If you are a contractor or geotechnical special inspector who will be conducting grading activity in an Environmentally Critical Area (ECA) during Seattle's wet season (October 31-April 1), you need to start planning early to obtain a dry season extension letter from DCLU and avoid a stop work order.

In consideration of slope stability and soil erosion, the Seattle Municipal Code requires that all grading in ECAs must be completed or stabilized by October 31 each year, unless it can be proven to DCLU that no environmental harm or safety problems will result (SMC 25.09.060 C9).

Overview of Dry Season Extension Requirements
For permits issued prior to October 1 in a given year:

• The geotechnical engineer must send a letter to DCLU by October 7 providing the schedule for completing the grading work.
• If the schedule shows that the grading and site stabilization will continue past October 31, a Dry Season Extension Application must be filed with DCLU no later than October 15. DCLU will process these applications as soon as possible, but if the extension is not approved by October 31, the contractor must stop any grading and stabilize the site immediately.
• If the schedule shows that all grading will be completed by October 31, then a letter from the geotechnical engineer, stating that the grading was competed and site stabilized, must be submitted to DCLU no later than October 31.

For permits issued between October 1-April 1 in a given year:

• No grading work can start after October 1 for projects subject to dry season restriction unless the contractor submits, on or before the date of permit issuance, a schedule approved by the geotechnical engineer showing that grading will be completed by October 31.
• No grading can occur without the dry season extension approval for permits issued after October 31.
• DCLU's Site Development team will issue a stop work order on November 1 on projects that are not in compliance with Director's Rule 3-2002 (see box at top right).