Structure height
Seattle Mun. Code § 23.45.514
in effectA. Subject to the additions and exceptions allowed as set forth in this Section 23.45.514 , the height limits for structures in LR zones are as shown on Table A for 23.45.514. Table A for 23.45.514 Structure height for LR zones (in feet) Dwelling unit type LR1 LR2 LR3 outside regional centers, urban centers, and Station Area Overlay Districts LR3 in regional centers, urban centers, and Station Area Overlay Districts Attached and detached dwelling units 32 40 1 40 1 50 1 Stacked dwelling units 32 40 1 40 1 50 2 Footnotes for Table A for 23.45.514 1 Except that the height limit is 32 feet in zones without a mandatory housing affordability suffix. 2 Except that the height limit is 40 feet in zones without a mandatory housing affordability suffix. B. The height limits for structures in MR and HR zones are as shown in Table B for 23.45.514, subject to the additions and exceptions allowed as set forth in this Section 23.45.514 . Table B for 23.45.514 Structure height for MR and HR zones (in feet) MR HR Height limit 80 1 440 Footnote to Table B for 23.45.514 1 Except that the height limit is 60 feet in zones without a mandatory housing affordability suffix. C. The height limit for accessory structures other than accessory dwelling units that are located in required setbacks or separations is 12 feet, except as follows: 1. Garages and carports are limited to 12 feet in height as measured on the facade containing the vehicle entrance. Open rails may extend an additional 3 feet above the roof of the garage or carport if any portion of the roof is within 4 feet of existing grade. The ridge of a pitched roof on a garage located in a required setback may extend up to 3 feet above the 12-foot height limit. All parts of the roof above the height limit shall be pitched at a rate of not less than 4:12. No portion of a shed roof is permitted to extend beyond the 12-foot height limit. 2. Freestanding flagpoles and religious symbols for religious institutions are exempt from height controls except as regulated in Chapter 23.64 , provided they are no closer to any lot line than 50 percent of their height above existing grade. D. Exceptions for pitched roofs in LR zones that are not shed or butterfly roofs 1. Pitched roofs that are not shed or butterfly roofs may extend up to 5 feet above the height limits set in Table A for 23.45.514, provided that all parts of the roofs above the height limit have a minimum slope of 3:12 and the height exception in subsection 23.45.514.F is not used. 2. Portions of curved roof forms, such as barrel and domed roofs, may have a lesser slope than 3:12, if the Director determines that the massing of the roof form is comparable to a pitched roof form such as a gable or gambrel roof that would have a minimum slope of 3:12. E. Shed and butterfly roofs in LR zones 1. In LR zones, the high side(s) of a shed or butterfly roof may extend 3 feet above the height limits set in Table A for 23.45.514, provided that the low side(s) of the shed or butterfly roof are no higher than the height limit (see Exhibit A for 23.45.514 ) if the height limit exception in subsection 23.45.514.F is not used. 2. The roof line of a shed or butterfly roof may be extended in order to accommodate eaves, provided that the highest point of the roof extension is no more than 4 feet above the height limit. Exhibit A for 23.45.514 Height exception for shed and butterfly roofs F. For stacked dwelling units in LR zones, the applicable height limit is increased 4 feet above the height shown on Table A for 23.45.514 for a structure that includes a story that is partially below-grade, provided that: 1. This height exception does not apply to portions of lots that are within 50 feet of a Neighborhood Residential zone boundary line, unless the lot in the LR zone is separated from a Neighborhood Residential zoned lot by a street; 2. The number of stories above the partially below-grade story is limited to four stories for residential uses with a 40-foot height limit and to five stories for residential uses with a 50-foot height limit; 3. On the street-facing facade(s) of the structure, the story above the partially below-grade story is at least 18 inches above the elevation of the street, except that this requirement may be waived to accommodate units accessible to the disabled or elderly, consistent with the Seattle Residential Code or the Seattle Building Code; and 4. The average height of the exterior walls of the portion of the story that is partially below-grade does not exceed 4 feet, measured from existing or finished grade, whichever is less. G. Roofs enclosed by a parapet. Roof surfaces that are completely surrounded by a parapet may exceed the applicable height limit to allow for a slope, provided that the height of the highest elevation of the roof surface does not exceed 75 percent of the parapet height, and provided that the lowest elevation of the roof surface is no higher than the applicable height limit. See Exhibit B for 23.45.514 . Exhibit B for 23.45.514 Height allowance for sloped roofs concealed by a parapet H. Green roofs. For any structure with a green roof that meets standards promulgated by the Director and that covers at least 50 percent of the surface of the roof, up to 2 feet of additional height above the maximum height otherwise allowed for the roof is allowed to accommodate structural requirements, roofing membranes, and soil. See Exhibit C for 23.45.514 . Exhibit C for 23.45.514 Green roof height allowance I. Rooftop features 1. Flagpoles and religious symbols for religious institutions that are located on a roof are exempt from height controls, except as regulated in Chapter 23.64 , provided they are no closer to any lot line than 50 percent of their height above the roof portion where attached. 2. Open railings, planters, greenhouses not dedicated to food production, parapets, and firewalls on the roofs of principal structures may extend 4 feet above the maximum height limit set in subsections 23.45.514.A, 23.45.514.B, and 23.45.514.F. 3. Architectural projections that result in additional interior space, such as dormers, skylights, and clerestories, are subject to the following limits: a. On pitched roofs, these projections may extend to the height of the ridge of a pitched roof that is allowed pursuant to subsection 23.45.514.D, if the following conditions are met: 1) The total area of the projections is no more than 30 percent of the area of each roof plane measured from the plan view perspective; 2) Each projection is limited to 10 feet in width; and 3) Each projection is separated by at least 3 feet from any other projection (see Exhibit D for 23.45.514). Exhibit D for 23.45.514 Permitted projections on pitched roofs b. On flat roofs, these projections may extend 4 feet above the maximum height limit allowed by subsections 23.45.514.A, 23.45.514.B, and 23.45.514.F if the following requirements are met: 1) The total area of the projections is no more than 30 percent of the area of the roof plane; and 2) The projections are set back at least 4 feet from any street facing facade. 4. In LR zones, the following rooftop features may extend up to 10 feet above the height limit set in subsections 23.45.514.A and 23.45.514.F, if the combined total coverage of all features listed in this subsection 23.45.514.I.4 does not exceed 25 percent of the roof area (or 30 percent of the roof area if the total includes screened or enclosed mechanical equipment): a. Stair penthouses, except as provided in subsection 23.45.514.I.6; b. Mechanical equipment; c. Play equipment and open-mesh fencing that encloses it, if the fencing is at least 5 feet from the roof edge; d. Chimneys; e. Wind-driven power generators; f. Sun and wind screens, and similar weather protection features such as eaves or canopies extending from rooftop features; g. Greenhouses and solariums; h. Covered or enclosed common recreation areas; and i. Minor communication utilities and accessory communication devices, except that height is regulated according to the provisions of Section 23.57.011 . 5. In MR and HR zones, the following rooftop features may extend up to 15 feet above the applicable height limit set in subsection 23.45.514.B, if the combined total coverage of all features listed in subsections 23.45.514.I.5 and 23.45.514.I.6 does not exceed 30 percent of the roof area, or does not exceed 35 percent of the roof area if the total includes screened or enclosed mechanical equipment, or does not exceed 60 percent coverage of the roof area if the total includes a greenhouse: a. Stair penthouses, except as provided in subsection 23.45.514.I.6; b. Mechanical equipment; c. Play equipment and open-mesh fencing that encloses it, if the fencing is at least 5 feet from the roof edge; d. Chimneys; e. Sun and wind screens, and similar weather protection features such as eaves or canopies extending from rooftop features; f. Covered or enclosed common recreation areas; g. Greenhouses and solariums; h. Wind-driven power generators; and i. Minor communication utilities and accessory communication devices, except that height is regulated according to the provisions of Section 23.57.011 . 6. Subject to the roof coverage limits in subsections 23.45.514.I.4, 23.45.514.I.5, and 23.45.514.I.7 if applicable, elevator penthouses may extend above the applicable height limit up to 16 feet. Stair penthouses may be the same height as an elevator penthouse if the elevator and stairs are co-located within a common penthouse structure. 7. At the applicant's option, for structures exceeding 120 feet in HR zones, the combined total rooftop coverage limit of all features listed in subsections 23.45.514.I.5 and 23.45.514.I.6 is 75 percent, provided that all of the following are satisfied: a. All mechanical equipment is screened or enclosed; and b. No rooftop features are located closer than 10 feet to the roof edge, except features that do not exceed the height of the parapet or 5 feet above the roof surface, whichever is greater, or which may be permitted by design review departure or other code provisions including but not limited to Chapter 23.57 . 8. For height exceptions for solar collectors, see Section 23.45.545 . 9. In order to protect solar access for property to the north, the applicant shall either locate the rooftop features listed in this subsection 23.45.514.I.9 at least 15 feet from the north lot line, or provide shadow diagrams to demonstrate that the proposed location of such rooftop features would shade property to the north on January 21 at noon no more than would a structure built to maximum permitted bulk: a. Solar collectors; b. Planters; c. Clerestories; d. Greenhouses and solariums; e. Minor communication utilities and accessory communication devices, permitted according to the provisions of Section 23.57.011 ; f. Play equipment; g. Sun and wind screens, and similar weather protection features such as eaves or canopies extending from rooftop features; h. Covered or enclosed common recreation areas. 10. For height limits and exceptions for communication utilities and devices, see Section 23.57.011 . (Ord. 127376 , § 37, 2025; Ord. 127375 , § 35, 2025; Ord. 127219 , § 19, 2025; Ord. 127211 , § 13, 2025; Ord. 126685 , § 21, 2022; Ord. 126600 , § 3, 2022; Ord. 126509 , § 60, 2022 [zone name change]; Ord. 125791 , § 36, 2019; Ord. 125603 , § 20, 2018; Ord. 125359 , § 4, 2017; Ord. 125272 , § 18, 2017; Ord. 125267 , § 9, 2017; Ord. 124803 , § 4, 2015; Ord. 124378 , § 28, 2013; Ord. 123495, § 31, 2011; Ord. 123378, § 14, 2010; Ord. 123209, § 27, 2009.) Reviser's note— Ord. 126685 's purpose in amending this section was to update a cross-reference. Ord. 126600 , which 126685 was not aware of, made a similar update to the same cross-reference. Because 126685 's amendment would be nonsensical if codified with 126600 's, it has been omitted.
Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026