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Seattle URMs: 2023 Year in Review

December 27, 2023

Reflecting on seismic activity in 2023, nine deadly and damaging earthquakes occurred globally. In February, Turkey and Syria experienced two earthquakes over magnitude 7.5 that killed over 59 thousand people. In September, Morocco experienced a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that killed almost three thousand people. In October, Afghanistan experienced a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that killed over one thousand people. In November, Nepal experienced a magnitude 5.7 earthquake that killed over 150 people. In December, China experienced a magnitude 5.9 earthquake that killed 149 people. Four additional earthquakes in Afghanistan, Ecuador, Turkey, and the Philippines each resulted in deaths of ten or more people. While earthquakes cannot be predicted, we know Seattle will experience a damaging earthquake in the future and we can predict how buildings will perform in an earthquake. 2023 was a year of progress and milestones in advancing the seismic resilience of Seattle’s unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, buildings that are prone to collapse in an earthquake.

Filed Under: Emergency PreparednessTagged With:

December Publication Updates

December 27, 2023

We updated five Tips, published a final Director’s Rule on relocation assistance eligibility, and rescinded several outdated Director’s Rules.

Filed Under: Document UpdatesTagged With: ,

SDCI Launches Zendesk for Tenant Relocation Assistance Holds

December 1, 2023

We launched Zendesk for developers and owners needing assistance with tenant relocation (TRAO) holds on their permits. Zendesk offers a new way for customers to ask us questions about TRAO holds on their permits as well as those wanting to begin the TRAO process.  Zendesk replaced the complaint line and the Seattle Services Portal for new requests from owners and developers. If you have a pending TRAO request submitted through either the complaint line or the Seattle Servies Portal, please do not submit a another request through Zendesk.

Filed Under: Landlord and Tenant InformationTagged With:

Don’t Forget to Inspect Storm Drain Inserts

December 1, 2023

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.

Filed Under: Seasonal AlertsTagged With:

Retiring Parcel Data Viewer

December 1, 2023

We are planning to retire the Parcel Data Viewer tool in mid-December, however all of the data displayed on that tool may be found using the King County Parcel Viewer and SDCI’s GIS mapping tool.

Filed Under: Department UpdatesTagged With:

November Publication Updates

December 1, 2023

November 2023 Publication Updates

Filed Under: Document UpdatesTagged With: ,

Fremont Watershed Building Fulfills Living Building Pilot Program Requirements

October 31, 2023

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is excited to announce the Watershed building in Fremont is our third Living Building Pilot building to successfully complete the pilot program green building requirements. The Watershed building recently received Petal Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) and met the requirements to reduce energy and water use.  Only two other pilot projects have successfully completed the process—the Bullitt Center and Stone 34.

Filed Under: PermitsTagged With: ,

Accela Awards the City of Seattle a 2023 Trendsetter Award

October 31, 2023

Employees from SDCI and Seattle IT attended the Accela annual conference, Accelarate, September 23 – 27 in Washington D.C. The City of Seattle was honored at the recognition luncheon with an Accelarate Trendsetter Award for “Connecting in Purpose – Permitting System Integration” for the Seattle Services Portal (on the Accela platform). The annual conference and Trendsetter Awards are opportunities for agencies in the US to connect and learn from each other to move governments forward to improve services to the public. The award recognizes government agencies as well as individuals who embrace technology and digital modernization to deliver reliable services to their communities.

Filed Under: Department UpdatesTagged With:

Make Sure Your Condominium Address is Valid

October 31, 2023

SDCI is the Addressing Authority for the City of Seattle. It is essential that assigned addresses are accurate so the property can reliably receive the following services: mail delivery, utilities, and emergency services. When King County records condominiums as part of the process to assign assessor parcel numbers, they sometimes assign addresses that do not match the addresses we have on record at SDCI. This is particularly prevalent in neighborhood residential (NR) zones with attached and detached accessory dwelling units.

Filed Under: Department UpdatesTagged With:

Introducing Our New Residential Inspection Quick Sheets!

October 31, 2023

SDCI is committed to providing you with the best possible service and support throughout your residential building projects. We understand that the inspection process can sometimes feel overwhelming, and that’s why we are thrilled to introduce our new Residential Inspection Quick Sheets! Our Residential Inspection Quick Sheets are guides designed to help give transparency to the inspection process by understanding what our inspectors are looking for during inspections.

Filed Under: InspectionsTagged With: