📝 A Note from the President
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
Full background is in our May 2026 newsletter. Check your property’s proposed zoning on the One Seattle Plan zoning map. Council contacts and how to comment: seattle.gov comprehensive plan.
⚠️ Two Bills to Watch — Limited Time to Comment
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.