Station Area Planning & Transit-Oriented Development in Seattle#

As Sound Transit expands Link light rail from approximately 55 miles and 48 stations today to 116 miles and 70 stations by the mid-2040s, the neighborhoods around those stations are poised for significant change. Station area planning is how Seattle shapes that change – determining what gets built, who benefits, and how communities grow around transit. This guide covers how the city and Sound Transit approach transit-oriented development (TOD), the state laws that set minimum density requirements near stations, and where key projects stand today.

What is station area planning?#

A “station area” refers to the area within a 10-minute walk (approximately half a mile) of a light rail or bus rapid transit station. Station area planning examines how growth, development, and mobility improvements around a station can support and improve neighborhoods. (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning)

Seattle’s Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD) leads station area planning for the city. OPCD works across city departments to assess community needs, prioritize resources, and develop a vision for growth around transit. (Seattle OPCD: About Us)

Station area plans feed into the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, the city’s 20-year growth plan adopted by City Council on December 16, 2025 (8-0 vote). The comprehensive plan establishes place types – neighborhood centers, urban centers, and regional centers – that guide where the city locates housing, jobs, and public investments. For example, the 130th/145th station area plan led to the creation of the Pinehurst-Haller Lake Urban Center in the comprehensive plan. (Seattle OPCD: One Seattle Plan | City Council passes final Comprehensive Plan legislation)

Transit-oriented neighborhood goals#

OPCD identifies six goals for station areas (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning):

• Walkable, connected streets designed for safe access for everyone
• Housing for all, including affordable housing for families and seniors
• A strong local economy supporting existing businesses
• Inviting public spaces for art, culture, and connection
• Healthy, resilient communities promoting environmental sustainability
• Community-driven development that repairs harm and builds racial equity

Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD)#

OPCD also runs a dedicated Equitable Transit-Oriented Development initiative that centers communities as decision-makers in the planning process. ETOD focuses on community-led and community-owned development in neighborhoods surrounding high-capacity transit, with the goal of repairing harm, building racial equity, and ensuring existing residents benefit from transit investments. The city received a $1.75 million Federal Transportation Administration grant supporting ETOD planning along the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension corridors. (Seattle OPCD: Equitable TOD)

Current station area plans#

Active plans#

Graham Street Station – Phase 2 underway (as of early 2026)

Sound Transit is planning an infill station at S Graham Street on MLK Jr Way S, filling a 1.6-mile gap between Columbia City and Othello stations. Construction is targeted for 2028-2031, with the station opening by 2031. OPCD launched community engagement in spring 2025: Phase 1 (June-September 2025) included surveys, walking tours, and a block party with 300+ attendees. Phase 2 (October 2025 - mid-2026) develops preliminary project ideas. Phase 3 (mid-2026 - late 2026) will finalize strategies into a Community Action Plan. Cost estimates have risen from $124 million in 2024 to $175-200 million. (Seattle OPCD: Graham Street | The Urbanist: Escalating Costs Could Push Sound Transit to Reconsider Two Infill Stations)

Delridge Station – Early stage, engagement launching early 2026

Part of the West Seattle Link Extension (3 Line), with service expected around 2032. OPCD is working with community-based organizations to shape the engagement process. (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning)

West Seattle Junction + Avalon – Early stage, engagement launching early 2026

Also part of the West Seattle Link Extension. SDOT developed a West Seattle Station Area Street Concept Plan for streets around the planned stations. (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning | The Urbanist: Sound Transit Shares Station Area Concepts for West Seattle Link)

South Downtown Hub – Ongoing partnership between the City, Sound Transit, and King County to plan around the regional transit hub. (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning)

Ballard Link Extension stations – Planning will begin after station locations are finalized. Service is expected around 2037-2039. (Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning)

Completed plans#

130th and 145th Station Area Plan – Completed July 2022, rezone in progress

The NE 130th St Infill Station was officially renamed Pinehurst Station and is scheduled to open in 2026. OPCD conducted engagement from 2019 through 2022, including open houses (March 2019, March 2021), community workshops (February 2020), and online conversations about vision, mobility, and affordable housing (2020). The plan created two new centers – the Pinehurst-Haller Lake Urban Center and the Victory Heights Neighborhood Center – which were incorporated into the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan. The station area rezone is being implemented as separate legislation. (Seattle OPCD: 130th and 145th Station Area Planning | Sound Transit: NE 130th St Infill Station)

Mount Baker Station Area – Rezoned 2014

The City Council approved a rezone of a 10-block, 37-acre area surrounding Mount Baker station in June 2014, raising height limits from 65 feet to 125 feet. SDOT began the “Accessible Mt. Baker” plan to rebuild the street grid, funded partly through the Move Seattle levy.

Sound Transit’s TOD program#

Separate from OPCD’s neighborhood planning, Sound Transit runs a transit-oriented development program focused on surplus property – land acquired for transit construction but not needed for permanent operations. Sound Transit makes this property available for housing and community development, primarily affordable housing. (Sound Transit: Transit-Oriented Development)

The 80/80/80 policy#

Washington State law (RCW 81.112.350) requires Sound Transit to offer at least 80% of surplus property suitable for housing to qualified entities (local governments, housing authorities, nonprofit developers) for development where at least 80% of units are affordable to households earning 80% of area median income (AMI) or less. Property can be transferred at no cost, sold at a discount, or offered on long-term lease. (Sound Transit: Board Adopts Equitable Development Policy)

In practice, Sound Transit consistently exceeds this floor. Most TOD projects target 60% AMI or below, with many including units at 30% AMI.

Equitable TOD Policy Framework#

The Sound Transit Board adopted a comprehensive Equitable TOD Policy Framework on April 26, 2018, after an 18-month development process. The framework directs surplus property toward housing and community development with six objectives: increase ridership, support regional growth plans, integrate equitable TOD into project planning, engage diverse communities, prioritize affordable housing, and ensure safe multimodal access. (Sound Transit: Board Adopts Equitable Development Policy | The Urbanist: Sound Transit Board Set to Approve Equitable TOD Framework)

Amazon partnership#

In 2021, Amazon committed $100 million in below-market funding to accelerate affordable housing on Sound Transit surplus properties. Of that, $25 million funds pre-development activities and $75 million supports construction, targeting approximately 1,200 affordable housing units near light rail stations. (Sound Transit: Amazon Partnership Announcement)

Key TOD projects#

Cedar Crossing (Roosevelt Station) – Completed 2022. 254 affordable units (100% affordable at 60% AMI or less), developed by Bellwether Housing and Mercy Housing Northwest. Includes a bilingual early learning center operated by El Centro de la Raza, 14,000 sq ft of retail, and a public plaza. Sound Transit’s discounted land saved approximately $13.5 million; the City of Seattle pre-committed $15 million in affordable housing financing. (Sound Transit: Cedar Crossing)

Northgate Station TOD – Under construction. 235 affordable apartments (60% AMI or less) on King County Metro-owned land, developed by Community Roots Housing and BRIDGE Housing. Includes a childcare center operated by El Centro de La Raza. The City and King County each contributed up to $10 million. Grand opening anticipated fall 2025. (King County: Northgate TOD)

U District Station TOD – In negotiation. 160 affordable units (30-80% AMI, average at or below 60%) in a 12-story mass timber building, developed by Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI). Over 15% of units will serve households at 30% AMI or below. More than one-third of units will be family-sized (2-3 bedrooms). (Sound Transit: U District Station TOD)

Capitol Hill Station – Multiple completed projects. Station House: 110 affordable apartments developed by Community Roots Housing. Pride Place: 118 LGBTQ-affirming affordable senior apartments (30-60% AMI) developed by Community Roots Housing and GenPride, opened 2023.

First Hill – Approved. 308 affordable units (30-60% AMI) in a 13-story building, developed by Bellwether Housing and Plymouth Housing Group on land transferred at zero cost from Sound Transit.

Spring District (Bellevue) – Under construction. 234 affordable homes (60% AMI and below), developed by BRIDGE Housing. Includes 40 homes set aside for individuals with developmental disabilities. (Sound Transit: Spring District Groundbreaking)

Lynnwood City Center Station – In development. 167 affordable units (30-60% AMI), three-quarters family-sized, developed by Housing Hope. Sound Transit is selling the 2.4-acre site (appraised at $4.8 million) for $167,000. Sound Transit’s first TOD site in Snohomish County. Construction could begin late 2026. (Sound Transit: Lynnwood City Center TOD)

Kent Des Moines Station – Construction starting 2026. 233 affordable units (30-80% AMI), developed by Mercy Housing Northwest partnered with Open Doors for Multicultural Families. (Sound Transit: South King County TOD)

Federal Way Downtown Station – Awarded. Approximately 230 units (30-60% AMI) across two buildings, over 90% family-sized. Developed by Multi-Service Center and Shelter Resources, Inc. Groundbreaking targeted 2028. (Sound Transit: South King County TOD)

Rainier Valley Homeownership Initiative – The Sound Transit Board approved the transfer of 10 surplus sites in the Rainier Valley at no cost to the City of Seattle for affordable homeownership development, coupled with a $7.5 million city investment supporting 72 affordable homes. (Sound Transit: Surplus Property Transfer)

State legislation shaping TOD#

HB 1491: Washington’s TOD zoning law (2025)#

Governor Ferguson signed HB 1491 on May 13, 2025 (effective July 27, 2025), establishing statewide minimum density requirements near transit stations. Sponsored by Rep. Julia Reed (D-Seattle), the bill passed the House 57-39 and the Senate 30-18. It was the third attempt across three legislative sessions – a 2023 Senate bill and the 2024 House bill HB 2160 both failed to reach the governor’s desk. (WA Legislature: HB 1491 | The Urbanist: State Senate Greenlights Sweeping TOD Bill)

Minimum density requirements:

Cities may adjust FAR within portions of a station area above or below the minimum, as long as the average across all lots meets the requirement. (Futurewise: HB 1491 FAQ | WA Dept. of Commerce: Transit-Oriented Development)

Key provisions:

• Affordable housing: New buildings must include at least 10% of units affordable at 60% AMI or 20% at 80% AMI, maintained for 50 years
• FAR bonus: An additional 1.5 FAR above the minimum for 100% affordable or permanent supportive housing
• Family housing incentive: Units with 3+ bedrooms are exempt from FAR calculations
• Parking: Off-street parking requirements eliminated in station areas (with narrow exceptions for disability access and loading)
• Impact fees: 50% reduction for projects within station areas
• Tax exemption: 20-year property tax exemption on housing improvements for qualifying buildings
• Anti-displacement: Cities may apply for a 5-year extension in high-displacement-risk areas

(Futurewise: HB 1491 FAQ | Sightline Institute: Washington Takes Statewide Zoning Reform to the Next Level)

Compliance deadlines:

The WA Department of Commerce must publish a model TOD ordinance by June 30, 2027. That model ordinance supersedes and preempts local development regulations in any city that has not adopted compliant zoning by its deadline. (MRSC: Transit-Oriented Development)

HB 1110: Middle housing near transit (2023)#

Washington’s 2023 middle housing law also includes transit-related provisions. Cities with populations over 75,000 must allow sixplexes within a quarter-mile of major transit stops (compared to fourplexes elsewhere). No parking can be required for middle housing within a half-mile of a major transit stop. (MRSC: Major Changes to Housing Laws)

How Seattle is implementing state law#

Seattle is implementing state housing mandates through a four-phase zoning rollout tied to the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan:

Areas where existing Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) zoning already meets or exceeds HB 1491’s FAR requirements will not need further upzoning. Where MHA’s affordability mandates were in place before December 31, 2025, those pre-existing programs can remain in lieu of HB 1491’s affordability requirements. (Seattle OPCD: One Seattle Plan | The Urbanist: Seattle OKs New Growth Plan)

History#

1998-1999: Origins#

The Seattle Strategic Planning Office began station area planning in 1998-1999, producing station profiles and outreach materials for corridors including Southeast (Rainier Valley), Central (Capitol Hill, Downtown, International District, Beacon Hill), and North (Northgate, Roosevelt, University District). Multiple city departments participated, including the Department of Construction and Land Use, Office of Economic Development, Office of Housing, and Parks. (Archives West: Seattle Light Rail Station Area Planning Records)

2009: Light rail opens#

Central Link opened July 18, 2009, with service from downtown Seattle to Tukwila (extended to SeaTac in December 2009). TOD near stations was initially slow, hampered by the Great Recession. At the time, transit-oriented development was not a major focus for Sound Transit. (HistoryLink: Seattle’s Light-Rail Era Begins)

2014: Mount Baker rezone#

The City Council rezoned the Mount Baker station area, raising height limits from 65 to 125 feet – one of the earliest station-specific upzones in Seattle.

2015-2016: MHA and Sound Transit 3#

The “Grand Bargain” created the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program in 2015, pairing citywide upzoning with affordable housing mandates. Additional development capacity was concentrated near transit. In 2016, voters approved the $53.8 billion Sound Transit 3 package, which included the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions plus Graham Street and Boeing Access Road infill stations. The state legislature also directed Sound Transit to advance equitable TOD, leading to the 80/80/80 policy. (The Urbanist: A Brief History of MHA | Sound Transit: Board Adopts Equitable Development Policy)

2018: Equitable TOD Policy Framework#

The Sound Transit Board adopted the Equitable TOD Policy Framework on April 26, 2018, directing surplus property toward affordable housing and community development. A coalition including Puget Sound Sage, Housing Development Consortium, Futurewise, and Transportation Choices Coalition advocated for the policy. (The Urbanist: Sound Transit Board Set to Approve Equitable TOD Framework)

2019-2022: 130th/145th station area planning#

OPCD launched its first major modern station area plan with open houses in March 2019, extensive engagement through 2022, and publication of the final station area plan in July 2022. The plan created two new centers incorporated into the comprehensive plan. (Seattle OPCD: 130th and 145th Station Area Planning)

2020: Rainier Valley surplus property transfer#

The Sound Transit Board approved the no-cost transfer of 10 surplus property sites in the Rainier Valley to the City of Seattle for affordable homeownership development. The City invested $7.5 million to support 72 affordable homes. (Sound Transit: Surplus Property Transfer)

2022: Cedar Crossing opens#

Sound Transit’s flagship TOD project at Roosevelt Station opened with 254 affordable apartments – the first large-scale completed project under the 80/80/80 policy. (Sound Transit: Cedar Crossing)

2025: HB 1491 and One Seattle Plan#

Governor Ferguson signed HB 1491, establishing statewide TOD zoning minimums. The City Council adopted the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan. OPCD launched station area planning for Graham Street and began preparations for Delridge and West Seattle Junction/Avalon engagement. (WA Legislature: HB 1491 | Seattle OPCD: Station Area Planning)

Community engagement process#

OPCD uses a three-phase engagement model for station area planning, demonstrated at Graham Street (Seattle OPCD: Graham Street - Get Involved):

1. Phase 1 – Share, Learn, Vision: Build on previously identified community vision, confirm priorities and goals. Methods include neighborhood events, small business outreach, conversations with community leaders, online surveys, cultural exchange walking tours, and block parties.
2. Phase 2 – Exploring Ideas: Develop community priorities into preliminary strategies and projects through focus groups, broader surveys, and place-based activations. Coordinate across city departments for action plan development.
3. Phase 3 – Finalizing: Prioritize, confirm, and finalize strategies and projects into a Community Action Plan.

OPCD partners with local community-based organizations to shape engagement. For Graham Street, the nonprofit Puget Sound Sage had earlier partnered with community groups to create the “Graham Street: A Community Driven Neighborhood Vision” (2019). Community advisory members are compensated at $75/hour. (Seattle OPCD: Graham Street Background | Seattle OPCD: Equitable TOD)

ETOD engagement centers communities most impacted by displacement: Black and Indigenous people of color, immigrants and refugees, English language learners, LGBTQ people, youth, elders, and people with disabilities. (Seattle OPCD: Equitable TOD)

Advocacy organizations#

• Transportation Choices Coalition: Advocates for equitable, sustainable transportation across Washington. Played a key role in ensuring ST3 included affordable housing requirements near stations.
• Futurewise: State growth management advocacy organization. Led the campaign to pass HB 1491 and publishes a detailed FAQ on the law.
• Housing Development Consortium (HDC): Coalition of affordable housing developers and advocates in King County. Co-chairs the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Regional TOD Advisory Committee and operates an equitable TOD taskforce.
• Puget Sound Sage: Progressive policy research and advocacy organization that works directly with communities and Sound Transit on equitable light rail expansion.
• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC): Regional planning body advancing multi-stakeholder TOD planning aligned with the VISION 2050 growth strategy.

Data sources#

Key statistics#

Sources: Sound Transit: TOD Program | Sound Transit: Amazon Partnership | Futurewise: HB 1491 FAQ

Related resources#

• Link Light Rail – System details, future expansion, and Sound Transit funding
• Mass Transit – Buses, commuter rail, streetcars, and regional transit funding
• Transportation Glossary – Terms like “TOD,” “ST3,” “RapidRide,” and “mode share”
• Housing & Zoning Glossary – Terms like “MHA,” “FAR,” “HB 1491,” and “upzoning”
• Land Use Glossary – Terms like “Equitable Transit-Oriented Development” and “Comprehensive Plan”

Last updated: February 2026