Lake Forest Park planning commission forwards middle-housing and ADU code amendments to city council

Lake Forest Park planning commissioners voted Tuesday to forward a package of middle-housing and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) code amendments to the City Council, recommending changes intended to meet state deadlines and to implement unit-lot and zero-lot-line subdivision procedures.

The action came after a staff and consultant presentation and public comment. Kirsten Peterson of SCJ Alliance summarized state requirements and deadlines, saying, “Failure to do so by the deadline means that the city is going to be subject to the model ordinance developed by by the Department of Commerce.” The commission approved amending local code language and will send the draft ordinance to council for public hearing and final action.

The commission’s decision matters because Lake Forest Park is classified as a tier 3 city under recent state legislation, which requires cities in that category to adopt middle-housing regulations by June 30, 2025. Peterson told commissioners that the state’s guidance requires cities to allow certain middle-housing types and for single-family lots in qualifying zones to permit up to two ADUs. She also described unit-lot and 0 lot-line subdivision rules that let units on a parent lot be sold or conveyed through specific subdivision procedures.

Commission discussion focused on how the draft code treats lots with critical areas and lots that fall below minimum zone lot sizes. Commissioners questioned proposed language that would bar ADUs on lots “that contains critical areas or buffers.” Commissioner Yane argued that the commission had consistently sought not to disallow middle housing solely because a property contains a fraction of a critical area; he moved to remove the critical-area exclusion from the ADU provision. The motion to strike that phrase from subsection 18.50.050(e) passed; commissioners recorded no detailed roll-call tally in the meeting minutes but the chair announced, “The motion carries.”

The commission also discussed a draft provision that would limit ADUs to lots meeting a zone’s minimum lot size and would prohibit additional dwelling units on lots created by subdivision or lot split that fall below minimum size. Commissioners expressed concern that applying blanket minimum-lot-size exclusions could remove large numbers of existing lots—many annexed under prior county rules—from ADU eligibility. The commission voted to split that provision into two separate items and to flag the question for council review and additional staff analysis, asking staff to provide parcel-count data and to present the issue as a flagged item for council discussion.

Peterson summarized several code changes included in the packet: new definitions (including “tier 3” and “unit density”), allowing four middle-housing types applicable to Lake Forest Park (duplexes, stacked flats, courtyard apartments and cottage housing), updating ADU rules to allow two ADUs on qualifying single-family lots, permitting sale as condominium/unit-lot subdivision in certain circumstances, and parking exemptions near major transit stops. She noted state-mandated limits on development standards that could not be made more restrictive than for single-family homes.

Staff noted the environmental review process was under way: a draft Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) had been published and was open for comment ahead of the council public hearing. Planning Director Mark Hoffman told the commission staff was prepared to advance the package and that “the easy answer is yes. Staffs are comfortable going forward.”

Formal vote and next steps: the commission adopted two technical edits—striking the critical-area exclusion for ADUs and splitting the lot-size/subdivision language for separate council review—and then voted to forward the amended draft to City Council. The planning commission’s recommendation will go to council for at least one public hearing; staff said council would consider the ordinance package in May and that a council hearing in June was likely before any final action.

Commissioners and staff also identified items they want the council to review further (including ADU sale/condominium conversion language, the lot-size threshold question and potential incentives such as height or density bonuses). Staff and the consultant will prepare the revised draft and supporting analysis for the City Council packet.