we updated two Tips this month, including the Standard Plans Tip that now includes information about using accessory dwelling unit standard plans.
Seattle Unveils Pre-Approved Plans for Backyard Cottages Which Lowers Fees and Permitting Time
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today, the launch of a new website called ADUniverse that features backyard cottage designs that have been granted pre-approved City permits. The website includes a step-by-step guide to adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on a property and new data about the implementation of this increasingly popular housing option.
City Seeks Designs for Backyard Cottages to be Pre-Approved for Permits
To help more residents own and rent detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs), the City is seeking submissions from architects, designers, and builders for plans that will be pre-approved for construction permits.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan directed City staff to select plans for pre-approval to make the process to design and permit DADUs — often called backyard cottages — faster, easier, cheaper, and more predictable. Homeowners choosing a pre-approved plan will pay reduced permit fees and get their permit faster — in 2-6 weeks rather than several months for sites that do not involve protected trees or environmentally critical areas.
City Launches Effort to Develop Pre-Approved Plans for Accessory Dwelling Units
The Seattle Department of Constructions and Inspections (SDCI) and Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) together are launching a survey to help guide our effort to select designs for pre-approved plans for accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
Small, secondary homes located on the same lot as an existing residence, ADUs create more places to rent in neighborhoods where housing is often unaffordable and give homeowners flexibility to generate income, build wealth, and meet their changing household needs.
New Accessory Dwelling Unit Regulations Begin August 8
The new accessory dwelling unit regulations go into effect on August 8, 2019. This was a multiyear effort to help increase the number and variety of housing options in single-family zones and to remove barriers to developing accessory dwelling units in the city.
Thanks for Attending the SDCI Home Fairs
A huge thank you to everyone who attended SDCI’s North and South Seattle Home Fairs! We were able to answer questions for over 300 people. Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, renter, or potential homeowner, we hope that you learned something new and connected with our department and community. We’re grateful to have been joined by a variety of organizations, including Seattle Public Utilities, RainWise, Rebuilding Together Seattle, Habitat for Humanity, City Light, and Department of Neighborhoods to help us answer all your questions.
Don’t Miss the South Seattle Home Fair!
You’re invited to a South Seattle Home Fair on February 10, 2018, hosted by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Are you planning a remodeling project? Ask us about our permitting process, inspections, and codes requirements. Do you rent, or are you a landlord? Come ask about rental housing rules. We’ll also have information tables about affordable housing, landslide awareness, emergency preparedness, energy rebates, home ownership assistance, weatherization of homes, and much, much more!
Backyard Cottages Update & Meeting
On January 19, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) co-hosted the first of two community meetings with Councilmember Mike O’Brien on ways to encourage more backyard cottages and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in Seattle. Cottages are a housing option suitable for a wide range of households and can provide a reliable source of income for homeowners. They have been allowed citywide since 2010, with 220 of them built since then.
Encouraging Backyard Cottages
At the Office of Planning and Community Development, we are continuing our work with City Council to explore land use code changes that could encourage greater production of backyard cottages (also known as detached accessory dwelling units or DADUs). Expanding construction of backyard cottages could provide thousands of new housing units throughout Seattle and give homeowners an opportunity to earn stable, extra income that can help them remain in their neighborhoods.
Backyard Cottage Lunch & Learn
On December 9, from noon to 1:00 p.m., Councilmember Mike O’Brien is hosting a Lunch & Learn with the Department of Planning and Development to explore opportunities to increase production of backyard cottages. The event, at City Hall’s Council Chambers (600 4th Ave), will feature backyard cottage owners discussing their experiences permitting and constructing their cottages.
