Bothell staff seek Council direction on building-code changes including permit extensions, green incentives and sprinkler requirement

Bothell staff asked the City Council on Oct. 7 to signal whether the city should draft formal amendments to Title 20 of the Bothell Municipal Code to address three construction-administration issues: permit time extensions for projects with compelling public benefits, reworking green-building incentives, and a potential requirement to install fire sprinklers in new single-family houses and duplexes.

The proposed changes were introduced by Brian Hampson, the city's building official. "We're not asking for any action to happen tonight. We're just kind of testing the temperatures of the council and looking for maybe a head nod or a thumbs up or down on a few topics we're gonna discuss," Hampson said. He framed the items as preliminary policy options staff would return with code language if council directs staff to proceed.

The first proposal would allow staff to grant time extensions so that grant-funded or other publicly dependent projects do not lose their existing building permit status while they resolve external delays such as funding cycles or procurement. Hampson said the change would avoid forcing applicants to refile plans and pay duplicate fees when delays are outside applicants' control.

The second topic addresses the city's Green Building incentive program. Staff recommended replacing the program's building-permit-fee rebate — which staff said has seen little or no take-up and poses budgeting unpredictability because rebates can be requested long after a project is complete — with an expedited building-permit review for qualifying projects. "Developers often value quicker plan reviews and permitting," Hampson said, arguing that speed is a more tangible, immediate incentive than a post-construction rebate.

Third, staff asked whether the city should require fire sprinklers in all new single-family houses and duplexes. Hampson said about 85% of new single-family and duplex projects already install sprinklers and that newer "flow-through" systems can cost roughly $2 to $3 per square foot; he gave a $6,000 example for a 2,000-square-foot house. "If you think about the percentage compared to the sales price of the house, it's less than 1%," Hampson said, noting nearby jurisdictions have adopted similar requirements.

Councilors voiced interest but requested more analysis. Several council members asked staff to collect more data from contractors and neighboring cities about actual installed costs and long-term maintenance. Council discussion repeatedly returned to predictability and whether expedited review would require additional staffing or outside contracted reviewers.

Council members also urged staff to clarify the scope of any sprinkler requirement — for example, when a house is counted as "new" (demolition and rebuild vs. extensive renovation or conversion) — and to study tradeoffs such as alternative fire-separation measures that might reduce costs without sacrificing safety. Deputy Mayor O'Connor and others raised concerns about new fire risks from widespread lithium-battery charging and noted sprinklers can help limit spread even when fires involve batteries.

Next steps: staff said they will gather cost and feasibility data from contractors and nearby jurisdictions, model permit-timing baselines, and return with draft code language and analysis for the council to consider ahead of the 2026 statewide code adoption cycle.

No formal action was taken; the session was a staff briefing and council direction-seeking conversation.