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AIRPORT BUILDING DEPARTMENT
APPLICATION FOR COMPLIANCE OF PORT STANDARDS, OR COPS,
BUILDING PERMITS, IF ANY, AND PLAN SUBMITTAL CHECKLISTS
The following minimum information is required on plans submitted for building permit. Even though these are
minimum Building Code requirements, the registered design professional may see the need to provide additional
information. Special Port of Seattle Standards may also require provisions beyond these minimum ones. All plans
submitted must be complete (usually 100% of the total design phase before the Airport Building Department will
accept the plans for review). The plans may contain all or part of building, mechanical, plumbing, and/or grading
components, any of which may need to be reviewed, as follows:
CRITICAL STEPS IN THE PERMIT AND PLAN REVIEW PROCEDURES
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First Step. You must have a Port of Seattle Project Manager to do any work at the airport. They will assist
you to take you through all the necessary steps and procedures for doing any work at the SeaTac Airport.
For tenant improvements (new work, additions, alterations or major repairs in the terminals), please contact
Roi Nevaril at (206) 248 –7145 for a Port-assigned PM. That person will also help you get any necessary
Line of Business (LOB) approvals.
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Second Step. Your Project Manager will assist you in applying for an application for a Certification of Port
Standards (COPS) and answering questions for the Preliminary Design Review Conference. For the PDRC form, if
you answer “NO” to all of the questions, no meeting is required. If you answer "Yes” to any of the
questions, a meeting or City permits may be required. The meeting can be set up when you bring in your
checklist through Kim Flanders [(206) 433-4644] or Virginia Kinsman [(206) 835-5849]. Three sets of plans
will be required for this meeting. The checklist will need to be signed and delivered to the ABD for review
regardless of the ultimate disposition of the permits or applications.
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Third Step. Go through steps for the COPS. This includes in most cases also going through the Design
Review process that is administered through another Port of Seattle department, which is Facilities and
Infrastructure. Once the COPS application has been processed by the Airport Building Department and
you have received approval, (it is the Project Manager’s responsibility to see that the project complies with
Port Standards. For Tenant Improvements, it is necessary to get final approval from Roi Nevaril) you will
need to bring the signed copy of the application to the Airport Building Department. Even though you will
then receive a COPS Certificate that only allows you to continue with the Building Permit process run
through our office - the Airport Building Department.
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Fourth Step. If a building permit is necessary, update your application with additional information for a
permit. We only want to review the plans at 100% in design. We have instituted a single permit that is
intended to either apply to complete projects including, building, mechanical and plumbing and possibility
for grading, or to various combinations of these three or four disciplines.
[Note that Electrical permits are administered out of the Tukwila Office of Labor and Industries
[information is available at (206) 835-1085]. The electrical plans can be plan reviewed by L & I by request. ]
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Fifth Step. If a building permit is required, and as is stated below, you will need to submit 3-sets of 100%
size of plans; 2 sets of specification manuals and one set of calculations and soils report (if applicable) to
the Airport Building Department for plans review and a building permit. Depending on the type of project,
a plan check fee will be required at the time you submit for the project. Call Ms. Flanders to find out the
Revised September 3, 2003
Page 2
Plan Submittal Check List
cost of the plan review and permit application . This can be a two-week to three-week process depending
on the complexity of the project.
When the review is finished, a list of comments are given that need to be addressed one by one and
resolved. “Resolved” doesn’t really mean “intention.” Rather, it means that whatever the designer has to do
to resolve the question is accomplished by changed plans, specifications or both. It also means providing
enough proof and/or calculations to show what is on the plans or specifications are acceptable. It means
replying in a formal manner to the issues so that there is a record to support what was done. And,
ultimately, it means to get the design package into compliance with code provisions (which can potentially
include fire-and-life-safety, structural, sanitary and other issues in the Building, Mechanical and Plumbing
Codes, including all state amendments and state codes for Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality and Energy.)
The plans cannot be stamped, APPROVED, nor can the permit be issued before all items are resolved and
the plans and supporting documents are revised as needed, fees are paid when applicable, business licenses
are obtained from the City of Sea Tac, where necessary, and so forth.
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Sixth Step. Permit issuance. Once the plans are completely finished with and stamped approved, a
payment of a permit fee is required, where applicable (if you paid for a plan review there will also be a
permit fee). One copy of the approved plans and specifications and other documents, and an inspection
card will be given to you along with the plans. They have to be kept at the job site.
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(Potential) Seventh Step. This step may be necessary where the approved plans or specifications are
substantially changed, substitutions are made for pre-approved items or components, and/or for deferred
submittal items provided after the permit has been issued. The general rule is to check with us if something
will be modified or changes made and we can advise you if more review is necessary.
GENERAL PLAN STANDARDS FOR NEW STRUCTURES AND TENANT IMPROVEMENTS:
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Plans need to be drawn to a scale and be of sufficient clarity to indicate the location, nature, and extent of
the work proposed and show in detail that it will conform to the provisions of all applicable codes and
relevant laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
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Three copies of 100% completed plans, two copies of the applicable specifications and one copy of
structural, energy code and/or mechanical code calculations, and a soil report, if applicable are required for
the plan review process and permit issuance. These should be submitted many months before the bidding
process will occur in order to provide enough time to resolve issues raised in the plan review process.
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Plan size and scale, drawing title and location, proposed work including existing building components,
details of how fire resistive construction is achieved, and so forth.
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All final approved plans must be black-line or blue-line on heavy paper such as blueprint or bond.
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The state legislature has passed legislation that was signed by the Governor on May 14th, 2003 to adopt the
2003 IBC, 2003 IRC, 2003 IMC, 2003 IFC and 2000 UPC plus various state codes and amendments.
Designers may choose to design by this set, or by the 1997 versions of the UBC, UMC, UFC and 2000
UPC until mid 2004 all including state of Washington amendments and codes.
Only these two combinations in their coordinated groupings are acceptable. No mixing and matching
between codes is acceptable.
Plan Submittal Check List
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TENANT IMPROVEMENTS – Building Review Plan Requirements for New work, Remodels or Alterations:
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Identify the occupancy group and type of construction of the existing building and justify the allowable area
when the use of the space changes.
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Provide plan view of the subject tenant space with the area of work clearly identified.
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Provide floor plan showing uses of all rooms and uses of existing adjacent rooms and/or spaces on all sides
of the subject tenant space.
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If the alterations include areas outside of the building, clearly identify the lease lines and dimensions of
proposed building(s) and/or structure(s) to lease lines.
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Show means of egress path to the exterior of the building.
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Provide building sections of a typical wall construction (showing floor and ceiling construction and lateral
support of walls and ceiling).
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Provide stamped and signed by a Washington State licensed architect (required for commercial buildings
when the building size is over 4,000 square feet) or engineer or demonstrate that state law does not require
that the plans be prepared by a licensed architect or engineer.
NEW STRUCTURES – Building Review Plan Requirements:
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Site plan including:
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North arrow
Existing conditions and proposed development
Location of all existing and proposed underground utilities, including water sewer, gas and electricity
Show existing and proposed grades with maximum five feet elevation contour lines
Indicate finish floor elevation for the first level
Show building setbacks, easements and street access locations
Locate buildings on the site with dimensions to lease lines or property lines (as applicable)
Show barrier-free accessibility for entire site or lease area (whichever is applicable)
Show parking with barrier-free stalls indicated (if additional are required or applicable)
Architectural Drawings
o Specify model code information
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Type of use/occupant load
Building square footage (per floor)
Construction type
Number of stories
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List work to be performed under this permit
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Floor plans
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Plan views must be 1/8th inch minimum scale
Details must be ¼ inch minimum scale
Specify the use of each room/area
Show accessibility to all areas and exits
Show the location of all permanent rooms, walls, and shafts
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Plan Submittal Check List
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Elevations:
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Show roof drainage
Show all rooftop equipment
The engineer of record must review all rooftop equipment for vertical and lateral restraint.
Structural Drawings
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Show wall construction(s)
Show all connections
Include door and window schedules and details
Show fire protection details (i.e., lay-up and connection sizes and details penetrations) protection
and so forth)
Include any other special details
Roof plans:
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Provide building heights (floor and roof elevations)
Show the grade elevations where applicable
Provide a view of all sides
Show any exterior stairways, decks, and railings
Details:
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Provide elevator location when the proposed building requires accessibility.
Specify each wall type, door type, and glazing requirements
General structural information:
Include building code information for basis of design
Include design criteria used for foundations, floors, roof and lateral designs
Include geotechnical criteria used in design
Structural plans:
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Provide foundation, floor, and roof framing plans as is applicable
Illustrate size and location of all structural elements including, but not limited to footings, columns,
beams, girders, joists, shear walls, bracing, and floor and roof diaphragms. Details of structural
assemblies must be referenced with the pace using standard symbols
Structural details and schedules shall be provided as required to provide specific information of the
structural assemblies, and must match the requirements provided in the structural calculations
Mechanical Review Plan Requirements:
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Overlaid Architectural drawings showing the layout of the proposed work.
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Diagrammatic line-drawings indicating size of HVAC, mechanical venting, and VIAQ systems (supply and
return).
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Type and location of equipment.
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Details of penetrations-through and openings-in fire-resistive construction.
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Justification of compliance with WSBCC Energy Code issues including Indoor Air Quality.
Plan Submittal Check List
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Plumbing Review Plan Requirements:
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Overlaid architectural drawings showing the layout of the proposed work.
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Diagrammatic line drawings indicating the size of piping systems (waste and water), including cleanouts.
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Standards of fixtures and piping.
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Fixture units (waste and water) design calculations.
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Roof and overflow drains sized for 25 year storm on a maximum 5 minute quantity
Grading Review Plan Requirements [For certain specified and special circumstances only]:
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Number of cubic yards of cut (and proposed disposal site, if applicable).
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Number of cubic yards of fill (describe composition).
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Extent of any clearing (i.e., the cutting or removal of vegetation or other organic plant material by physical,
mechanical, chemical or any other means)
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Grading plans including:
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Horizontal and vertical scale.
Size and location of existing improvements within 50 feet of the project. Indicate which will remain
and which will be removed.
Existing and proposed contours at maximum five foot intervals, and extending for 100 feet beyond
the project edge.
At least two cross-sections, one in each direction, showing existing and proposed contours and
horizontal and vertical scales.
Temporary and permanent erosion-sediment control facilities.
Other items that correspond with Port ordinances and Code Chapters (Appendix Chapter 33, ’97
UBC or Appendix J, ’03 IBC)
Identify and describe those sensitive areas as identified by the Aviation Department, Environmental
Division (Kathy Fendt, 206-988-5527) on or adjacent to the site.
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Sensitive areas include coal mine hazard areas, erosion hazard areas, flood hazard areas, flood
fringes, Zero-rise floodways, FEMA floodways, landslide hazard areas, seismic hazard areas,
volcanic hazard areas, steep slope hazard areas, wetlands, and streams.
Many of these environmentally sensitive areas are shown:
 In the King County Sensitive Areas Map Folios,
 In the King County Wetlands Inventory Notebooks, and/or
 In the Federal Insurance Administration’s report entitled “The Flood Insurance Study for
King County.”
Include detailed plans of all surface and subsurface drainage devices, walls, cribbing, dams, berms,
settling ponds and other protective devices to be constructed with or as a part of proposed work,
together with the maps showing the drainage area and the estimated runoff of the area served by any
drain.
N:\Av-Building\Building Permit Application Forms\Application Introduction.doc – Revised September 5, 2003