The Madrona Neighborhood Association would like to create awareness amongst Madrona community members regarding the urban density/zoning changes being proposed in Madrona by the City of Seattle and Mayor Harrell’s OneSeattle Plan.
The City of Seattle shared their OneSeattle Plan in November 2024 with Madrona seeing significant zoning changes being proposed. Madrona is part of the District 3 growth plan.
***UPDATE***
An updated plan was just released (1/30/2025). Please visit here: UPDATED PLAN
The image above shows the density increases/changes the City of Seattle has proposed for Madrona. Dark brown sections (LR3) are areas where the city is proposing density increases that make 4-5 story apartment buildings a possibility in those areas. Larger commercial buildings that are 5-6 stories would be a possibility where you see orange (in Madrona’s central downtown commercial district centered on 34th Ave and E Union St.). Yellow represents the current single family zoning that is proposed to be unchanged.
(These petitions do not reflect the views of the MNA. The MNA has chosen to remain a neutral resource to provide information to our community. As fellow members of our community, the board and volunteers are free to express their personal views. However, when doing so, as exhibited in one of the petitions below, are not acting as an official of the MNA)
The City of Seattle is upzoning (increasing density) single-family residential neighborhoods as part of a broader effort to address several challenges, including rising housing costs, housing shortages, and equity concerns. Here are some key reasons behind these changes:
The changes aim to balance the need for new housing with the desire to maintain neighborhood character while reducing economic and social disparities across the city.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Madrona Neighborhood Association was not consulted in the creation of the city’s OneSeattle Plan. Our organization’s role in the Madrona community is mostly focused on creating opportunities for community connection (read our Mission & Goals). Our focus as an organization is not to represent Madrona community members’ individual opinions to the city—neighbors are welcome to share their thoughts directly with government entities, and we’re happy to help by pointing them to the right resources or contact points within the city to voice support or concerns.