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City Council

Tuesday, August 4, 2026 · 2:00 PM AM · Council Chamber, City Hall 600 4th Avenue Seattle, WA 98104

TL;DR

The Seattle City Council passed 12 items on August 4, 2026, including measures to expand utility bill assistance, adjust water rates, and streamline housing design review requirements. Key actions also included establishing protections against unsolicited property solicitation, updating controlled substance enforcement policy, and approving a pedestrian skybridge in First Hill.

Key Decisions

  • Water Rate Adjustment and Low-Income Credits Passed
  • Expanded Emergency Bill Assistance for City Light and Seattle Public Utilities Passed
  • Housing Design Review Exemptions for Affordable Housing Projects Passed
  • Do Not Solicit List to Protect Homeowners from Unwanted Property Solicitation Passed as amended
  • First Hill Pedestrian Skybridge Construction Permission Passed
Agenda PDF

Agenda

  2. CALL TO ORDER
  3. ROLL CALL
  4. PRESENTATIONS
  5. PUBLIC COMMENT
  6. ADOPTION OF INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL CALENDAR:
  7. IRC 534 August 4, 2026
    Introduction & Referral Calendar (IRC)
    Action: adopted Passed

    By unanimous consent, the Introduction & Referral Calendar (IRC) was adopted.

  8. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
  9. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR
  10. Journal:
  11. 1. July 28, 2026
    Minutes (Min)
    Action: adopted Passed

    The Minutes were adopted on the Consent Calendar by the following vote, and the President signed the Minutes (Min):

  12. Bills:
  13. 2. An ordinance appropriating money to pay certain claims for the week of July 20, 2026, through July 24, 2026, and ordering the payment thereof; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed on the Consent Calendar by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  14. COMMITTEE REPORTS
  15. CITY COUNCIL:
  16. 1. An ordinance relating to City employment; adopting a 2026 Citywide Position List.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  17. 2. An ordinance relating to parking payment devices coin revenue collection; amending Section 11.16.480 of the Seattle Municipal Code to transfer responsibility for the physical collection of coin revenue from parking payment devices from the Department of Finance and Administrative Services to the Seattle Department of Transportation.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  18. HOUSING, ARTS, AND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE:
  19. 3. An ordinance relating to unfair housing practices; adding new protections for homeowners from unwanted solicitation of residential property by establishing a Do Not Solicit List; providing an enforcement process; prescribing penalties; amending Section 14.08.020 and 14.08.190 of the Seattle Municipal Code; adding a new Section 14.08.042 to the Seattle Municipal Code; and adding reporting requirements.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed as amended Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed as amended by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  20. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE:
  21. 4. An ordinance relating to controlled substances; updating City policy for the enforcement of the crimes of knowing possession and use of controlled substances; amending Section 3.28.141 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and repealing Section 4 of Ordinance 126896.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed as amended Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed as amended by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  22. GOVERNANCE AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE:
  23. 5. An ordinance relating to the City Light Department’s emergency bill assistance program; amending Section 21.49.042 of the Seattle Municipal Code to adjust program terms and conditions and expand eligibility guidelines for emergency bill assistance.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  24. 6. An ordinance relating to rates and charges for water services of Seattle Public Utilities; revising water rates and charges; revising credits to low-income customers; authorizing withdrawal of funds from the Water Fund Revenue Stabilization Subfund; and amending Sections 21.04.430, 21.04.440, and 21.76.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  25. 7. An ordinance relating to emergency assistance for Seattle Public Utilities customers; amending Section 21.76.065 of the Seattle Municipal Code to adjust program terms and conditions and expand eligibility guidelines for emergency bill assistance.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  26. LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE:
  27. 8. An ordinance relating to land use and zoning; adopting temporary regulations previously in Ordinance 127309 for six months to exempt housing projects that meet Mandatory Housing Affordability requirements using on-site performance units from Design Review, and allowing permit applicants for all housing subject to Full Design Review the option of complying with Design Review pursuant to Administrative Design review; temporarily suspending mandatory, and allowing voluntary, design review of proposed development in Titles 23 and 25 of the Seattle Municipal Code, consistent with Chapter 333, Laws of 2023 and previously in Ordinance 127309; and amending Sections 23.41.002 and 23.41.004 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  28. TRANSPORTATION, WATERFRONT, AND SEATTLE CENTER COMMITTEE:
  29. 9. An ordinance granting FH, LLC d/b/a Skyline permission to construct, maintain, and operate a pedestrian skybridge over and across 8th Avenue, south of Columbia Street and north of Cherry Street, in the First Hill neighborhood; and providing for the acceptance of the permit and conditions.
    Council Bill (CB)
    Action: passed Passed

    The Council Bill (CB) was passed by the following vote, and the President signed the Council Bill (CB):

  30. 10. Petition of THE YEW, LLC, for the vacation of a portion the alley lying within Block 2, Wegener’s Addition to the City of Seattle, being the block bounded by N 87th Street, 1st Avenue NW, Palatine Avenue N, and N 85th Street, at 8623 Palatine Ave N.
    Clerk File (CF)
    Action: granted as conditioned Passed

    The Clerk File (CF) was granted as conditioned by the following vote, and the President signed the Conditions of the City Council:

  31. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
  32. ADOPTION OF OTHER RESOLUTIONS
  33. 11. A resolution declaring the intention of the City Council to hold a public hearing relating to clarifying provisions on assessment escalations for the Ballard Business Improvement Area.
    Resolution (Res)
    Action: adopted Passed

    The Resolution (Res) was adopted by the following vote, and the President signed the Resolution (Res):

  34. 12. A resolution of intention to modify the boundaries and assessment structure of the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area and fix a date and place for a hearing thereon.
    Resolution (Res)
    Action: adopted Passed

    The Resolution (Res) was adopted by the following vote, and the President signed the Resolution (Res):

  35. OTHER BUSINESS
  36. EXECUTIVE SESSION*
  37. ADJOURNMENT
  38. _____________________________________________________ Jodee Schwinn, Deputy City Clerk Signed by me in Open Session, upon approval of the Council, on August 11, 2026. _____________________________________________________ Joy Hollingsworth, Council President of the City Council Attachment 1 - Action 1 of CB 121259 Attachment 2 - Action 2 of CB 121248