Lynnwood, WA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Base FAR, City Center
- 3.5 nonresidential and residential
- Max FAR with bonuses
- 8.0 nonres / 10.0 residential
- LEED Platinum bonus
- 40% increase in floor area
- Public plaza bonus
- 5 sq ft per sq ft over minimum
- Applies only in
- City Center (CC) zone
Summary
Lynnwood caps new City Center buildings at a 3.5 floor area ratio (FAR) by right, but LMC 8.30.0420(G) lets a developer earn up to 8.0 FAR for nonresidential space or 10.0 FAR for residential space by adding green-building certification, structured or underground parking, or a public plaza that exceeds the design-guideline minimum.
G. Floor Area Ratio. 1. Basic Allowable Floor Area Ratio. The basic floor area ratio (FAR) of buildings in the city center is established below. ... | Maximum allowable FAR “as of right” for new development | ... | Nonresidential | 3.5 | ... | Residential | 3.5 | ... | Maximum FAR with bonuses | ... | Nonresidential | 8.0 | ... | Residential | 10.0 | ... | LEED Gold or similar certification elements | Checklist stamped by the project architect illustrating LEED Gold or similar certification elements have been incorporated into project. | 25% increase in total floor area. | ... | Public plaza | Provision of public plaza in excess of the requirement identified in the city center design guidelines. | 5 sq. ft. of floor area for each sq. ft. of plaza above the amount required by the city center design guidelines. |
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3512, passed May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
0 FAR residential. Built Green's 4-Star or LEED Gold-level certification (third-party registered, or an architect-stamped checklist) each add a 25 percent increase in total floor area; Built Green's Emerald/5-Star, LEED Platinum, PHIUS CORE, a Net Zero Energy Building with Salmon Safe certification, or the Washington Department of Commerce's Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard with Salmon Safe each add 40 percent. Office use above the ground floor earns 2 square feet of bonus area per square foot of office space; underground parking earns 2:1 and structured above-grade parking 1:1; a public plaza built larger than the design guidelines require earns 5 square feet of bonus floor area for every square foot of extra plaza.
Floor area devoted to underground parking, rainwater or gray water collection, waste separation, or service areas such as closets and restrooms is excluded from the FAR calculation entirely, so those uses do not eat into the base allowance. The bonus program is administered by the development and business services department as part of site plan and building permit review; nothing here comes from the expired Title 21 zoning code.
Violations & Fines
Constructing floor area beyond the 3.5 base FAR without the city having credited a qualifying bonus feature is a Unified Development Code violation, enforced like any other under LMC Chapter 1.40. The department director can issue a notice of violation and order corrective action; unresolved violations accrue civil penalties starting at $100 for the first day, $200 the second, $300 the third, $400 the fourth, and $500 for each day after that until corrected, plus the possibility of a lien against the property if the penalty goes unpaid 30 days after the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Lynnwood City Center residential project exceed the base 3.5 FAR?
Does this FAR bonus program apply anywhere else in Lynnwood?
What proof does Lynnwood require before crediting a certification bonus?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lynnwood
Compare Lynnwood to another location·View the Washington zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle density bonus law.