Industrial Lands

The Planning Commission has long been concerned with the increasing pressure to convert industrial land in the city to other uses. The City of Seattle has policies in place to protect industrial uses. However, the Planning Commission advocated that it is time to review those policies, evaluate their effectiveness, and think about what can be done to better protect and support the city's important industrial jobs base. The City Council allocated money to perform such a review, and the Commission played an active role in the development of an Industrial Lands Strategy. The Commission co-hosted four public events to engage the public, reviewed the City’s current policies regarding industrial lands, and developed recommendations for how City should move forward with their industrial lands policy.

- The report is available here: The Future of Industrial Lands.

- View presentations from the first workshop by industrial lands experts from Portland, Chicago, and Vancouver, B.C.

- To view DPD’s recently completed report on industrial lands in comparable cities and the results from two surveys of industrial business owners, click here.

In May 2006, the Commission provided Councilmember Richard Conlin with a summary of our current thoughts on developing an industrial lands strategy.

Other publications available for download:
Comments on the Port of Seattle's North Bay DEIS (PDF)
A Comparison of Industrial Land Strategies Report (PDF)
Industrial Land Study (PDF)

The Future of Industrial Lands Report Released
On July 18, 2007 the Commission releases our much awaited report, The Future of Industrial Lands. The report provides the Commission’s recommendations to Seattle policy makers and industrial lands stakeholders as to how to best foster a thriving industrial sector and create a strategy that ensures adequate land to accommodate the expected future amount of industrial uses. For more information on the Commission's industrial lands work, please go to Current Projects.

Planning Commission supports legislation limiting stand alone retail and commercial uses in industrial zones.
As it stands, the current generous allowances for stand alone office and retail in our core industrial zones does not reflect the city’s established policy to preserve and enhance industrial activities there. This ordinance would make the zoning consistent with this policy. The proposed limitations on office and retail uses outlined in the Mayor's proposals is based on the Commission's recommendations and independent analysis of appropriate non industrial uses.
See the Commission's September 27, 2007 letter of support
See the Commission’s December 6, 2007 letter of support

Interbay Overlay