SDCI Customer Service Options

Most services are available online through our Virtual Applicant Services Center. For customers who need language assistance or technical assistance accessing the Virtual ASC, we have an SDCI information desk on the 4th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower. We offer limited access to our offices for scheduled public meetings.

Incentive Zoning Program

What Is It?

The Incentive Zoning (IZ) program is a voluntary program in which developers provide specific amenities in exchange for extra floor area or height beyond the base amount allowed for their building by the Land Use Code. In addition to the development standards in the zone, SMC 23.58A outlines the available amenity options and the conditions which a development may gain extra floor area. The amenities, or developer contributions, is a payment or other benefit provided as part of the proposed project.

To achieve extra floor area, a developer must provide or pay for one or more of the following public amenities as specified by the standards of the zone:

Affordable housing
Child care
Open spaces
Transferable Development Potential and Rights (TDP/TDR)
Regional Development Credits (RDC)

Relationship with Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA)

When a project is subject to both IZ and Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA), the MHA program requirements satisfy the affordable housing requirement for the IZ program. Required developer contributions to child care, open space amenities, TDP/TDR and RDC must still be provided.

Reporting

Incentive Zoning Summary Reports: These reports show projects with an issued permit participating in the IZ program. The report for the current year is updated monthly. You can also access annual reports from previous years of the IZ program. The reports include the total amount of extra floor area provided for the project and the amenities contributed by the developer to achieve the extra floor area.

Office of Housing Annual Report: You can find this report, and other information on housing by visiting the Office of Housing website.

Read the Code

Read the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) section IZ provisions, SMC 23.58A.

Resources:

Read Tip 258, Developer Contributions - Incentive Zoning for additional information
Research specific records through our Seattle Services Portal

Questions

All questions related to Land Use Code requirements and extra / bonus floor area calculations should be directed to the zoning reviewer assigned to the project. If the site has not been assigned a zoning reviewer, direct your inquiries to our Ask Us A Question tool or call us at (206) 684-8850.