Frequently Asked Questions
King County Council, Seattle City Council, and local planning commissions are monitored by ZoneWire for rezoning, MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability) upzones, design review, conditional use permits, ADU permits, and comprehensive plan amendments across King County and Seattle.
King County has approximately 9 zoning-related meetings per month across the King County Council, Seattle City Council, and various planning commissions. Seattle City Council meets weekly, while the King County Council meets biweekly.
MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability) is Seattle's program that upzones neighborhoods in exchange for requiring developers to include affordable units or pay into a housing fund. MHA upzones are a major signal for increased density, particularly in urban villages and along transit corridors.
The highest volume of zoning activity in King County occurs in Seattle's urban villages targeted by HALA upzoning, the Capitol Hill and University District neighborhoods for density increases, and the Eastside cities of Bellevue and Kirkland for transit-oriented development near light rail stations.
Key zoning terms for King County include MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability), HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda), upzone, design review, ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), conditional use permit, comprehensive plan amendment, and urban village. ZoneWire tracks all of these automatically across every King County governing body.