Last year, the City established interim standards limiting lot area exceptions and the height of homes on some undersized lots that qualify for separate development. This decision was made in response to residents of single-family neighborhoods who were concerned that certain developments on undersized lots in single-family zones were incompatible with their surroundings. The interim regulations extend until September 2014 or until they are replaced by permanent regulations.
On April 1, the DPD will brief the Planning Land Use and Sustainability (PLUS) Committee about possible permanent standards. A public hearing will be held at the PLUS Committee’s April 18 meeting. The Council meetings follow extensive public engagement by DPD over the past year, including meetings with neighborhood and developer groups, a citywide public meeting, and responses to numerous emails and letters.
The Council PLUS committee directed DPD to prepare legislation consistent with preliminary recommendations that were identified in March 2013. The legislation is consistent with PLUS direction as well as the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The proposals generally fall into three categories:
- Modifying and clarifying exceptions to minimum lot area requirements
- Development Standards for single-family homes on undersized lots
- Minor code adjustments and clarifications
These proposals are intended to allow reasonable infill development opportunities on undersized lots in single-family neighborhoods while providing predictability to neighbors about what may be built in their area. The proposals also help ensure that future development is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and proportionate to the lot size.
For information about the proposal or the public hearing, please see the DPD website: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/codesrules/changestocode/
smalllots/whatwhy/default.htm