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.
  • 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: 13 Aug 2025, 10:40 AM