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Benton City Council adopts 60‑day moratorium on multifamily development in R‑2 zones
Summary
The Benton City Council voted Dec. 2 to adopt Resolution 2025‑74, an interim 60‑day moratorium on accepting applications for multifamily dwellings in R‑2 zones so staff can revise code language after concerns that state definitions leave the city open‑ended.
Benton City Council members voted on Dec. 2 to impose a 60‑day moratorium on the acceptance of applications for multifamily dwellings in the city’s R‑2 (medium residential) zoning district to allow time for code revisions.
The motion to adopt Resolution 2025‑74 passed after discussion about how the city’s prior code had deferred to a state standard that staff said could broaden what qualifies as “multifamily” and limit local control. Committee member (S3) explained the short moratorium is an interim step allowed under Washington law; the initial action gives staff time to prepare a revised definition and proposed regulations and requires a public hearing if council wishes to extend protections beyond 60 days.
“Tonight we can pass a moratorium for 60 days,” the Committee member said, explaining the city would need a subsequent hearing to extend the interim ordinance to the full six months allowed by state law.
A staff member (S9) described the concern as chiefly a drafting issue: the city’s current code had in places opened the R‑2 definition to a state standard that staff said might allow higher‑density building types the council did not intend for R‑2. “That one small verbiage opens up too many potentials,” the staff member said, urging a careful rewrite before the city accepts new applications in that zone.
Council members who moved and seconded the resolution said adopting the 60‑day pause would protect the city’s water and sewer capacity while staff prepared amendments. The motion was made, seconded, and recorded as passing by voice vote. The resolution text cited the city’s interest in preserving the R‑2 district’s intended medium‑density character and in ensuring infrastructure can keep pace with development.
The council will schedule the required public process and any subsequent hearing if it decides to extend the moratorium. The moratorium does not retroactively affect projects that were vested through completed applications before the moratorium’s effective date; staff clarified that properly vested applications continue under their existing approvals.
