City Council Reviewing Multifamily Code Update

The City Council began its review of multifamily zoning in March, 2009. In August 2009, the Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee (PLUNC) decided to split the proposal into two parts, beginning with changes to the Midrise and Highrise zones. The Council adopted amendments to those two zones in December 2009.

Phase 2 of the multifamily code update addresses the lowrise zones and other issues remaining from last year. The City Council’s Committee on the Built Environment (COBE) identified a list of issues to be examined and a schedule in February of 2010.

Issues identified by COBE: 

1. Consider encouraging different types of multifamily buildings (rowhouses, cottage housing, townhouses, and apartments) in different Lowrise zones, with the possibility of combining the L1 and L2 zones and L3 and L4 zones.
2. Consider increasing the height limit from 25 feet to 30 feet in Lowrise Duplex Triplex (LDT), L1, and L2 zones, and from 30 feet to 35 or 37 feet in L3 zones, to encourage better design and more livable units.
3. Determine appropriate Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits. Consider whether the FAR exemptions approved by the Council last year for Midrise and Highrise zones should be applied in L zones, and whether FAR controls should replace density limits in LDT, L1, and L2 zones.
4. Do not apply incentive zoning requirements in L3 zones.
5. Determine appropriate Green Factor landscaping requirements.
6. Determine appropriate residential amenity standards to replace open space requirements.
7. Review the development standards for lowrise zoned lots that are across an alley or abutting a single-family zoned lot to provide the flexibility needed for better design while minimizing possible impacts.
8. Consider allowing access to parking from alleys across from single family zones, and from more than one access point as a way to reduce the amount of paving on a lot.
9. Consider whether to eliminate parking requirements in lowrise zones in urban villages, as is already the case in urban centers and Station Area Overlay Districts, and whether to waive parking requirements when a developer preserves an existing building on a site.
10. Consider whether to require Administrative Design Review for buildings with three units or more (the current threshold is nine units), instead of, or in addition to, setting prescriptive design standards in the code.
11. Review whether there should be greater regulation of units with large numbers of bedrooms.
12. Determine whether additional small commercial uses should be allowed in lowrise multifamily zones, and if so, the appropriate mechanism for doing this.

Issues that affect more than just lowrise zoned areas: 

1. Establish new standards for the location and dimensions of waste disposal areas.
2. Establish a consistent and simpler method for measuring structure height that addresses different site conditions and works well with Building Code requirements.
3. Review subdivision rules in order to find ways to allow townhouses and rowhouses without the need for unit lot subdivisions, and/or consider changes to simplify the unit lot subdivision process.

Schedule for Council review of lowrise zoning 

For more information on Council’s review and the analysis of the issues identified, please see this website:

http://seattle.gov/council/clark/2009townhomes.htm.

The City Council Adopted New Midrise and Highrise Zoning

The City Council has reviewed the Mayor’s proposed changes to multifamily zoning and has decided to split the proposal into two pieces of legislation.  The first piece adopted changes to the Midrise (MR) and Highrise (HR) zones, with some provisions amended that would affect all zones, such as reductions in parking.  The second piece will be taken up in the middle of 2010 by the Council’s Committee on the Built Environment after DPD completes additional analysis requested by the City Councilmembers. 

See Ordinance 123209  at: http://www.seattle.gov/leg/clerk/clerk.htm (search for 123209)

The ordinance was signed by the Mayor on December 21, 2009 and will be effective on February 19, 2010.

Download the Multifamily Code Update Midrise and Highrise FAQ

Mayor's Proposal

For many Seattle residents, multifamily development is a valuable option for housing and can provide an entry into home ownership. However, this development must fit better into our neighborhoods, and we should expect these projects to be sensitive to the environment and give back to our community.

This is the first major update to our multifamily zoning in more than 20 years. Highlights include:

Better townhouse design.
New standards are proposed such as more front-facing windows and doors, and lower fences so townhouses fit better with their communities. Administrative Design Review for all townhouses is proposed in related legislation.

Protecting our single-family neighborhoods.
No zoning changes in single-family areas. Setbacks and other height restrictions would provide important transitions between multifamily and single-family zones.

Green construction and landscaping.
Improved landscaping requirements such as green roofs and vegetated walls, and green building standards in cases where additional development capacity is allowed.

Affordable housing.
In some areas zoned Lowrise 3 (for three-story apartment buildings), about 5% of the city’s land, an additional 7 feet would be allowed if the developer agrees to provide affordable housing. Some midrise, and highrise residential towers on First Hill, would also be eligible for additional height if contributions are made through the Work Force Housing Incentive program.

Together, our challenge is to direct development in ways that protect and preserve our communities. This proposal will balance our goals of managing growth wisely and securing more affordable housing, all while maintaining and enhancing our great neighborhoods.

• Summary of key changes by zones. (PDF)
• What does this proposal do to create affordable housing? (PDF)
• How will the proposal improve townhouses? (PDF)
• How will these changes benefit the environment? (PDF)
• How does this proposal protect single-family neighborhoods? (PDF)