Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17G Administration and Procedures

Chapter 17G.010 Building and Construction Permits

Section 17G.010.150 Special Application Requirements for Commercial Building Permits

  

1. General.

An owner, or the owner’s architect, engineer, or other agent, should consult with the Development Services Department, Engineering Services Department, and Planning and Economic Development Services Department before submitting an application for a commercial building permit to identify any peculiar considerations and discussing any special requirements. The owner, or the owner’s architect, engineer, or other agent, must submit ten prints of the site plan, and three each of the architectural plan, structural plan, and mechanical plan stamped by an architect or engineer licensed in the State of Washington, to the Development Services Department. The Development Services Department transmits copies of the print to other departments and agencies as appropriate. The following information is required for a complete application for a commercial building permit. The information needs to be provided on the site plan or front sheet of plans in the numbered order given. The Building Official may waive or modify specific submittal requirements determined to be unnecessary for review of an application.

1. 1. Name of project and date of application.

1. 2. Official street address. If an official street address has not been assigned, it must be obtained from the Engineering Services Department.

1. 3. Name, address, and phone number of the architect.

1. 4. Name, address, and phone number of the owner and agent.

1. 5. Name, address, and phone number of the tenant.

1. 6. Name, address, and phone number of the engineer(s).

1. 7. Name, address, and phone number of the consultant(s).

1. 8. Name, address, and phone number of the contractor(s).

1. 9. Name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

1. 10. Project type, new, remodel, addition, or alteration.

1. 11. Existing use of lot and/or building.

1. 12. Proposed use(s).

1. 13. Number of dwelling units.

1. 14. Occupancy group and division.

1. 15. Construction type required.

1. 16. Building allowable height and area.

1. 17. Building height (both in feet and number of stories).

1. 18. Basement floor area and occupant load.

1. 19. Ground floor area and occupant load.

1. 20. Floor area of each story above ground floor and occupant load (list each story individually).

1. 21. Total floor area, including basements and occupied roofs.

1. 22. Valuation.

1. 23. SEPA checklist, if required.

1. 24. Critical materials, if involved.

1. 25. HMMP plan submitted, if required.

1. 26. Floodplain designation, elevation of the first habitable floor, and certification of flood proofing measures, if applicable.

2. The following zoning information is to be included on the plan cover sheet or site plan:

1. 1. List dates of hearings during which any of the following were granted:

1. 1. 1. Zone change to construct a specific plan, including “L” agreements.

1. 1. 2. Conditional use permit.

1. 1. 3. Variance (list) or certificate of compliance.

1. 1. 4. Plans-in-lieu of compliance.

1. 1. 5. Planned unit development or manufactured home park; or

1. 1. 6. Binding site plan.

1. 2. Special Regulations.

Note any of the following permits, approvals, or restrictions:

1. 1. 1. Design zones.

1. 1. 2. Shoreline/Riverfront district.

1. 1. 3. Height district.

1. 1. 4. Historic district or building on the local, state, or national register.

1. 1. 5. Any hazard areas (airport, critical area).

1. 1. 6. Any previous environmental declarations on the project; or

1. 1. 7. Design review.

1. 3. Use zone of lot(s).

1. 4. Use zones of adjacent lots to the north, south, east, and west of the site.

1. 5. Lot area (square feet).

1. 6. Percent of lot covered by building(s).

1. 7. Area of lot covered by hard surfacing of any kind.

1. 8. Parking and loading stalls, number required and number provided, number of barrier-free parking spaces required and provided according to WAC 51-40-005, number of van stalls required and provided.

1. 9. Setbacks and yards: List of required and provided yards for each building shown on the plan, and special setbacks required by an approved final plat, binding site plan, or zoning agreement.

1. 10. Easements, vacations, agreements related to property.

3. The following information is required on the architectural site plan, even though it may duplicate other site plans.

1. 1. Vicinity map to show area location. Key plan for partial site work.

1. 2. Complete finished grading of the entire site and outlines of all structures. Provide topographic lines on sloping sites and affected adjacent sites, giving new and existing grades.

1. 3. Lay out all information to standard architectural or engineering scales. Establish north point.

1. 4. Show utility service lines with all mains and branches from streets to each unit or device served. Show sizes and materials on each sewer, water, and gas line on the plan, and each meter, shut-off, disconnect, connection box or vault, panel, check valve, cleanout, and related device to utility services. Locate all required fire hydrants, building pumper connections, and standpipe connections at the building on the street side. Show electric utility and phone line overhead or underground.

1. 5. Relate grade elevations and floor lines to the nearest City benchmark. Reference to an established point of elevation may be used on existing buildings.

1. 6. Show on site plan all outline dimensions of the building and distance to property lines. Show on the site plan location and dimensions and show angles in degrees for the following:

1. 1. 1. Property lines and adjacent zoning of property (N, S, E, W). Show any changes in zoning along property lines.

1. 1. 2. Streets, alleys, curb breaks, adjacent property curb breaks (must be a minimum of five feet from property lines), street lights, signs, meters, or planting on sidewalk or parking strips, on-site curbing.

1. 1. 3. Driveways, paving, curbing, sidewalks, and street corner curb ramp (WAC 236-60-060), each City standard catch basin, depressed lawns. Show Fire Department apparatus access to within one hundred fifty feet of any structure. 1:48 maximum side slope on sidewalks.

1. 1. 4. Parking layouts: Parking stalls and number each stall, or number blocks of stalls and give total. Locate off-street loading.

1. 1. 5. Front, side, and rear yards, and special setbacks for zoning and minimum clearances to the property line required for wall openings or construction type.

1. 1. 6. Recreation areas, planting strips, lawns.

1. 1. 7. Ornamental masonry and lightproof walls, landscaping buffers, and screening of outdoor storage of materials, wastes, equipment, or trash receptacles.

1. 1. 8. Location of outdoor lighting on building and in yards.

1. 1. 1. Identification or outdoor advertising signs. Note size and exact location.

1. 1. 10. Indicate rainwater disposal from building and from all property areas, to City-standard catch basins on the property. Give catch basin depths (in feet) and necessary site grading, contours, and slopes to ensure disposal of water to on-site drains. Paved parking areas require drainage swales. See the Engineering Services Department for the procedure before completing the drainage plan.

1. 1. 11. Maximum one hundred fifty foot distance to nearest fire hydrant from building perimeter (all points).

1. 1. 12. Additional information necessary for presentation, interpretation, or review of the project may be submitted or required in special cases.

1. 7. The format of the plans shall be as follows:

1. 1. 1. Plan drawings, elevations, sections and details of architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical plans shall be drawn to standard architectural scales (one-sixteenth inch, one-eighth inch, one-fourth inch, one-half inch, one inch, one and one-half inch, three-inch; please do not use three-eighth-inch or three-quarter- inch scales for code compliance), and standard engineer scales (one inch equals ten feet, twenty feet, thirty feet, forty feet, fifty feet). Plans should be oriented with north at the top of the sheet. Plans must have printing and lettering clear, distinct, and suitable for microfilm.

1. 1. 2. All plans, elevations, sections, and details shall be fully dimensioned so that conformance to codes can be confirmed. Overall dimensions of buildings shall be shown on site plans and floor plans.

1. 1. 3. On each sheet, provide the name and official address of the project, the Washington State seals of architect and engineers, the date each sheet and each revision was made, including flagging of each revision.

1. 1. 4. On revisions, date each sheet, provide the control number, and flag revisions on drawings and in specifications.

1. 1. 5. Provide a list of the codes which apply to the project.

1. 8. Detail Plans.

The following information shall be shown on architectural/engineering drawings or in specifications:

1. 1. 1. Landscaping plan, including a detailed plan with elevations and slope arrows, lawns, on-site storm sewer (OSSW) and City- standard catch basins, sprinkler system piping, heads, flows, and coverages with approved backflow prevention for OSSW swales and zoning landscape areas.

1. 1. 2. Foundation plans, including excavation and fill details.

1. 1. 3. Floor plans for each level.

1. 1. 4. Roof and weather protection details.

1. 1. 5. Exterior elevations and opening protection.

1. 1. 6. Interior elevations and finishes.

1. 1. 7. Typical and detailed sections.

1. 1. 8. Door assemblies.

1. 1. 1. Windows and glass.

1. 1. 10. Exits.

1. 1. 11. Standpipes and sprinklers.

1. 1. 12. Fire ratings.

1. 1. 13. Special details.

1. 1. 14. Barrier free design.

• • 15. Thermal regulations.

1. 1. 16. Elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, and moving walks.

1. 1. 17. Structural details including:

1. 1. 1. 1. calculations;

1. 1. 1. 2. clarifying notes;

1. 1. 1. 3. list special inspections and names of special inspectors for: concrete, ductile moment/resisting concrete frame, reinforcing steel and pre-stressing steel, welding, high strength bolting, structural masonry, reinforced gypsum concrete, insulating concrete fill, spray applied fireproofing, piling, drilled piers, caissons, special grading, excavation, filling, NER reports and special cases;

1. 1. 1. 4. layout of framing system, including horizontal and vertical members;

1. 1. 1. 5. lateral load resisting elements;

1. 1. 1. 6. continuity of system;

1. 1. 1. 7. detail and schedule special connections and conditions;

1. 1. 1. 8. schedule, specify, list, or detail on drawings: structural design criteria, concrete, masonry, wood, and structural metals.

1. 1. 18. Mechanical details, including layout, size, and identification of components on plans and riser diagrams for:

1. 1. 1. 1. general;

1. 1. 1. 2. plumbing;

1. 1. 1. 3. heating;

1. 1. 1. 4. cooling;

1. 1. 1. 5. refrigeration;

1. 1. 1. 6. ventilation;

1. 1. 1. 7. controls;

1. 1. 1. 8. special equipment;

1. 1. 1. 9. roof overflow drains;

1. 1. 1. 10. OSSW area drainage;

1. 1. 1. 11. water;

1. 1. 1. 12. gas;

1. 1. 1. 13. waste system;

1. 1. 1. 14. vents;

1. 1. 1. 15. chimneys;

1. 1. 1. 16. ducts;

1. 1. 1. 17. boiler and pressure vessel;

1. 1. 1. 18. special piping;

1. 1. 1. 19. fire lines, special suppression systems, and extinguishers.

1. 1. 19. Electrical details including location, size, and identification of components of distribution on plans and riser diagrams for:

1. 1. 1. 1. light;

1. 1. 1. 2. heat;

1. 1. 1. 3. power;

1. 1. 1. 4. radio;

1. 1. 1. 5. television;

1. 1. 1. 6. signal;

1. 1. 1. 7. alarm systems;

1. 1. 1. 8. grounding;

1. 1. 1. 9. exit signs;

1. 1. 1. 10. smoke detectors. 

 

Date Passed: Monday, October 20, 2025

Effective Date: Friday, November 28, 2025

ORD C36753 Section 44