Burien planners outline Title 19 housing-code and zoning-map update to allow "middle housing"

The City of Burien Planning Commission on Jan. 22 heard a staff presentation on proposed Title 19 amendments and a zoning-map reclassification intended to implement state housing laws and to increase allowable housing types in single‑family areas.

Planning staff said the code update would replace the city’s existing single‑family zones with three new zones—R‑1, R‑2 and R‑3—and must allow at least six of nine state‑defined “middle housing” types to comply with House Bill 1110 and related rules. Staff also said the city will count accessory dwelling units toward maximum unit counts on a lot and that the Office of Financial Management’s population thresholds affect which requirements apply.

The proposal matters because it responds to state legislation and the city’s housing targets while attempting to limit displacement in neighborhoods identified as at higher risk. "All types of homes are affordable, abundant, safe, accessible, and accessible to all Burien residents now and in the future," staff read from the housing…