Permit Pipeline

Keeping you updated with the latest permit-related news and developments within DPD each month.

December 2008

Development Permit Fee Changes for 2009 | Landslide Awareness Meeting | Deconstruction Permitting | Scanning Re-Submittal Documents | Customer Service Survey 

Development Permit Fee Changes for 2009
Below are highlights from the 2009 Fee Ordinance, adopted by City Council in November. There are a range of changes, with some fees being increased, some reduced, and some remaining the same. The fee changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2009.

Land Use Fees
The base fee and hourly rate of land use application review, such as SEPA, Shoreline, Conditional Use and Variances, are not changed for 2009. However, the intake appointment fee has changed from $155 to the DPD base fee ($166). Additionally the notice and exemption fees associated with Land Use Applications have increased.

Building Permits
The building permit fee, based upon project value, will generally go up one to two percent, with minor reductions for some offices and bank buildings. The increases are tied to the annual adoption of the updated Building Valuation Data Table, which establishes value of construction by occupancy grouping and type of construction, such as Type V-1 Hour apartments. The BVD table reflects regional changes in cost of construction, including both the use and the construction type. The hourly base rate for building permit review that is not tied directly to the BVD table will go from $155 to $166, as will the DPD base fee. This is the first hourly rate change in two years.

Electrical Permits
For electrical permits requiring plan review, fees are reduced 22 percent or more, depending on the value of the project. The new fee scale for electrical plan review is based upon a decreasing fee rate by increment of value; larger projects will pay less fees than previously. For over-the-counter and online-electrical permits not requiring plan review, the fees are increased approximately 25 percent for the smallest projects, with lesser increases for larger non-plan review projects.

Site Inspections
Fees for site inspections will change from hourly deposit-based minimum fee to a flat fixed rate that is based upon project and site conditions. This is not anticipated to change fees significantly, but will provide predictability up front and avoid additional hourly billings after permit issuance.

Sign Permits
The base fee has gone down from $132 to $110, and the fee per square foot has increased (from $11 to $18) for each square foot over 100 square feet. Starting in 2009, separate permits will be required for each sign face. Previously, multiple signs (totaling less than 100 square feet) were covered under the permit’s base fee.

Questions about the 2009 fees can be directed to the Applicant Services Center at (206) 684-8850.

fee

Questions about the 2009 fees can be directed to the Applicant Services Center at (206) 684-8850.
Protect Yourself and Your Property from Landslides
Did you know that 86 percent of landslides are caused to some extent by human activity? Learn how you can protect yourself and your property from a potential landslide by attending a free landslide awareness meeting, sponsored by the City of Seattle. The meeting will be held at the South Seattle Community College in the Judge Warren & Nobie Chan Education Center on Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon (park in the northeast lot). Presentations will include a discussion of the causes of landslides and proper drainage and vegetation for sloping sites. These presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer session and time for one-on-one discussions. Joining the City of Seattle staff are experts from: The American Society for Civil Engineers; The Association of Engineering Geologists; The International Society of Arboriculture; and the Associated Building Contractors. Please RSVP by contacting Tyson Lin, DPD Community Relations at (206) 684-8443. Learn more about the free landslide awareness meeting.

landslide_meeting

The landslide awareness meeting is intended to help you protect yourself and your property.
Deconstruction (Salvage) Permitting
DPD is proposing a new ordinance to amend the Land Use Code to encourage reuse and recycling of building materials. Current regulations require that new development plans be approved before allowing the demolition or the change of use of a structure containing housing units. This requirement has the unintended effect of making it difficult to deconstruct existing structures and to maximize the salvage and recycling of reusable building materials. Deconstruction and the salvage of building materials would be more cost-effective if allowed to begin while the proposed new development is under review, in appropriate circumstances. This proposal is intended support the City’s sustainable building policies. Highlights of the proposal: allows a demolition permit to be issued when DPD has approved a waste diversion plan; authorizes DPD to define by rule the specific requirements of acceptable waste diversion plans – the requirements would set minimum levels of building materials that must be diverted from landfills and would be established on the basis of DPD’s review of practices employed in the relevant industries in the region; provides greater flexibility to relocate a structure containing dwelling units from one site to another, by allowing relocation of structures either within the city or outside the city limits; and adds penalties for failure to demonstrate appropriate compliance with the waste diversion plan. DPD staff anticipate that they will provide a briefing for the City Council’s Planning Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee on Dec. 4. Further Council action, including a public hearing, are anticipated to begin in January 2009. For more information visit the Residential Deconstruction website or contact Bill Mills at (206) 684-8738.

deconstruction

DPD is proposing a new ordinance to amend the Land Use Code to encourage reuse and recycling of building materials.
DPD Begins Scanning Re-Submittal Documents
Beginning Dec. 15, documents submitted with corrected plans will be scanned into DPD’s Electronic Document Management System. When preparing your re-submittal, please bundle all supplementary documents together to facilitate scanning. It is not necessary to attach a copy of the document to a plan set for a reviewer. Electronic copies will be available to the reviewer within 24 hours of the submittal of corrected plans. Documents subject to scanning are: Contractor Disclosure Form; Financially Responsible Party Form; HVAC Equipment Sizing Form; ADU Application Form; Landmark Board Approval/Application Letter; Covenants and Easements; Geotechnical Soils Reports; Geotechnical Engineer Letters; Drainage Control Reports; Geotechnical Engineer Reports; Special Inspections Form; and the Single Family Water Availability Certificate Applications.

web_city_logo

Beginning Dec. 15, documents submitted with corrected plans will be scanned into DPD’s Electronic Document Management System.
DPD Wants to Hear From You: Customer Service Survey
DPD’s Customer Service Survey is now available online. The survey can be found on the DPD homepage, the main Planning, Permits and Code Compliance sites, and the Permit and Complaint Status page. A hard-copy survey is available from DPD’s offices in the Seattle Municipal Tower (floors 19-22). These surveys are part of Mayor Greg Nickels’ Customer Bill of Rights initiative. Take the DPD Customer Service Survey today! 

survey

Take the DPD Customer Service Survey today!