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Leavenworth planning commission reviews wide‑ranging zoning code updates, schedules follow ups
Summary
Planning staff presented a working draft of use‑chart changes covering co‑living, emergency shelter siting, day‑care definitions, pools, transit and wireless facilities; commissioners gave direction to clarify definitions, scale standards, and processing levels and asked staff to return with a cleaned draft.
Leavenworth’s Planning Commission met Feb. 4, 2026, to continue a multi‑month rewrite of the city’s zoning use chart and related code, moving through a working draft staff shared in advance.
Planning staff told commissioners the packet is a working copy prepared by a staff member and shared by Elizabeth Salt, and asked for direction on categories and standards for accessory uses, multifamily and institutional facilities. “Out of the kindness of her heart, [Elizabeth] put this amazing document together,” staff said as they opened the shared file and walked through key code abbreviations: P (permitted), PX (permitted with administrative review), AU (accessory/auxiliary) and AC (conditional use).
Why it matters: the changes under consideration would standardize where day‑care centers, co‑living developments, community centers, and certain institutional uses are allowed citywide and what level of public notice or hearing each requires. That in turn affects neighbors’ opportunities to comment and the city’s processing workload.
Key actions and outcomes from the meeting included adopting an amended agenda and approving the January minutes by voice vote, and directing staff to: (a) draft local standards for co‑living to replace default state rules; (b) clarify whether day‑care and preschool uses should share a single land‑use category with scaled standards; (c) separate accessory private pools from public/commercial pools in the use table; and (d) refine definitions for foster homes, youth homes and adult family care in line with state licensing. Staff also flagged that some items (manufactured home code and tiny‑home standards) will be scheduled for fall review.
On co‑living and multifamily thresholds, staff said state law currently limits co‑living to multifamily sites above a minimum lot size; commissioners asked staff to draft local code language to allow scaled or alternative co‑living configurations and to explain implications for RL‑6 and RL‑8 zones. “Until we adopt this and the requirements for it, it will default to the state law,” staff told the commission.
The commission discussed emergency shelters and noted one local example: a former shelter run by MEND behind the Community Cupboard that ceased operations because the provider shifted to hotel vouchers in response to operational challenges. Commissioners asked staff to revisit emergency shelter siting as part of the comprehensive plan update and future code work.
Telecommunications and technical referrals drew substantial operational discussion. Staff warned upgrades to antennas can raise frequency and equipment coordination issues with state agencies and that some wireless upgrades will require third‑party technical review as part of administrative processing. Commissioners were advised that limited administrative review (PX) allows public comment but not a full hearing, while a conditional use/hearing schedule increases processing time (170 days versus 100 days for many administrative decisions).
What’s next: staff asked commissioners to submit edits individually (to avoid a forum) and said a cleaner draft will return for further direction and likely a study session with the city council if requested. The commission adjourned before finishing the full packet.
