About land use bulletins
Summary
In this section of EveryBlock, we publish locations mentioned in Land Use Information Bulletins from the Seattle Department of Planning and Development. This means you can find out about major land activities — such as dividing pieces of land or the construction of new townhouses.
These activities must be approved by the department to ensure they are allowed in certain "zones" throughout the city. These zones include areas near major roads or near airports, in urban village areas, and several other categories.
All affected zones are noted in the bulletins. Each bulletin also provides the location of the project, the application date, a project number, zones affected by the project — urban villages, scenic views within 100 feet, etc. — and a bulletin type. This last category shows where the particular project is in the process — whether it's in the application phase, whether it's been decided on or whether the project's design needed to be approved.
Source
The data comes from the Land Use Information Bulletin, published by Seattle's Department of Planning and Development. The bulletins are updated twice a week and we EveryBlock publish new results shortly thereafter.
What else should I know about the process?
Public land use in Seattle is governed by Land Use Code and Related Regulations. Public meetings are required for most projects subject to the city's Design Review Program, which applies to commercial and multifamily developments that exceed a certain size threshold in some areas with special land-use restrictions.
Meetings are also required for some projects where an Environmental Impact Statement is needed. The city initiated an EIS to understand potential impacts from possible land use changes in South Downtown. In addition, hearings are required when the department makes a recommendation to the Hearing Examiner or to the City Council.
Finally, meetings can be held when the department receives a written request signed by 50 or more individuals about a particular project. When a meeting is held, notification is provided according to rules found in the city Land Use Code.
The Department of Planning and Public Development has a Public Resource Center. The department also has an about page.
