Zoning/ADU advice in Seattle

[Max Guerrero]

Hello all. After finally getting our new downstairs tenants in and getting a little breathing room I've started really looking into making the unit legal. I took a trip to the city zoning office today with questions on how to re-zone from sf5000 to lr1 and left with forms on how to apply for an ADU permit. They said that it would be the easiest, most effective way of getting what I want to accomplish done. The downstairs would be up to code for everything but a separate swicth panel, which would need to be done. The only thing, in my mind that would be an issue is, we don't plan on being in this house for longer than a year. And us to keep the ADU permit, wed have to occupy it permanently.

Does anybody have a legal way to have an ADU without residing in the house? If not, what are my choices. What can I do to

1-Have a legal downstairs unit

2-Add as much value as I can to the property.

Thanks in advance.

[Account Closed]

With Seattle zoning you are kind of stuck right now. I looked into this a few years ago and the ADU is the only option for SF zoning. They are talking about removing the occupancy requirement, but I'm not sure that will happen. Hopefully the city wakes up...we have a housing shortage here in Seattle and the city is trying to solve it but they refuse to recognize the core issue...that 65% of the land in Seattle is zoned Single Family.

I looked at rezoning and even paid the $100 for the city permit coaching on it.  I have LR2 zoning on my block (two houses down) and asked about extending that zoning further down the street.  The city told me that it was very possible, but I'd have to apply/pay for a re-zoning study in which the city may or may not approve.  Their rough estimate was $50k for the study.  Obviously I chose not to pay for this; I figured since I live on an arterial street and I would just wait for the city to eventually re-zone.