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New Commercial, Multi-Family, or Mixed Use Building or Addition

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This checklist covers submittal requirements for a building permit for new multifamily, mixed use, and commercial buildings, including additions to exis­­ting buildings. This checklist does not cover commercial tenant improvement building permits. Examples include:

  • A new restaurant building going up on a vacant corner lot.
  • A new 200-unit apartment building with ground floor retail. 
  • A school or daycare adding a new classroom wing.
  • A new retail store – such as small grocery, coffee shop, or boutique – built from the ground up. 
  • A new office building replacing an old structure that was torn down.
  • A medical clinic adding exam rooms to one side of the existing building. 
  • An office building adding a second story for more office space. 

This permit can also include:

  • Partial demolition work, if required
  • Mechanical 
  • Plumbing 

Plumbing and mechanical can be included in the building permit or separate permits may be provided. Electrical permits are through Washington State Labor & Industries (L&I), not through the City of Shoreline. 

New multifamily, mixed use, and commercial buildings involve several City workgroups, so your questions may need different staff expertise. Here’s where to start:

  • For building, structural, or ADA questions: Review the City’s Construction Permit FAQs or the currently adopted building codes. You can also speak with a plans examiner if you need help understanding structural or accessibility requirements.
  • For zoning questions: Look at Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC) 20.50 or contact a planner to learn about rules that may apply to your project, such as allowed uses, dimensional standards, design standards, tree preservation, and landscaping requirements.
  • For engineering questions: If you’re unsure about the City’s code requirements or what needs to be included in your application, submit an Engineering Development Question Form. A development review engineer will follow up and 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

  • Permit Application and Critical Areas Worksheet     
  • Submittal Fee
    • Please reference the City's fee schedule for current application fees.
    • Most new commercial buildings (and sometimes additions, depending on the scope of work) will be assessed Transportation, Fire, and Park impact fees. These fees are based on the adopted fee schedules in the Shoreline Municipal Code. Visit our Permit Fees webpage for more information.
  • Construction Drawings – scaled drawings showing the proposed work (site, architectural, civil, structural, landscape/tree, and other applicable plans). For this permit type, you must include: 
    • Site Plan – shows project locations, property boundaries, setbacks, and key site features. Include information on building and hardscape coverage calculations.
    • Civil Engineering Plans – includes details on grading, utilities, and drainage.
      • Plans must meet frontage requirements as mandated in the SMC 20.70.320.
      • Note: For small projects, the civil engineering plans and the site plan may be combined into the same drawing.
    • Information on new or replacement heating and cooling equipment, new or relocated plumbing fixtures (new sinks, tubs, etc.) and gas piping outlets. 
  • Energy Code Compliance Forms
    • Demonstrate compliance with the 2021 Shoreline Commercial Energy Code. For practical purposes use the 2021 City of Seattle Energy Code.
    • Webtool forms can be found at WA State Energy Code, choose the 2021 SEC (Seattle Energy Code) as the compliance path.  
    • Provide energy code summary and forms on the drawings.
  • Landscaping Plan
    • Tree retention and protection plan must show:
      • Tree retention details, including location, size, species, critical root zone and condition of all existing trees on the property.
      • Identification of trees to be retained, trees to be preserved, and location of planted trees. 
      • Graphic representation and written description of proposed tree protection measures and tree and vegetation planting details. 
    • New landscaping plans must show:
      • Location, size and spacing of all proposed plantings at maturity. 
      • Plant schedule that includes the plants’ common and botanical names and the planting size and quantity to be planted with a certified and registered landscape architect, contractor or nursery professional. 
      • Planting details for ground cover, shrubs, trees, and street trees. 
  • Solid Waste Worksheet
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
  • Structural Calculations
    • Engineering calculations and details for retaining walls over 4’-0” tall. Wall height is measured from top of wall to bottom of footing. The engineering must be submitted with the permit application. 
  • Tree Worksheet
  • Water Availability Certificate

Additional Documents (Possibly Required)

  • Affordable Housing Documents 
    • Required for projects creating rental units in the MUR-45 and MUR-70 zone districts. Required for projects pursuing affordable housing incentives in SMC 20.40 and 20.50, or PIF/TIF relief in SMC 3.70.070 and 3.80.070. Required for projects pursuing the Multifamily Property Tax Exemption Program.
    • Provide the following items:
      • Cover letter describing how you meet code requirements for affordable housing, or the criteria for other affordable housing programs.
      • Floorplans must designate which units are to be affordable.
      • Draft affordable housing agreement.
  • Arborist Report
    • If work is proposed within the critical root zone of any trees to remain on or adjoining the site, then that work must be evaluated by an ISA certified arborist. The arborist must assess the potential impacts of development on the long-term health of trees to be retained. Negative impacts to these trees are not permitted.
    • Any specific tree protection measures recommended by the arborist must be shown and described on your plans.
  • Critical Areas Report(s)
    • Required for projects in or near environmentally critical areas, such as steep slopes, streams and wetlands. 
  • Declaration of Covenant – Stormwater Facilities
    • Required for any project that proposes on-site stormwater facilities. Refer to Chapter 4.9 of the City’s Engineering Development Manual. The draft form does not need to be notarized or signed.
  • Geotechnical or Soils Report
    • Required for projects with fill or excavation of 500 cubic yards or more, when sites contain or are adjacent to slopes that are 15% or steeper, or when using certain storm drainage designs.
    • A geotechnical report or soils evaluation could be a required component of a critical areas report for certain types of environmentally critical areas.
  • Green Building Registration Documents.
    • Required for projects in the Mixed Use Residential (MUR) zone districts.
    • For projects pursuing the Deep Green Incentive Program, provide the approval memo from your project manager for your Administrative Design Review listing all incentives and departures approved for your project.
    • Provide the following items:
      • Cover letter describing which green program the project will use.
      • Registration documents with appropriate third-party certification entity (Built Green, U.S. Green Building Council, etc.) 
  • SEPA Environmental Checklist
    • Required if the project is not categorically exempt as described in SMC 20.30.560 or WAC 197-11-800.
    • Additional fee for SEPA Environmental Checklist review is required at the time of application, as specified in the City's fee schedule. 
  • SEPA Planned Action Worksheet
    • Required for developments in the City’s Planned Action areas.
    • Additional fee for planned action determination is required at the time of application, as specified in the City’s fee schedule.
  • Sewer Use Form
  • Surface Water Report
    • Required for projects proposing 2,000 square feet or more of new and replaced hard surfaces. The report must follow the guidelines in Appendix C of the City’s Engineering Development Manual.
  • Transportation Impact Analysis
    • Required for each development or project proposal that would generate 20 or more new vehicle trips during the P.M. peak hour consistent most with current edition of the Trip Generation Manual, published by the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE), or if the City Traffic Engineer assesses that the project will have significant impacts to the transportation system, even if the 20-trip threshold is not met.
    • The report must follow the guidelines in Appendix E of the City’s Engineering Development Manual. 
  • Waste Diversion Plan and Salvage Assessment
    • Required for construction or alterations that exceed 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, or when demolition work is proposed.
    • The applicant must also provide a Waste Diversion Report prior to their final building inspection.
    • May be deferred to later rounds of review but must be submitted prior to permit approval. 

Additional Permits (Possibly Required)

These are additional permits that may be required to accompany your Building Permit application depending on your scope of work.