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Council delays adoption of state‑mandated design‑standard changes; public hearings continued
Summary
North Bend staff presented zoning and design‑standard amendments required by ESHB 1293 and the Growth Management Act (periodic update). Council opened public hearings and moved the design‑standards and form‑based code ordinances to the June 17 meeting to allow more review and collaboration with the Planning Commission.
City planning staff told the North Bend City Council on June 3 that proposed amendments to the city’s design standards and form‑based code implement ESHB 1293 (a 2024 state law) and are required to complete the city’s 2024 periodic update under the Growth Management Act.
Caitlin Hepworth, who presented the staff report, said the changes are intended to make architectural and exterior design standards “clear and objective” where the state requires it, and to remove vague, duplicative or subjective language that can slow permitting. Hepworth said the package also includes updates to commercial/mixed‑use/industrial design standards and cross‑references needed for state compliance.
Staff explained the amendments are part of a package tied to the city’s comprehensive‑plan certification; the Department of Commerce requires the related municipal code updates by June 30 to keep eligibility for certain state and regional grants. Hepworth and other staff emphasized that the city’s approach was to focus the June amendments only on items required by state law and to defer broader local policy changes for later review.
Council opened public hearings on ordinances amending NBMC (North Bend Municipal Code) chapter 18.34 (design standards) and the form‑based code. Council members said they wanted additional time to review details and to better coordinate with the Planning Commission. Council member Brandon (last name in transcript) said he planned to move the ordinances to the June 17 meeting and to seek a closer collaborative review with the Planning Commission.
Council voted unanimously to place the design‑standards ordinance (AB25‑058), the form‑based code ordinance (AB25‑059) and the periodic‑update resolution (AB25‑061) on the June 17 agenda for further consideration. The public hearings were opened and left available for continuation at the June 17 meeting.
What staff said: amendments remove ambiguous standards, add clarifying definitions, consolidate overlapping provisions, and coordinate standards between the municipal code and design‑standards documents. Hepworth said the city and consultant architect worked to interpret “clear and objective” in a way that reduces subjectivity but acknowledged the statutes do not define the phrase precisely.
Council concerns and next steps: members asked that staff limit the June changes to the state‑required items, and several members requested more time to evaluate how the changes affect local design priorities (for example, whether ground‑floor residential allowances should be handled in the zoning code rather than in design standards). Staff agreed to return the ordinances on June 17 so council can act before the June 30 Department of Commerce deadline.
Ending: The council kept the public hearing record open and asked staff to work with the Planning Commission; no final code changes were adopted on June 3.
