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Post Falls staff flags state 'starter home' law changes as city prepares zoning and subdivision updates
Summary
Community Development Director Bob Seal told the Planning & Zoning Commission that Senate Bill 1352 requires cities to allow much smaller lot sizes (as small as 1,500 sq ft, 30 ft wide) and previewed a new GIS dashboard summarizing eight years of annexations, plats and housing activity that will inform forthcoming code updates.
Bob Seal, Post Falls’ community development director, briefed the Planning & Zoning Commission on statewide changes and local data on June 9, saying Senate Bill 1352 (the starter home subdivision law) will require cities to allow much narrower lots in future subdivisions and that staff is preparing code updates.
Seal said the legislation requires allowance for lots down to 1,500 square feet and no more than 30 feet wide in residential zones for qualifying subdivisions, and that the city must adapt its subdivision and zoning rules. He noted the department will return with revisions and involve the commission in discussions about implementing the law in Post Falls. Seal also said changes to accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules (SB 1354) limit some local parking and owner‑occupancy requirements.
To give context, staff shared an internal GIS dashboard covering about eight years of land‑use activity: roughly 65 annexations, more than 3,500 platted lots, thousands of multifamily and single‑family units, and a snapshot of vacant buildable lots. Seal said the dashboard will be updated annually and will help commissioners and council track trends and guide zoning and subdivision code updates to comply with state law. He emphasized that staff will return with proposed code changes for review and public discussion.
Commissioners asked questions about implications for connectivity, aquifer protection, and how the city will incorporate the new lot‑size requirements into existing comprehensive plan and subdivision rules. Seal said staff will bring recommended zoning and subdivision code changes to the commission after receiving council direction.
Next steps: staff will present proposed code amendments and an updated subdivision code for commissioner review as the city determines how to implement SB 1352 locally.
