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Hearing Notice: 2025-0174

View information about proposed ordinances.

METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Proposed Ordinance 2025-0174

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing will be held before the Metropolitan King County Council on October 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. to consider adoption of Proposed Ordinance 2025-0174, an ordinance that would modify the County's environmental regulations related to electric vehicle charging fees, fleet electrification, green building certification for county capital projects, departmental carbon neutrality and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, and strategic climate action plan (SCAP) development and reporting.

The public hearing will be held at the King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Avenue, Room 1001, Seattle; remote public testimony on Zoom will also be accepted. Written public testimony will be accepted from 9 a.m. on September 26, 2025 through 10 a.m. on October 7, 2025, by sending such public testimony to clerk.council@kingcounty.gov. Please include the legislation number and related agenda item in the subject line. More information on the public hearing and how to participate in public testimony can be found at this website: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/committees/full_council.aspx.

It is expected that the Council will take action on this Proposed Ordinance at the October 7, 2025 meeting following the public hearing.

 

SUMMARY:

The Proposed Ordinance would make the following changes:

 

Electric Vehicle Charging at County Facilities:

  • Shifts fee-setting responsibility from Metro to custodial agencies, defines “custodial agency,” and changes “director” references.
  • Removes the $5 per-use cap on charging and requires biennial fee reviews.
  • Authorizes reduced-rate employee charging for commuting.

 

Fleet Electrification:

  • Delays non-bus fleet electrification goals by 2–10 years and adds a new 40% rideshare target by 2030.
  • Changes medium- and heavy-duty targets from “electric” to “zero-emission” to allow renewable fuel alternatives.
  • Separates charger installation targets into public vs. fleet categories.
  • Standardizes charging targets to number of charging ports, not chargers.

 

Green Building for County Capital Projects:

  • Requires all LEED-eligible new construction in 2026 forward to achieve LEED Platinum plus Zero Energy/Zero Carbon or LBC CORE plus net-zero certification.
  • Requires market-rate transit-oriented development on County-owned property to achieve LEED Platinum or LBC CORE.
  • Codifies Envision Platinum certification for specified large infrastructure projects and adds a cost threshold.
  • Requires Parks Division to maintain Salmon-safe certification on a programmatic basis.

 

Departmental Carbon Neutrality and GHG Reduction Goals:

  • Directs the Department of Natural Resources and Parks and specific divisions to maintain carbon neutrality, but to focus on reducing direct sources of emissions rather than purchasing offsets.

SCAP Development and Reporting:

  • Replaces the Green Jobs Strategy with a broader Climate and Workforce Strategy.
  • Adds affordable energy efficiency/decarbonization to Sustainable and Resilient Communities actions.
  • Clarifies midpoint/biennial reporting schedule and requires SCAP performance reporting on a public climate dashboard.
  • Removes cost-effectiveness and major expense summary requirements.
  • Updates terminology and aligns SCAP elements with recent plans.

 

FINAL ACTION:

Prior to final action, Councilmembers may offer amendments for consideration by the Council.  Persons wishing to testify on the Proposed Ordinance should attend the public hearing in person or remotely on October 7, 2025, or provide testimony in writing prior to the hearing.  Amendments that may be considered for adoption by the Council include, but are not necessarily limited to:

 

  • Any amendment contained in the executive’s transmitted version of the legislation.
  • Any amendment offered, or relating to topics discussed, during the review of the subject legislation in committee.
  • Any matter preserved for consideration by the Council by a member during previous committee meetings.

 

For More Information:

A copy of Proposed Ordinance 2025-0174 is available on the internet at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7351416&GUID=C0BDE361-22DA-484D-8859-B60D0292532A&Options=ID|Text|&Search=2025-0174. You may also view this notice at the Clerk’s page at https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/council/governance-leadership/county-council/clerk-of-the-council/public-notices.

 

DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 26th day of September, 2025.

 

METROPOLITAN KING COUNTY COUNCIL

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

 

Melani Hay

Clerk of the Council

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