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Duval staff present co‑living and residential parking code updates tied to state law
Summary
The city’s associate planner presented draft code amendments to implement state requirements for co‑living housing (HB 1998) and parking (SB 6015), including definitions for 'sleeping unit', density and a parking standard of one space per four sleeping units.
City staff presented draft amendments to Duval’s municipal code to implement state law changes for co‑living housing and residential parking.
Associate planner Madeline Lawrence walked council through definitions and required standards under the cited state laws. Lawrence said the co‑living updates respond to House Bill 1998 and RCW 36.70A.535 and explained that co‑living housing consists of independently rented, lockable sleeping units sharing kitchen and living facilities. "Coliving housing is a residential development with sleeping units that are independently rented and lockable and that provide living and sleeping space, shared kitchen facilities with other sleeping units in the building," Lawrence said.
On density and infrastructure calculations, staff reported sleeping units will be counted as one quarter of a dwelling unit for density purposes and not treated as more than one‑half a dwelling unit for sewer connection calculations. Parking standards were updated to reflect the state cap on stall size and counting rules: jurisdictions may not require residential parking stalls to exceed 8 by 20 feet (except ADA), tandem stalls and certain gravel or paver stalls may count toward minimums, and the code will allow up to six legal nonconforming gravel stalls to count.
Council questions focused on the dormitory definition, whether nonprofit or religious institutions would be able to develop dormitory uses, the distinction between co‑living and short‑term rentals, and practical concerns about the state minimum of 0.25 parking spots per sleeping unit in areas without transit. Staff said the changes will not alter where ground‑floor commercial is required and that co‑living will be allowed only in zones that already permit multifamily housing; short‑term rental regulation remains a separate body of work.
Staff said the draft code has been submitted to the Department of Commerce for a 60‑day review, a SEPA checklist and determination of nonsignificance have been completed, and planning commission review has occurred; hearings are expected in January.
