Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections
Nathan Torgelson, Director
Seattle Home Fairs
What Is It?
Each year, SDCI hosts our annual Seattle Home Fairs. Our free home fairs include helpful information about landslide preparation, earthquake retrofits, tree regulations, accessory dwelling units, floor area ratios, and rental housing rules. They are an opportunity to ask our experts about our permitting process and code regulations.
This year we hosted our home fair virtually. The home fair recordings and supporting material are posted below.
2022 Home Fair Material
Landslide Preparation
- Landslide Preparation Video
- Seattle Landslides: What You Need to Know Presentation
- Resources:
- USGS Landslide Monitoring
- SDCI Resources Webpage
- Tip 327A, Environmentally Critical Areas Exemptions, Relief from Prohibition on Steep Slope Development, and Modifications to Submittal Requirements - Application Instructions and Submittal Requirements
- Tip 331a, Environmentally Critical Areas: Vegetation Restoration
- Environmentally Critical Areas Standard Mitigation Plan Form
- How to Apply for SDCI Approval for Hazard Tree Removal and Vegetation Restoration
- Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
- GIS Map
- American Society of Civil Engineers / Geo-Institute Seattle Section Geotechnical Group
- Vegetation Managment on Slopes
Tree Regulations
- Tree Regulations Video
- Tree Regulations Presentation
- Resources:
- Bluebeam Review Process
- Common Seattle Trees (helpful guide to identifying common trees, including exceptional trees
- Director's Rule 16 2008, Designation for Exceptional Trees
- Director's Rule 17 2018, Calculating Tree Valuations and Civil Penalties for Tree Protection Code Violations
- Environmentally Critical Area Mitigation Plan
- Environmentally Critical Areas, SMC 25.09
- GIS Map
- Great Plant Picks
- How to apply for a hazard tree removal permit
- How to Respond to Corrections
- King County Native Plants
- Maps to see locations of Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA)
- OSU Landscape Plants
- Plant Amnesty Referral Service
- Seattle City Light Vegetation Management
- Seattle Department of Transportation Registered Tree Service Providers
- Seattle Department of Transportation Street Tree Permits
- Seattle Municipal Code 23.44.10
- Seattle Municipal Code 25.11.060
- Seattle Parks and Recreation Tree Health and Management
- Seattle Services Portal (file complaint, permit applications)
- Send Us a Question
- Tip 220, Lot Coverage, Height and Yard Standards for Homes in Single Family Zones
- Tip 242, Tree Protection Regulations in Seattle
- Tip 331, Environmentally Critical Areas Tree and Vegetation Overview
- Tip 331A, Environmentally Critical Areas Vegetation Restoration
- Tip 331B, Hazard Tree
- Tree & Vegetation Protection Detail
- Tree Removal Website
- Trees for Seattle
- Tree Protection Area Sign
- Tree Protection Code Website
- Verify an ISA Credential
Earthquake Home Retrofits
Accessory Dwelling Units
- Accessory Dwelling Units Video
- Accessory Dwelling Units - Attached and Detached Presentation
- Resources:
- ADUniverse Webpage
- Building Permit Renewals
- Microfilm Library: sci_microfilm@seattle.gov
- Online Paid Coaching
- Permit Renewal Timeline Information
- Seattle Department of Transportation Construction in the Right-of-Way
- Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
- Site Development Inspections
- Seattle Municipal Code 23.44.011.C
- Steep Slope Development Relief Information
- Street Use Permit
- Tip 103, Site Plan Requirements
- Tip 116A, Establishing an Attached Accessory Dwelling Unit (AADU) in Residential Zones
- Tip116B, Establishing a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)
- Tip 130, Addressing Review
Rental Housing Rules
Floor Area Ratios in Single-Family Zones
- Floor Area Ratios Video
- Floor Area Ratios Presentation
- Resources:
- Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)
- DR 4-2019, Yards, setback, and gross floor area for purposes of Land Use Code Standards
- Seattle Municipal Code 23.86.007 - Floor area and floor area ratio (FAR) measurement