Guide to the Seattle Planning Commission Annual Reports
1928-1967

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Overview of the Collection

Creator: Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
Title: Seattle Planning Commission Annual Reports
Dates: 1928-1967 ( inclusive )
Quantity: .4 cubic foot (1 box)
Collection Number: 1802-H7
Summary: Annual reports of Seattle Planning Commission, 1928 to 1995. Reports discuss Commission activities in the areas of comprehensive planning, zoning, and transportation planning. Important projects discussed include the Comprehensive Plan, new Zoning Ordinance, and Central Business District Plan.
Repository: Seattle Municipal Archives

PO Box 94728
600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3
Seattle, WA 98124-4728
Phone: 206/233-7807
Email: archives@seattle.gov
http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives

Languages: Collection materials are in English. 
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical Note

The Planning Commission was established in 1924 and began meeting in 1925. It was established to address the large number of petitions and requests from various organizations and districts for major improvements involving new streets, street widening, bridges and regrades. In early years, the Commission included six appointive members and three ex-officio members; it later included citizens appointed by the Mayor for staggered three-year terms. By the 1950s the Commission was assisted by a permanent staff of professional planners and in 1967 the Charter was amended to enable the creation of a city planner position. The Planning Commission became part of the Department of Community Development (DCD) in 1972. DCD was abolished in 1992 and a Planning Department was established, absorbing the activities of the Office of Long Range Planning and the Human Services Strategic Planning Office.

Content Description

Annual reports date from 1928 to 1967. Reports discuss activities, projects, and legislation as well as recommended actions, Commission members, and financial information. Early reports address changes in population and zoning issues. Post-World War II reports focus on comprehensive planning programs, transportation planning, and density issues. The 1946-1947 report takes the form of a "Diary of the Trials and Tribulations of a City Planning Commission." Reports in the late 1940s discuss the formulation of and progress on the Comprehensive Plan. Reports from the 1950s continue to discuss Comprehensive Plan progress and development of the new Zoning Ordinance. Other major Planning Commission projects discussed in the annual reports include the Central Business District Plan and Yesler-Atlantic and Leschi Neighborhood Plans. Statistics, charts, and maps appear in many reports.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access :  

Records are open to the public.

Preferred Citation :  

[Item and date], Seattle Planning Commission Annual Reports, Record Series 1802-H7. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative Information

Arrangement :

Annual reports are arranged chronologically by year.

Custodial History :  

Records were originally filed with the City Clerk in the Comptroller/Clerk's Files (CFs) and were removed to create this record series.


Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Seattle Planning Commission Annual Reports, 1928-1967
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1/1 Planning Commission Annual Report (published and unpublished) 1928
1/1 Planning Commission Annual Report 1931
1/1 Planning Commission Annual Report 1945-1946
1/1 Planning Commission Annual Report 1946-1947
1/1 Planning Commission Annual Report 1948
1/2 Planning Commission Annual Report 1949
1/2 Planning Commission Annual Report 1950
1/2 Planning Commission Annual Report 1951
1/3 Planning Commission Annual Report 1952
1/3 Planning Commission Annual Report 1953
1/3 Planning Commission Annual Report 1954
1/4 Planning Commission Annual Report 1955
1/4 Planning Commission Annual Report 1956
1/4 Planning Commission Annual Report 1957
1/4 Planning Commission Annual Report 1958
1/5 Planning Commission Annual Report 1959
1/5 Planning Commission Annual Report 1960
1/5 Planning Commission Annual Report 1962
1/5 Planning Commission Annual Report 1963
1/5 Planning Commission Annual Report 1967

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Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

    • Geographical Names :
    • Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
    • Subject Terms :
    • City planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
    • Transportation--Planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
    • Zoning--Washington (State)--Seattle
      • Form or Genre Terms :
      • Annual reports
      • Other Creators :
      • Seattle Planning Commission

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