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Property owner urges faster duplex and middle‑housing code changes to expand affordable choices
Summary
Bill McCoy, a property owner, urged the Planning Commission to adopt changes allowing duplexes without costly site‑plan review and aligning setbacks so duplexes are feasible, citing rising single‑family home prices and low inventory.
Bill McCoy, a property owner and Poulsbo resident, told commissioners that the city’s comprehensive‑plan changes are visionary but urged faster action on middle housing, especially duplex rules that currently add cost and time barriers.
“We need to make sure duplex code…doesn't require a site plan review that can easily add 50 k,” McCoy said, arguing that added design and engineering costs and larger setbacks for duplexes compared with single‑family homes can make duplex construction economically infeasible and leave challenging lots undeveloped. He urged the commission and staff to enable duplexes so developers can choose duplexes as an affordable option rather than defaulting to single‑family homes.
Planning staff responded that some of McCoy’s suggestions — including not requiring site‑plan review for a standalone duplex — are being considered for the fall package of amendments and that staff will continue to study the RM/RH zone interactions and setback impacts.
