Concrete removal in West Seattle
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Across most of Seattle, a small patio removal sits well under the City's grading-permit thresholds. On parts of West Seattle it can be different, because the ground under the slab sits on some of the most slide-prone slopes in the city. Seattle's own hazard analysis puts Alki Avenue among the two places with the most recorded landslides anywhere in Seattle, at more than 100 each.
Before the jackhammer starts, find out whether your lot is on a mapped slope or near the shoreline, because the permit thresholds there are much lower. When you have the details, send them over and we pass your job to one local concrete removal company. It costs you nothing.
Local facts for West Seattle
- Alki Avenue slide record
- Seattle's hazard analysis says the areas with the most previous landslides are along Alki Avenue in West Seattle and Perkins Lane North in Magnolia, with over 100 documented occurrences each. Source: Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Seattle Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis: Landslides (2014)
- Deep-seated slide areas
- The same analysis lists Alki and Admiral Way among Seattle's deep-seated landslide areas, and names Beach Drive Southwest and Pigeon Point among areas with large numbers of recorded slides. Source: Seattle Office of Emergency Management, SHIVA: Landslides (2014)
- Sewer mains at the base of the slopes
- Seattle's sewer mainlines run parallel along the base of many landslide-prone hillsides, especially in West Seattle, the east side of Queen Anne Hill and Carkeek Park. Source: Seattle Office of Emergency Management, SHIVA: Landslides (2014)
- Lower grading threshold on slopes
- SDCI requires a grading permit in steep slope and landslide-prone areas when combined excavation, fill and other land disturbance exceeds 25 cubic yards. Source: Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, Grading Permit
Where West Seattle's slides happen
Seattle's Office of Emergency Management says landslides are prone to occur on 8.4% of the city, near the edges of steep, mostly linear hills, and that 88% of documented slides happened inside a steep-slope or potential-slide area the City had already mapped. West Seattle names come up again and again in that analysis.
Alki Avenue is one of the two locations with over 100 documented slides. Beach Drive Southwest and Pigeon Point are listed among the other areas with large numbers. The larger, deep-seated slides include Alki and Admiral Way, and Duwamish Head is named as an area where slides have been increasing.
- Alki Avenue: more than 100 documented slides
- Beach Drive SW and Pigeon Point: large numbers of recorded slides
- Alki and Admiral Way: named among deep-seated slide areas
- Duwamish Head: slides increasing
The 25-cubic-yard line on a mapped slope
Seattle's grading rules count removing a hard surface such as pavement or a walkway as land-disturbing activity. Across most of the city, the grading-permit triggers are large: disturbing 5,000 square feet or more, or adding or replacing 750 square feet or more of hard surface.
On a steep slope or in a landslide-prone area, SDCI drops the threshold sharply. A grading permit is required if the combined volume of excavation, filling and other land disturbance is more than 25 cubic yards, and you may need environmental review as well. SDCI adds that whether or not you need a permit, the work must still meet the restrictions on land disturbance in critical areas and their buffers.
Shoreline lots on Alki and Beach Drive
Waterfront lots have their own trigger. Seattle defines the shoreline district as land within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark of Puget Sound and most lakes and bays. Inside it, SDCI requires a grading permit if you disturb land within 100 feet of the high water mark, or move more than 25 cubic yards between 100 and 200 feet from it, on top of any shoreline permitting.
Why drainage matters once the slab is gone
The same City analysis says the most frequent Seattle slides are shallow ones after intense, short storms, and that human alteration of the slope is at least a partial cause in 84% of the city's landslides. It also notes that sewer mainlines run along the base of many slide-prone hillsides, especially in West Seattle.
A patio or driveway on a slope has been shedding water in one direction for decades. When it comes out, ask the removal company how runoff will be handled until the new surface goes in, including where the downspouts will drain in the meantime.
Questions about concrete removal in West Seattle
Is West Seattle prone to landslides?
Parts of it are. Seattle's hazard analysis lists Alki Avenue among the two areas with over 100 documented slides, and names Admiral Way, Beach Drive SW, Pigeon Point and Duwamish Head as well.
What is a grading permit in Seattle?
A permit from SDCI for moving or disturbing soil, which includes removing pavement. Most of the city only needs one for big jobs, but on mapped steep slopes and landslide-prone areas the trigger is more than 25 cubic yards of disturbance.
Do I need a permit to remove a patio near Alki Beach?
Possibly. Within 100 feet of the ordinary high water mark, SDCI requires a grading permit for any land disturbance. Between 100 and 200 feet, the trigger is more than 25 cubic yards.
How do I check if my lot is on a mapped slope?
Seattle maps steep slopes and potential slide areas as environmentally critical areas. SDCI can confirm whether your parcel is mapped before the work is planned.
Near West Seattle
Sources
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