City of Lakewood, WA

Common application types

• New Single Family Residence
• Residential Addition
• Residential Remodel
• Commercial Tenant Improvement
• Change of Occupancy
• Design Review
• Conditional Use Permit
• Variance
• Temporary Use Permit
• Pre-Application Meeting

New homes and additions

Plans must be combined into one complete, bookmarked set with a cover page listing scope, design criteria, soil bearing pressure and frost depth, and civil sheets must be stamped by a Washington civil engineer. Foundations and framing outside IRC prescriptive limits must be designed by a Washington professional engineer, and plans must show insulation per WSEC-R with energy forms submitted separately. Critical areas (wetlands, streams, geologically hazardous areas and buffers) should be reviewed and delineated before submittal, and an erosion control plan with impervious areas, flow control and BMP sizing calculations is required.

ADUs and middle housing

The City's 2024 Comprehensive Plan periodic review set January 1, 2025 as the effective date for its updated housing regulations, including ADU changes under HB 1337. The City's residential allowed-uses handout lists ADUs as permitted in R1-R4, MR1-MR2, MF1-MF2 and TOC, and middle housing types including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhouses, courtyard apartments, stacked flats and cottage housing in the R1-R4 zones. A City Engineer interpretation assumes 6 average daily trips per ADU, with 13 or more trips triggering street frontage improvements under LMC 12.09.031.

Decks, retaining walls and accessory structures

Residential detached accessory structures up to 120 square feet are exempt, as are unattached decks under 200 square feet and under 30 inches above grade that are not the main entry (18 inches on shoreline properties). Upland retaining walls 4 feet or less from bottom of footing that do not support a surcharge are exempt; decks and fences near critical areas or buffers may still need a permit.

Commercial tenant improvements and change of use

A TI permit is required when a first tenant occupies a vacant space or when the occupancy group or use changes, and a change of use may trigger added parking and building and fire code upgrades. Major structural alterations require plans and calculations from a Washington-licensed engineer, and life safety, accessibility and change of use designs require Washington-licensed architect stamped documents under WAC 308-12-340. Food service businesses should check with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

Land use review

Land use applications such as design review, conditional use, variance, temporary use and master facilities plans are started in the Online Permit Center; variances are Type I, II or III, with Type III requiring public notice. Pre-application meetings are available by appointment for large or complex projects with written staff comments, and are strongly recommended for new docks, bulkheads and sites with environmental constraints.

Corrections and review

If the City issues a Request for Information, respond promptly and resubmit through the Online Permit Center, or the application may expire. The City's permit timeline document (2021) lists goals of 30 days for first review of new single-family, residential additions and accessory structures and 14 days for second review, with a goal of reviewing resubmittals within 14 days.

Tips from SASHKOV

• Research the parcel first with Parcel Discovery and the City GIS zoning and constraints map.
• Check frontage improvement requirements early for ADUs, since the City counts 6 daily trips per ADU toward the 13-trip trigger.
• Submit corrected plans quickly and address every comment, since the second review clock starts when corrections are received.

Where to apply

Permitting authority: Planning and Public Works (PPW). Online submittals: Online Permit Center.