‘Smaller homes, and more of them per lot’ — Seattle set to finally ease yes in my backyard apartment rules

Seattle’s long march toward easing the rules for adding new so-called mother-in-law style apartments and backyard cottages and apartments to single-family home properties will take big steps forward Tuesday as a Seattle City Council committee shapes final tweaks to plans some four years in the making.

City analysis shows only 1% of the approximately 124,000 single-family zoned lots in Seattle in use for single family residential development have added attached or detached “accessory dwelling unit” structures. There is room to grow.

After having the path cleared by the Seattle Hearing Examiner this spring, the proposals including allowing larger ADU structures, reducing lot size requirements, and eliminating costly barriers like required parking are getting their final updates and additions before going to the full council — hopefully in July. Continue reading