Commerce updates model ordinances to support development of middle housing
The Department of Commerce has published final updates to model ordinances and guidance for cities required to allow middle housing under RCW 36.70A.635. Middle housing is defined as “buildings that are compatible in scale, form, and character with single-family houses and contain two or more attached, stacked, or clustered homes.”
The model ordinances address specific legislative requirements, and the accompanying user guide gives direction on common development standards to facilitate middle housing development. Jurisdictions can make adjustments based on local preferences and considerations for how their codes may accommodate middle housing.
To account for requirements based on city size, one model ordinance has been prepared to assist cities with 25,000 in population and greater. Another is available for cities of less than 25,000.
These updates reflect 2024 amendments to the middle housing legislation made by Chapter 152, Laws of 2024 (HB 2321), along with cities’ experiences in implementation since the model ordinances and user guide were originally published in January. Seventy-seven cities are subject to the initial middle housing legislation passed in 2023.
Questions? Please contact Dave Osaki at [email protected].
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