Staff previews new state rules on co‑living and residential parking; council prefers neutral term
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Summary
City staff briefed the council on new state requirements for co‑living (HB 1998) and residential parking (SB 6015). The council discussed naming (some members favored 'single‑room occupancy' or 'micro unit'); staff will draft implementing code amendments for council review in June and a public hearing in July.
City staff presented state laws that require cities to allow co‑living/sleeping‑unit housing and establish new residential parking standards, and asked council for direction on drafting local implementing regulations.
Staff summarized HB 1998 (2024), which requires Growth‑Management cities to allow co‑living (sleeping units with shared kitchens) where multifamily housing is permitted. The presentation said co‑living will be allowed in Kenmore in zones that allow at least six multifamily units, including R6 through R48 and mixed‑use zones downtown and along SR‑522. Key points from the state law as presented: co‑living sleeping units count toward density at a rate of four sleeping units = one dwelling unit (i.e., one sleeping unit equals 0.25 of a dwelling unit for density calculations); parking may be capped at 0.25 spaces per sleeping unit and is not required within a half‑mile of a major transit stop; sewer connection fees are limited to half the per‑dwelling fee.
Staff also summarized SB 6015 (2024) on residential parking: required minimum stall dimensions, allowance for tandem parking and gravel/grass‑paver surfacing in some cases, up to six existing legally established gravel spaces may count toward minimums, and no required minimum parking if strict compliance would make tree retention infeasible. The council discussed what to call the land‑use category; options included "co‑living," "micro unit," and "single‑room occupancy." Several councilmembers said they favored a descriptive, neutral term such as "single‑room occupancy" to avoid confusion with shared‑house or roommate arrangements. Staff will prepare draft code language (including naming and where the use will be permitted) and return to council with an ordinance in June; a public hearing on the drafts is planned for July with adoption targeted for September.
Staff noted Kenmore already has a "micro housing" definition (220–320 sq ft units) in code; the state sleeping‑unit minimums can be smaller (70–90 sq ft depending on the standards). Council members asked staff to ensure clear distinctions between co‑living definitions and other shared‑housing or supportive‑housing models so the regulations address the state intent.
