Laserfiche WebLink
City of Tukwila My WebLink |HelpSearch Tips |About |Sign Out
City of Tukwila <br />Allan Ekberg, Mayor <br />INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Planning and Community Development Committee <br />FROM: Nora Gierloff AICP, Community Development Director <br />BY: Neil Tabor, AICP, Senior Planner and <br />Nancy Eklund, AICP, Long Range Planning Manager <br />DATE: July 17, 2023 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Code Amendment Package <br />ISSUE <br />Staff has identified code amendments required to comply with existing or upcoming changes to <br />state law, as well as several additional amendments suggested previously to improve <br />processes, or correct areas of the code that are out of date. <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Washington State Legislature passed a number of bills in the 2023 session regarding <br />housing and development regulations. Many of these changes are not required to be adopted <br />by jurisdictions until June 1, 2025, or six months after the December 2024 Comprehensive Plan <br />update deadline. Because of limitations on staff capacity, and the volume of work anticipated to <br />complete all necessary code updates, staff would like to spread out this work over time to better <br />align with the overall Comprehensive Plan update process. Staff foresees that other mandatory <br />code amendments, not included in this memo, will require more analysis and discussion, on <br />topics that are generally less prescriptive than these requirements. <br />The amendments recommended also include previous state law updates that have not yet been <br />integrated into the Tukwila Municipal Code, and other suggestions for overall process <br />improvements, as shown below: <br />Process Improvements and Clarifications <br />1. Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan Amendments: Clarify that the Zoning Code <br />amendment process does not need to follow the same process as amendments to the <br />Comprehensive Plan, making the second public hearing held by Council optional, and <br />other elements that are more burdensome and require more time than other peer cities <br />(TMC 18.80). <br />This proposed amendment topic is similar to the proposal discussed at the August 29, <br />2022, PCD meeting. <br />2. Variance Requirements for Substandard Lots: Amend substandard lot provisions to <br />allow housing development on legal lots not meeting the minimum lot size, without <br />having to first complete a variance if all other development standards can be met. <br />27 <br />