The Seattle City Council has voted to allow backyard cottages on all eligible lots in the city. The unanimous decision opens up the option for homeowners who live on lots larger than 4,000 square feet to add a detached dwelling. After more than a year of meetings, tours, testing and briefings, the council agreed to expand the development standards from the test market of southeast Seattle to the rest of the city. There are several requirements for eligibility: The property owner must live in either the principle structure or the backyard cottage for at least six months out of the year, the cottage must comply with the five foot setback rule, cannot be more than 800 square feet, and the main house and detached home cannot take up more than 35 percent of the land. The entire bill can be read here.
Council to allow backyard cottages citywide
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I like this idea. But the cost of a completely separated building will be pretty high.
Attached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU's) are still legal anywhere in the city as they have been for years. These DETACHED units are the new alternative. If your basement, for instance, meets the criteria (http://www.seattle.gov/DPD/Publications/CAM/cam116a.pdf) you can still convert that into a rentable unit.
The requirements are restrictive, and the city council worked hard to place checks and balances in the code to ensure we don't have another townhouse pandemic. Architecture 5¢ has started a website seattlebackyardcottages.net where we are available to answer any questions you may have. We will also be out at the Ballard Farmers Market this Sunday to answer any questions. We are currently working on a “Breaking the Code” section of our website that will clarify a lot of the code language for home owners
Parking will be the biggest code hurdle for these cottages. The city will require an additional space ON SITE for each cottage. So those of you who don't have a driveway or garage will have to do some major site work. And for those who do have a garage, the cottage cannot displace your existing parking space.
very useful info. I will come find you on Sunday.
I guess if you are building above a garage it might work out… custom construction in Seattle is so cost prohibitive that any custom construction is a joke. You can buy a far better house in the Highlands then what it would cost to build a home in Seattle, pay soft-costs, and construction OHP. Save your money…
…and yet you still choose to live here.