Committee hears HB 1175 to allow neighborhood stores and cafes in residential zones

The Local Government Committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1175, which would require cities and towns to allow neighborhood stores and neighborhood cafes in zones that permit residential uses, while permitting local regulations on hours of operation, parking and maximum square footage. The bill defines neighborhood stores and cafes as establishments with at least 500 square feet of gross floor area and requires permitted operating windows of at least 12 consecutive hours; a neighborhood cafe that serves alcohol must also offer food.

Representative Mark Klicker, sponsor of the bill, said the measure grew from examples of European neighborhood commerce and from experiences in small Washington cities; he framed the bill as supporting walkable communities, local entrepreneurship and…