On June 30, 2025, several adopted pieces of legislation became effective in Seattle related to compliance with State laws aimed to boost housing supply and diversify housing options in Seattle’s residential zones. These code changes, put forward by Mayor Harrell and adopted by Council, are known as the HB1337 and… [ Keep reading ]
Current Land Use Code regulations provide for reduced parking within Frequent Transit Service Areas. Legislation related to the new State law recently went into effect. The law reduces parking and allows increased housing density on lots located near a new designation, Major Transit Stops. Layers corresponding to these areas are included… [ Keep reading ]
In June the City’s side sewer permitting and inspection functions partially transitioned from SDCI to Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). This first step is part of a change that is expected to be completed by October 1, 2025. What has changed? Customers shouldn’t have noticed any changes on the front or… [ Keep reading ]
We’re very excited to announce that we’re launching our new Permit and Site History Research Tool this month. Please keep an eye on our Research a Project website for the new link! The objective of this new tool is to offer you a self-service tool that consolidates all our resources…. [ Keep reading ]
Seattle is facing a housing affordability crisis. As the city grows and development patterns shift, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is rethinking how development-related infrastructure is funded — aiming to distribute costs more fairly and equitably across the city. On April 23, 2025, Mayor Bruce Harrell introduced legislation to support housing… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle is in the process of updating the Stormwater Code and the Seattle Stormwater Manual. The first draft of the updated Code and Stormwater Manual, that addresses equivalency with the State of Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) rules and permits, is nearing completion. It will be ready… [ Keep reading ]
The City’s team of building inspectors learning about URM vulnerability and the scope of work associated with their retrofits May marks Building Safety Month, a time to recognize the importance of resilient infrastructure, proactive planning, and the professionals who keep our buildings — and our communities — safe. In Seattle,… [ Keep reading ]
We’ve offered builders and developers benefits, like extra floor area and height, in exchange for meeting green building standards for 16 years. These incentives have helped create thousands of certified green buildings in Seattle, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. We recently published Draft Director’s Rule… [ Keep reading ]
Starting May 1, 2025, you’ll notice some changes to the Preliminary Assessment Report (PAR). The content isn’t changing but the location of some of it will be moving. A PAR is a preliminary review of Master Use Permit projects and new construction applications by SDCI, the Seattle Department of Transportation,… [ Keep reading ]
