Vacation of waterfront streets.
Seattle Mun. Code § 15.62.080
in effect15.62.080 - Vacation of waterfront streets.
A. The City is not authorized to vacate a street, alley or public place if any portion thereof abuts a body of salt or fresh water unless:
1. The vacation is sought to enable the City to acquire the property for port purposes, beach or water access purposes, boat moorage or launching sites, park, public view, recreation, or educational purposes, or other public uses;
2. The City Council, by resolution, declares that the street, alley or public place is not presently being used as a street, alley or public place, and that the street, alley or public place is not suitable for any of the following purposes: Port, beach or water access, boat moorage, launching sites, park, public view, recreation, or education; or
3. The vacation is sought to enable the City to implement a plan, adopted by resolution or ordinance, that provides comparable or improved public access to the same shoreline area to which the streets, alleys or public places sought to be vacated abut, had the properties included in the plan not been vacated.
B. Before adopting an ordinance vacating a street, alley or public place under subsection A2 of this section, the City Council shall:
1. Cause an inventory to be compiled of all rights-of-way within the City that abut the same body of water that is abutted by the street, alley or public place sought to be vacated;
2. Cause a study to be conducted to determine if the street, alley or public place to be vacated is suitable for use by the City for any of the following purposes: Port, boat moorage, launching sites, beach or water access, park, public view, recreation, or education;
3. Hold a public hearing on the proposed vacation in the manner required by RCW Chapter 35.79 and this chapter; and
4. Include in its written decision a finding that the street, alley or public place sought to be vacated is not suitable for any of the purposes listed under subsection B2 of this section, and that the vacation is in the public interest.
C. Notice of the public hearing on the proposed vacation shall be posted on the street, alley or public place sought to be vacated, and the notice shall indicate in addition to the requirements of Section 15.62.040 that the area is public access, that it is proposed to be vacated, and that anyone objecting to the proposed vacation should attend the public hearing or send a letter to the Transportation Committee indicating his or her objection.
D. Moneys received from the vacation shall be placed in the Guaranty Deposit Fund and may be used by the City only for the purpose of acquiring additional beach or water access, additional public view sites to a body of water, or additional moorage or launching sites.
(Ord. 113649 § 1, 1987; Ord. 109740, § 1, 1981.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT15STSIUS_SUBTITLE_IIMISTUSRE_CH15.62VASTALPUPL_15.62.080VAWASTFetched: 11/1/2026