Commission adds middle‑housing policy, directs studies on duplex conversions and housing authority

The planning commission spent the second half of its Feb. 12 meeting focused on the housing element of the comprehensive plan and a set of council directions staff had recently transmitted.

Staff told commissioners the housing element contains numerous changes tied to updated state law and the Growth Management Act. Commissioners debated how much of the housing action plan to fold into the element. Commissioner (Speaker 2) moved to direct staff to add a policy under Goal 1 that would reference the housing action plan and instruct the city to use that plan’s toolkit and pursue its goals; the motion passed unanimously.

Councilmember Schneider’s motion to consider a middle‑housing code that provides additional density for deed‑restricted limited‑equity workforce housing (units serving households at or below 150% of area median income) was presented to the commission. Commissioner (Speaker 10) moved to add policy HO 3.11 to reflect that council direction; the motion passed unanimously. The commission asked staff to incorporate specific program options and clarified that the language should not be interpreted as prescriptive code yet but rather an instruction to study program design and implementation.

Commissioners also directed staff to pursue several implementation studies and edits:

- Study a duplex/conversion program that allows two mid‑sized units (larger than existing ADU sizes but smaller than many single‑family homes) to replace a house+ADU footprint or to convert existing homes into two units. Commissioners discussed example unit sizes in the roughly 1,000–1,400 square‑foot range as a study parameter but left final sizing to staff analysis.

- Draft stronger language promoting development of accessible housing for people with physical disabilities.

- Study the creation of a local housing authority and return with recommended goal or policy language.

- Add tax‑increment financing and USDA 502 home‑ownership direct loan program to funding table HO‑2 and prepare language that recognizes REET (real‑estate excise tax) as an existing affordable‑housing funding tool while leaving scope for future refinements.

Commissioners emphasized coordination with the council and the need to receive the list of council motions so staff and the commission can reconcile language across elements. The packed docket produced only motions and staff directions; no final regulatory code was adopted at the meeting.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved, by unanimous vote, the addition of HO 3.11 (middle‑housing programs), direction to study duplex/conversion programs, direction to add housing action plan references, addition of TIF and USDA 502 to HO‑2, direction to draft accessible‑housing language, study creation of a housing authority, and direction to craft REET affordable‑housing language.

What happens next: Staff will return with revised text for the housing element, draft program options for middle‑housing and duplex/conversion studies, accessible‑housing language, and suggested REET language ahead of the public‑hearing draft.