Seattle’s City Council has thrown an emergency roadblock in front of any plans to build or expand detention centers and jails inside city limits, moving to halt new facilities while the city scrambles to rewrite its zoning rulebook.
The emergency legislation, introduced Friday, would create a one-year moratorium on new or expanded detention centers. During that year, no proposals could move forward while the city crafts temporary rules and works toward permanent zoning language. Council leaders say they are trying to plug a glaring gap in the municipal code, which does not currently spell out what counts as a detention facility.
What the Ordinance Would Do
According to KING 5, the emergency ordinance would clearly ban jails used for immigration detention in several downtown zoning districts and declare an official emergency so the rules kick in immediately. It would also waive the usual public-hearing requirement at the time of adoption, a move city leaders say is needed to act quickly.
The bill lays out interim controls that would automatically expire after 365 days unless the council votes to extend them. During that window, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is directed to study the issue and draft permanent zoning rules on a schedule that runs from winter to summer 2026…