Code advisory group debates scrapping minimum unit area, narrowing kitchen clearances

Members of the Washington State Building Code Council technical advisory group met virtually on Dec. 11, 2025, and spent the bulk of a work session debating how to define minimum dwelling-unit requirements for small or efficiency units. The discussion centered on whether to eliminate a 190-square-foot minimum area and instead require specific components (a habitable sleeping space, a 120-square-foot habitable room, a bathroom, and minimum fixture and clearances), and whether clear working space in front of kitchen appliances could be narrowed from 36 inches to 30 inches.

The proposal to drop the overall area minimum and require component elements was put forward by Micah, who argued that “if we define what a minimum dwelling unit has to include… why do we even need a minimum dwelling unit size?” He said architects could…