Heider v. City of Seattle

On July 19, 1982, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed ordinance 110692. This ordinance amended the city's comprehensive street names ordinance by changing the name of Empire Way to Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Appellants, owners of businesses along the street, seek to obtain a referendum election on the name change. Appellants also seek damages for their expenses to be incurred in conforming to the street name change. The King County Superior Court ruled against appellants on both counts. The court held the ordinance was immune from referendum as an administrative action, as opposed to…