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Committee forwards transit-oriented development bill after marathon amendment debate
Summary
Substitute House Bill 1491, which would set state rules and incentives for transit-oriented development (TOD), was reported out of the Capital Budget Committee Feb. 26 after extensive amendment votes addressing affordability thresholds, station-area radiuses, floor-area ratios and preemption language. The committee recommended the bill 11–8.
The Capital Budget Committee on Feb. 26 reported Substitute House Bill 1491 out of committee with a due-pass recommendation after a lengthy amendment process over transit-oriented development (TOD) standards, affordability thresholds and local control.
Don Eichner, committee staff, told the panel the substitute contained 14 separate amendments. Committee discussion focused on affordability income limits, the walking-distance definition for station-area planning, floor-area ratio rules, whether a Commerce-published model ordinance should preempt local rules, and whether common-interest-community rules should be constrained by state TOD requirements.
Why it matters: the bill would affect cities’ TOD regulations, density and affordability rules, and potentially access to state and federal funding tied to multifamily development and tax-exemption incentives. Cities, housing advocates and local officials weigh the potential housing gains near transit against concerns about local planning authority and…
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