Local Land Use - April Update
Tracking the latest city council decisions shaping urban development nationwide
Created: April 22, 2025 · 4 min read
Local Land Use is a monthly feature that spotlights the most interesting city decisions nationwide. Enjoy!
This month, we’ve analyzed 163 cities, ~36M words, and 2,921 real estate-related city policies to bring you the most interesting decisions right into your inbox!
Seattle Approves Housing in Stadium Transition Area Overlay District (STAOD)
The STAOD is only a short walk from Downtown Seattle and represents some of its most valuable land, including Lumen Field and T‑Mobile Park.
On 3/18/25, 3 days after our last Local Land Use letter, the City Council passed Council Bill 120933, allowing residential uses as a conditional use within the STAOD. This removes prior prohibitions on housing within 200 feet of major truck streets.
However, housing developments must meet strict conditions, including at least 50% affordable units for 75 years (at 60%–90% AMI) and soundproofing to a maximum interior noise level of 45 dBA.
Austin Establishes “Life Science Use” Zoning Category
Life science real estate includes labs, R&D, and office space for biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and food‑production companies. In 2023, the U.S. life science market was valued at ~$35 billion with a ~10% CAGR.
On March 27, 2025, Austin created “Life Science Use” as a new land use classification to simplify applications and promote development around the Dell Medical School.
Long Beach Expands Inclusionary Zoning Citywide
Inclusionary Zoning mandates developers rent a percent of new units at below‑market rates. On March 18, 2025, Long Beach expanded the requirement citywide: 12% of units in High Resource Submarkets must be affordable, with most at very low‑income levels.
Biggest Project of the Month: 1470 N. Hague Ave., Columbus, OH
This 29.2‑acre, 460‑unit spot rezoning is the largest we’ve tracked this month.
Conclusion
If you found this article insightful, feel free to share it. We’ll be back next month with a new update!
Bye now,
Daniel Heller
[email protected]