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Planning staff recommend approval of 20‑lot ‘cottage housing’ subdivision near Castle Rock; commission split on unit-size waiver
Summary
Cowlitz County planning staff recommended approval Monday of a 20‑lot cottage‑housing subdivision northwest of Castle Rock, while the planning commission approved the project without granting a staff‑supported waiver to increase some unit sizes.
Cowlitz County building and planning staff told the commissioners Monday they will bring a 20‑lot subdivision before the board that uses the county’s cottage‑housing provisions and public‑water service to create smaller, lower‑maintenance homes northwest of the city of Castle Rock.
Planning staff described the project as a 3.6‑acre development on West Side Highway just above the West Place subdivision. Under cottage‑housing rules, the developer proposes duplex‑style buildings (two single‑family units sharing a common wall) on individual lots; garages and porches are generally treated separately from the ordinance’s habitable‑space cap.
Why it matters: cottage housing is intended to increase housing variety and give buyers lower‑maintenance options. Staff told the board the site could have held up to 26 units under conventional…
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