Middle-housing rulemaking, model-code options and deadlines explained to commissioners

Edging summarized the recent wave of middle-housing legislation and the state's rulemaking timetable. He said the rulemaking advisory committee will begin meetings toward the end of 2026, draft rules should be available mid-2027 and LCDC adoption is expected by late 2027. He also explained an implementation timeline in statute: "It said for 1 of the deadlines, for most of the middle housing types, it established an implementation deadline of 01/01/2027. And then for cottage clusters specifically, it established an implementation deadline of 01/01/2028." Commissioners asked whether Fairview should adopt the state model code, adopt by reference, or prepare its own conforming amendments; staff recommended considering modular adoption for temporary laws and targeted local amendments for enduring changes.

Edging described two practical options for cities that do not adopt conforming amendments before statutory deadlines: adopt model-code language by reference, or let the statutory model code apply to applications that rely on it. He emphasized the model code is modular and optional: jurisdictions can adopt entire modules or only specific elements as appropriate to local capacity.