Design Review adds months — sometimes years — to a project's schedule. It's also the only point where neighbors get a real say in what goes up. If you're developing, designing, or living near a larger project in Seattle, this process will affect you.
What Is Design Review?
Design Review is a public process managed by the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI) where proposed developments are evaluated by a Design Review Board, a group of volunteer architects, urban designers, and community members.
The board reviews projects for their impact on the surrounding neighborhood, including building form, scale, street-level design, landscaping, and how the project fits into the existing context.
When Is Design Review Required?
Not every project goes through Design Review. It's triggered by specific thresholds depending on the zone:
- Lowrise zones (LR): Projects with 8+ units
- Midrise zones (MR): Most new construction
- Commercial zones (NC, C): Projects exceeding certain size thresholds
- Downtown: Projects over a certain height
Smaller projects may qualify for Administrative Design Review, which is handled by SDCI staff without a public board meeting.
The Two-Meeting Process
Most projects go through two public meetings:
1. Early Design Guidance (EDG)
The first meeting happens early in the design process. The applicant presents 2-3 design options showing different approaches to the building's massing, orientation, and relationship to the street.
What happens at EDG:
- The design team presents their options
- Board members ask questions and discuss trade-offs
- Public comment period (usually 2 minutes per person)
- The board provides guidance on which direction to pursue
The EDG meeting doesn't result in an approval or denial. It's guidance. The board tells the design team which option they prefer and what to improve before the next meeting.
2. Recommendation Meeting
The second meeting happens after the design team has refined their proposal based on EDG feedback. The applicant presents a single, developed design.
What happens at Recommendation:
- The design team presents the refined proposal
- Board evaluates against the Seattle Design Guidelines
- Public comment period
- The board votes to recommend approval, approval with conditions, or to request further revisions
A recommendation to approve moves the project forward in the permitting process. A recommendation for revisions means another meeting.
How Long Does Design Review Take?
The gap between EDG and Recommendation runs 3-12 months, depending on the project and the board's schedule. The full process from application to recommendation takes 6-18 months.
For projects that receive a "revise and resubmit" recommendation, add another 3-6 months.
How to Follow Design Review Projects
Attend Meetings
Design Review Board meetings are public, held in the evening. Schedules and agendas are posted on SDCI's website.
Project Detail Pages
On BuildVue, projects in design review show their current status, meeting dates, and design proposal slideshows, including the actual architectural renderings submitted to the board. This lets you see what's being proposed without attending every meeting.
What to Look for in Design Proposals
When reviewing a design proposal, pay attention to:
- Street-level activation, meaning whether the ground floor engages with the sidewalk
- Building setbacks and step-backs, and how the building transitions to neighboring structures
- Materials and facade articulation, and whether the design breaks up the building's mass
- Open space and landscaping, and how the project contributes to the public realm
- Parking access, including where cars enter and whether it conflicts with pedestrian areas
Start Following Design Review
Track design review projects on BuildVue's map by filtering for "Land Use" status projects.
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