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State Land Use Enacted Legislation

Bill # State Year Party Topic

HB 1042

WA 2023 D Building code reform, Commercial land, Density Increases, Environmental review, Minimum parking requirements, Planning for climate adaptation and hazards, Written findings, burden and standard of proof

Provided by Furman

Summary

  • Planning cities may not impose any of the following on an existing building that is zoned for commercial or mixed use:
    • certain restrictions that prevent the addition of housing at a density up to 50 percent more than what is allowed in the underlying zone that permits multifamily housing;
    • certain parking requirements and energy code requirements for additional housing;
    • permitting requirements beyond those generally applicable to residential development;
    • bulk regulations beyond those generally applicable to residential development;
    • certain design requirements;
    • prohibitions on the addition of housing units, with exceptions;
    • permit denial for new housing units within an existing building due to the nonconformity of the existing building’s certain parking and bulk standards;
    • and a transportation concurrency or State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) study.
  • A city cannot deny a building permit application for new housing units in an existing building due to nonconformity of the existing structure.
  • A city is not required to approve a building permit application if the new housing units cannot satisfy life safety standards.
  • These standards must be incorporated into a city’s development and zoning regulations by July 1, 2024.

Provided by lawmakers

Bill Title

Concerning the use of existing buildings for residential purposes.

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