DPD planners review development proposals in the City of Seattle for compliance with a variety of land use regulations, including the Seattle Land Use Code, Seattle Shoreline Master Program, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the Environmental Critical Areas Ordinance, and the Stormwater, Grading and Drainage Control Code. Another important element of the Seattle Land Use Code is Design Review.
DPD's land use review team is committed to providing consistent, clear information to applicants and the public (see Applying for a Land Use Permit and Publications and Maps). Find answers to your questions on our Frequently Asked Questions website. Some types of land use/zoning questions may be answered by phone, but most require an in-person meeting with a land use planner at our Applicant Services Center (ASC).
Coaching and screening for prospective applicants is available on a walk-in basis in the ASC, but a scheduled pre-application conference may be required or desirable.
DPD staff strongly advise that you begin your research of applicable land use provisions as soon as possible. We look forward to discussing your project with you early in the development process.
Land Use Review includes both prescriptive plan review, such as a new single family residence that meets land use standards outright, and discretionary reviews that include public notice soliciting comments from the community and allow appeal. Examples of discretionary decisions include short plats, variances, conditional uses, shoreline substantial development, some types of design review, and environmental review. A table of types of land use decisions is available in Chapter 23.76 of the Seattle Land Use Code.
Public notice of land use actions is provided by our Public Resource Center (PRC) and includes onsite notices (the white and yellow notice signs), and online Land Use Information Service (LUIB). The online service includes notices of applications and decisions, with maps and the written decisions, and was previously called the General Mail Release or GMR.
