Omnibus Legislation for Housing Production and Permit Streamlining

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On July 15, 2025, the City Council approved a scope of work for a project to conduct review of omnibus legislation to address recent changes in the state law related to housing production and permit streamlining. The project will adopt permanent regulations to replace the temporary regulations enacted by interim ordinances adopted as the City has complied with recent statewide legislation.

BACKGROUND

Beginning in 2020, the WA State Legislature enacted a series of bills focused on housing production and permit streamlining that required local jurisdictions to amend their development codes to comply. During this period the City was also required

On July 15, 2025, the City Council approved a scope of work for a project to conduct review of omnibus legislation to address recent changes in the state law related to housing production and permit streamlining. The project will adopt permanent regulations to replace the temporary regulations enacted by interim ordinances adopted as the City has complied with recent statewide legislation.

BACKGROUND

Beginning in 2020, the WA State Legislature enacted a series of bills focused on housing production and permit streamlining that required local jurisdictions to amend their development codes to comply. During this period the City was also required to update its Comprehensive Plan. To comply with new legislation, meet its comprehensive plan update deadline, and maintain consistency with state law, the City enacted a series of interim ordinances that temporarily amended the MICC to address housing producing and streamline permit review. The interim ordinances must be either renewed every 6-12 months or replaced by permanent regulations to maintain compliance with state law.

Approach: Omnibus Legislation

Rather than prepare a series of several individual amendments to adopt permanent regulations to replace each interim ordinance, the City can consider a package of amendments to replace them all at once. Omnibus legislation to address all of the interim ordinances is the most efficient way to adopt permanent regulations because many of the interim ordinances overlap, with more than one ordinance amending the same development code section. Table 1 lists the statewide legislation compliance related to housing production and permit streamlining that will be addressed by the omnibus legislation.

Table 1. Compliance Topics to be Addressed by the Omnibus Legislation.

Topic

Description

MICC Chapters Affected

RCW Reference

Interim Ordinance #

HB 1220

Affordable and emergency housing.

19.02, 19.11

36.70A.070

25C-05

HB 6015

Residential parking requirements

19.02, 19.03, 19.11, 19.12

36.70A.622

25C-08

HB 1293

Clear and objective design standards

19.03, 19.06, 19.11, 19.12, 19.15, 19.16

36.70A.630

25C-11

SB 5290

Permit review timelines

19.15

36.70B.080

24C-17

HB 1998

Co-Living Housing

19.06, 19.11, 19.16

36.70A.535

N/A

Design Commission (DC)

Remove references to Design Commission review1

19.01, 19.02, 19.03, 19.04, 19.05, 19.06, 19.10, 19.11, 19.12, 19.15, 19.16, App. C

N/A

25C-142

Comprehensive Plan Implementation

In 2024, the City Council updated the Comprehensive Plan and made implementing amendments to the Town Center development code.

19.11

36.70A.130

24C-18

Notes:

  1. In 2025, the City Council dissolved the Design Commission and reassigned design review to the Hearing Examiner. Though no further code amendments are required to implement that action, minor code amendments to remove reference to the DC will ensure the code remains consistent as the design standards are amended to address HB 1293.
  2. Ordinance 25C-14 was a permanent amendment to reassign design review to the Hearing Examiner and dissolve the Design Commission concurrent with the adoption of Ordinance No. 25C-11. While additional amendments to assign design review to the Hearing Examiner are not required, there are references to the design commission throughout Title 19 of the MICC that can be removed. Amending or removing these references will clarify for applicants and other code users who the official responsible for review is.

  • Planning Commission Public Hearing Scheduled for September 24

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    Omnibus Legislation to Address Housing Production and Permit Streamlining – Public Hearing September 24 and October 8, 2025

    Notice is hereby given that the Mercer Island Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its Hybrid Meeting on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at approximately 6pm, at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. This public hearing will be continued to October 8, 2025, at approximately 6pm, at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center. The Planning Commission will receive comments on proposed amendments to Mercer Island City Code (MICC) to establish permanent regulations for housing production and permit streamlining.

    The proposed amendments would replace interim regulations previously adopted by the City Council with permanent regulations. The proposed amendments would establish permanent regulations to comply with the following recent housing and permit process related statewide legislation: House Bill 1220; Senate Bill 6015; House Bill 1293; Senate Bill 5290; and House Bill 1998. In addition to compliance with recently amended state law, the proposed amendments would adopt permanent regulations to maintain consistency with the Comprehensive Plan periodic review completed in 2024 and the assignment of design review authority to the Hearing Examiner.

    The omnibus legislation would amend the following sections of the MICC: 19.01.050 – Nonconforming structures, sites, lots, and uses; 19.02.010 – Single-family; 19.02.020 – Development standards; 19.03.010 – Multiple-family; 19.03.020 – Parking requirements; 19.04.010 – Planned Business Zone – PBZ; 19.04.020 – Commercial Offices; 19.04.040 – Parking Requirements; 19.05.010 – Public Institution – PI; 19.06.030 – Antennas; 19.06.050 – Commerce on Public Property; 19.06.080 – Siting of Group Housing; 19.06.120 – Criteria for Approval – Design Review; 19.10.060 – Tree Removal – Associated With a Development Proposal; 19.11.010 – General; 19.11.015 – Town Center Subareas; 19.11.020 – Land Uses; 19.11.030 – Bulk Regulations; 19.11.040 – Affordable Housing; 19.11.060 – Site Design; 19.11.070 – Greenery and Outdoor Spaces; 19.11.080 – Screening; 19.11.090 – Lighting; 19.11.100 – Building Design; 19.11.110 – Materials and Color; 19.11.120 – Street Standards; 19.11.130 – Parking, Vehicular, and Pedestrian Circulation; 19.11.140 – Signs; 19.11.150 – Administration; 19.12.010 – General; 19.12.020 – Site features and context; 19.12.030 – Building design and visual interest; 19.12.040 – Landscape design and outdoor spaces; 19.12.050 – Vehicular and pedestrian circulation; 19.12.060 – Screening of service and mechanical areas; 19.12.070 – Lighting; 19.12.080 – Signs; 19.15.010 – Purpose, intent and roles; 19.15.030 – Land use review types; 19.15.040 – Review procedures;

    19.15.060 – Application; 19.15.070 – Determination of completeness; 19.15.220 – Design review and the Design Commission; 19.16.010 – Definitions; Title 19 MICC Appendix A – Parking Lot Dimensions; and Title 19 MICC Appendix C – Design guidelines of the Mercer Island Design Commission.

    The draft of code amendments and more information are available on the project website at: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/29657/widgets/102832/documents/71353

    The Planning Commission public hearing is accessible in person and using Zoom. The public will have the opportunity to comment during the public hearing by either attending in person, calling in, or logging onto the meeting via Zoom. Written comments may be submitted to the City of Mercer Island by e-mail to cityclerk@mercerisland.gov until such time that the public hearing is adjourned.

    Detailed instructions on how to comment live during the public hearing will be available online on or before September 19, 2025, at: https://www.mercerisland.gov/bc-pc


  • Code Amendment Package Available for Public Review

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    The package of code amendments that will comprise the omnibus legislation is now available for public comment and review. The code amendment package is available here: https://letstalk.mercergov.org/29657/widgets/102832/documents/71353

    Public comments can be emailed to planning.commission@mercerisland.gov or made to the Planning Commission during the public hearing scheduled for September 24. Information about participating in the public hearing will be provided in the public hearing notice. The Planning Commission meeting dates to discuss the omnibus legislation code amendment package are:

    • September 10 - Initial Study Session
    • September 24 - Public Hearing and consideration of a recommendation to the City Council
    • October 8 - (if necessary) Consideration of a recommendation
    • October 22 - (if necessary) Consideration of a recommendation

    The City Council will consider the Planning Commission recommendation beginning in November.

Page last updated: 03 Sep 2025, 12:44 PM