Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

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.

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.

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.

Seattle Tree Service Providers Must Register and Post Public Notice

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The City Council 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.  

Reminder: Plan Review Response/Reply Process Refresher

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Back on January 10, SDCI transitioned to providing plan reviews via plan mark-up instead of traditional letters. This article is a refresher on the process 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.) When all responses are documented, we ask that applicants upload the response plan set (as document type “Correction Response Plan Set” or “Correction Response Plan Set – Land Use”) along with the new plan set as (document type “Plan Set” or “Plan Set – Land Use”) for the next review cycle. We have a helpful video to help you learn how to navigate the new process.

Funds Available for Deconstruction!

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SPU is launching a pilot program to provide financial incentive up to $4,000 per deconstruction project. Deconstruction, the systematic disassembly of buildings to maximize reuse, is gaining momentum as an alternative to demolition. Deconstruction has multiple benefits, such as capturing useful wood for incorporation into new buildings, avoiding stormwater and dust impacts from demolition, and sending less material to landfill. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), along with Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection (SDCI), are implementing a pilot deconstruction incentive program to increase deconstruction projects and build familiarity with the process, gather data, and identify innovations.

King County Recorder Office Record Processing Delay

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The King County Recorder’s Office will be moving from the Administration Building to King Street Center (201 S Jackson St) starting in mid-November 2022. The move will take approximately two weeks to complete. During this time, the recording processing of paper documents will be severely delayed. Online submittals will continue to be processed. This will affect SDCI projects that need to be recorded such as lot boundary adjustments, unit lot subdivisions, short plats, MHA, and ECA covenants.

Street Use Rate and Fee Changes

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On January 1, 2023, Street Use issuance and hourly rate amounts will be adjusted by the Consumer Price Index amount of 9%. This is a slight change from what had been previously announced owing to the change in the CPI percentage.

New Commissioners Sought to Join the Seattle Design Commission

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Mayor Bruce Harrell is recruiting to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Seattle Design Commission – a Licensed Architect, a Landscape Architect, and a Transportation Planner. All positions will start their two-year terms in March 2023.

Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Commissioners are eligible for a second two-year term following completion of their first two-year term. The 10‐member commission is comprised of architecture and design professionals and includes one member from Get Engaged, the YMCA Young Civic Leaders Program.