Floodplain Development Code
See also: Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) Code
What Is It?
Our floodplain development ordinance has standards and restrictions for construction and development in designated flood hazard areas in the city. Areas affected by the regulations are located within the designated floodplain along the:
- Thornton, Pipers, and Longfellow Creeks
- Duwamish Waterway
- Puget Sound coastline
Areas that Seattle Public Utilities has identified as having problem drainage are also regulated by our floodplain development ordinance.
If you are considering construction on property located in any of these areas, you should consult our regulations before starting the permit process. The King County Flooding Services and the FloodSmart.gov websites are also helpful resources.
Read the Code
- Seattle Residential Code
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 24-14, Flood Resistant Design and Construction
- ASCE 7-16, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
- Floodplain Management Publication
- Director's Rule 8-89, Development Activity Requiring a Permit or License Under the Floodplain Development Ordinance: Exemption
- Tip 111, Construction and Development in Floodplains
- Floodplain Development Code
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
Please see FEMA's Flood Map Service Center for the FIRMS for Seattle. You can find the map for a specific property by entering the address, or select Show ALL Products for all maps and other documents for the City of Seattle.
The FIRMs identify flood-prone areas under current conditions. The maps do not take into account the increasing risk of flooding due to sea level rise or stronger storms. More information about the effects of climate change in Seattle is available from Seattle Public Utilities, including an interactive Sea Level Rise Map.
Proposed Changes
We are in the process of replacing the interim Floodplain Development Regulations, which went into effect in August 2020, with permanent regulations. More information about the proposed changes can be found on our Floodplain Development Regulations Update page.