Builders tell Senate committee: 'Everything starts with land' as code conflicts block projects
Industry witnesses told lawmakers that limited buildable land and interacting local codes (fire, frontage, stormwater) are making zoned capacity infeasible. They urged stabilizing codes, clearer permitting authority, and infrastructure funding.
The full story
Andrea Smiley, legislative director of the Building Industry Association of Washington, told the committee that "everything starts with land" and said much apparent vacant land is not buildable because of utilities, critical‑area constraints and other impediments. She urged policies to expand access to permit‑ready lots, pause residential energy‑code updates for a period to create stability, cap unpredictable local fees and clarify when state agencies or special purpose districts have permitting authority.
Sign up to keep reading.
Your free newsletter brings you what your city council, county, and school board discussed and decided.