Rivera Proposal Would Slow Down Seattle Light Rail Permitting

A proposal advancing through the Seattle City Council aiming to streamline permitting for Sound Transit light rail projects could be hindered by an amendment requiring additional public outreach and documentation. Put forward by District 4 Councilmember Maritza Rivera, the last-minute amendment delayed a planned vote in the council’s Land Use Committee after concerns were raised by other councilmembers.

Seattle’s land use code wasn’t designed with light rail in mind, and the code amendment package released by Mayor Bruce Harrell earlier this year attempts to make it easier for Sound Transit permits to get approved across a number of areas, everything from station design to tree removal. Without this change, the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension light rail projects would be subjected to 19 different types of development standards across the neighborhoods where trackways and stations are planned, among other requirements.

The average permitting timeline for Seattle’s latest light rail stations averaged more than 200 days each. The goal of Harrell’s reform package is to reduce light rail permit timelines to under 100 days.

But the amendment introduced by Rivera as a “walk on” Thursday could add time and expense, adding a whole new framework around community engagement when it comes to Sound Transit permitting specifically.

https://www.theurbanist.org/2025/05/30/rivera-proposal-would-slow-down-seattle-light-rail-permitting/