The Kirkland Planning Commission unanimously recommended municipal code amendments to implement Washington State House Bill 1998 that establish rules for co-living housing, set density and parking calculations, and exempt co-living developments from the city’s affordable-housing requirement while allowing them to use affordability incentives.

Staff said the draft follows a minimum-compliance approach required by the state law. Under the draft language, co-living housing is permitted where the underlying zone could develop six or more dwelling units; each co-living unit counts as one quarter of a dwelling unit for density calculations, and co-living units count as single units for parking computations under the hybrid parking approach staff recommended to comply with both HB 1998 and Senate Bill 5184. The code also removes the older “residential suites” definition, creates a new Chapter 111 with co-living rules, and updates sewer connection charges so co-living units are charged at half the multifamily unit rate as required by the bill.

Staff explained the hybrid parking approach is designed to meet both bills’ requirements and noted that many co-living units will fall under the state square-footage thresholds that reduce minimum parking requirements; planning staff said the draft treats each co-living unit as one parking unit for calculation purposes while the density-counting rule (one quarter per co-living unit) applies only to density.

One public speaker, Liz Hunt, asked staff to confirm the density math and whether the one-quarter rule affects parking. Staff confirmed the commission’s interpretation during deliberations: a lot that could develop six conventional units could, under the state rule, develop up to 24 co-living units (24 × 0.25 = six). Staff also explained parking would be calculated treating each co-living unit as one unit for parking calculations; however, many co-living units are expected to be small enough to qualify for reduced parking under the state’s parking legislation.

Commissioners praised the approach. Commissioner Nolan said co-living can increase affordable housing supply and supported exempting the use from the city’s mandatory affordability requirement while allowing projects to take advantage of affordability incentives. After brief deliberation Commissioner Lehi moved to recommend the draft amendments; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously with five commissioners present.

Next steps: the commission’s recommendation will be transmitted to City Council, which has a tentative hearing date of Sept. 16. Staff told commissioners the full amendment text appears in the staff memo and attachments and that the city must adopt the amendments by the end of the year to meet the state deadline.