Edmonds Planning Board reviews STEP housing draft, agrees to recommend core model language with further design and enforcement study

The Edmonds Planning Board spent its March 12 meeting reviewing the draft permanent ordinance for STEP housing — the state-defined categories that include transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and similar lower-barrier housing types — and discussing where the draft conflicts or overlaps with existing city code on emergency shelters and public-safety requirements.

Staff review and recommendation

Planning staff (Mike, identified in packet materials as Michael Clungston) told the board staff compared the interim STEP-language against existing Edmonds code chapters. Staff found limited overlap with temporary homeless-encampment provisions and community-facility rules but identified a possible conflict between the draft STEP chapter (packet: 17.125) and the city’s longstanding emergency indoor-shelter chapter (17.105). Staff proposed a narrow wording change: add a sentence that indoor emergency shelters operated by religious organizations or located in public facilities will remain subject to the process and conditions in 17.105 so the two chapters won’t conflict.

The board also considered other elements the state model ordinance lists as optional or "additional considerations," including waiving municipal utility connection fees for…