Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

Members Sought for Seattle’s Design Review Boards

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Passionate about design or architecture? Mayor Bruce Harrell is looking for qualified candidates to fill 22 upcoming openings on the City of Seattle’s Design Review Boards. Board members evaluate the design of new buildings based on citywide and neighborhood-specific design guidelines. The boards review large mixed-use developments, multifamily housing, and commercial projects. The volunteer positions will start on April 4, 2023, when retiring board members’ terms expire.

Reminder: Plan Review Response/Reply Process Refresher

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In January 2022, SDCI transitioned to providing plan reviews via plan mark-up instead of traditional letters. This Building Connections article serves as a resources refresher for applicants responding to review comments. The primary change that we are asking of applicants is that they document responses to comments directly in the plan set provided to them by SDCI at the end of each review cycle instead of sending response letters corresponding to each correction letter. (Note: You will still receive correction summaries from individual reviews as they are completed.)

Virtual Applicant Services Center Available in Spanish and Chinese Languages

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SDCI has added in-language assistance to our Virtual Applicant Services Center for customers who prefer to conduct business in Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. Our live chat, support ticketing system, and coaching sessions are now available in these three languages. You can access these services by clicking the green chat icon on the bottom of our contact webpage and selecting your preferred language. If you know somebody who might be interested in using our in-language Virtual Applicant Services Center, please forward this information.

Storm Drain Insert Reminder

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With the onset of the rainy season, SDCI is reminding builders working in Seattle to inspect and maintain any temporary storm drain inserts they have installed as part of construction projects.

November Publication Updates

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In November we published 2 new Tips about the new Tree Regulations, updated a Tip on how to legalize a non-permitted use, and published a Director’s Rule that sets the standards for reviewing applications to establish uses for the record.

New Rules Require Seattle Tree Service Providers to Register with the City

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The City Council recently passed Council Bill 120207 requiring 1) tree service providers to register with the City of Seattle before conducting commercial tree work and consultations on private property and 2) property owners to post a public notice on-site before any tree work beyond routine maintenance. The tree service provider registry will be accessible to the public so that owners, residents, and neighbors can be assured a registered company knowledgeable with tree regulations and best practices is completing work in their neighborhood. 

Time to Apply for a Grading Season Extension

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The rainy season is rapidly approaching, which means it’s time to think about whether you will be doing any grading between November 1 and March 31. If your project includes Geotechnical Special Inspections AND if your project is in an environmentally critical area or involves a large quantity of earth-moving, check your special inspection permit record for an item called “Monitor Grading Season Restriction.”