Tumwater planning commission unanimously backs housekeeping amendments to development code

The Tumwater Planning Commission on April 14 held a public hearing and voted unanimously to recommend that the city council consider Ordinance No. 2026‑002, a package of housekeeping amendments to the city’s development code.

Brad Madrid, the city’s community development director, gave the staff presentation explaining that the ordinance groups four primarily corrective updates. "As part of this process for developing this particular ordinance, last year and this year, staff gathered information on some minor development code housekeeping amendments," Madrid said. He outlined changes prompted by a Department of Commerce review, updates to how child care centers are classified under state law, clarifications to the sign code and definitions for essential public facilities.

The proposed housing-related edits respond to comments from the Washington State Department of Commerce and aim to align local definitions and standards with state requirements for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Madrid told commissioners that the changes clarify that ADUs should be treated consistently with principal dwelling units and that, "on every lot that has a principal structure, you're allowed to have 2 accessory dwelling units," including attached or detached units.

The child care provisions update Title 18 to reflect recent state law directing cities to allow child care centers and conversions of existing buildings as an outright permitted use in most zones. Under the proposed code language, child care centers (currently defined in the code as a provider caring for 13 or more children during part of a 24‑hour day) would be permitted in most zone districts, with limited exceptions for industrial and airport‑related zones. The staff proposal also standardizes terminology for smaller operations, clarifying that "mini child care centers" serve three or fewer children in a 24‑hour period.

On signage, staff proposed a narrowly targeted amendment to limit certain conditional exemptions and to allow scaled increases in wall and monument sign area for very large multiple-tenant buildings that front on Interstate 5. Madrid said the change is intended to tie allowable sign area more closely to building size and location so that very large buildings (typically over about 160,000 square feet) do not receive disproportionate signage allowances.

The ordinance also updates Tumwater’s list of essential public facilities to reflect recent state changes. Madrid noted that state legislation in 2023–2025 added items such as opioid treatment facilities to the essential public facilities categories that jurisdictions must accommodate in their processes.

Madrid summarized the environmental and procedural steps completed to date: a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist completed in February, a determination of nonsignificance issued in March and an appeal period that closed March 26 with no appeals filed. The Department of Commerce received notice of intent in February and has a 60‑day review window; Madrid said that review period was underway and would conclude before final adoption.

Public testimony at the hearing was limited. David Bills, appearing on behalf of the Tumwater Chamber of Commerce, said he was "acting more as a fly on the wall for the Tumwater Chamber of Commerce tonight" and offered no substantive comments on the ordinance.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to "approve the recommendations from staff and push it forward to the city council," a motion that was seconded by Commissioner Charlie Kirkpatrick and carried unanimously. Chair Elizabeth Robbins closed the public hearing after the vote.

If the council follows the commission’s recommendation, Madrid said the ordinance would be scheduled for consideration by the city council at upcoming meetings; staff noted the council process and the stated target date for adoption discussed during the hearing.

The commission also used the meeting to welcome new commissioner Matt Ransley and to approve minutes from prior meetings. The commission adjourned after previewing potential topics for the next meeting on May 12, including battery energy storage and the comprehensive plan update for economic development.