When proposing development within specific design district areas, participation in a defined amenity incentive system is required. Development projects which meet certain thresholds will trigger the amenity incentive system which requires an applicant to provide public amenities within their development proposal. If an applicant is not able to incorporate the physical public amenity within their development proposal, they may choose to pay a fee-in-lieu if permitted by the amenity incentive system instead of providing the physical amenity.
Each design district within the city is calibrated differently and contains different amenity incentive system choices and what is allowed to be accepted as a fee-in-lieu of that amenity. Below are the current fee-in-lieu rates by design district. These rates are updated every January to align with the current published annual change in the Seattle Consumer Price Index for Wage Earners and Clerical Workers as needed in order to maintain accurate costs for the region.
BelRed Amenity Standards: Fee-in-Lieu Schedule
Issuance Fees
| Amenity Type | 2025 Adjusted Rate per square foot bonus area | 2026 Adjusted Rate per square foot bonus area |
|---|---|---|
Tier 1a Affordable Housing Residential | $29.05 | $29.83 |
Tier 1a Affordable Housing Nonresidential | $24.20 | $24.86 |
Tier 1b Parks and Streams Park Dedication | $24.20 | $24.86 |
Tier 1b Parks and Streams Park Improvements | $24.20 | $24.86 |
Tier 1b Parks and Streams Trail Dedication and Easements | $24.20 | $24.86 |
Tier 1b Parks and Streams Stream Restoration | $24.20 | $24.86 |
| Tier 2 Affordable Housing | $24.20 | $24.86 |
| BelRed Proportional Compliance Threshold |
$150,000 |
$248,577 |
| Value has not been administratively updated since 2009 | Value administratively adjusted to catch up with past inflation to be updated annually based on annual inflation going forward |
Downtown Floor Area Ratio Amenity Standards: Fee-in-Lieu
Issuance Fees
| Amenity Type | 2025 Adjusted Rate | 2026 Adjusted Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Parks Downtown Public Open Space | $38.65 | $39.69 |
Middle Housing Development Fee-in-Lieu
Per dwelling unit 2026 rate: $150,000
Tree Replacement Fee-in-Lieu
| Amenity Type | 2025 Rate | 2026 Adjusted Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Replacement Fee In-Lieu-per tree credit | $1,345.37 | $1,381.69 |