Incentives & Bonuses

Pedestrian Master Plan > Toolbox > Planning, Land Use, and Zoning > Incentives & Bonuses

The City of Seattle offers a number of development incentives and, in 2007, reformed the commercial land use code to stimulate and enliven Seattle’s neighborhood business districts—the neighborhood centers where people interact and essential goods, services, and jobs are provided. For example, the reformed code increased landscaping requirements, lowered required parking thresholds, strengthened pedestrian-oriented street front development standards and guidelines.

In addition, in May 2006, the City updated rules for the central office core and adjoining areas, including Denny Triangle and a portion of Belltown. Major changes in the new regulations include:

• greater heights (unlimited for the main office core)
• greater maximum floor area - required narrow widths for upper levels of residential towers
• a new program for market-rate housing to contribute to affordable housing
• a new program allowing greater development for environmentally sustainable construction (LEED silver)
• greater transferable development rights for historic structures downtown
• tower spacing required in some downtown areas.

Other tools in this category include:
Fees in Lieu
Transferable Development Rights
Preservation & Development Authority
Local Improvement Districts
Denny Triangle Green Streets