SDCI is once again recognizing the International Code Council’s Building Safety Month for 2021. Building Safety Month is an international educational campaign celebrated in May every year to raise awareness about building safety. The campaign reinforces the need to adopt modern, regularly updated technical building codes, and helps individuals, families, and businesses understand what it takes to create safe and sustainable structures.
The City Council’s Public Assets and Native Communities (PANC) Committee has scheduled a public hearing, committee discussion, and possible vote on Friday, June 4 at 2 p.m. The proposed code update would add new sign regulations to the Land Use Code for the majority of the Seattle Center campus. SDCI staff worked with Seattle Center staff to create proposed new sign rules that would allow Seattle Center to manage most sign approvals within its campus. This would complete the sign rules for the Center’s sign overlay district, which was created in July 2019 to address signage at Climate Pledge Arena.
In May, we expect to roll out an updated version of our Question & Answer Service with an expanded list of topics. You’ll be able to use Q&A to get answers on a wider variety of questions, including additional information requested during intake screening, addressing requests, over-the-counter and trade permits, exemptions, design review, and public notices. You’ll also have the option to request a phone call to discuss questions.
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) plans to update charges for development-related services, including water service installations (“taps”), the water connection charge, water main extensions and improvements, hydrant services, and others.
We released three draft Director’s Rules and finalized the Director’s Rules on tenant relocation assistance exemption request requirements.
Our region and state continue to make incredible progress on vaccinations. As of April 23, an estimated 61.5 percent of Seattle residents have begun the vaccination process, and 34.7 percent are fully vaccinated. This week, the City received 52,000 vaccinations from the county, state, and federal level, which is our largest allocation to-date. If this level of supply and demand continues in Seattle, we could vaccinate 70 percent of our workers and residents by the end of May. Even with supply breaking loose, the City can’t end this pandemic alone – we need your help. If you haven’t already been vaccinated, sign up for a vaccination appointment today at any of the four City-affiliated sites at Lumen Field, North Seattle, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle.
– View complaints, violations, and action taken by the City SEATTLE – We are pleased to announce the release of our new Shaping Seattle: Property & Building Complaints map. This new map displays active complaints, violations, and the actions taken by our Code Compliance Division to help bring properties into compliance with… [ Keep reading ]
SDCI’s green building permit incentives aim to create more efficient buildings that center around clean electric energy, water, and resource conservation with a focus on human health. Projects can gain additional height or floor area or a faster building permit in exchange for meeting specific green building goals and certification. SDCI updated the Green Building Standard and Priority Green Expedited on March 15, 2021.
The City currently has interim Floodplain Development Regulations in effect through February 2022 so that the City’s floodplain map and development regulations are consistent with federal law. Here is a link to the Interim Floodplain Development Regulations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) required updates to maps and regulations based on the February 2020 updated floodplain map for King County. This map (called the Flood Insurance Rate Map) identifies properties that are at risk of flooding and is used to determine which properties are required to have flood insurance.
Vacant buildings have become a familiar part of the Seattle landscape in the last few years. These structures can devastate the neighborhood, undermine quality of life, and diminish property values. Trespassing, vandalism, and other criminal activities occur with some frequency. Fires, such as the one that burnt the former Seven Gables Theater, are all too common.
