(The Center Square) – Seattle officials are considering changes to city rules that allow limited upper-level commercial signage downtown as part of a broader effort to support the area’s economic revitalization.
Seattle Municipal Code generally limits commercial signs over 65 feet above sidewalk grade in downtown zones, with exceptions limited to hotels and civic uses. By contrast, neighboring zones such as South Lake Union and the University District already permit upper-level signage.
A draft ordinance, first identified by The Urbanist Reporter Ryan Packer on social media, would relax restrictions on upper-level signage in downtown zones as a tool to support economic revitalization. City planners say such signage can affect corporate visibility, competitiveness, and perceptions of the business climate. Under the proposal, limited commercial signage can be electric, illuminate, or use video…