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Olympia council approves urban-ag code update on first reading, sets pet-limit guardrails
Summary
On Jan. 13 the Olympia City Council approved on first reading an ordinance updating municipal code to expand urban agriculture uses, clarify land‑use review standards, and adjust household pet limits to address adoption and foster barriers; council set a cap and removed a per‑species restriction.
The Olympia City Council on Tuesday approved on first reading an ordinance to update municipal rules around urban agriculture and household pets, aiming to remove regulatory barriers to growing food inside city limits while preserving tools for code enforcement.
Associate planner Casey Schoffler told the council the changes align with the Olympia 2045 comprehensive plan and the recommendations of the urban farming work group. The draft ordinance would allow agricultural uses — including small‑scale production and farm stands — as either a primary or accessory use in most residential and commercial districts, with the exception of downtown, auto‑services and industrial zones. Schoffler said city staff and contractors (including the Thurston Conservation District) have focused the effort on removing code language that previously limited agricultural activity.
Schoffler…
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