Seattle Politics and Urbanism Daily
Seattle’s Rulebooks: Permits, Zoning and Ethics
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 · 11 min
Seattle’s One Seattle Plan and HB 1110 are the practical rulebook behind where homes, shops, and transit investments can go, while SDCI permit guidance and the Ethics Code show how implementation and accountability actually run through City Hall.
Listen
Show notes
Seattle’s One Seattle Plan and HB 1110 are the practical rulebook behind where homes, shops, and transit investments can go, while SDCI permit guidance and the Ethics Code show how implementation and accountability actually run through City Hall.
In this episode
- How Do You Get a Permit? - SDCI | seattle.gov — Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection
# How Do You Get a Permit? The permit process differs for each [permit type](/sdci/permits/permits-we-issue-(a-z)), and may also vary depending on the complexity of your project. These steps are a general guideline to follow to apply for a permit. You will submit most permit applications through the [Seattle Services Portal](https://services.seattle.gov/portal/). * [How to Get a Building Permit…
- Step Back — Everyone talks about Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan like it’s a wonky planning document, but is it actually the rulebook that decides where housing, shops, and transit investments can go — or more like a political wish list? As the city folds HB 1110 into the update, what changes on the ground right away, and what still depends on later zoning and permitting choices?
Background sources
- City Council passes final Comprehensive Plan legislation - Seattle City Council Blog — City Council News Releases
- Seattle dropped key NIMBY rules. Why aren’t developers swarming? | The Seattle Times — Heidi Groover
- Council Select Committee Passes Comprehensive Plan - The Daily Plan It Blog — iand
- Addressing Seattle Housing Shortage: Mayor Wilson Releases Final Centers and Corridors Zoning Proposal - Office of the Mayor — Seferiana Day-Hasegawa
- Addressing Seattle Housing Shortage: Mayor Wilson Releases Final Centers and Corridors Zoning Proposal - The Daily Plan It Blog — iand
- As Seattle adopts new developer-friendly rules, don’t expect an immediate building boom - oregonlive.com — Heidi Groover | The Seattle Times Tribune News Service
- Amended Comprehensive Plan passes out of committee - Seattle City Council Blog — City Council News Releases
- Research a Project, Permit, or Property - SDCI - Seattle.gov — Seattle.gov
# Research a Project, Permit, or Property ## Find Property Information & Permit History Researching the permit history of a property can be complicated - or fairly simple - depending on what information you are looking for. Finding information often requires consulting multiple resources. Many data and documents are available to you through online tools available on the SDCI…
- Ethics - Ethics-and-Elections | seattle.gov — City of Seattle
# Ethics One of the missions of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) is to administer, interpret and enforce the Seattle Ethics Code, Chapter 4.16 of the Seattle Municipal Code.  One of the missions of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC)…