Substantial Residential Projects
Substantial Residential Projects require a completed Intake Screening prior to the submittal of a building permit application.
Substantial Residential Projects include:
- New Single Family Residences or Demo / Rebuilds
- Residential Additions that result in ≥ 500 square feet of additional footprint;
- Projects that net ≥ 500 square feet additional impervious surface and require Stormwater Permit Review:
- Projects that alter a critical area or critical area buffer such as a geologically hazardous area, wetland, or watercourse.
Pre-Application Services
Pre-Application Meetings are recommended in the early stages of your plan development process. They are an opportunity to meet with a representative from each of our five review disciplines to gain a better understanding of code requirements that can influence the design of your project. Understanding the City’s residential development standards, stormwater, tree protection, and fire access requirements early on can avoid costly re-design delays later in the project.
Intake Screenings are a mandatory step in the pre-application process for substantial residential projects. They occur prior to the submittal of a building permit application. The Intake Screening will not result in a pass/fail result. It is an informational step in the process that can identify elements that may be missing from your application materials and issues that may cause delays with your application. Intake Screenings are separate from the building permit application submittal. The applicant will need to upload their permit application documents again, upon completion of the screening, to initiate the permit application process.
Required Forms
- Intake Screening Request Form
- Building Permit Application
- Single Family Plan Coversheet
- Site Development Worksheet
- Small Project Stormwater Site Plan / Report
- Water Meter Sizing Worksheet
- Fire Area and Valuation Form
- Tree Inventory and Replacement Submittal Information Form
- Construction Management Plan (if overall gross floor area is greater than 6,000 square feet; or if added gross floor area is greater than 3,000 square feet)
Optional Forms
- Owner as Contractor (only required if you are a homeowner acting as your own contractor)
- Concurrent Review (only required if you are requesting concurrent review of a Land Use action)
Required Documents
Construction Documents- The following items should be merged into a single PDF file for submittal. This package will become your approved drawings set. Please bookmark each sheet in the plan set (i.e.: A1.1- Site Plan) prior to submittal. Click here to read our tip sheet on How to Bookmark Plans.
- Site Plans
- Topographic Survey - A complete survey is always required for new residential construction
- Foundation Plans
- Floor Plans
- Structural Framing Plans
- Cross Sections
- Elevations
- Temporary Erosion and Sediment Control Plans - for projects that require Stormwater Permit Review
- Stormwater Plan - for projects that require Stormwater Permit Review
- Utility Plan
- Tree Plan- see the Tree Submittal Checklist for more details. Click here for more information about Trees & Construction.
- Additional details as necessary for the construction of the proposed scope. Note: Required fire protection systems should be noted in the plan set.
Supplemental Documents- The following, if applicable to the project, should be uploaded as separate clearly named files. These documents support the design proposed in the Construction Documents and will be reviewed concurrently.
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- Geotechnical Report - if work is proposed in a geohazard area
- Critical Area Study - if work is proposed in a critical area
- Energy Code Worksheet
- Structural Calculations
- Stormwater Report
- Arborist Report - if removing or working within the dripline of one or more trees
- Addition details as necessary for the construction of the proposed scope
- Transportation Concurrency Certificate (if developing a vacant lot)
How to Apply
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Step One: Request an Intake Screening: |
Submit an intake screening request form alongside all required building permit application forms, construction plans, and supplemental documents to the Mercer Island Permit Submittal Portal. It is necessary to submit complete forms and documents so that staff can complete the screening. Note: This step is not the building permit application submittal. A complete set of application documents will need to be uploaded after the screening is complete in order to initiate a permit application. |
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Step Two: Review Intake Screening Comments |
Applicant reviews intake screening comments provided by staff. Applicant may chose to update permit submittal documents with any items that may be required to complete the permit application package prior to submitting the building permit application. | |
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Step Three: Submit the Building Permit Application |
Submit the building permit application forms, construction plans and supplemental documents to the Mercer Island Permit Submittal Portal. Staff will examine the submitted documents and notify the applicant of "complete" or "incomplete" application status via email. |
Related Applications
Many building permit applications are not complete without underlying land use approvals. These approvals are obtained by applying for separate land use applications. Many land use applications can be reviewed concurrently with a building permit application if the applicant provides a concurrent review form.
| LAND USE APPLICATION | WHEN IS THIS APPLICATION TYPICALLY REQUIRED? | HOW TO APPLY |
|---|---|---|
| Accessory Dwelling Unit | An attached or detached accessory dwelling unit included in project scope. | Land Use Application Forms and Instructions |
| Critical Area Review |
Work in a critical area or critical area buffer. Critical areas include watercourses, wetlands and the following geohazards: erosion, steep slope, potential slide and/or seismic. Check the Environmental Layers found on our Online Map Portal to see if your project is located near a mapped critical area. It is very common for a project to include an alteration in a geohazard (see 'hazard' map layer) on Mercer Island. |
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| Shoreline Permitting | Work is located within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark of Lake Washington | |
| Transportation Concurrency Review | Construction of a new home on a vacant lot or any commercial or change of use application. | |
| Seasonal Development Limitation Waiver | Required if land clearing, grading, filling, or foundation work will occur between October 1 and April 1 on sites located in Erosion, Potential Slide, or Steep Slope Hazard Areas. | Seasonal Development Limitation Application Information |
| Each application is separate and distinct from the next. When uploading land use applications to the permit submittal portal, upload each application separately. Include all required documents in each submittal, even if that means submitting the same document with multiple applications. | ||
