On January 13, 2025, City Council voted to adopt amendments to the Development Code and Zoning Map with Ordinance 1027.

Adopted Development Code
Major and Frequent Transit Stops Map
Neighborhood Residential Handbook
Zoning Map

The development code updates implement the comprehensive plan and fall into the following categories. 

In 2044, Shoreline is a welcoming, safe, and inclusive home to people from a diverse set of cultures and economic backgrounds. The city is a place made for people and one that fosters connections to community, making the city even better for future generations. 

Shoreline is:

1. A leader in anti-racism.

The city is a welcoming place for all and prioritizes transparent and inclusive decision making. Shoreline’s commitment to anti-racism drives decision making and equitable and inclusive community involvement helps to prioritize city action.

2. A model for sustainability Shoreline is a resilient and sustainable community.

The city continues to reduce emissions by prioritizing investments in public transit, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure, and increasing the tree canopy and green spaces. Sustainable development of the built environment contributes to the protection of the city’s tree canopy and green spaces.

3. An economic and employment innovator.

The city is an innovator in emerging technologies, training, and employment. The city is a proponent for local businesses, thriving commercial centers, creative centers, and manufacturing space.

4. A city of walkable, well-connected neighborhoods.

Shoreline is a city of well-connected, convenient, and walkable neighborhoods featuring affordable, diverse, and quality housing; award-winning schools; plentiful parks, and opportunities for cultural and artistic expression to meet one’s daily needs and lifestyles.

5. A caring and informed community. 

Shoreline’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its community helps to prioritize city actions and community services.

The people of Shoreline are committed to making the city even better for the next generation.

The Comprehensive (Comp) Plan Amendment Process is an opportunity for individuals to propose changes to Shoreline's Comprehensive Plan as regulated by Shoreline Municipal Code 20.30.340. Suggested amendments usually address changing conditions or emerging issues and may include changes to policies or the future land use map (see application). To be eligible for consideration, applications for proposed amendments must be submitted by December 1st.

The Washington State Growth Management Act limits the City to amending the Comp Plan only once a year and requires the City to put together a docket of suggested changes to ensure they will be considered within a citywide context and will be available for review by the public.

The City Council considers the proposals and chooses the amendments to be analyzed. The Planning Commission will hold public hearings and develop recommendations on the proposed amendments. The Council then reviews the recommendations as a package and votes to accept or deny them.

For questions about the Amendment Docket or on proposing a future amendment, contact:

Steve Szafran
Senior Planner
(206) 801-2512
sszafran@shorelinewa.gov

The Comprehensive Plan is a 20-year vision and roadmap for Shoreline’s future. It guides city decisions on housing, infrastructure, the natural environment, and more. The Comprehensive Plan is the framework for most of the City’s major decisions and it is under that framework that our other guiding documents are developed, including the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Arts (PROSA) Plan; the Transportation Master Plan; and the Surface Water Master Plan. The Comprehensive Plan outlines how we will grow over the next 20 years while also preserving and improving all those things that make Shoreline great today.  

The state’s Growth Management Act (GMA) requires the City to review and update its comprehensive plan and development regulations as part of a periodic review cycle every eight years. As part of its review, Shoreline is required to plan for its share of King County’s growth targets for jobs and housing, including affordable housing. Below are Shoreline’s growth targets for 2044.

• Regulatory compliance: As part of the Growth Management Act Shoreline is responsible for complying with state, regional and county requirements.
• The Department of Commerce GMA Update Resources will be used to determine minimum compliance for policy/regulatory updates under state laws;
• The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) periodic review requirements and the PSRC’s Vision 2050 Regional plan;
• The King County Countywide Planning Policies(PDF, 3MB)(CPPs) adopted by December 2021 which address growth management issues in King County.

The City adopted its first Comprehensive Plan in 1998. The plan has been updated twice since then, in 2005 and 2012. 

Growth in context

The central Puget Sound region is expected to grow by 1.5 million people by 2050. This means that by 2050, some 5.8 million people will call central Puget Sound their home. As this four-county area grows, we must act in a coordinated effort at the local and regional level to provide exceptional quality of life, opportunity for all, connected communities, a healthy natural environment, and an innovative, thriving economy. Shoreline’s Comprehensive Plan helps us clarify Shoreline’s piece of that puzzle and work in concert with the regional growth strategy.

Countywide Centers Designation

The King County Countywide Planning Policies establish a “Countywide Growth Centers” framework. A “Countywide Growth Center” refers to an area selected as a place for equitably concentrating jobs, housing, shopping, and recreational opportunities. These are often smaller downtowns, high-capacity transit station areas, or neighborhood centers that are linked by transit, provide a mix of housing and services, and serve as focal points for local and county investment.

Building on decisions from earlier Comprehensive Plans, in 2021, the City received notice that its application for four “candidate” centers were accepted. The locations for the centers in Shoreline are:

• 148th Street Station Area
• 185th Street Station Area 
• Shoreline Place
• Town Center 

This means that as we look to the future, we will plan for these areas to concentrate housing, jobs, transit, and shopping. 

The Shoreline City Council must take legislative action on the Comprehensive Plan, and the plan must undergo a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review. The Comprehensive Plan affects everyone who lives, works, or plays in Shoreline, so it is important that it reflects community values. We are listening to and learning from our community members to understand priorities, hear ideas, and build the City’s vision, goals and policies together. 

The Planning Commission will work with the community and staff to develop recommendations based on community input and staff suggestions. Once the Commission has completed their review, the Commission will make a recommendation to City Council who will then adopt the plan.

As part of our commitment to building an anti-racist community, we are making an intentional effort in our public participation to elevate the voices of communities that historically have been excluded from or who have been most impacted by City decisions.

The Comprehensive Plan is composed of several elements (or separate pieces or topics that make up the whole document). Some of these elements, or pieces, are required by the state’s GMA, while others are optional. We have included all the elements below in the past, both optional and required.

Required Elements:

• Land Use
• Housing
• Transportation
  • The City's Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is different from the transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan. The TMP will help to implement goals and policies in the transportation element
• Capital Facilities 
• Utilities 

Optional Elements:

• Economic Development 
• Parks, Recreation & Open Space 
• Subarea Plans 
• Community Design 
• Natural Environment 
• Shoreline Master Program