Solid Waste Storage and Access - What & Why

What’s Happening Now?

Seattle has now updated the Land Use Code’s solid waste storage and access requirements in Section 23.54.040 of the Land Use Code. These apply to new development and to building additions and building renovations of certain sizes. 

The City Council’s Parks, Public Utilities, and Technology Committee evaluated the proposal in July and approved it in August 2025. Mayor Bruce Harrell signed Ordinance 127285 and it went into effect on October 5, 2025. See more information about the ordinance and related documents at the webpage for Council Bill 121005.

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), SDCI, and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will review development permit applications according to these standards.

The adopted code changes achieve the following: 

1. Add definitions and clarifying terms to the Land Use Code. This includes for dumpsters and other container types; and clarifies how containers may be shared by building users.
2. Apply solid waste requirements to new uses in Neighborhood Residential (NR) zones, commercial-space additions 5,000 square feet or greater in size, and changes-of-use 10,000 square feet or greater in size. 
3. Update requirements including minimum storage area dimensions, clearance heights for collection trucks, width of access doors and paths, staging and collection locations, maximum slopes, and placement of larger storage containers for collection.  
4. Provide added flexibility for alternative arrangements to meet solid waste storage and access requirements.
5. Facilitate more efficient reviews by requiring solid waste design details to be shown on project plans.

Project Benefits

Designing solid waste storage space and collection locations are vital for new developments, to allow enough space and accessibility for regular collection. This helps to support daily living and business activity in a dense city. The benefits are:

1. Clarify the minimum requirements for solid waste service, storage and access, to help building designers and applicants. 
2. Adjust certain requirements to ensure minimum-sized areas will have enough space for the solid waste containers’ safe storage and movements. 
3. Continue to promote the improved ease of using recycling and composting containers, to increase the overall benefits of waste reduction. 
4. Continue to provide flexibility in the application of code requirements to identify the best fit for new developments.
5. Support more efficient and timely permit reviews.
6. Improve safety.  

The End Result

These code updates ensure well-sized and functional solid waste storage facilities, and ensure good access and collection, to support the City’s forward-looking waste reduction, recycling and composting efforts.