Envision SeaTac 2044: Comprehensive Plan Update Project

We updated the Comprehensive Plan to guide how SeaTac will grow and develop through 2044. The project responded to new City priorities and state and regional growth requirements since the last major update in 2015. The process began in early 2023 and included community engagement, data analysis, technical review, and input from the Planning Commission and City Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee.

City Council adopted the final plan, Transportation Master Plan, development regulations, and related zoning changes on December 10, 2024, and the changes took effect on January 1, 2025.

Questions? Please send an email to kkaehny@seatacwa.gov.  

Key project themes

  • Wellbeing and Access to Opportunity: Increase access to opportunity and wellbeing
  • Growing Urban Villages Near Light Rail: Focus growth in urban villages near light rail with a variety of options for living, working, and recreating
  • Healthy, Equitable, Connected, and Complete Neighborhoods: Strengthen all neighborhoods and ensure they are well-served by supportive infrastructure and amenities
  • Multimodal Transportation: Provide connected, efficient, multimodal transportation networks
  • Housing for All: Increase housing types and affordable options
  • Economic Vitality: Increase economic opportunities that empower residents and support the business community
  • Resilient Built and Natural Environments: Enhance the resiliency of SeaTac's built and natural environments

Final Comprehensive Plan location

View the final versions of the Comprehensive Plan and Transportation Master Plan adopted by City Council on December 10, 2024.

New rules and regulations

The City Council adopted new development regulations, zoning rules, and zoning maps as part of the Envision SeaTac 2044 update. The changes include new zone names, updates to land use and zoning procedures, revised rules for overlay districts, building size and height standards, landscaping, fences, parking, electric vehicle infrastructure, design standards, subdivisions, permit processing, right-of-way use, impact fees, clearing and grading, and on-site and off-site improvements.

The Council also updated the Multi-Family Tax Exemption program and rezoned more than 480 parcels to support the City’s updated growth strategy. These changes took effect on January 1, 2025.

Updated maps

New codes

Amendments

Amendment 1

Amend the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map by changing the land use designations of the two parcels that underlie the Bow Lake Estates Manufactured Home Park, specifically, parcel numbers 342304-9008 and 342304-9096, as follows:

  • Remove “Urban Residential Medium,” and
  • Replace it with “Urban Residential High.”

Amend the Zoning Map by changing the zoning of the two parcels that underlie the Bow Lake Estates Manufactured Home Park, specifically, parcel numbers 342304-9008 and 342304-9096, as follows:

  • Remove the “Manufactured Home Park zone,” and
  • Replace it with the “Urban Residential High zone.”

Amend the Comprehensive Plan to replace the implementation strategy for Housing Goal 5.6.

Amendment 2

Change the 8-year tax exemption program in SMC 3.85.060(A)(2) to require at least twenty (20) dwelling units of multifamily housing to be eligible for the 8-year exemption but retain the allowance for a minimum of four (4) dwelling units of multifamily housing for the 12-year tax exemption program in SMC 3.85.060(B).

The Final Draft proposals are the outcome of the City's major periodic update process for the Comprehensive Plan and related development regulations, required every ten years by the State Growth Management Act (GMA).

Background materials

Review materials, reports, meeting documents, and public participation information for the Envision SeaTac 2044 project. You can review community input, learn how proposed Comprehensive Plan changes were considered, and find documents shared with the Planning Commission, City Council, and other public meeting groups. These resources show how the City developed the plan, reviewed options, and made decisions about SeaTac’s future growth and development.

Proposed changes and FAQs

FAQ INFORMATION SHEET ON PROPOSED REZONES

INFORMATION BOARDS FROM COMMUNITY MEETINGS

INFORMATION SHEETS

CITY VISION POLL FINDINGS REPORT

The project team appreciates the 251 people who took the poll and shared their ideas and priorities for how the City should grow in the future.

2024 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOCKET PROCESS & ENVISION PROJECT

The docket process is a procedure for receiving and evaluating proposals to amend the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations. While SeaTac generally opens the Comprehensive Plan to amendments biennially, in odd-numbered years, the 2024 amendment process was integrated within the Envision SeaTac 2044 project. For more information, see the 2024 Docket Process.

 

2024 Community Meeting materials 

ENVISION SEATAC 2044 PROJECT DISPLAY BOARDS

TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN UPDATE PROJECT DISPLAY BOARDS

PEDESTRIAN PROJECTS

Planning Commission working session documents

The Planning Commission was the Envision project's main community advisory group and generally received monthly project briefings.

Note: Envision SeaTac 2044 briefing materials are sometimes combined with other "Planning Our City Together" project documents including those related to the Transportation Master Plan Update and City Center/Airport District Subarea Plan projects.

2024 WORKING SESSIONS

2023 WORKING SESSIONS

  • Aug 15: "Planning Our City Together" project branding rollout (the "Planning Our City Together" projects include the Envision SeaTac 2044, Transportation Master Plan update, and City Center/Airport District subarea plan projects), Envision SeaTac 2044

Planning & Economic Development (PED) Committee

Envision SeaTac 2044 briefing materials are sometimes combined with other "Planning Our City Together" project documents including those related to the Transportation Master Plan Update and City Center/Airport District Subarea Plan projects.

2024 WORKING SESSIONS

2023 WORKING SESSIONS

  • Aug 17:"Planning Our City Together" project branding rollout (the "Planning Our City Together" projects include the Envision SeaTac 2044, Transportation Master Plan update, and City Center/Airport District subarea plan projects), update on Envision SeaTac 2044 project including early work completed to date (draft Public Participation Plan, Comprehensive Plan policy audit, SeaTac Equity Index activities) memo [PDF], presentation [PDF]
  • Oct 19: Overview of Envision SeaTac 2044 Public Participation Plan and approach to integrating equity into project memo [PDF], presentation [PDF], Envision SeaTac 2044 Public Participation Plan [PDF]
  • Nov 30: Preliminary Docket and update on "Planning Our City Together" projects memo [PDF], presentation [PDF], and Preliminary Docket Staff Evaluation Matrix [PDF]

City Council Study Session

2024 WORKING SESSIONS

  • November 26: Envision SeaTac 2044 review of Agenda Bill 6450 and proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, Transportation Mater Plan, development codes, and zoning

2022 WORKING SESSIONS

  • June 14: Envision SeaTac 2044 Project overview presentation [PDF]

Regular Council Meeting

2024 WORKING SESSIONS

  • December 10: City Council adoption of Envision SeaTac 2044 periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan and related development regulations, Agenda Bill 6450

 

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