Government
Mixed-Use Zoning District Consolidation
The City of Tukwila is exploring whether to consolidate four of its mixed-use zoning districts — Office (O), Residential Commercial Center (RCC), Mixed-Use Office (MUO), and Regional Commercial Mixed-Use (RCM) — into a single, modernized district. Over time these districts have come to overlap in permitted uses and densities, creating confusion for property owners, developers, and residents. This project aims to make the zoning code easier to navigate, while continuing to support development that fits each part of the community.
Background
Tukwila has 21 separate zones and overlays, each with its own development standards and permitted uses (view the zoning map). Two of the City’s six mixed-use districts — Regional Commercial (RC) and Neighborhood Commercial Center (NCC) — were updated in 2025 to support medium- to high-density development in the TIB neighborhood.
The remaining four districts under review here have not been recently updated:
- Mixed-Use Office (MUO) — near TIB and Southcenter Parkway; medium-density commercial and residential.
- Office (O) — near City Hall, I-5, and Military Road; medium-density office/commercial, low-density residential.
- Residential Commercial Center (RCC) — small business districts serving surrounding neighborhoods; low- to medium-density.
- Regional Commercial Mixed-Use (RCM) — near Interurban Ave S and Southcenter Boulevard; medium-density.
None of the four permit residential density high enough to support true mixed-use development, and all have setbacks and height limits that make walkable, amenity-rich development difficult — the Office (O) district especially so.
The Proposal
Staff have found that the NCC district’s goals broadly overlap with those of the four underperforming districts, and that its recently updated standards — with a density gradient tuned to transit corridors versus neighborhood streets — are well suited to absorb them. The proposal would:
- Rename NCC to Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NM) and adjust its standards to fit its expanded scope.
- Remove all references and regulations for the MUO, O, RCM, and RCC districts.
- Rezone affected parcels into NM — or, where on-site critical areas limit development capacity, into Community Residential (CR), the City’s low- and medium-density residential zone.
- Make related Comprehensive Plan updates to reflect changed conditions and State requirements.
Review the full draft proposal in the Planning Commission Agenda Packet from the July 23, 2026 meeting.
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We want to hear from residents, property owners, business owners, and other community members about how these areas are used today and what should guide any changes. Responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide contact information.