Monroe adopts ADU code changes to meet HB 1337; council defers SDCs until sale and asks staff to return on impact fees

The Monroe City Council moved June 10 to implement state changes for accessory dwelling units and to set policy on related development fees. Council approved first reading of the ADU code amendments to align Monroe Municipal Code with House Bill 1337 by a 5‑0 vote, and later approved a system‑development‑charge (SDC) ordinance that defers SDCs for an ADU until the unit is conveyed or sold separately (the “Arlington” model), also by a 5‑0 vote. Council directed staff to return with versions of the transportation impact‑fee and park impact‑fee ordinances that apply the same deferral approach.

Why it matters: House Bill 1337 loosens several local permitting limits on ADUs statewide; Monroe’s code changes implement the law while retaining limited local flexibility. The fee decisions determine whether homeowners can add ADUs now with lower up‑front costs or whether the city collects full infrastructure fees later if an ADU becomes its own separate unit.

City planning staff, led in the presentation by Miss Sprague, told council the state law deadline is June 30, 2025 and that the ordinance before council implements the state requirements while adding modest local flexibility in permit processes. Sprague summarized the package as amendments to multiple chapters of the Monroe Municipal Code and said, “the city must adopt the…