Street Use issues permits to construct maintain and operate railroad or streetcar tracks, pipes, ducts, utility tunnels, vaults, maintenance holes, poles, fixtures, wires or any other appurtenants on, under or over the streets, alleys or public places of the City of Seattle. These installations include in part: gas mains and services; electrical manholes and conduits; telecommunication manholes and conduits; steam mains and services; water mains and services; utility poles; underground fuel storage tanks; and aerial CATV and telecommunications cables.
The applicant must submit an application and plan detailing the proposed utility to the Franchise and Utility Permit Section. The application and plan will be reviewed and any corrections noted before a permit will be issued.
2.7.1 Drainage Requirements
Any land disturbing activity or new and replaced impervious surface of 750 square feet or more requires Drainage Control Review. For more information about drainage approvals and submittal requirements refer to DPD Client Assistance Memo (CAM) 501 Making Sense of Seattle’s Stormwater, Grading and Drainage Control Code, or contact DPD's Site Development staff or Drainage & Sewer Review staff. For grading related to Construction Permits, refer to DPD CAM 502, Grading Regulations in Seattle.
The Stormwater, Grading and Drainage Control Code (SGCD) also guides temporary erosion and sediment control requirements for private development projects. In addition, Seattle’s Standard Plans and Standard Specifications guide temporary erosion and sediment control in the street right-of-way. The Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program provides recommended best management practices for routine maintenance activities in the street right-of-way.
All new construction projects receive a comprehensive set of City drainage requirements for private development and right-of-way improvements from DPD Drainage and SPU in the Preliminary Application Review. This allows applicants to assess project drainage infrastructure requirements .
From there, it is possible to estimate the amount of new or replaced impervious surfaces, and the project is routed to Seattle Public Utilities for a determination of drainage code requirements. Requirements may be based on a variety of factors, such as City policies, codes, and the condition and capacity of existing city infrastructure, as it relates to or is impacted by the proposed project.
Required right-of-way drainage infrastructure improvements are considered major right-of-way improvements. The applicant will be required to get a Street Improvement Major Permit. The drainage elements of the plan will be reviewed and approved by SPU.
2.7.2 Side Sewer Permitting
Side sewers, which include service drains and any other piping that is connected to public storm drains or sewers, are installed, owned, and maintained by the owner of the property being served. This ownership extends from the building structure to the tee or wye connection at the main, and therefore the property owner is responsible for excavation, installation, and restoration within the street right-of-way.
Side sewer construction shall be in accordance with the City of Seattle Standard Plans and Specifications, latest edition. There may be additional requirements for service taps, backfilling, shoring, and restoration within the street right-of-way or public easement.
Side Sewer permitting is administered by the Department of Planning and Development, which provides guidance and ensures that requirements are met by performing application review and site inspection. Construction work in the street right-of-way is inspected by SDOT. For more information on side sewer permitting please read DPD CAM 503. If your work on a side sewer involves any impeding any traffic on an arterial, a traffic control plan is required. See the SDOT CAMs on Traffic Control Plan Checklist and Traffic Control Plan submittals.
2.7.3 Stormwater Management and Temporary Construction Dewatering
In constructing street right-of-way improvements that involve ground disturbance or excavation, there are requirements for managing stormwater flows during construction. At minimum, a Temporary Erosion and Sediment Control Plan will need to be prepared and submitted as part of the requirements of the Street Use Permit. Other permits will be required. A Waste Discharge Permit from King County or state permits may also be required. Refer to Section 2.12.3 State and Federal Permits and Approvals.
Dewatering is defined as the removal and appropriate discharge and release of surface water and subsurface water. Temporary dewatering is when this activity occurs during construction. If this activity is significant in terms of impact, the applicant will be required to prepare a Temporary Dewatering Plan, subject to approval by Seattle Public Utilities. The applicant will need to obtain a Temporary Side Sewer Permit in order to dispose of dewatering discharges, as administered through DPD as well as King County. Significant activities triggering these requirements include; excavations greater than 12 feet deep, encountering groundwater during construction, encountering contaminated water, and other triggers. Refer to the Side Sewer Permit for Temporary Dewatering Director’s Rule (DR 04-3) for detailed information on requirements.
2.7.4 Water Services, Hydrants, and Other Water System Appurtenances
The installation of water services, hydrants, and other water system appurtenances in the street right-of-way that are to serve a property or development requires a Street Use Permit issued by SDOT and either a standard charge or a time and materials charge payable to SPU. The installation of these facilities is done by SPU and the Street Use Permit is obtained by SPU.
To obtain a water service, there are several key steps:
Determine your use, and the flow range and diameter of the water service you need. Contact SPU’s Customer Service consultants for assistance – 206 684-5800.
Obtain a Water Availability Certificate (WAC) to determine whether water service is available to your property. A legal description and the name and address of the owner/contact person is required per the WAC. If water is available, you can apply for a water service with SPU’s Customer Service Branch. For details, please review the SPU CAM 1202. At the time of this application, payment for the water service must be made. In some cases, a plan by a registered professional engineer that is acceptable to SPU may be required. Otherwise SPU will use its standard details.
Once application and payment has been made, the Street Use Permit application and installation is completed by SPU.
If hydrants and other water system appurtenances in the street right-of-way are needed for your project and they are an individual installation (e.g., water fountain, hydrant) that is not part of a larger water system improvement, then a request and payment will need to be made to SPU.
Contact SPU for more information and a standard charge or time and materials charge payable to SPU will be required prior to the commencement of any work. In some cases, a design by a registered professional engineer will be needed. Once the fees and design are complete, the Street Use Permit and installation are performed by SPU as is the case with water service installations. Refer to the SPU website for details on how to initiate water services.
2.7.5 City Light Permit Processes for New Street Lights
For streetlight installations on street existing wood poles, no permit is required. If Seattle City Light has to install a new wood pole in the street right-of-way for a streetlight, then a permit is required for the pole, but not for the streetlight itself. For more details, go to the SCL webpage for new service connection.
If a metal streetlight standard is installed in an area where utilities are underground, a permit will be required for doing trenching in the street right-of-way. That permit will cover the installation for the conduits, the streetlight base, and the light standard.
2.7.6 City Light Permit Processes for Pole and Wireless Attachments
Fiber optic or cable attachments : A Street Use Permit is not required for Seattle City Light to process Pole Attachment Applications. City Light also does not need a Street Use Permit to prepare an existing pole for the new attachment. However, if a pole must be replaced to accommodate a new cable or wireless antenna attachment, then City Light would obtain a permit for setting the pole. This is not to be confused with the applicant's own work in the street right-of-way. In all cases, the applicant, who requests to attach equipment on City Light poles, must obtain a Street Use Permit from SDOT prior to constructing their system.
In addition to obtaining the aforementioned Street Use Permit from SDOT, the applicant must also obtain permission and approval from City Light prior to attaching any of their equipment on City Light poles. A pole attachment application must be submitted to City Light well in advance. A Master Pole Attachment Agreement is also required if the applicant is going to attach their equipment to seven or more City Light poles. Contact City Light Distribution Design Office for information regarding the Pole Attachment Application form and the Master Pole Attachment Agreement.
Wireless antenna attachments : For wireless antenna attachments on City Light poles, there is a review process, which, among other things, includes a request for preliminary determination from City Light as to the feasibility of a site for such equipment, a submittal of written application in writing along with a deposit and/or bond to cover the work, etc. ContactCity Light Property Services for more information regarding City Light requirements and processes for wireless antenna attachments.
2.7.7 Privately Owned Utilities
If the project impacts an underground utility, it is possible that the utility is owned and maintained by a private entity, which has been granted authority by the City of Seattle to place facilities in the street right-of-way. The Utility Permit Specialist in SDOT Street Use Division will inform the applicant of any special requirements that may apply.
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