Planning Commission workshops 2025 code amendments: duplex rules, manufactured-home overlays and parking changes advanced for public hearing

Poulsbo planning staff and commissioners spent substantial time reviewing the city’s 2025 code amendments package, which combines comprehensive-plan updates, state-mandated changes and various cleanup items including accessory dwelling unit (ADU) clarifications, duplex regulations, a manufactured-home park overlay and a proposed change to parking rules for special uses.

Staff said the ADU language was reorganized and that the off-street parking section received structural edits. Nicole (staff) and other planning staff noted they will consider additional duplex-code changes in a fall package; staff specifically flagged the suggestion that a standalone duplex on a single lot not require site-plan review as an option to reduce development cost and produce more middle-housing types, a topic raised earlier during public comment by Bill McCoy.

In public comment, resident Irene Bowie asked the Planning Commission to adopt a manufactured-home park overlay zone to protect parks such as Viking Manufactured Home Park from redevelopment to market-rate housing or commercial use. Bill McCoy, a property owner and licensed real estate broker, spoke in favor of increasing middle housing options and urged the commission and staff not to delay enabling duplexes properly: he recommended removing site plan review requirements and aligning duplex setbacks with single-family setbacks on small lots so duplexes are economically viable on challenging parcels.

Commissioners and staff discussed technical details and next steps. Staff said parts of Mr. McCoy’s suggestions would be considered as part of a fall code-amendment package because changes could affect other code sections. The manufactured-home overlay was confirmed to be included and supported in the current amendment packet, staff said.

A substantive policy change under discussion would add the phrase “if feasible” to a parking-code provision that otherwise requires parking above a 40% threshold to be under-building or structured. Staff described the Kitsap Transit North Base review as an example in which surface parking was proposed because under-building or a structure was infeasible given subsurface constraints such as a storm vault and geotechnical conditions. Commissioners debated whether “if feasible” is appropriately specific; staff and several commissioners said the language would give planning staff discretion to address site-specific constraints without triggering an expensive and time-consuming parking study or SEPA process in every case. The commission generally expressed comfort with adding that phrase for special uses, and staff said it will incorporate the change for the packet that goes to public hearing.

Staff reviewed schedule and next steps: the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on May 13 on the code amendments and the comprehensive-plan update; city council workshops were scheduled for May 21 and June 4 with a council public hearing tentatively set for June 18. Staff said the Puget Sound Regional Council and the Washington State Department of Commerce will review the comprehensive-plan amendments with special attention to the housing element, and further cleanup may follow in the fall amendment cycle.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions during the workshop about safety and off-site connections in off-site parking scenarios, how the city evaluates aquifer recharge and wells for development sites, and whether exemptions or a new use category might better capture the needs of large employer/transit-support sites. Staff said they will return with edits, will post the staff report ahead of the May 13 hearing and will consider additional use definitions and parking metrics in the fall cycle.

The Planning Commission expressed support for moving the package to public hearing with the recommended edits and additions.