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Council reviews cottage cluster proposal to expand middle‑housing options; concerns raised about density and fees
Summary
Planning staff presented draft regulations for 'cottage clusters' aimed at middle‑income and entry‑level ownership, including unit‑lot subdivisions and fee reductions for permanently affordable units. Council members praised the approach but raised concerns about long‑term affordability, parking design, and incentive structure; staff will refine
Planning staff presented a first read of proposed cottage cluster regulations — a zoning tool intended to create small, clustered dwelling units with shared open space and options for ownership — as part of the city’s broader effort to address a shortfall of low‑ and middle‑income housing capacity.
Why it matters: Sedro‑Woolley’s housing needs assessment shows a deficit in low‑ and middle‑income units. Cottage clusters are one tool planners and some council members want to add to the city’s housing toolkit to generate modest‑sized units that can be designed to fit existing neighborhoods.
What the draft would do: Nicole (planner) explained the proposal would allow developments of three to 12 cottages arranged around shared open space, permit a unit‑lot subdivision so individual cottages can be sold, and include incentives such as reduced impact fees if units are permanently deed‑restricted for households at or below 80% area median income. The draft ties parking requirements to unit size (e.g., 1 stall for units under a threshold, 2 stalls for larger units) and gives administrative flexibility to the director to assign visitor/overflow parking behind primary street frontages.
Council feedback: Several councilors welcomed an additional middle‑housing tool but raised concerns. Councilwoman Casty and others said some recent small‑lot developments, such as Wildflower, created parking and circulation problems; they cautioned that cottage clusters could create similar spillover if not carefully designed. Councilman Burns and Councilwoman Kesty asked staff to prioritize ownership options and affordability incentives so units do not simply reprice upward after construction.
Staff direction and next steps: Nicole said the draft limits clusters so they cannot be placed within 1,000 linear feet of another cottage cluster unless separated by a physical barrier, to guard against rapid neighborhood densification. Staff will refine parking language to match the separate Title 17 parking table, analyze where infill capacity exists, and return with specific unit‑count estimates tied to AMI bands. Planning commission and the council will continue review; no action was taken tonight.
Ending: The council asked staff to return with refined language, explicit parking metrics and modeling of expected unit production and affordability outcomes before any adoption vote.
