Tom Young — Identified as a new council member representing residential contractors.
Todd — Addressed directly for input before the speaker moves on.
SB5491 — Identified as the source of the single-stairway requirement.
HB2071 — Identified as the source of the multiplex housing requirement.
Kellyn Wright — Introduced as the staff member who will walk the committee through recent permitting changes.
Dave Anderson — Identified as being from the Department of Commerce and part of the permitting discussion panel.
Dave Anderson — The chair welcomes Dave Anderson back to the committee, noting he is a frequent presenter. Dave Anderson then identifies himself as the senior managing director for the growth management program at the Washington Department of Commerce and begins testimony on implementing Senate Bill 5290, which governs how local governments issue permits.
Mary Lou Polly — Identified as the Mayor of Issaquah and part of the permitting discussion panel.
Mary Lou Polly — Mary Lou Polly, mayor of Issaquah, introduces testimony about the city’s permitting and development experience, explaining that Issaquah has seen substantial growth on its mountainsides and that the same qualities that make the city beautiful also make development difficult. She frames the city’s growth pattern and geography as central to understanding future infill and redevelopment challenges.
Cecilia Olson — Identified as being from Kitsap County and part of the permitting discussion panel.
Cecilia Olson — Cecilia Olson is introduced as the assistant director for Kitsap County and then takes over the presentation after audio issues with the prior speaker. She introduces herself, explains that she works in the Department of Community Development, describes her career progression within the department, and frames her perspective as a broad one on permitting and the Local Project Review Act.
Rafe Weisham-Wisham — Named as part of the permitting discussion panel; affiliation is unclear in the transcript.
Kellan Wright — Identifies themselves for the record and begins the permitting overview.
SB5290 — The discussion reviews Senate Bill 5290 as a major 2023 permitting reform that set default permit-processing deadlines (with different timelines depending on notice and hearing requirements), took effect on January 1 of the current year, and served as the basis for later follow-up legislation. Speakers explain that SB 5290 significantly overhauled local permitting by changing how local governments process permits, adding reporting responsibilities for Commerce, and clarifying that its timelines did not apply to building permits. The bill is also described as creating commissions, studies, and examinations to help Commerce address unresolved issues, including guidance on local government fees and feasibility studies on state agency staff assisting with local permit processing and on a single statewide permitting system.
SB5611 — Described as a follow-up to Senate Bill 5290 that limits routine deadline-extension agreements.
HB1293 — Described as a 2023 bill limiting exterior design review to clear and objective regulations and restricting pre-application meetings.
HB1935 — Described as clarifying that Senate Bill 5290's timelines do not apply to building permits.
HB1576 — House Bill 1576 was discussed as a prior-session bill that would change historical building designation rules, generally requiring owner consent, and also included a SEPA exemption related to that designation process.
HB1110 — Described as requiring middle housing at certain minimum densities and limiting review to administrative design review in larger cities.
HB1337 — House Bill 1337 was discussed as requiring local governments in urban growth areas to authorize accessory dwelling units and as including a SEPA exemption, highlighting key provisions of the bill.
HB1096 — Described as requiring cities to create an administrative approval process for lot splits.
SB5559 — Described as requiring procedures for unit lot subdivisions.
HB1183 — House Bill 1183, from the previous session, required local governments to conform to certain regulations for specific passive house projects and prohibited them from adopting certain regulations, including off-street parking requirements for some residential projects.
HB1353 — House Bill 1353 was discussed as authorizing cities to create self-certification programs. The bill would allow architects to self-certify compliance with applicable building code requirements without additional city review, particularly for certain accessory dwelling unit developments.
SB5184 — Limited local governments' ability to impose off-street parking requirements and capped parking requirements at more than half a space per residential dwelling unit.
Mary Lou Polly, Mayor of Issaquah — Introduced as the next witness and begins remarks by praising Dave's presentation and providing context from Issaquah.
Dave — His presentation is described as excellent.
Rafe Weisham — Rafe Weisham introduces himself as the Director of Community Development for Kitsap County.
Ms. Cecilia Olson — Identified as the assistant director who will present the county's perspective.
Rief — Rief is present and available to answer questions if the speaker cannot.
Davina Duerr — Introduced herself as Chair of the committee and described her district.
Davina Duerr — As chair, she transitions into questions and raises a question about projects with multiple SEPA reviews.
Davina Duerr — Addressed as Chair.
Davina Duerr — Mary Lou Polly addresses the chair.
Davina Duerr — Chair Duerr is addressed at the start of the mayor's presentation.
Mark Klicker — Mark Klicker is referenced as the ranking member and then introduces himself, identifying as representing the 16th Legislative District.
Mark Klicker — Ranking Member Klicker comments that the picture shown used to be his farm and says he sold it in 2015.
Mark Klicker — Addressed as Ranking Member.
Mark Klicker — Identified as the Ranking Member who has a question.
Mark Klicker — Asks about frustration with permit timelines and local government delays.
Mark Klicker — Describes constituent frustration with permit delays in Walla Walla County and the city of Walla Walla.
Mark Klicker — Asks whether the legislature should act on permit timelines and whether local governments are overwhelmed.
Mark Klicker — Compares Walla Walla County with Franklin County and says constituents cannot get permits.
Mark Klicker — Referenced as the person being responded to in the discussion about permit delays.
Mark Klicker — Addressed by name as 'Dave' in the exchange about permit delays and possible legislative fixes.
Mark Klicker — Thanked as 'Dave' and referenced in the discussion.
Mark Klicker — Referred to as 'Dave' in the discussion of pre-approved plans and prior legislation.
Mark Klicker — Mary Lou Polly addresses the ranking member.
Mark Klicker — Ranking Member Klicker is addressed at the start of the mayor's presentation.
Zach Hall — Zach Hall is introduced as a special guest and new representative, then introduces himself as a new member from the Fifth Legislative District and notes that he was appointed in June.