SDCI recently published a new code interpretation, 706.5 Fire Wall Horizontal Continuity, to clarify our policy for fire wall continuity. To encourage the development of more affordable housing, the Seattle Building Code was amended in 2018 to allow an additional story of Type IIIA wood construction. This is allowed as long as additional safety measures are provided, including fire walls to subdivide the building into compartments. Because of this rule, we have seen an increase in both the number of proposed fire walls and the number of questions about fire wall requirements. This code interpretation is intended to provide clarity for architects and developers, so they can incorporate this important safety feature into the design early in the process.
If you have questions, please contact:
Amy Barnett
(206) 684-3965
amy.barnett@seattle.gov