Sammamish Planning Commission backs package of minor Title 21 code cleanups, asks staff to define “gross square footage”

The Sammamish Planning Commission on March 6 voted to recommend a package of minor amendments to Sammamish Municipal Code Title 21 and asked staff to produce a definition for “gross square footage” before the City Council considers the changes.

The package, presented by Evan Fisher of the city’s Community Development department, grouped about 10 mostly technical “cleanup” items to align development regulations with outcomes from the city’s recent comprehensive-plan update. "The goal here tonight is really to ensure that there is alignment between the development regulations and the outcomes we're seeing from the application of our code with the comprehensive plan," Fisher told commissioners during the hearing.

Why it matters: The recommended edits aim to remove duplicative or legacy code, add missing definitions used in development review, and clarify how the city calculates developer obligations under its mandatory affordable-housing program. Commissioners and members of the public discussed how definitions and measurement conventions — especially for home size and floor-area calculations — could affect the in-lieu fee that some builders may pay instead of providing on-site affordable units.

Key actions and outcome - Motion: "I move that we approve the staff recommendations and add the suggestion that staff further define gross square footage," moved by Planning Commissioner John Bachman. The motion was seconded and passed by voice vote; all commissioners present voted in favor. The commission will forward the recommended Title 21 changes to City Council with a request that staff draft and present a clear, administrable definition of gross square footage before council action.

Major topics covered in the hearing and work session -…