Parking location, access, and screening
Seattle Mun. Code § 23.45.536
in effectA. Off-street parking spaces are required to the extent provided in Chapter 23.54 . B. Location of parking 1. If parking is required, it shall be located on the same lot as the use requiring the parking, except as otherwise provided in this subsection 23.45.536.B. 2. Surface parking a. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection 23.45.536.B, surface parking may be located anywhere on a lot except: 1) In the required front setback; 2) In the required side street side setback as extended from side lot line to side lot line; and 3) Within 20 feet of any street lot line. b. If access is taken directly from an alley, surface parking may be located anywhere within 28 feet from an alley lot line provided it is no closer than 7 feet to any street lot line. Additionally, for lots with only alley frontage, surface parking may be located within the front setback. 3. Parking in a structure. Parking may be located in a structure or under a structure, provided that no portion of a garage that is higher than 4 feet above existing or finished grade, whichever is lower, shall be closer to a street lot line than any part of the street-level, street-facing facade of the structure in which it is located. 4. On a through lot, parking may be located between the structure and one front lot line. The front setback in which the parking may be located will be determined by the Director based on the prevailing character and setback patterns of the block. 5. On waterfront lots in the Shoreline District, parking may be located between the structure and the front lot line, if necessary to prevent blockage of view corridors or to keep parking away from the edge of the water, as required by Chapter 23.60A , Shoreline Master Program Regulations. 6. Parking that is required and accessory to a residential or non-residential use may be located on a lot within 800 feet of the lot where the use that requires the parking is located, provided that: a. The lot is not located in a neighborhood residential zone; and b. The requirements of Section 23.54.025 for required parking are met. C. Access to parking 1. Alley access required. Except as otherwise expressly required or permitted in subsections 23.45.536.C or 23.45.536.D, access to parking shall be from the alley if the lot abuts an alley and one of the conditions in this subsection 23.45.536.C.1 is met: a. The alley is improved to the standards of subsection 23.53.030.C; or b. The Director determines that alley access is feasible and desirable to mitigate parking access impacts, improve public safety, and/or maintain on-street parking capacity. 2. Street access required. Access to parking shall be from the street if: a. The lot does not abut an alley. b. The lot abuts an alley, and the Director determines that the alley should not be used for access for one or more of the following reasons: 1) Due to the relationship of the alley to the street system, use of the alley for parking access would create a significant safety hazard; 2) Topography makes alley access infeasible; or 3) The alley is on the uphill side of a steeply sloping lot, and the following conditions are met: a) Access from the street is to a common parking garage in or under the structure, located a maximum of 4 feet above grade. b) The siting of development results in an increased Green Factor score, larger ground-level amenity areas, and/or reduced surface parking area than if alley access is used. 3. On corner lots, if street access is permitted pursuant to subsection 23.45.536.C.2, the applicant may determine the street from which access is taken, unless the Director determines that the use of the street chosen by the applicant would create a significant safety hazard. 4. On steeply sloping lots, the Director may permit the use of both an alley and a street for access, provided that the following conditions are met: a. Access from the street is to a common parking garage in or under the structure, that is underground or extends no more than 4 feet above grade. b. The siting of development results in an increased Green Factor score, larger ground-level amenity areas, and/or reduced surface parking area than if alley access alone is used. 5. Access to required barrier-free parking spaces that meet the standards in the Seattle Residential Code, Section R320, or the Seattle Building Code, Chapter 11, may be from the street where alley access would otherwise be required if providing access from an alley would reduce accessibility to a dwelling unit for persons with disabilities. 6. If the alley is used for access, the alley shall be improved according to the standards in subsections 23.53.030.E and 23.53.030.F. 7. If the lot does not abut an improved alley or street, access may be permitted from an easement that meets the provisions of Chapter 23.53 , Requirements for Streets, Alleys, and Easements. 8. If street access is required, either: a. Driveways that provide access from the street to garages opening on a street-facing facade of individual townhouse or rowhouse units shall be paved with permeable materials; or b. Access to a majority of garages opening on street-facing facades of individual townhouse or rowhouse units shall be provided by shared driveways. D. Screening of parking 1. Parking shall be screened from direct street view by: a. The street-facing facade of a structure; b. Garage doors; c. A fence or wall; or d. Landscaped areas, including bioretention facilities or landscaped berms. 2. Screening provided by a fence, wall, or vegetation in a landscaped area shall not be located within any required sight triangle and shall meet the following conditions: a. The fence, wall, or vegetation in the landscaped area shall be at least 3 feet tall measured from the elevation of the curb, or from the elevation of the street if no curb is present. If the elevation of the ground at the base of the fence, wall, or landscaped area is higher than the finished elevation of the parking surface, the difference in elevation may be measured as a portion of the required height of the screen, so long as the fence, wall, or vegetation in the landscaped area is at least 3 feet in height. If located in a setback, the fence or wall shall meet the requirements of subsection 23.45.518.H.7. b. The fence, wall, or vegetation in the landscaped area shall be set back at least 3 feet from the lot line. 3. Screening by garage doors in LR zones. If parking is provided in a garage in or attached to a principal structure and garage door(s) face a street, the garage door(s) may be no more than 75 square feet in area. E. Other provisions. Garage doors in LR zones and MR zones facing the street shall be set back at least 18 feet from the street lot line, and shall be no closer to the street lot line than the street-facing facade of the structure. (Ord. 127376 , § 44, 2025; Ord. 126682 , § 4, 2022; Ord. 126509 , § 63, 2022 [zone name change]; Ord. 125791 , § 46, 2019; Ord. 125603 , § 22, 2018; Ord. 125558 , § 9, 2018; Ord. 125272 , § 22, 2017; Ord. 124952 , § 13, 2015; Ord. 124843 , § 26, 2015; Ord. 124378 , § 35, 2013; Ord. 124105 , § 21, 2013; Ord. 123495, § 43, 2011; Ord. 123209, § 43, 2009)
Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026