Airway Heights council adopts sweeping "missing middle" housing package, defers driveway‑width decision

The Airway Heights City Council on April 21 approved a broad series of zoning changes designed to add smaller, more diverse housing types to the city while postponing a single technical decision on driveway widths.

Planning Director Heather Troutman told the council staff had compiled a matrix covering roughly 22 ordinances to implement the "missing middle" package and said the staff, fire and public‑works departments and representatives of the development and affordable‑housing communities had largely reached agreement. "So, just in summary, I believe we have reached consensus on the testimony you received last time," Troutman said, presenting a section‑by‑section summary of proposed code changes.

Key policy elements include explicit references to accessory dwelling units across water, sewer and impact‑fee chapters to comply with state law (House Bill 1337), allowance for a 50% site coverage standard, a compromise 40‑foot building height limit (staff had recommended 35 feet and some proponents asked for 45), and a 6,000‑square‑foot minimum lot size in two residential zones. Troutman said those measures still permit three‑story configurations where floor‑to‑floor heights allow it.

One technical, safety‑focused issue remained unresolved: driveway width and access. Staff outlined three options — retain a 16‑foot minimum unobstructed width; allow 12‑foot paved widths with a 16‑foot clear zone; or permit 12‑foot widths only when all structures lie within 100 feet of a public or private street, otherwise requiring 16 feet. Troutman also cited a 150‑foot maximum driveway depth tied to fire‑apparatus turnaround and Department of Commerce guidance.

Given continuing fire‑ and public‑works concerns about apparatus access, the council voted to approve the full package while excluding the driveway‑width standard for a later discussion. The motion to approve the ordinances (moved by Councilmember Beineken and seconded by Councilmember Morton) passed 4‑0. Council members said tabling the driveway question would allow time to collect additional input from the fire department and public‑works staff.

Developers and housing providers attending the meeting praised the action. "This ordinance is going to do a lot of good for the city of Airway Heights," said Jim Frank, who identified himself as part of a group of housing developers and providers who worked on the package, while urging patience for the few remaining disagreements.

Resident commenters also urged staff and council to ensure developer commitments are enforced in practice. John Robbins told the council he had seen promised conditions — such as emergency‑only access and lighting — not implemented with recent developments and asked the city to hold builders accountable for neighborhood impacts.

The council's action advances a sweeping code modernization intended to increase small‑lot housing and ADU capacity in the face of rapid local growth; staff will return with focused recommendations on driveway width and fire access before the new rules are finalized.