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City outlines outreach and timeline for 2025 code updates on middle housing and neighborhood hubs
Summary
Planning staff briefed the council on parallel code updates to implement the 2024 comprehensive plan: middle housing (HB 1110 compliance), interim neighborhood centers and hubs, design review and other amendments. Staff described an online open house, walk‑and‑talk events, interactive web maps and a May/June timeline for council consideration.
Planning and Development Director Shane Hope and staff presented an update on 2025 code amendments and public outreach on March 11, describing parallel work tracks for middle housing, interim neighborhood centers and hubs, design review, step codes and related items required by the comprehensive plan and state law.
Planning Manager Mike Clugston said the planning board is working on permanent ordinance language for interim measures the council adopted in January and February and that much of the code update work must be completed by June to comply with statutory or policy deadlines. Brad Shipley (middle housing lead) and Navisha Panikota (hubs and centers lead) described an online open house scheduled for March 13, several walk‑and‑talk events later in March, updated interactive web story maps, address search tools and an outreach mailing list of roughly 1,000 residents and businesses.
Key issues the planning board will consider for middle housing include building types and scale, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) counting rules, lot subdivision and how to allow unit counts consistent with state HB 1110 where applicable (for example, up to four units per lot if qualifying affordability and transit criteria are met). Staff also noted that unit allowances tied to quarter‑mile proximity to major transit and affordability covenants apply only when the qualifying conditions are met.
Staff said new online tools let residents search parcels and see whether a property falls inside a designated hub or center, compare 2020 zoning to 2024 comprehensive plan designations, and submit comments or photos. Walk‑and‑talk sessions will provide in‑person opportunities to identify neighborhood features and gather resident feedback; staff will bring clipboards and online submission options.
Councilmembers praised the interactive tools and asked staff to ensure event invitations and the online open house are visible on the city homepage and in the city newsletter. Staff said the planning board will continue deliberations and aims to deliver draft code language to council in May with the goal of council action before the end of June for items with statutory deadlines.
