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County staff lays out code, permitting and incentive options to spur affordable housing
Summary
The Department of Community Development presented a menu of ideas—fee waivers for deed-restricted units, expedited plan review, preapproved building plans, rural-cluster incentives, ADU rule changes, employee-housing requirements, duplex allowances and short-term rental conversion incentives—to increase housing options; council asked for priorities, legal review and coordination with housing advisory groups.
San Juan County Department of Community Development (DCD) Director Sev Jones briefed the council on a package of regulatory and administrative ideas aimed at increasing housing supply and affordability across the islands.
Jones opened by summarizing housing market metrics and the county's constraints, noting limited long-term rental inventory and the affordability gap between median incomes and housing costs. He then outlined specific options staff will study further if council wants to proceed:
- Fee reductions or exemptions for projects that secure long-term affordability through deed restrictions or other binding agreements, to reduce the up-front cost burden on affordable units. - Prioritizing or expediting plan review and permitting for projects that meet defined affordability criteria. - A preapproved building-plan program (examples cited: Skagit and other Puget Sound-area jurisdictions) to reduce design and review costs, particularly for smaller and modular homes or ADUs. - Incentivizing and clarifying rural-cluster development provisions to enable multiple smaller units on a site while retaining open space and making phased development more feasible. - Reassessing ADU rules (lot-size thresholds, size limits and the county's lottery mechanism) in light of recent state law changes and to expand opportunities for long-term units. - Considering employee-housing requirements or incentives for larger employers or master-planned developments. - Exploring expanded outright allowances for duplexes in more zones and incentives or buyouts to convert short-term rentals to long-term housing.
Council members raised several cross-cutting issues: the importance of a clear definition for "affordable housing" (permanent vs. term-limited), tying incentives to enforceable deed restrictions, aligning code changes with the county's comprehensive plan and housing element, and coordinating with the housing advisory committee and an upcoming building-advisory committee. Several council members asked DCD to return with written priorities, recommended sequencing and legal clarifications so the council and public can review proposed changes before formal code amendments.
