Summary: In Seattle’s neighborhood residential zones, the City’s Land Use Code (Seattle Municipal Code, Chapter 23) allows some flexibility for the placement of your house and accessory structures such as garages. You can build your house closer than 5 feet to a side lot line and even to the lot line if your neighbor pro-vides a side yard easement. Garages, greenhouses and other similar structures separated from your house on the same lot may be built up to the side lot line but only with your neighbor’s permission through an accessory structure agreement.
Date Revised: 11/07/2022