Crown Hill Drainage & Sewer Area Plan

The Crown Hill Drainage and Sewer Area Plan, completed in 2024, helped Seattle Public Utilities prioritize improvements in this fast-growing neighborhood. This plan addresses long-standing flooding and sewer backup problems and sets clear direction for future redevelopment to help build out the drainage system.

Neighborhood description

Crown Hill, a residential neighborhood just north of Ballard, has a mix of single-family homes, apartments, and multifamily housing.  Since 2018, zoning changes have led to rapid growth of new apartments and multifamily housing.  The main commercial area, that runs along 15th Ave NW and Holman Rd, includes shops, restaurants, markets, and service businesses.  Community priorities identified in the Crown Hill Urban Village Action Plan include walkability, affordable housing, growth management, and slower, safer streets.

Opportunities and challenges

• Risk of flooding and sewer backups in homes and businesses could increase in the future due to population growth and climate change
• Most blocks north of N. 85th St lack sidewalk and drainage infrastructure, with only ditches and shallow small pipes, making development more expensive and complicated
• Located at the top of a hill, drainage from this neighborhood flows to several different lower lying areas, each having its own challenges
• The north half of Crown Hill sends untreated stormwater to Pipers Creek and Salish Sea and will need water quality treatment improvements

Key recommendations 

• SPU should initiate a project to address the largest and most frequent street flooding and sewer backup problems, with streets including 17th Ave NW and NW 87th St
• Building out the drainage system in north Crown Hill will need to happen over time. Most blocks will be improved gradually through extensions by redevelopment projects. Some may be improved through partnerships between SPU and SDOT when street improvements happen.
• For some blocks, curbs and gutters with new sidewalks, without additional pipes, may improve drainage. 

What’s happening now

Crown Hill Area planning was completed in 2024. The area plan and recommendations were shared with other SPU teams to guide implementation. 

Learn more about The Crown Hill GSI (Green Stormwater Infrastructure) project.