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City Council

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · 2:00 PM AM · Council Chamber, City Hall 600 4th Avenue Seattle, WA 98104

TL;DR

Seattle City Council held a regular meeting on September 15, 2026, approving multiple ordinances and appointments across various city commissions and boards. Key actions included appointing a new Director of Housing, updating civil rights protections, establishing new labor standards for domestic workers, and expressing opposition to two state ballot initiatives.

Key Decisions

  • Appointment of Kelli Larsen as Director of the Office of Housing Approved
  • Civil rights ordinance expanding sexual orientation protections to include gender identities outside the binary, asexuality/pansexuality, and consensual relationships with multiple partners Approved
  • Domestic worker labor standards ordinance establishing written agreements, paid/unpaid leave protections, retaliation protections, and advance termination notice Approved
  • Gun violence reduction strategy resolution to partner with national experts like the National Network for Safe Communities Approved
  • Opposition to state ballot initiatives IL26-001 (parental rights in schools) and IL26-638 (K-12 athletics participation) Approved
Agenda PDF

Agenda

  2. CALL TO ORDER
  3. ROLL CALL
  4. PRESENTATIONS
  5. PUBLIC COMMENT
  6. ADOPTION OF INTRODUCTION AND REFERRAL CALENDAR:
  7. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
  8. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR
  9. Journal:
  10. Bills:
  11. HUMAN SERVICES, LABOR, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
  12. CB 121270 An ordinance relating to the Ballard Business Improvement Area; amending Section 6 of Ordinance 126911 to clarify provisions on assessment escalations.
    Council Bill (CB)
  13. CB 121272 An ordinance relating to the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area; modifying the boundaries; amending Ordinance 113029, as previously amended by Ordinances 115998, 120303, and 124514; modifying the assessment structure for the Capitol Hill Business Improvement Area; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
    Council Bill (CB)
  14. Resolutions:
  15. TRANSPORTATION, WATERFRONT, AND SEATTLE CENTER COMMITTEE:
  16. Res 32215 A resolution appointing the members of the Transportation Funding Task Force.
    Resolution (Res)
  17. Appointments:
  18. CITY COUNCIL:
  19. Appt 03598 Appointment of Dale L. Baker Jr. as member, Community Technology Advisory Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  20. Appt 03599 Appointment of Kariel Galbraith as member, Seattle Arts Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  21. Appt 03600 Appointment of Ryshun Sampson as member, Seattle Disability Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  22. Appt 03601 Appointment of Amy N.R. Nichols as member, Seattle Human Rights Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  23. Appt 03602 Appointment of Yiqiu Cai as member, Seattle LGBTQ Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  24. Appt 03603 Appointment of Erik M. Simmons as member, Seattle Renters’ Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  25. Appt 03604 Appointment of Prisha D. Vajja as member, Seattle Women’s Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  26. Appt 03605 Appointment of Christopher A.K. Bennett-Boehm as member, Design Review Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  27. Appt 03606 Appointment of Sarah E. Champ as member, Design Review Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  28. Appt 03607 Reappointment of Eric B. Alipio as member, Seattle Design Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  29. Appt 03608 Appointment of Sarah A. Warsame as member, Seattle Planning Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  30. Appt 03609 Appointment of Samaree M. Wakimoto as member, Urban Forestry Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  31. Appt 03610 Appointment of Gabriel V. Navarro as member, Community Involvement Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  32. Appt 03611 Appointment of Anna M. Gold as member, Landmarks Preservation Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  33. Appt 03612 Appointment of Isabella A. Gossing as member, Pioneer Square Preservation Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  34. Appt 03613 Reappointment of Jonathan L. Chavez as member, Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  35. Appt 03614 Appointment of Kassidy L. Witt as member, Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  36. Appt 03615 Appointment of Emily L. Rexer as member, Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  37. Appt 03616 Appointment of Caroline E. Hedlund as member, Seattle Center Advisory Commission, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  38. Appt 03617 Appointment of Marisa M. Terry as member, Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  39. Appt 03618 Appointment of Rishab K. Balakrishnan as member, Seattle Transit Advisory Board, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  40. Appt 03619 Reappointment of Leonard Harrison Jerome as member, Transportation Levy Oversight Committee, for a term to August 31, 2027.
    Appointment (Appt)
  41. COMMITTEE REPORTS
  42. HOUSING, ARTS, AND CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEE:
  43. 1. Appointment of Kelli Larsen as Director of the Office of Housing.
    Appointment (Appt)
  44. 2. An ordinance relating to civil rights protections for diverse sexual orientations and relationship structures; amending the definition of the sexual orientation protected class to recognize gender identities outside the gender binary, recognize pansexuality and asexuality as orientations, and include consensual relationships with multiple partners as an element of attitudes, preferences, and practices pertaining to sexual orientation; and amending Sections 3.14.910, 3.14.931, 4.80.020, 6.02.270, 6.202.230, 14.04.030, 14.06.020, 14.08.020, 14.11.020, and 18.12.280 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
    Council Bill (CB)
  45. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE:
  46. 3. A resolution declaring the Seattle City Council’s intent for the City of Seattle to implement an evidence-based, comprehensive gun violence reduction strategy, that includes partnering with national experts who have helped other cities significantly reduce gun violence, such as the National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC) at John Jay College.
    Resolution (Res)
  47. HUMAN SERVICES, LABOR, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:
  48. 4. An ordinance relating to domestic worker labor standards in Seattle; amending Sections 14.23.010, 14.23.020, and 14.23.095 of the Seattle Municipal Code, and adding new Sections 14.23.025, 14.23.127, and 14.23.128 to the Seattle Municipal Code, to: establish written agreement requirement; establish protections for entitled paid and unpaid leave, including retaliation protection for taking permissible time off; require hiring entities to create and retain records; add advance notice of termination requirement; update remedies provisions; and conform to certain changes in state law and with City labor standards.
    Council Bill (CB)
  49. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
  50. ADOPTION OF OTHER RESOLUTIONS
  51. 5. A resolution expressing opposition to the passage of Initiative Measure No. IL26-001, concerning parental rights relating to their children in public school, and Initiative Measure No. IL26-638, concerning participation in athletics at K-12 schools, on the November 3, 2026, General Election Ballot.
    Resolution (Res)
  52. OTHER BUSINESS
  53. ADJOURNMENT
  54. Untitled item