Council hears staff proposal to concentrate broader middle‑housing options near transit and use limited height incentive

Kristen Hera (ECDC) and consultant Tyler Quinn Smith briefed the council workshop on state middle‑housing requirements and staff recommendations for Kent’s first‑phase code updates.

Hera said the city must adopt a Phase 1 update by June 30 to meet state timelines or default to the state model ordinance. Staff propose allowing all nine state middle‑housing unit types within a quarter mile of high‑capacity transit and limiting development outside that zone so that no single attached building exceeds four attached units (a measure intended to reduce massing and preserve neighborhood scale). The state requires allowing at least six unit types; staff recommended a near‑transit allowance of all nine and a narrower set (effectively seven of nine) outside transit where 5‑ and 6‑plexes and courtyard apartments would be restricted by code design.

Hera summarized related legislative discussion: state bills under consideration include a subdivision streamlining bill (SB 5559 as described in the presentation) and a parking preemption measure that would limit cities’ ability to require minimum parking (the draft language cited maximums of 1 space per single‑family dwelling, 0.5 spaces per multifamily unit and 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet of commercial floor area in the bill text described to council). Hera said the state proposal also prevents local requirement of parking for units under 1,200 square feet in some cases and creates exemptions for affordable housing, senior housing, childcare and certain small commercial ground‑floor uses.

Staff recommended several incentive options to encourage desired outcomes near transit and protect neighborhood character; after reviewing feasibility with developers and engineers, staff focused on a limited height incentive. Under current code the city’s standard is “two‑and‑a‑half stories or 35 feet, whichever is less” (buildings typically top out around 28 feet). The staff proposal would set the default ceiling at 2½ stories/28 feet and make a 3‑story/35‑foot allowance available as an incentive when an applicant retains either an existing home on the lot or specified significant trees, subject to detailed standards to be developed.

Hera and council members discussed tree retention and landscaping as potential incentives or requirements; council members asked staff to retain tree incentives for further study and to return with more detailed landscaping and canopy proposals during Phase 2. Council members also discussed parking dynamics and market responses to parking reductions; staff noted developers said financing sometimes requires higher on‑site parking ratios and that implementation costs for public parking management (meters, enforcement) can be substantial for smaller cities.

Staff said they will continue outreach with the Land Use and Planning Board, developers and the community, and will return with refined code language for the Phase 1 package and follow‑up Phase 2 items.