Public right-of-way includes all public streets and property dedicated to public use for shared use paths, street purposes, parking, landscaping, utilities, and sidewalks. Right-of-way site permits are required for private improvements or private long-term usage of the public right-of-way. Lease fees may be required. Examples include:

• Construction of structures such as bus shelters/stops, bike racks, fences, retaining walls, terracing, and landscape structures such as benches, fountains, and private planters.
• Construction of sales structures and uses, including sidewalk cafes, or the usage of right-of-way for the sale of flowers, beverages, newspaper, or other items. 
• Long-term construction staging or delivery areas for large projects.  

Please review Chapter 2.2 of the City’s Engineering Development Manual (EDM) and Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC) 12.15.030 to learn more about right-of-way permits. If you have questions about the City’s code or submittal requirements, please submit an Engineering Development Question Form to connect with a development review engineer who can walk you through the requirements. 

How to Apply

Apply for this permit online at the City of Shoreline's eTRAKiT permitting portal. Once you are logged into your account, select Apply/New Permit from the left-hand sidebar and select the following permit type from the drop-down menu: Pre-Intake Record.

Once PIN requests are submitted, the rest of the intake process is facilitated by a permit technician. A permit technician will send further instructions by email to complete the process. 

Required Documents 

• Right-of-Way Site Permit Application
• Submittal Fee
  • Please reference the City’s fee schedule for current application fees. 
• Civil Engineering Plans
• Proof of License, Bonding and/or Insurance
  • For any work in the public right-of-way public liability insurance is required. All contractors not working for a franchised utility company and/or individuals must provide a certificate of liability insurance naming the City of Shoreline as additional insured. 
• Traffic Control Plan(s)
  • Refer to EDM Chapter 30.3 and Appendix J.  

Additional Documents (Possibly Required)

• Approval Letter from Utility Company  
  •  Required for utility extensions or connections. Provide a letter indicating approval of the proposed utility locations from the appropriate utility provider (ex: North City Water District, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle City Light, etc.)
• Geotechnical or Soils Report
  • Required for projects that are proposing infiltration facilities within the ROW. Refer to Chapter 4.6 and Appendix D of the EDM for more information.
• Surface Water Report
  • Required for projects in the right-of-way proposing 2,000 square feet or more of new and replaced hard surfaces. The report must follow the guidelines in Appendix C of the EDM.
  • A separate Surface Water Report is not required for a ROW permit for frontage improvements associated with private development.