Kenmore committee reviews where shelters and supportive housing are allowed, plans community outreach and June panel

Members of a Kenmore city committee reviewed how state law and local zoning interact for emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing, discussed common community concerns and outreach materials, and planned a panel on June 25 to gather case‑study input and provider experience.

Committee members and the consulting team walked through statutory definitions and a zoning map showing where shelters and supportive housing would be allowed if the city applies the state definitions. Staff noted the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A) and related statutory definitions govern where emergency and shelter uses must be permitted, and the consultants supplied maps identifying zones where hotel, residential and certain commercial uses overlap with allowed shelter types.

Why it matters: zoning changes and outreach guidance will shape where permanent and temporary housing can be developed, how the city communicates with neighbors, and what mitigation — for example, design, parking or safety measures — the city can require at the application stage.

Key points from the meeting

- Statutory footing and zoning: The consultants said state law ties emergency shelter allowances to zones that permit hotels and residential dwellings; the packet included a map showing where those underlying uses occur across Kenmore. The consultants recommended using statutory definitions in local code so city terminology aligns with grant and provider practice.

- Transit and utilities: Committee…