Public hearing on proposed ordinance for regional motor sports facility modifications.

METROPOLITAN 
KING COUNTY COUNCIL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Proposed Ordinance 2025-0329
 
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public hearing will be held before the Metropolitan King County Council on March 24, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. to consider adoption of Proposed Ordinance 2025-0329, an ordinance that would make modifications to the regulations in K.C.C. Title 21A that apply to a Regional Motor Sports Facility Demonstration Project.
 
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 February 20, 2026, through 10 a.m. on March 24, 2026, 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 March 24, 2026, meeting following the public hearing.
 
SUMMARY:
The proposed ordinance would:
• Expand the definition of “regional motor sports facility” (K.C.C. 21A.06.973.C) to:
o Remove the requirement that accessory uses be limited to racing and racing-related vehicle uses, while maintaining language that accessory uses be "accessory to racing activities."
o Add recreational cycling and running events as permitted accessory uses.
o Allow assembly-line or mass production, permanent lodging facilities, and general commercial, industrial, and manufacturing uses when consistent with the designation as a project of statewide significance.
o Allow two-stroke vehicles; use of these vehicles on the kart track would be limited to one weekend per month during the racing season of May 1 – August 31.
• Revise the demonstration project process (K.C.C. 21A.55.105) to:
o Appoint a special project manager to oversee the process.
o Separate the development agreement (site/building standards) from the operating agreement (operational conditions).
o For existing and allowed uses activities, prohibit the development agreement and operating agreement from having any conditions, including noise conditions, more restrictive than conditions and requirements in previously issued permits. If existing or allowed uses or activities are expanded in scope or size, they may be subject to additional conditions.
o Modify existing allowances for critical area alterations:
- In steep slope and landslide hazard areas, allow the Permitting Division to approve alterations for terracing of spectator seating, placement of spectator seating regardless of whether it is on the interior portion of the road course, and creation or improvement sight lines on the interior portion of the road course. Existing critical area regulations in K.C.C. chapter 21A.24 would continue to apply.
- In category III and IV wetlands, wetland buffers, aquatic areas, and riparian areas, allow the Permitting Division to approve alterations for the terracing and placement of spectator seating, or to create or improve sight lines on the interior portion of the road course. Existing critical area regulations in K.C.C. chapter 21A.24 would continue to apply, including minimization requirements.
o Remove specific requirements around water quality and stormwater management, while retaining the requirement for a water quality monitoring plan and compliance with the King County Surface Water Design Manual.
o Allow for on-site crushing of excavated materials, in addition to extraction and sorting, in order to establish final grades.
o Set new deadlines for public meetings (specify that two are required).
o Standardize procedures for any appeal of Hearing Examiner's recommendation on the development agreement or operating agreement to Council, to streamline filings (e.g., single “appeal statement” replacing multi-step process).
o Amend interim use permit (IUP) provisions (21A.55.105.U.–FF.) to:
- Specify that the special project management for IUP modifications could be a consultant or a county employee.
- Allow any of the uses in K.C.C. 21A.06.973.C. (the definition of a regional motor sports facility) to operate under the interim use permit, including that nonracing driving schools may operate on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- State that any uses or structures that are established under the IUP may continue to operate after the expiration of the interim use permit, in accordance with provisions for nonconforming uses and the p-suffix conditions.
o Add code provisions mirroring the p-suffix condition that requires that to exceed the allowances under the IUP provisions, the applicant must go through the demonstration project requirements.
• Repeal Ordinance 17287 Sections 5 and 6 (meeting and SEPA provisions that would be superseded by this ordinance).
 
For More Information:
A copy of Proposed Ordinance 2025-0329 is available on the internet at https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7688940&G UID=B93C8143-9900-4C6D-9164-B5C4F1 FD38AE&Options=Advanced&Search=. 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 20th day of February, 2026.
 
METROPOLITAN 
KING COUNTY COUNCIL
KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Melani Hay
Clerk of the Council