Key takeaways
- Hunts Point issues its own permits. A pre-application meeting is required before you submit for new construction or a remodel of $25,000 or more.
- Size is capped by a gross floor area ratio set by zone: a 40,000 square foot R-40 lot allows 8,000 square feet, and land under water does not count.
- Height is an envelope: 30 feet above original grade in R-40, 26 feet in R-20 and R-20A, all under a 45 degree plane that starts 15 feet up from the side setback line.
- On the water, the shoreline master program sets the house setback by your lot’s environment: a stringline, 50 feet, 30 feet, 130 feet from a channel centerline, or a mapped distance.
- A building permit expires 540 days after issue, and construction workers may not park on town streets.
Short answer: a major remodel or teardown rebuild in the Town of Hunts Point, Washington, starts with a virtual pre-application meeting, then a permit package emailed to a small town office. A gross floor area ratio and an angled height envelope shape the house, and on the water the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) sets how close you can come. The town publishes mostly forms and PDFs, so this page gathers the numbers.
Everything below comes from the town’s permit packets, fee schedules and web pages, its October 2015 SMP and state law, read on 7 October 2026. Yard setbacks and lot coverage sit in the zone chapters of the municipal code (HPMC 18.31, 18.36, 18.37 and 18.38). The packets do not state them, so I leave them out and check them against your survey. As of October 2026, confirm with the town.
Four residential zones and the rule that sizes the house
The town’s building permit worksheet lists four residential zones, R-40, R-20, R-20A and R-20A Flex, built around lot areas of 40,000, 20,000 and 12,000 square feet.
The gross floor area ratio (GFAR) caps floor area by lot area, and lot area excludes inundated portions, so land under the lake does not count.
| Zone | Lot area | Allowed gross floor area |
|---|---|---|
| R-40 | 0 to 20,000 sq ft | 0.25 of lot area |
| R-40 | 20,001 to 40,000 sq ft | 5,000 sq ft plus 0.15 of area over 20,000 |
| R-40 | 40,001 to 100,000 sq ft | 8,000 sq ft plus 0.10 of area over 40,000 |
| R-40 | Over 100,000 sq ft | 14,000 sq ft plus 0.05 of area over 100,000 |
| R-20 | Any size | Greater of 5,200 sq ft or 0.25 of lot area |
| R-20A and Flex | 14,800 sq ft or less | 0.35 of lot area |
| R-20A and Flex | Over 14,800 sq ft | Greater of 5,200 sq ft or 0.25 of lot area |
Source: Town of Hunts Point Building Permit Worksheet, October 2025. It follows Ordinance 584 (September 8, 2025), the latest change to the residential zone chapters I found in council minutes and agendas through October 5, 2026.
The arithmetic: a 60,000 square foot R-40 lot allows 8,000 + (0.10 x 20,000) = 10,000, and a 20,000 square foot R-20 lot gets the 5,200 floor, since 0.25 x 20,000 is only 5,000.
In R-40 the primary structure may not exceed the larger of 12,000 square feet or 0.75 of the allowable area, and any structure within 25 feet of it counts toward it.
The town’s forms conflict: the worksheet subtracts exclusions listed in HPMC 18.10.186, while the checklist points to HPMC 18.10.240. Before I count a basement or garage, I ask the building official which controls.
Height is an angled envelope
Two caps apply together, one from original grade and one from finish grade, both under an inward sloping 45 degree line that begins 15 feet up where original grade meets the minimum side yard setback line.
| Zone | Above original grade | Above finish grade | Extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-40 | 30 ft | 36 ft | None stated |
| R-20 | 26 ft | 32 ft | 30 and 36 ft with an added setback |
| R-20A and Flex | 26 ft | 32 ft | 30 and 36 ft with an added front setback |
Source: Building Permit Worksheet quoting HPMC 18.31.010, 18.36.010, 18.37.010 and 18.38.010. In R-20A Flex the 45 degree line is measured at the side setback shared with another residential lot.
The envelope moves in one foot for each foot above the first 15, so a point 26 feet up must sit at least 11 feet inside the side setback line (26 minus 15), and in R-40 a point at 30 feet at least 15 feet inside.
The finish grade cap is measured from any point where finished ground meets a wall, deck or porch, so the lowest contact point limits you. A licensed surveyor or geotechnical engineer certifies original grade, and the town wants that with the permit, so I order it first. Inside shoreline jurisdiction the SMP caps height at 30 and 36 feet (Table 6.2a).
The shoreline program and your setback from the water
Land within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) of Lake Washington is in shoreline jurisdiction, and the permit application asks whether your work is inside it. The town posts the October 2015 program as the most recent, its 2025 comprehensive plan says the same, and Ecology’s list of approved programs links that document.
The house setback depends on your lot’s shoreline environment (SMP Table 6.2b and the Appendix G map).
| Shoreline environment | Setback for the primary dwelling |
|---|---|
| A (R-40) | No closer than the stringline setback |
| B (R-40) | No closer than 50 ft from the high water mark |
| C (R-20) | No closer than 130 ft from the Fairweather Basin centerline |
| D | Varies by lot; see the Appendix G map |
| E | No closer than 30 ft from the high water mark |
Source: Hunts Point SMP, October 2015, Table 6.2b and Appendix G, which calls its map approximate.
The stringline runs between the waterward edges of the two neighboring primary dwellings, taken at their lot centerlines, so the neighbors’ houses set your line. In Environment C, redevelopment may not go closer than the existing primary structure did in 2015, and the Appendix G map carries a similar note on some lots.
Hard surface near the water is capped. In R-40, impervious area in the first 50 feet landward of the OHWM is limited to 20 percent, with none added in the first 20 feet. In R-20 and R-20A it is 25 percent of the first 15 feet (SMP 6.8).
Permit or exemption. A house for your own or your family’s use, no more than 35 feet above average grade and meeting every other local requirement, is exempt from the shoreline substantial development permit (WAC 173-27-040(2)(g)), and the town issues a Letter of Exemption. The exemption does not waive SMP standards, and if any part of the project is not exempt the whole project needs the full permit. It is the last local approval before the building permit, decided within 120 days unless more information is needed. See my guide to the shoreline exemption for a single-family home.
A design that misses an SMP standard needs a Shoreline Variance from the hearing examiner. For remodels on the water, see my guide to a waterfront home remodel on Lake Washington.
Keeping the house or starting over
I found no dollar threshold in the town’s permit documents that forces a remodel to meet current zoning, so I ask at the pre-application meeting whether yours triggers one. On the shoreline side, SMP Appendix B.12 says:
- Keep and enlarge. A legally established house that misses today’s setbacks, buffers, yards or height may be maintained, repaired and enlarged, as long as the enlargement does not push further into areas where new construction would not be allowed.
- Replacement follows the SMP. The SMP treats such houses and their garages and sheds as conforming structures, a choice state law allows (RCW 90.58.620). Redevelopment, expansion or replacement must still be consistent with the SMP, including no net loss of shoreline ecological functions.
For a teardown, replacement must be consistent with the SMP, and in Environment C and on some mapped lots the existing dwelling sets the limit, so I ask the town in writing how it treats replacement on your lot. The wider decision is in my guide to remodel or tear down and rebuild. A demolition permit is needed if you remove 50 percent or more of a structure or disconnect utilities, with an asbestos and lead certification first.
Trees, grading and the site
A significant tree is any evergreen, or a listed deciduous tree, with a trunk over 10 inches across at 4 feet 6 inches above grade, or a grove tree (HPMC chapter 8.25). Removing one needs a tree removal permit, and on a property proposed for construction the pre-application meeting comes first. The rules below come from the shoreline program and apply inside shoreline jurisdiction; I did not read the HPMC 8.25 terms for other lots. You show a plot plan, the reason for removal, a mitigation plan, and proof you notified a neighbor whose significant trees stand within 20 feet of the line.
- Allowed. For a new house or addition that cannot be sited to avoid the tree, or when it is hazardous or dead.
- Mitigation. Two similar trees for each one removed, evergreens at least 10 feet tall, with a three year warranty and annual inspection at your cost.
- Views. Removal solely for light and view is processed as a Shoreline Variance.
- Penalty. Unlawful removal costs $1,000 plus $1,000 per inch, up to $25,000.
A site development permit (excavation, grading, drainage, utilities) calls for a soils report, stormwater information and the original grade certification. The building checklist adds a geotechnical report for new construction, a storm drainage report and an arborist’s tree plan. The Council adopted new critical area regulations (HPMC 16.20) on February 2, 2026, and the town posts critical area maps, so I ask at the pre-application meeting whether your lot touches one.
The permit path, step by step
Town Hall, at 3000 Hunts Point Road, is open by appointment (425 455 1834), and applications go in by email as PDFs. The town contracts its building official, engineer and planner, and arborist, and bills their hours to your project, as it does the hearing examiner’s.
- Survey and original grade. A stamped topographic survey with all easements, plus the certification.
- Pre-application meeting. Required for new construction or a remodel of $25,000 or more. It runs on Zoom, typically with the building official, the town planner and engineer, and the arborist. Send a narrative, site plan, floor plans and elevations showing height, setback and floor area ratio.
- Shoreline exemption or permit if you are within 200 feet of the OHWM, plus SEPA or state and federal approvals where they apply.
- Other agencies. Bellevue Fire reviews plans, decides on sprinklers and must review an entry gate first. Bellevue issues the water and sewer availability certificate.
- Submit the application, a signed hold harmless agreement (none is accepted without it) and the drawings as one PDF, with fees by check or cash.
- Review and issue. Reviewers email corrections, and you resubmit the whole document with revisions clouded. Book inspections 24 hours ahead. Occupancy before a Certificate of Occupancy is illegal.
The town’s packets list building, demolition, mechanical, plumbing, shoreline, site development, tree removal and right-of-way permits. I found no design review board among them. Variances go to a hearing examiner after a 15 day posting period.
Fees the town publishes
The fee schedule sends new construction and remodels with measurable floor area to Table A by square footage, plus plan review at 65 percent of the permit fee, a $6.50 state surcharge and an inspection fee set by the building official. Work with no measurable floor area goes to Table B by valuation. The instructions packet says the total is based on valuation for remodel work, so ask which table applies and which floor area counts in a partial remodel. If valuation governed, Table B on a $1,000,000 remodel would give $5,608.75 plus $3,645.69 plan review, $9,254.44, against $18,768.75 for the 2,500 square foot R-40 case below.
| Project floor area | R-40 permit fee plus plan review | R-20 and R-20A |
|---|---|---|
| 2,500 sq ft | $11,375 + $7,393.75 = $18,768.75 | $7,700 + $5,005 = $12,705 |
| 4,000 sq ft | $16,100 + $10,465 = $26,565 | $11,025 + $7,166.25 = $18,191.25 |
Source: Tables A and B, building permit fee schedule, June 1, 2024. The sums are arithmetic.
- Other fees (schedule dated April 23, 2013), each plus actual costs: pre-application $500 (plus costs), shoreline exemption $250, site development $500, variance $500, demolition $250, tree removal $50, and a street cleaning deposit of $3,000 that may be required. The town’s FAQ says fees are set in the municipal code, so confirm current amounts.
- Heavy truck fee. One percent of project value for demolition and site development permits, and for building permits when the town engineer expects bulk material on town streets. On $2,000,000 that is $20,000. It is waived if you document that materials will move by barge or another method that avoids town streets.
Work hours, parking and site rules
Construction that sends more than 55 decibels across a property line is allowed from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, and not on the town’s ten construction holidays. Construction vehicle parking, including workers’ personal cars, is not allowed anywhere in town outside private parking. The owner or agent must arrange it, and enforcement is by fines and Stop Work Orders. You name a project supervisor as a 24-hour contact.
Timeline and code dates
The packets give no target review time. They do publish a 120 day cap on a shoreline exemption decision, a variance that lapses if no building permit application follows within 15 months, a six month life for a tree permit, and a 540 day life for a building permit, after which you call the Deputy Clerk about options. From my side, design to permit submission typically takes 2 to 4 months.
The checklist says a project is vested to the ordinances in effect when the application is accepted, so the filing date matters. The 2021 state energy code has applied since March 15, 2024 (my energy code guide). The town’s 2024 Codes Delay page still shows November 1, 2026 for the 2024 state codes. The State Building Code Council’s website and its August 14, 2026 schedule, read on October 7, 2026, give May 3, 2027, with final adoption targeted for October 16, 2026 (energy codes November 20), so the date could still move. Ask which code your filing date lands under.
Where an architect fits
I begin with the survey and original grade, work out the floor area for your zone, draw the 45 degree plane in section on every side, and place the setback for your shoreline environment, so the pre-application meeting is about the project. Piper Cole designs houses and administers construction on your behalf. It does not build. I quote a fixed fee for design and permit, set by project budget and location, about $10,000 to $200,000 depending on scope, and my smallest project budget is $750,000.
Before you design
Find out what your Hunts Point lot will carry
Send me the address and what you have in mind. The first feasibility check is free and usually takes about a day. An in-depth analysis is $1,500 and takes 2 to 3 weeks.
Questions
Do I need a pre-application meeting in Hunts Point?
Yes, for all new construction and for any remodel of $25,000 or more, before you submit for permits. The town schedules a virtual Zoom meeting, typically attended by the building official, the town planner and engineer, and the arborist. You send a narrative, a site plan, floor plans and elevations showing height, setback and gross floor area ratio. The fee is $500 plus actual costs. A tree removal permit on a property proposed for construction also needs the meeting first.
How big can I build in Hunts Point?
Size is capped by a gross floor area ratio that depends on zone and lot area. In R-40, a 40,000 square foot lot allows 8,000 square feet, and a 60,000 square foot lot allows 10,000. In R-20 the limit is the greater of 5,200 square feet or 0.25 of lot area. In R-20A and R-20A Flex it is 0.35 of lot area up to 14,800 square feet. Lot area excludes inundated land, and any structure within 25 feet of the primary structure counts toward it in R-40.
How tall can a house be in Hunts Point?
In R-40 the limit is 30 feet above original grade and 36 feet above finish grade. In R-20 and R-20A it is 26 feet and 32 feet, extendable to 30 and 36 with an added setback. In every zone the building must also stay under an inward sloping 45 degree line that starts 15 feet above the intersection of original grade and the minimum side yard setback line (in R-20A Flex, the side shared with another residential lot).
What is the shoreline setback in Hunts Point?
It depends on the shoreline environment of the lot. Environment A uses a stringline between the neighboring dwellings, B is 50 feet from the ordinary high water mark, C is 130 feet from the Fairweather Basin channel centerline, E is 30 feet, and D varies by the Appendix G map. In the R-40 zone, hard surface in the first 50 feet landward of the water is limited to 20 percent, and none may be added in the first 20 feet.
Do I need a shoreline permit to remodel a waterfront house in Hunts Point?
A house for your own use, up to 35 feet above average grade and meeting all other local rules, is normally exempt from the shoreline substantial development permit, and the town issues a Letter of Exemption. The exemption does not waive SMP standards, and if any part of the project is not exempt, the whole project needs the full permit. A design that misses an SMP standard needs a Shoreline Variance from the hearing examiner.
Can I remove trees to build or to open a view?
A significant tree is an evergreen or listed deciduous tree with a trunk over 10 inches across at 4 feet 6 inches, or a grove tree. Removal needs a permit. Inside shoreline jurisdiction it is allowed for a new house or addition that cannot be sited to avoid it, and you replant two trees for each one removed. Removal only to improve light or view is processed as a Shoreline Variance. Unlawful removal costs $1,000 plus $1,000 per inch, up to $25,000.
Does Hunts Point have design review or a view protection law?
I found neither in the town’s permit packets. The permit types the town lists are building, demolition, mechanical, plumbing, shoreline, site development, tree removal and right of way. The Planning Commission advises the Council, and variances are decided by a hearing examiner. The SMP does treat tree removal for light or view as a variance. Confirm with the town.
How long is a Hunts Point building permit valid, and when can crews work?
A building permit expires 540 days after issue. Noisy construction is allowed 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, and not on the town’s construction holidays. Construction vehicles, including workers’ personal cars, may not park on town streets, so the owner must arrange off-street parking.
Authoritative sources
Regulatory requirements referenced in this guide are set by the official agencies below. Rules change, always confirm current requirements with the source:
