Comment on a Project

Who Can Comment

Anyone! We recognize that people have unique knowledge about the areas in which they live and work. The purpose of collecting comments is to help us understand your concerns and interests pertaining to a specific project, identify potential impacts and find solutions within the scope of review as established by the Land Use Code.

When Can You Comment?

You can comment on a project during the public comment period. We publish the comment period in our Land Use Information Bulletin and on the notice of proposed land use action posted on the project site. We may consider comments submitted after the comment period if we receive them before we complete our review and publish our decision. Staff considers all comments within the scope of the review while writing the decision and incorporates them as applicable in the MUP decision. Due to the high volume of comments, we are unable to reply to each comment individually. If you have a specific question about the project, please contact the planner directly.

What Criteria Does the City Consider?

To make your comments more effective, reference the applicable criteria, policies, or guidelines relevant to each specific type of application. A development proposal may include one or more application as part of its Master Use Permit. Common types of applications, which provide opportunity for public comment, include:

Proposals that include administrative conditional use review are subject to criteria outlined in the Land Use Code. The code includes general provisions as well as zone-specific criteria that are applicable based on the zoning designation. You should reference specific criteria in your comments. For instance, if you are concerned about lighting impacts associated with a private school in a neighborhood residential zone, refer to the Light and Glare criterion.   

Proposals that include full, administrative, or streamlined Design Review are subject to the City's adopted Design Guidelines. The citywide Design Guidelines always apply, but there may be additional neighborhood-specific design guidelines that also apply to a proposal based on its location. You should reference specific Design Guidelines in your comments. For instance, if you are concerned about how a design fits within the context of the existing neighborhood, refer to Design Guideline CS2, Urban Pattern and Form.

Proposals that include an ECA component, such as an ECA variance or exception, are subject to criteria outlined in the ECA Code. You should reference specific criteria in your comments. For instance, if you are concerned about the amount of disturbance within a Steep Slope Erosion Hazard ECA, refer the specific Steep Slope Erosion Hazard Area Variance criteria for intrusion into the ECA.  

Proposals that include a rezone are subject to criteria outlined in the Land Use Code, specifically in the rezone section. The code includes general rezone criteria provisions as well as zone-specific criteria that are applicable based on the proposed zoning designation or increased height limit. You should reference specific criteria in your comments.

Proposals that require a shoreline permit are subject to criteria outlined in the Land Use Code, specifically the Shoreline Master Program. You should reference specific criteria in your comments.

Proposals that include a short plat or subdivision are subject to criteria outlined in the Land Use Code, specifically the platting requirements. You should reference specific criteria in your comments.

Proposals that include SEPA environmental review are subject to the policies outlined in the SEPA Code. You should reference specific SEPA policies in your comments. For instance, if you are concerned about shadow impacts on a public park, refer to the SEPA Shadows on Open Space policy. 

Proposals that include a variance are subject to criteria outlined in the Land Use Code, specifically in the variance section. You should reference specific criteria in your comments.

Steps to Write and Submit Public Comments

CommentOnProjectStepsWeb

Certain types of development proposals include an opportunity for the public to comment on the permit application. In our review of the permit application, we consider comments that are within the scope of our review and relate to applicable City codes and design guidelines.

To write an effective comment:

  • Note the project number and address
  • Review the project file and plans
  • Consider criteria (listed above) relevant to the application
  • Explain your interest in the project
  • Provide additional site or context information that you think is important
  • State your concerns or support for aspects of the proposal

You may submit your comments in the following ways:

  • Use our public comment tool (preferred method).
  • Send your comment by postal mail to:
    Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
    ATTN: Public Notice
    700 Fifth Ave, Ste 2000
    P.O. Box 34019 Seattle, WA 98124-4019
  • Comment at a public meeting. Certain types of applications include an opportunity for providing comment at a public meeting or hearing.
    • If a project is subject to full Design Review, you can also provide comments during  a public Design Review Board meeting.
    • If a project meets critieria in the land use code, you can provide comments at a land use public meeting. See How to Participate in a Land Use Public Meeting, below.

We post all comments, in their entirety, in the Seattle Services Portal and they become part of the public record for that project.

Seattle’s Land Use Code Title 23, Chapter 76 provides an opportunity for public meetings when:

  • The project is of broad public significance,
  • The project is required to hold a public meeting,
  • The project requires a shoreline conditional use permit or shoreline variance,
  • 50 or more people request a public meeting during the public comment period 

Note: You may only request a public meeting for Type II and Type III master use permit components (such as a variance or subdivision). You may not request a public meeting for construction permits, grading permits, and other non-discretionary actions associated with a project.  

How to Request a Public Meeting

To request a public meeting, simply ask for a meeting in the comment you submit through our Comment on a Project page.

Public Meeting Purpose

The purpose of a public meeting is for SDCI staff to hear issues important to members of the public.  Similar to written and verbal comments that we receive during the comment period, comments submitted at public meetings help us understand your concerns and interests related to a specific project.  

Public Meeting Structure

Public meetings are structured to maximize the time available for SDCI staff to hear your comments.  SDCI staff will provide a brief overview of the project, explain the applicable permit process, and open the floor for public comments.  SDCI staff will answer questions about general information, such as “Can the project be appealed?” or “Where is this project in the process?”  During the meeting, SDCI staff will not indicate whether approval criteria have or have not been met or whether the project will be approved or denied.  

Public Meeting Comments

SDCI equally considers all comments received during our review of a development project. We incorporate public meeting comments into the review process just like other written or verbal public comments.  We summarize all public comments in SDCI’s decision on the project.  

To submit the most effective public comment, it is helpful to read the approval criteria (see above) for the type of project that the City is considering.  If you want to influence the outcome of a project, use the approval criteria and applicable City codes to frame your comments to relate to the scope of our review.  Comments that you provide at a public meeting do not carry additional weight relative to other commenting methods.  If we receive multiple comments pertaining to the same topic, they will not necessarily have more influence during the project’s approval process. 

If you need more than the standard 14-day comment period to prepare your comment, you can ask for a 14-day extension, with the following exceptions:

  • The comment period for shoreline projects is 30 days, with no extensions allowed. 
  • The comment period for Early Design Guidance meetings or Streamlined Design Review is 14 days before the meeting or review to allow for comments regarding the design. We do not allow extensions.

To request an extension, use our public comment tool.

During the comment period, you can request a formal interpretation of any development regulation in our land use or environmentally critical area codes. The notice of application includes more information on how to request a code interpretation.

After we have published our Master Use Permit decision, you can appeal the decision to the Office of the Hearing Examiner or the State Shorelines Hearings Board. The notice of decision includes more information on how to file an appeal.

Construction and Inspections

Nathan Torgelson, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 2000, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA, 98124-4019
Phone: (206) 684-8600
Phone Alt: Violation Complaint Line: (206) 615-0808
Contact Us

Newsletter Updates

Subscribe

Sign up for the latest updates from Construction and Inspections

SDCI issues land use, construction, and trade permits, conducts construction and housing-related inspections, ensures compliance with our codes, and regulates rental rules. SDCI is committed to an antiracist workplace and to addressing racism through our work in the community.