Light Rail Expansion Code Updates - What & Why

What Is Happening Now?

SDCI has now updated the Land Use Code with amendments that make them more clear, streamlined, and consistent to support efficient permitting new light rail facilities in Seattle. For more information about these expansions from West Seattle to Ballard, see this link: future light rail transit facilities.

The City Council evaluated the proposal in May, and approved it in June 2025. Mayor Bruce Harrell signed Ordinance 127228 and it went into effect in mid-July 2025. See more information about the ordinance and related documents at: City Council Bill 120975.

The new codes will help significantly with efficient permitting as Sound Transit is immediately applying for permits for the planned rail facilities between West Seattle and downtown. The codes provide standards directly related to light rail facility design quality, bicycle parking, tree protection planning, and quality of environmental mitigation.

The major elements of our code are:

1. Create new development standards for light rail transit facilities, including the:
   1. Design quality of buildings
   2. Landscaping
   3. Accessibility
   4. Lighting
   5. Weather protection
   6. Signage
   7. Size of streets and sidewalks
2. Establish an advisory review process by the Seattle Design Commission (SDC) to evaluate light rail transit facility design proposals. SDC will then make recommendations to Sound Transit and City Departments about the proposals’ aesthetic, urban design, and functional qualities. 
3. Clarify and streamline permit processes, including:
   1. Facility permits defined as “Type I” Master Use Permit reviews, will maintain public notice and comment periods, and can be appealed to Superior Court for temporary use and station permits to streamline the permitting and construction process and avoid procedural delays.
   2. Other permit reviews will be modified to be more focused on standards specific to light rail transit facilities to make the reviews easier to complete in a timely manner. Our proposed changes to Chapter 23.80 of the Land Use Code will allow permit decisions to focus on relevant topics of design and public access. These updates also confirm the City’s authority to define conditions of approval, or code flexibility if it is needed.
4.  Clarify and streamline the content of review for an environmentally critical area (ECA) exception permit. This allows the applicant to provide the most relevant information for a light rail project. This change will allow the applicant the  flexibility to provide an environmentally protective outcome that varies from fully meeting all ECA code requirements.  
5. Define a “tree and vegetation management plan” requirement for project segments of the light rail system development. The proposal defines a new requirement for light rail transit facility construction to create a project-wide tree and vegetation management plan that accounts for tree management before, during, and after construction.
6. Clarify a one-year review step for a construction noise variance for light rail transit facilities construction. This would maintain the appeal opportunity for the initial decision on the construction noise variance.
7. Amend existing minimum bicycle parking requirements and add new shared scooter and bike share minimum parking requirements. This proposed change defines both opening day and future parking requirements, according to different types of stations: terminus, local, mid-center, and center types. A new proposed code requirement would call for  a variety of parking to account for various types of bicycles.

Project Benefits

This legislation will:

• Allow SDCI to review light rail transit facility permits more efficiently and with clearly defined requirements.
• Specify the standards and process for the Master Use Permits necessary to construct the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension projects. Streamline the permit review process, maintain public notice and project awareness, and reduce risk in light rail transit facilities’ project schedule.
• Increase overall transportation mobility (transit, reliability, coverage and connections) and limit overall traffic congestion.
• Support the ‘growth centers connected by transit’ themes in Seattle and regional development plans, including “transit-oriented development” around station areas (very efficient use of land).
• Supports affordable housing, economic growth, and development.  

The End Result

This legislation supports the development of light rail transit facilities to expand service from West Seattle to Ballard.