Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning staff: Ridgefield must plan for about 5,800 new housing units by 2045; commissioners probe affordable housing and shelters
Summary
The commission reviewed the housing element, which ties to a state allocation requiring the city to plan for a projected housing need (about 5,800 units through 2045) and to accommodate housing across income levels; commissioners asked about emergency shelter beds (219) and implementation timelines.
Staff told commissioners the housing element responds to state allocations and requires the city to identify land and tools to accommodate roughly 5,800 housing units by 2045, spread across income bands. "The state gives the counties growth projections... the county allocates each city's amount of housing units," staff said.
Commissioners asked about specific targets and timelines: staff said there is no single required percentage of affordable housing but that jurisdictions must create tools (zoning, development regulations, incentives) to accommodate units across income levels. Staff also noted a five-year check-in requirement to track progress post-adoption. One commissioner asked where the 219 emergency shelter beds figure came from; staff replied that the number derives from a state housing tool produced by the Washington Department of Commerce.
The discussion focused on accommodating needs through policy and code rather than immediate city-provided shelter; staff emphasized the comp plan sets the framework for implementation steps that will follow through code updates and partner coordination.
