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Council Approves Development Standards for Live-Work Units

SEATTLE-After a year of discussion and working out the language, the City Council has passed legislation that will hopefully increase opportunities for mixed-use development in the city by allowing occupants to both live and work in the same space.

By Joel Cone | Updated on June 26, 2003

SEATTLE-The City Council on Monday unanimously approved legislation that has been in the works for about a year that will permit small business owners to live in ground floor commercially zoned space so long as the occupant also utilizes the space as a work space.

The legislation establishes development standards by which so-called “live-work” units are acceptable in commercial and neighborhood-commercial zones. Under the legislation, a live-work space is defined as combining residential and nonresidential uses in one space, if the occupant has a valid business license for the business operated in that unit. The business must be in the front of the unit with the residential space in back.

“This is a concept that has worked well in other cities,” says Councilmember Judy Nicastro, chair of the Land Use Committee and sponsor of the legislation. “We hope that this will allow more freedom for small business owners, like artists and craftsmen who can greatly benefit from not having to pay rent for a business office and rent for a home. Also, I am hopeful that this will help fill up commercial buildings that have a high vacancy rate right now.”

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