Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

Are You Prepared for Landslides?

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Wet weather is approaching Landslide season is approaching, so the City of Seattle is urging residents to take preventive measures to protect themselves and their property from possible landslides. Did you know that most landslides occur between the months of November and March? As snow melts and rainfall continues to increase throughout the winter, the […]

City of Seattle Extends Free Street Use Permits for Businesses Through October 31, 2021

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-City Will Provide Free Tent and Heating Permits to Help Businesses Maintain Outdoor Operations During COVID-19 Pandemic Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) temporary street use permits are extended through October 31, 2021. These free permits allow small businesses to expand their operations outside to help ease the […]

Displacement Risk Monitoring Data Will Guide Future Community Wealth Building Efforts

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The Office of Planning and Community Development has launched an Equitable Development monitoring program that includes a new  Displacement Risk Indicators dashboard and Community Indicators of Equitable Development report. The City will be tracking areas where displacement risk for communities of color continues to rise, as well as monitoring housing affordability, economic opportunity, and other metrics. This ongoing program will provide data to City leaders and the public to help guide decisions to advance equitable development and mitigate displacement risk.  

Proposed Changes to the Green Building Incentives

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We are seeing drastic signs of climate change in Seattle and throughout Washington State. Smokey summers and droughts are becoming more common and snowpack and stream flows have been altered and are decreasing our future water supply and hydropower production. At the same time, energy and water demands are increasing with population growth. We must reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to tackle climate change and to achieve the City’s transition to a clean energy future. Our buildings make up about one-third of Seattle’s emissions. SDCI offers three incentives to help solve this crisis.

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. The inserts, also known as storm drain socks, are used on many construction projects to catch sediment not captured by other required construction-related erosion control measures.

Mayor Signs Childcare Near You Ordinance

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On August 21, 2020, Mayor Jenny Durkan signed Ordinance 126131, the Childcare Near You legislation, providing greater flexibility to establish new child care centers in nearly all zones in the city including single-family zones.  This ordinance is effective as of September 20, 2020.

What’s Happening with the Stormwater Code Update?

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Our proposed 2021 Stormwater Code and Manual update is scheduled to be effective in July 2021. Our new rules will replace the current Stormwater code and Directors’ Rules, which are administered jointly by SDCI and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). For more information, visit our Updating Stormwater Regulations web page. There are two public review periods and three public meetings coming up between now and mid-2021.

Reminder: 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.”

2020 King Conservation District Seattle Community Partnership Grant

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The King Conservation District and Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment are excited to announce that the 2020 Seattle Community Partnership Grant Program is now accepting applications! Organizations seeking to improve natural resources and advance environmental equity can learn more and apply on the King Conservation District website. Applications are due October 19.