The Seattle Department of Planning and Development (DPD) develops, administers, and enforces standards for land use, design, construction, and housing within the city limits. DPD is also responsible for long-range planning in Seattle.

The department develops policies and codes related to environmental protection, development, housing and community standards, including:

  • Seattle Land Use Code
  • State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
  • Seattle Shoreline Master Plan
  • Environmental Critical Areas Ordinance (ECA)
  • Seattle Building Code
  • Seattle Mechanical Code
  • Seattle Energy Code
  • Stormwater, Grading and Drainage Control Ordinance
  • Housing and Bulding Maintenance Code
  • Seattle Noise Ordinance 

Each year DPD approves over 23,000 land use and construction-related permits and performs approximately 80,000 on-site inspections. The work includes public notice and involvement for Master Use Permits (MUPs); shoreline review; design review; approval of permits for construction, mechanical systems, site development, elevators, electrical installation, boilers, furnaces, refrigeration, signs and billboards; annual inspections of boilers and elevators; home seismic retrofits; and home improvements workshops in the community.

The department also enforces compliance with community standards for housing, zoning, shorelines, tenant relocation assistance, just cause eviction, vacant buildings, and noise, responding to over 4,000 complaints annually.

In June 2002 a number of long-range physical planning functions were added to the department's mission, including the Seattle Planning Commission. DPD is now responsible for monitoring and updating the City's Comprehensive Plan; evaluating regional growth management policy; developing sub-area and functional plans, preparing urban design plans; developing land use policy; and staffing the Seattle Planning Commission and the Seattle Design Commission.

For an overview of how DPD has grown over the years and a spotlight on current planning and development issues in Seattle, see our "History of DPD" Powerpoint presentation. Warning: File size 11MB.