The new accessory dwelling unit regulations go into effect on August 8, 2019. This was a multiyear effort to help increase the number and variety of housing options in single-family zones and to remove barriers to developing accessory dwelling units in the city.
New Delegate Feature Now Available in the Seattle Services Portal
The City of Seattle has launched a new delegate feature in the Seattle Services Portal. SDCI’s customers use the Seattle Services Portal to apply for building and land use permits and trade and equipment licenses, submit complaints about potential code violations, and register their rental housing units.
The new delegate feature lets you give a contractor, coworker, or co-applicant access to your account and/or records. You can add multiple delegates and manage specific permissions. This feature gives you detailed control over who can access your records and how they can conduct business on your behalf.
Street Use Citation Penalty Update
In August 2019, the Street Use division of the Seattle Department of Transportation is sending the Seattle City Council a legislative proposal to update their citation penalties. Since the citation section was first adopted in 2002, Street Use has made minor updates, but they have not carried out a holistic review of penalties.
Considering a New Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) – Don’t Forget to Plan for Broadband
Recent legislation (Council Bill 119544) made it easier for property owners to build accessory dwelling units (i.e., backyard cottages) to give more housing options for people living in Seattle. In our digital age, having more people living on one parcel will likely also mean increased internet usage – and an increased need for broadband capacity. A home may already have an internet service connection, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that connection can easily be extended or shared with a new residence on the parcel.
How Can I Get in the Intake Express Lane?
Have you had that frustrating experience of being ready to submit your construction permit application only to find that you have to schedule an intake appointment that isn’t available for several weeks or months? Maybe you thought you would need to postpone your project because you couldn’t get an appointment. We’ve got good news for you … we have The Intake Express Lane, an easy path to a much earlier intake appointment!
Additional Land Use Staff Coming Soon
To support increased permit volumes and reduce turnaround times for the review of permit applications, Mayor Durkan’s office coordinated with the City Budget Office to approve 13 additional positions for SDCI’s Land Use Division.
We will be bringing on 11 Land Use Planners, 1 Land Use Supervisor, and 1 Permit Specialist to support increased workload and reduce turnaround times for the review of permit applications.
June Workshop for Landlords
Renting in Seattle is providing a free workshop for landlords on Saturday, June 22 at the Georgetown Campus of South Seattle College from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Register on Eventbrite early to ensure your space. These workshops fill up quickly.
Small Efficiency Dwelling Units: New Code Interpretations for Storage and Natural Light
Small Efficiency Dwelling Units are small dwelling units that do not meet minimum floor area requirements per the Seattle Building Code. Director’s Rule 9-2017 allows for efficiency units smaller than required by SBC 1208.4 when other amenities are provided.
B4B-Build for Broadband Initiative for Multi-Dwelling-Unit Buildings
If broadband planning isn’t already a key part of your multi-dwelling-unit (MDU) building design and investment planning, Seattle’s Office of Cable Communications says it’s a good time to make it a top priority. Your MDU broadband infrastructure decisions impact the fastest growing segment of residents. In Seattle, the number of residents living in MDUs now exceeds those living in single-family homes. And permitting records show nearly 81 percent of Seattle’s new housing builds are MDUs. MDU residents want access to abundant, high-speed internet and they rate it as the top amenity when considering a place to live – outranking an in-unit washer and dryer.
Increased Oversight of Vacant Buildings
New processes for inspection of vacant buildings took effect on June 1, 2019. The changes add a wider range of properties to the City’s Vacant Building Monitoring program, including all properties with active development proposals containing a vacant building. The frequency of inspections increased from once a quarter to once a month. We estimate that this will add approximately 1,200 new properties to the program this year and can reduce the risk of vacant buildings becoming a blight on the community. In the past, SDCI monitored around 100 properties each year with consistent vacant building violations.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- …
- 85
- Next Page »