20 Update
On Tuesday, May 26, WCC held Waterway 20 Community Meeting #2 at Ivar’s Salmon House, continuing the push to reopen Waterway 20 to public access on Lake Union. Slides from the April 8 and May 26 meetings are on our Shoreline & Environment page. Questions or want to get involved? Contact Shoreline Committee Chair Ted Hunter (shorelines@wallingfordcc.org).
🌿 Join or Renew Your Membership
Membership keeps WCC independent and effective. Join or renew at wallingfordcc.org.
See you Wednesday, June 3 at 7 PM, Room 202, Good Shepherd Center.
💧 TODAY: Waterway 20 Community Meeting — 4 PM at Ivar’s Salmon House
The WCC is hosting the 2nd community meeting on reopening public access to Waterway 20 on Lake Union’s north shore. We need your input!
📅 Tuesday, May 26, 2026 · 4:00 – 5:30 PM 📍 Ivar’s Salmon House · 401 NE Northlake Way, Seattle
On the west side of Gas Works Park, a public waterway has been closed for decades — that’s about to change! This Lake Union access point is in the final stages of environmental cleanup, but Waterway 20 cannot be reopened without public input.
Whether you kayak, paddle, sail, or just want more public green space and recreational access to Lake Union — your voice matters. Come learn about the cleanup progress, share your ideas for the future of this waterfront space, and help shape what comes next.
