01
Shoreline's State Minimums
Shoreline is a Tier 2 city (2020 population about 58,600) in King County:
2
2 homes per residential lot at minimum
4
4 homes on lots a quarter-mile walk or less from a light rail or BRT stop
4
4 homes with one affordable unit
The station subareas have their own, much more intensive zoning; lots there follow those rules, not the middle housing minimums.
02
Shoreline's Transit Corridors
| Corridor | Stops |
|---|---|
| Link 1 Line | Shoreline South/148th, Shoreline North/185th |
| Aurora Avenue N | RapidRide E stations and Swift Blue Line stations |
03
Three Shoreline Building Scenarios
Inside a station subarea
Zoning may already allow townhome rows or small apartment buildings well beyond middle housing scale. We model the best use under that zoning.
Just outside a subarea but within a quarter mile of a station or Aurora BRT stop
The four-home minimum applies: a fourplex or a row of townhomes.
Elsewhere in Shoreline's single-family neighborhoods
Two homes minimum: a duplex or two townhomes, often on wooded lots in neighborhoods such as Richmond Beach, Ridgecrest or Echo Lake.
04
Trees, Streams and Slopes
Shoreline has extensive tree canopy and several stream systems. Tree protection and stream buffers are among the first things we map. State law prevents a city from applying stricter tree rules to middle housing than to a single house — but existing rules for single houses still apply.
05
Shoreline FAQ
QIs Shoreline in Seattle's permit system?
No. Shoreline is its own city with its own permit department, separate from Seattle's SDCI.
QCan I build townhomes on a Shoreline lot with no alley?
Yes. A shared drive along one side with garages or parking at the rear is a common layout.