AN ACT Relating to authorizing middle housing in unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities;
Summary
SB 5471 expands where middle housing may be authorized in Washington by allowing counties planning under the Growth Management Act to adopt ordinances and development regulations permitting middle housing on parcels that allow detached single-family homes in certain unincorporated areas. The bill specifically addresses unincorporated urban growth areas, limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities, and it sets limits on density and unit counts depending on the area.
The bill also directs local governments to treat middle housing more like detached single-family housing for permitting and environmental review purposes, while still allowing application of objective development standards such as setbacks, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree canopy or retention requirements. It requires middle housing in designated rural and urban growth areas to be served by existing or available sewer and water service, and it limits the extent to which counties may impose more restrictive standards or authorize higher unit counts than the bill allows.
Impact
SB 5471 amends multiple provisions of Washington’s Growth Management Act framework, including RCW 36.70A.070 and related appeal provisions, to create a new authorization for middle housing in specified unincorporated planning areas and to limit administrative or judicial appeals of local actions taken to implement the bill. It also narrows the scope of growth management hearings board review for certain planning actions and clarifies that some local implementation actions are not subject to appeal under the chapter. The bill affects counties, cities, planners, developers, and property owners by changing what housing types may be approved and how local regulations may be applied in designated growth areas.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive. The bill passed the Senate and House with large margins, including unanimous or near-unanimous committee and floor votes in the Senate and overwhelming support in the House. The voting history suggests broad bipartisan agreement that the measure is a housing-supply and planning reform bill.
Contention
The main points of contention are limited but center on local control, environmental review, and the scope of appeal rights. The bill preserves some objective standards and state-law requirements, but it also restricts how restrictive local standards may be and reduces opportunities for administrative or judicial challenges to implementation actions. Any opposition likely concerns whether the bill goes far enough in protecting local planning discretion, infrastructure capacity, and environmental review, or whether it goes too far in preempting local regulation and limiting appeals.
Crossfiled
AN ACT Relating to authorizing middle housing in unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities;
Authorizing middle housing in unincorporated growth areas and unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities.
Creating a categorical exemption for multiunit housing development within the incorporated areas in an urban growth area under the state environmental policy act.