Hearing examiner to decide on Family Promise plan for 14 transitional homes on Sedro-Woolley church property

City of Sedro-Woolley hearing examiner Peregrine Sorter opened a land‑use hearing Aug. 12, 2025, on a conditional use permit application from Family Promise of Skagit seeking to place 14 transitional housing units on about 1 acre of a 2.9‑acre parcel owned by Central United Methodist Church at 1013 Pulte Road in Sedro‑Woolley.

The permit application would use the density provisions of RCW 36.70A.545 to allow more units than the R‑7 zone’s typical seven‑units‑per‑acre maximum. City planner Nicole McGowan told the examiner the city has not yet adopted local code language setting a cap under that state statute; staff recommended conditions to address site design, infrastructure, landscaping, fire and life safety, operations and ongoing compliance. The hearing examiner said he would issue a written decision within 10 business days.

Staff described the proposal as 14 prefabricated but modular homes on permanent foundations, each self‑contained with a private kitchen, bathroom and in‑unit washer and dryer; unit sizes range from about 400 to 898 square feet. The site plan shows pedestrian pathways, a shared open area and landscapes. Family Promise proposes cooperative parking agreements so residents use portions of the Central United Methodist Church parking area and the adjacent Bethlehem Lutheran Church…