RPZ 9 in Magnolia: Proposed Removal of Parking Restrictions
Updated May 2026
Online Hearing Details:
We are having an online public hearing about a proposal to remove the Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) in Magnolia.
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
If you would like to attend the online hearing, please register by clicking here.
We value all comments equally, whether they come from the public hearing, email, or phone. If you would like to share your thoughts without speaking at the hearing, you can email us at rpz9@seattle.gov or call (206) 615-0479 by July 17, 2026.
How to Join the Hearing:
- The online hearing will take place on Microsoft Teams, but you do not need a Teams account to attend. You can also join from a smartphone or tablet -- you do not need a computer.
- After you have registered to attend the hearing, you will receive a meeting invitation via email. (Please email rpz9@seattle.gov if you do not receive a meeting invitation after registering so that we can help troubleshoot.)
- If you do not have a Microsoft account: you can follow these instructions for joining the meeting.
You also have the option to call in to the hearing by dialing the phone number in the meeting invitation. However, call-in attendees will not be able to see the short presentation at the beginning of the hearing. The presentation will be posted on this website by July 10, 2026.
What to Expect at the Hearing:
We will start at 6:00 PM with a short presentation. Then we will listen to public comments. If you have signed up to give a verbal comment at the hearing, we will call on you by name. Each person will have two minutes to speak. We may need to shorten the allowable time if there is a large amount of people who would like to speak. After that, we will take and respond to questions as time allows. If we don’t have time to respond to every question during the hearing, we will follow up later by email or phone.
About the Magnolia RPZ:
- The Magnolia RPZ (Zone 9) is one of the smallest zones in the city. It was created almost 40 years ago because of concerns that commuters were using the public streets in the area as an informal park-and-ride to take the bus downtown.
- RPZ 9 parking signs restrict parking on 30 blockfaces in south Magnolia just north of W Galer Street. The RPZ signs restrict parking to 4 hours, Monday through Saturday, 7 AM to 6 PM, unless the vehicle has a Zone 9 RPZ permit. Only residents who live within Zone 9 may purchase permits.
- Zone 9 would not meet the current Seattle Municipal Code criteria for establishing a new zone.
The dark blue lines in the map above show the 30 different blockfaces that have RPZ 9 signs in the south Magnolia neighborhood.
Why Propose Removal?
- RPZs are best used to reduce all-day commuter parking near large commuting centers, like universities or light rail stations. This area is not a large commuting center. Transit and commuting patterns have changed since the Magnolia RPZ was created in 1988, and street parking is widely available both within and outside the RPZ.
- By City of Seattle law, a zone can be removed if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Low permit sales in a zone. There are currently only 23 permits issued for Zone 9, the fewest permits issued for any zone in the city.
- A small number of blocks with RPZ signs. The Magnolia RPZ is one of the smallest zones in the city, comprised of 30 blockfaces with RPZ signs.
- Absence of the original traffic generator. Commuting patterns have changed since 1988, when the RPZ was first created.
- Residents would no longer need to purchase permits for their vehicles or guest vehicles.
Parking Occupancy
In January 2026, we studied parking occupancy on RPZ 9-signed blockfaces, as well as surrounding unrestricted blockfaces to better understand street parking availability both within and just outside the zone on a typical weekday. We observed and collected parking occupancy data on 74 blockfaces during three separate times of day: morning, midday, and evening. According to the study, parking is less than 50% occupied on both RPZ-signed streets and just outside the RPZ, suggesting that the RPZ restrictions are likely unneeded.
| Time of Day | Parking Occupancy on RPZ-signed Blockfaces | Parking Occupancy on Unrestricted Blockfaces |
| 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM | 30% | 44% |
| 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | 24% | 41% |
| 6:00 PM - 8: 00 PM | 29% |
37% |
To view the study's parking occupancy at a blockface level, please click on the links below:
This maps shows the results of the parking occupancy study of the Magnolia RPZ 9 area for the morning hours between 9 AM and 11 AM. The map shows the 74 blockfaces that were studied, 30 within the RPZ and 44 just outside the RPZ. Most blockfaces in the area, both with RPZ signs and without, were less that 50% full. Five blockfaces with RPZ signs and six blockfaces without signs were more than 90% full.
This maps shows the results of the parking occupancy study of the Magnolia RPZ 9 area for the midday hours between 1 PM and 3 PM. The map shows the 74 blockfaces that were studied, 30 within the RPZ and 44 just outside the RPZ. Most blockfaces in the area, both with RPZ signs and without, were less that 50% full. Six blockfaces with RPZ signs and three blockfaces without signs were more than 90% full.
This maps shows the results of the parking occupancy study of the Magnolia RPZ 9 area for the evening hours between 6 PM and 8 PM. The map shows the 74 blockfaces that were studied, 30 within the RPZ and 44 just outside the RPZ. Most blockfaces in the area, both with RPZ signs and without, were less that 50% full. One blockface with RPZ signs (and none without signs) were more than 90% full.
Our Proposed Plan
- We are proposing to remove the RPZ parking signs from Zone 9 at the beginning of 2027 following the current permit cycle.
- Current RPZ-signed streets would become unrestricted parking like surrounding streets, and RPZ permits would no longer be needed by residents or guests.
Proposed Timeline
| June 2026 | send mailing to area residents and share proposed plan with community. |
| July 8, 2026 | Hold online public hearing. |
| Fall 2026 | Evaluate community feedback, finalize plan, and issue Notice of Decision. |
| January - February 2027 | If decision is to remove RPZ 9, remove RPZ parking signs after the completion of the current RPZ 9 permit cycle. |
Share Your Thoughts
Before the hearing, or if you are unable to attend the hearing, you can share your comments or ask questions by emailing us at rpz9@seattle.gov or calling (206) 615-0479.