West Seattle development: 2 lot-boundary-adjustment proposals

Lot-boundary-adjustment proposals are often first word of development plans on the way for a site, so we watch the city’s online files for early word of them. Two more West Seattle proposals have just appeared:

3917 CALIFORNIA SW: This two-lot, two-building, six-apartment site at California/Andover has been listed for sale for a while. Now there’s a proposal to change the lot boundaries/sizes. While the eventual development plan has not yet appeared online, the application says the 71-year-old, California-fronting four-plex is to be demolished, with the Andover-facing duplex to remain, for now. The site is currently split into two equal-sized rectangular parcels; the “adjustment” would result in two L-shaped lots, both with frontage on both California and Andover.

The site is zoned Lowrise 3.

4023 SW GRAHAM: This 7,500-square-foot site at 41st/Graham on the east edge of Morgan Junction is on the books as one 7,500 parcel but technically two lots, and is proposed to be “adjusted” into two 3,750-square-foot lots. The application says the 67-year-old house and slightly newer garage/carport currently on the parcel will be demolished; the future development plans are not yet on file. The site is zoned single-family 5,000, and a document in the file says 3,750 sf is the minimum allowable building-lot size.

3 Replies to "West Seattle development: 2 lot-boundary-adjustment proposals"

  • dsa May 30, 2014 (7:34 pm)

    Can anyone who owns a house on a 7500 sf plot of three 2500 sf legal lots in a 5000 sf zone and build two residences once the boundaries are adjusted?

  • dsa May 30, 2014 (7:41 pm)

    Note to my question above: It used to be that if the a platted lot had been constructed on in conjunction with an adjacent lot, you could not separate it if it’s size was not up to current code requirements. But if it had never been used it could be considered as an individual building lot.
    .
    So I’m asking, has something changed?

  • tk June 3, 2014 (9:45 am)

    dsa- Is there any way to get ahold of you? We have a similar situation in our neighborhood also.
    The Lot Boundary Adjustment calculation documents (hard to find in the link) seem to be by the same well-known developer in WS, used many times before (even though the applicant’s name is the home owner, don’t be fooled).
    There is an exception to the 5000 min. sq ft. lot rule (even with an existing house on it) which is a huge loophole(see Seattle Municipal Code 23.44.010 Lot Requirements (“Exceptions- the 75/80 rule”) where developers can take the ave. area of all lots in the block x 80% = min. size of a “Lot boundary adjustment” building lot. But look carefully- it appears that they are counting lots 7 & 8 as 2 lots whereas they are actually one lot currently with a house spanning the 2 lots. Additionally, the tiny 796 sq ft lot should not be included as a buildable lot in the calculation either. Thus, the 75/80 rule might not be valid in this case.
    Check out all of the legal documents on the WS Blog last year for the Manning/55th Ave SW fiasco, concerning these same type of calculation hocus-pocus.

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