Setbacks
Seattle Mun. Code § 23.44.090
in effectA. Required setbacks for the NR zones are shown in Table A for 23.44.090. Table A for 23.44.090 Required setbacks in Neighborhood Residential zones 1 Front 2 Lots with one or two dwelling units: 15 feet; Lots with three or more dwelling units: 10 feet Rear 3 Lots with one or two principal dwelling units not abutting an alley: 15 feet; Lots with three or more principal dwelling units not abutting an alley: 10 feet; Lots under 5,000 square feet within frequent transit service areas: 5 feet; If the rear setback abuts an alley, no rear setback is required. Side Lots under 5,000 square feet within frequent transit service areas: 3 feet; All other lots: 5 feet average, 3 feet minimum. Footnote for Table A for 23.44.090 1 Required setbacks for lots with nonresidential structures are the same as the required setbacks for lots with three or more dwelling units. 2 For lots abutting landmark public right-of-way on Queen Anne Boulevard, front setbacks shall be 20 feet or the average of the front setbacks of the structures on abutting lots, whichever is less, except that if the natural gradient or slope (as measured from the front line of the lot for a distance of 60 feet or the full depth of the lot, whichever is less) is in excess of 35 percent, the required front setback depth shall be the lesser of: 20 feet less one foot for each one percent of gradient or slope in excess of 35 percent; or the average of the front setbacks on the abutting lots. 3 The rear setback for accessory dwelling units is 5 feet, except that, if the rear setback abuts an alley, no rear setback is required. B. Through lots. In the case of a through lot, each setback abutting a street, shall be a front setback. C. Other setback requirements. Additional structure setbacks may be required in order to meet the provisions of Chapter 23.53 . D. Underground structures. Underground structures, measured from existing or finished grade, whichever is lower, may be located within setbacks. E. Projections from an enclosed structure allowed in required setbacks 1. Architectural features such as cornices, eaves, gutters, roofs, fireplaces, chimneys, and other similar features may project into required setbacks a maximum of 2 feet if they are no closer than 3 feet to any lot line. 2. Garden windows and other similar features that do not provide floor area may project a maximum of 18 inches into required setbacks if they: a. Are a minimum of 30 inches above the finished floor; b. Are no more than 6 feet in height and 8 feet wide; and c. Combined with bay windows and other similar features that provide floor area, make up no more than 30 percent of the area of the facade. 3. Bay windows and other similar features that provide floor area may project a maximum of 2 feet into required front and rear setbacks if they: a. Are no closer than 5 feet to any lot line; b. Are no more than 10 feet in width; and c. Combined with garden windows and other projections included in subsection 23.44.090.E.2, make up no more than 30 percent of the area of the facade. 4. Unenclosed porches and steps a. Unenclosed porches or steps no higher than 4 feet above existing grade, or the grade at the street lot line closest to the porch, whichever is lower, may extend to within 5 feet of a street lot line and 3 feet of a side lot line. b. Porches or steps may be covered, provided that: 1) No portions of the cover-structure, including any supports, are closer than 5 feet to any lot line; 2) The height of the roof over unenclosed porch or steps shall not exceed 15 feet above existing or finished grade, whichever is lower; 3) The roof over such porches or steps shall not be used as a deck; and 4) The total area of porches attached to any individual dwelling unit and located in the setback is not more than 60 square feet. F. Structures with ground-floor commercial uses. The ground floor of a structure containing a ground-floor commercial use may extend into one front setback provided it is not located closer than 2 feet from a front lot line. G. Garages and carports 1. Garages and carports may be located in a setback where parking is allowed in a setback as provided in subsections 23.44.160.D.4 and 23.44.160.D.5. 2. Garages and carports may be located in a required side setback that abuts the rear or side setback of another lot if: a. The garage or carport is a detached structure and extends only into that portion of a side setback that is either within 40 feet of the centerline of an alley or within 25 feet of any rear lot line that is not an alley lot line; or b. An agreement between the owners of record of the abutting properties, authorizing the garage or carport in that location, is executed and recorded with the King County Recorder's Office. 3. Garages and carports may be located in the rear setback provided they are not located within 5 feet of the rear property line. 4. Garages and carports allowed in required setbacks shall comply with all of the following standards: a. The area of a garage or carport in front setbacks, is limited to 300 square feet with 14-foot maximum width if one space is provided, and 600 square feet with 24-foot maximum width if two spaces are provided. b. Roof eaves and gutters that project up to 2 feet are excluded from the maximum coverage and size limits. c. The roof shall not be used as a balcony or deck in rear or side setbacks. H. Other unenclosed structures allowed in setbacks 1. All unenclosed structures not more than 18 inches above existing or finished grade, whichever is lower, are allowed in any required setback including but not limited to decks, swimming pools, and hot tubs. 2. Barrier-free access. Access facilities for the disabled and elderly, are allowed in any required setback. 3. Freestanding signs, bike racks, play structures, and similar unenclosed structures that are 6 feet or less in height above existing or finished grade, whichever is lower, are allowed in any required setback, provided that: a. Signs meet the provisions of Chapter 23.55 ; b. Structures located in a side setback allow a 2.5-foot-wide pathway through the side setback; and c. Structures located within 5 feet of a front lot line are not more than 4 feet in height. 4. Fences a. Fences no greater than 6 feet in height are allowed in any required setback, except that fences in the required front setback extended to side lot lines or in street side setbacks extended to the front and rear lot lines may not exceed 4 feet in height. Fences located on top of a bulkhead or retaining wall are also limited to 4 feet. If a fence is placed on top of a new bulkhead or retaining wall used to raise grade, the maximum combined height is limited to 9.5 feet. b. Except for fences in the required front setback extended to side lot lines or in street side setbacks extended to the front and rear lot lines, up to 2 feet of additional height for architectural features such as arbors or trellises on the top of a fence is allowed if the architectural features are predominately open. c. Fence height may be averaged along sloping grades for each 6-foot-long segment of the fence, but in no case may any portion of the fence exceed 8 feet in height when the height allowed by subsection 23.44.090.H.4.a is 6 feet, or 6 feet in height when the height allowed by subsection 23.44.090.H.4.a is 4 feet. 5. Bulkheads and retaining walls a. Bulkheads and retaining walls used to raise grade are allowed in any required setback if they are limited to 6 feet in height, measured above existing grade. b. Bulkheads and retaining walls used to protect a cut into existing grade may not exceed the minimum height necessary to support the cut or 6 feet measured from the finished grade on the low side, whichever is greater. Any fence shall be set back a minimum of 3 feet from such a bulkhead or retaining wall. 6. Mechanical equipment. Heat pumps, charging devices for electric vehicles, and similar mechanical equipment, not including incinerators, are allowed in required setbacks if they are not located within 3 feet of any lot line. 7. Access bridges. Uncovered, unenclosed access bridges are allowed as follows: a. Pedestrian bridges 5 feet or less in width, and of any height necessary for access, are permitted in required setbacks, except that in side setbacks an access bridge must be at least 3 feet from any side lot line. b. A driveway access bridge is permitted in the required setback abutting the street if necessary for access to parking. The vehicular access bridge shall be no wider than 12 feet for access to one parking space or 22 feet for access to two or more parking spaces and of any height necessary for access. The driveway access bridge may not be located closer than 5 feet to any side lot line. 8. Unenclosed structures are allowed in the rear setback provided that the structure is: a. Not located within 5 feet of a rear lot line that is not an alley lot line; b. Not more than 12 feet in height; and c. Separated from a dwelling unit by at least 3 feet, eave to eave. 9. Above-grade stormwater management features, such as bioretention planters and cisterns, are allowed in setbacks if: a. No feature, excluding piping, is more than: 1) Twelve feet tall if located in a portion of the rear setback that is not also a side setback; or 2) Six and a half feet tall, if located in other setbacks. b. No feature greater than 4.5 feet tall is located within 10 feet of the front lot line, excluding piping, unless it is integrated into a bulkhead or retaining wall that is allowed in subsection 23.44.090.H.5; c. No feature greater than 6 inches tall is located within 2.5 feet of the side lot line; and d. The total storage capacity of all above-grade cisterns located in setbacks is no greater than 1,250 gallons. 10. Guardrails or handrails no more than 42 inches are allowed on unenclosed stairs, decks, access bridges, bulkheads, and retaining walls. I. Other enclosed structures allowed in setbacks 1. Any accessory structure that is not a dwelling unit may be constructed in a side or rear setback that abuts the rear or side setback of another lot upon recording with the King County Recorder's Office an agreement to this effect between the owners of record of the abutting properties. 2. Enclosed structures that are not dwelling units are allowed in the rear setback provided that: a. They are not located within 5 feet of a rear lot line that is not an alley lot line; b. They are not more than 12 feet in height; and c. They are separated from a dwelling unit by at least 3 feet, eave to eave. J. Certain additions. An addition to an existing dwelling unit may extend into a required side setback if: 1. The existing dwelling unit is already nonconforming with respect to that setback; 2. The portion of the dwelling unit that is presently nonconforming is at least 60 percent of the total width of the respective facade of the structure prior to the addition; 3. The addition would not be located within 3 feet of a side lot line; and 4. The addition would not be located any closer to the side lot line than the closest part of the existing structure. Exhibit A for 23.44.090 Additions into side setbacks for existing dwelling units K. A structure may be permitted to extend into front and rear setbacks as necessary to protect trees pursuant to Section 25.11.070 . (Ord. 127376 , § 31, 2025.)
Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026