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Puyallup council weighs volcanic‑hazard exclusion as it drafts permanent middle‑housing rules
Summary
Planning staff told council they aim to adopt permanent middle‑housing regulations before the interim ordinance expires on June 30, 2026. Council members debated whether to keep a volcanic‑hazard (Lahar) exclusion that currently covers 31% of single‑family lots or to adopt updated USGS mapping that would reduce the exclusion to about 13%.
Katie Baker, the city’s planning manager, told the Puyallup City Council on March 31 that staff is drafting permanent middle‑housing code amendments to replace an interim ordinance and meet state requirements.
“The goal is adoption of these permanent regulations before the interim ordinance expires on 06/30/2026,” Baker said, describing changes to definitions, RS‑zone standards and parking rules. She summarized the state mandate enacted in 2023 (House Bill 1110) that requires tier‑2 cities like Puyallup to allow certain middle‑housing types and minimum unit densities (generally two units per lot and up to four in limited circumstances, and six of nine middle‑housing types across residential zones).
Baker told the council that the interim ordinance adopted last year included an exception that bans new middle‑housing allowances in a volcanic‑hazard (Lahar) area, and that when staff submitted the interim ordinance the state…
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