Mitigation of impacts—Payment option
Seattle Mun. Code § 23.58B.040
in effectA. Amount of cash contributions 1. An applicant complying with this Chapter 23.58B through the payment option shall provide a cash contribution to the City, calculated by multiplying the payment calculation amount per square foot according to Table A or Table B for 23.58B.040 and Map A for 23.58B.050, as applicable, by the total square feet of chargeable floor area in commercial use, or gross floor area in commercial use that is not underground if there is no FAR limit in the underlying zone, as follows: a. Including chargeable floor area in commercial use in the following: 1) A new structure; 2) An addition to a structure; 3) A change of use from residential use to commercial use; or 4) Any combination of the above; and b. Excluding chargeable floor area in commercial use as follows: 1) The first 4,000 gross square feet of street-level commercial uses; and 2) Street-level commercial uses along a designated principal pedestrian street in a Pedestrian designated zone. Table A for 23.58B.040 Payment calculation amounts: In Downtown, SM-SLU, SM-U, and SM-NG zones Zone Payment calculation amount per square foot Zone Payment calculation amount per square foot DH1/45 Not applicable DH2/55 Not applicable DH2/75 $20.25 DH2/85 Not applicable DMC 75 $11.14 DMC 95 $10.80 DMC 85/75-170 $10.80 DMC 145 $13.50 DMC 170 $10.80 DMC 240/290-440 $13.50 DMC 340/290-440 $16.88 DOC1 U/450-U $19.92 DOC2 500/300-550 $19.24 DRC 85-170 $18.23 DMR/C 75/75-95 $10.80 DMR/C 75/75-170 $10.80 DMR/C 95/75 $23.63 DMR/C 145/75 $23.63 DMR/C 280/125 $19.24 DMR/R 95/65 $18.90 DMR/R 145/65 $21.60 DMR/R 280/65 $21.60 IDM 65-150 Not applicable IDM 75-85 Not applicable IDM 85/85-170 $10.80 IDM 165/85-170 $28.02 IDR 45/125-270 $10.80 IDR 170 $10.80 IDR/C 125/150-270 $28.02 PMM-85 Not applicable All PSM zones Not applicable SM-NG 145 $16.04 SM-NG 240 $24.21 SM-SLU 100/65-145 $10.80 SM-SLU 85/65-160 Not applicable SM-SLU 85-280 $10.80 SM-SLU 175/85-280 $15.19 SM-SLU 240/125-440 $13.50 SM-SLU/R 65/95 $11.14 SM-SLU 100/95 $10.80 SM-SLU 145 $12.49 SM-U 85 $9.45 SM-U/R 75-240 $27.01 SM-U 75-240 $27.01 SM-U 95-320 $27.01 Table B for 23.58B.040 Payment calculation amounts: Outside Downtown, SM-SLU, SM-U, and SM-NG zones Zone Payment calculation amount per square foot Low Medium High All Industrial Buffer zones (IB) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable All Industrial General zones (IG) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable All Master Planned Communities—Yesler Terrace zones (MPC-YT) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable All Maritime, Manufacturing and Logistics zones (MML) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable All Urban Industrial zones (UI) Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable II 85-240 $13.50 $13.50 $13.50 Zones with an (M) suffix $6.75 $9.45 $10.80 Zones with an (M1) suffix $10.80 $15.19 $17.22 Zones with an (M2) suffix $12.15 $16.88 $19.58 Other zones where provisions refer to Chapter 23.58B $6.75 $9.45 $10.80 2. Automatic adjustments to payment amounts. The amounts for payment calculations according to Table A and Table B for 23.58B.040 shall automatically adjust annually on March 1, starting in 2024, by an amount in proportion to the increase, if any, for January 1 through December 31 of the prior calendar year, in the Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Shelter (1982-84=100), as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, or successor index. B. Deposit and use of cash contributions 1. Cash contributions shall be deposited by the Director of Housing in a special account established solely for preservation and production of housing affordable for renter households with incomes no higher than 60 percent of median income and for owner households with incomes no higher than 80 percent of median income. Earnings on balances in the special account shall accrue to that account. 2. Use of cash contributions shall support the preservation and production of renter-occupied housing within Seattle, or the preservation and production of ownership housing within Seattle, as follows. Rental housing supported by the cash contributions shall be rent- and income-restricted to serve households with incomes no higher than 60 percent of median income for a minimum period of 50 years, with an expectation of ongoing affordability. At least five percent of total cash contributions on a yearly basis shall be dedicated to capital expenditures for development of ownership housing. Ownership housing supported by the cash contributions shall be priced to serve and sold to households with incomes no higher than 80 percent of median income, with resale restrictions for a minimum period of 50 years, with an expectation of ongoing affordability. 3. For purposes of determining the location for use of cash contributions, the City shall consider the extent to which the housing advances the following factors: a. Affirmatively furthering fair housing choice; b. Locating within a regional center or an urban center; c. Locating in proximity to frequent bus service or current or planned light rail or streetcar stops; d. Furthering City policies to promote economic opportunity and community development and addressing the needs of communities vulnerable to displacement; and e. Locating near developments that generate cash contributions. 4. Each cash contribution shall be expended within five years of collection. Any cash contribution not so expended shall be refunded with any interest required by law. (Ord. 127375 , § 95, 2025; Ord. 126862 , § 13, 2023; Ord. 126855 , § 49, 2023; Ord. 125792 , § 8, 2019; Ord. 125791 , § 93, 2019; Ord. 125371 , § 16, 2017; Ord. 125291 , § 37, 2017; Ord. 125267 , § 29, 2017; Ord. 125233 , § 9, 2016; Ord. 124895 , § 2, 2015)
Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026