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Kenmore directs staff to draft STEP‑housing rules that comply with new state law
Summary
After a committee recommendation and recent state legislation (HB 2266), Kenmore council directed staff to prepare draft STEP housing code language aligned with state law; council recommended voluntary good‑neighbor agreements and asked staff to return with a draft for review before public hearing.
Kenmore — The City Council asked staff to draft zoning code amendments ensuring transitional, emergency and permanent supportive (STEP) housing are regulated consistent with newly passed state law (House Bill 2266) and to bring a draft back for council review before a public hearing.
The change: HB 2266 (pending governor's signature at the time of the meeting) requires cities to treat STEP housing the same as other residential uses in the same zone; it prohibits imposing additional restrictions, processes or fees on STEP housing that do not apply to equivalent housing types in a zone.
What staff recommended: The STEP housing committee and staff proposed a package that the council largely accepted as guidance: keep code changes consistent with state law; recommend — but not require — voluntary 'good neighbor agreements' between operators and the city; allow project‑level requests for reduced parking via a parking study; and avoid code provisions that would require on‑site service provision when similar services are not mandatory for comparable housing.
Quotes and context: "Treat STEP housing the same as you would any other housing type within those zones," consultant Nick Chen said in his presentation summarizing HB 2266. Community Development Director Debbie Bent told council, "If you can give us direction to draft code based on state law and have the city attorney review it, that's a win for me tonight." Several council members voiced support for voluntary good‑neighbor agreements as best practice even if not codified.
Why it matters: The state law narrows local discretion to add special permitting, notice or funding‑continuity requirements specific to STEP housing; cities retain options to use incentives, funding agreements, or to require documentation only when the city provides substantial public financial assistance.
Next steps: Council asked staff, working with the city attorney, to prepare a draft zoning amendment and return it to council for review before initiating formal public‑hearing procedures. The draft will reflect state law constraints and identify recommended templates and administrative tools (for example, model good‑neighbor agreements and parking‑study requirements for projects seeking reduced parking).
