Draft Housing Element Available for Public Review

The Planning Commission has prepared a draft Housing Element for public review. The draft is available here. Included with the draft Housing Element are some proposed amendments to the Land Use Element (document available here).

Comments on the draft can be emailed to compplanupdate@mercerisland.gov. The public will also have the opportunity to provide input on the draft Housing Element during a Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review Community Workshop currently planned for May 1, 2024. Other questions and comments can be sent to Adam Zack, Senior Planner at adam.zack@mercerisland.gov.

Housing Element Project History

  • The WA State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires the City of Mercer Island to periodically review its Comprehensive Plan and make any necessary amendments by December 31, 2024;
  • In 2021, the WA State Legislature enacted House Bill (HB) 1220, which amended the GMA requirements for locally adopted Housing Elements;
  • In June 2021, King County prepared the Urban Growth Capacity (UGC) Report, which included a Land Capacity Analysis (LCA) for Mercer Island;
  • The City Council set a scope of work for the Comprehensive Plan periodic review in 2022 with Resolution 1621;
  • The adopted scope of work included the creation of the Housing Work Group (HWG) to prepare an updated draft of the Housing Element. The HWG is composed of three city council members (Wendy Weiker, Craig Reynolds, Salim Nice) and two planning commissioners (Kate Akyuz, Carolyn Boatsman);
  • The HWG was put on hold in November 2022 in anticipation of major changes prompted by HB 1220;
  • Between May and August 2023, the WA Department of Commerce (Commerce) issued guidance for updating housing elements to comply with HB 1220. The Commerce guidance required additional steps not included in the City’s original scope of work;
  • The City Council updated this scope of work to add tasks for the Housing Element update in the summer of 2023 with Resolution 1646;
  • In August 2023, King County adopted Ordinance 19660, which amended the Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) to establish housing needs for all of its cities as required by HB 1220. The CPPs set the number of moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income housing units needed in each city throughout the county;
  • In accordance with the updated scope of work and the Commerce guidance, staff produced a Land Capacity Analysis (LCA) Supplement and a Racially Disparate Impacts (RDI) Evaluation and provided findings to the City Council with Agenda Bill (AB) 6385;
  • On January 16, 2024, the City Council approved two motions providing guidance to the Housing Work Group (HWG) on how to proceed with updating the Housing Element in light of the findings of the LCA Supplement and RDI Evaluation (AB 6393);
  • Between January and March 14, the HWG met to formulate and refine a draft of the Housing Element and the corresponding amendments to related policies in the Land Use Element;
  • The draft Housing Element was drafted to address a number of requirements from state law, regional planning requirements, and King County Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs);
  • On March 14, the HWG voted unanimously to recommend the HWG draft Housing Element and Land Use Element consistency amendments to the Planning Commission (PC); and
  • The Planning Commission reviewed the HWG draft of the Housing Element from March 20 to 27 (3/20 meeting recording, 3/27 meeting recording).
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