Seattle City Council prepares to wrap up 2025 ‘Phase 1’ growth plan that will push debate over many changes — including the Squire Park ‘donut hole’ — to 2026

The Seattle City Council is preparing to put a bow on their 2025 process to overhaul the city’s new foundation for its 20-year growth plan — but not without some possible final tweaks to proposed border changes in comp plan committee chair Joy Hollingsworth’s home district.

Tuesday afternoon, the council will vote on multiple bills putting the comprehensive plan changes forged by Mayor Bruce Harrell and the council into action that include new “Neighborhood Centers” and state-mandated “Middle Housing” laws expanding zoning hoped to allow a greater range of housing types in more parts of the city.

Hollingsworth and council planners say the second phase of changing the growth plan with debate over the block by block particulars of neighborhood centers and transit corridors will take place “in early 2026” as Mayor-elect Katie Wilson’s administration takes the helm.

Included in Tuesday’s raft of “Phase 1” legislation is a last-minute plan Hollingsworth says will push the debate over the future zoning for the area between 14th Ave and 18th Ave on the borders of First Hill, Capitol Hill, and the Central District into 2026.

CHS reported in September on Hollingsworth’s initial proposal to roll back Harrell administration growth plans for the area in her District 3. Hollingsworth’s proposal would have maintained less dense zoning for the Squire Park areas bounded by 14th Ave on the west and 18th Ave on the east between E Pike and  E Alder and the area between 18th Ave on the west and 20th and 21st Ave on the east between E Pine Street and E Alder.

Tuesday, the council will take a few minutes to vote on a new plan to roll with the Harrell rezone but require an “enhanced engagement with the Central District community and identify options and potential recommendations to Council to address growth and displacement” in 2026.

Under the proposed resolution, the city’s planning office would be “requested to take into consideration the area’s history of redlining and more recent and ongoing displacement, community identity in the historic area of the Central District, housing needs citywide and within the Central District community, and approaches to planning for transit-oriented development that may be desired or required by state law” in addressing the Squire Park “donut hole.”

In a council briefing Monday on the legislative week ahead, Hollingsworth discussed the plan and took a moment to clarify an important element to “online” critics of her proposal — no, the D3 council member, does not live in the “donut hole” area.

You can learn more about the council’s comprehensive plan update process here.

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