How high can you build in Bellevue?

2015/10/27 - The city of Bellevue maintains a number of districts known as Transition Area Design Districts. These are areas the provide a buffer between residential use districts and high density districts. Zone designations for these areas for residential use include R-10, R-15m R-20 and R-30.

If your home is in one of these districts you need to be careful when doing additions to your home or do re-roofing on your home that might affect the height of the residence. While it may seem obvious in a residential home that re-roofing will not change the height of the roof, a new ridge based vent system could add an inch or more to the height of your residence and put it in violation!

In most cases maximum height is restricted to 30' but can be increased using bonuses. Height calculations are complex and involved including calculations on roof pitch, land grade, and multiple grade measurement points. Check city code Part 20.25B to see if your location is eligible for bonuses. For information on measuring building height see City of Bellevue Development Services Handout L-10. Don't put your home in technical default of this law, make sure your roofing company is well versed in the local roofing code in Bellevue.

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