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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2024-05-23 Item 7.3 - Tiny Home Village CodeCity of Tukwila Thomas McLeod, Mayor Department of Community Development - Nora Gierloff, AICP, Director FILE NUMBERS: REQUEST: PUBLIC HEARING: LOCATION: STAFF: ATTACHMENT: STAFF REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION Prepared May 13, 2024 L24-0026 Zoning Code Updates for Tiny Home Villages Consider amendments to enact specific regulations for Tiny Home Villages. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendments and make recommendations to the City Council for review and adoption. Scheduled for June 27, 2024 Citywide Nora Gierloff, DCD Director A. Proposed Zoning Code Changes in Strikeout/Underline Format BACKGROUND In 2021 Tukwila amended its Zoning Code to address the State requirement in HB 1220 that indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing be permitted in any zones where hotels are allowed and that permanent supportive housing and transitional housing be permitted in all zones that allow residences or hotels. At the time the HB 1220 Ordinance was adopted we did not develop specific regulations for Tiny Home Villages, which are clusters of sleeping structures up to 120 square feet in size with common hygiene and kitchen facilities. The City has since permitted two villages using the emergency shelter regulations but the proposal is now to have specific regulations tailored to this housing type. Proposed definition: "Tiny Home Villages" means temporary shelter comprised of two or more sleeping structures up to 120 square feet in size with common hygiene and kitchen facilities managed by a host organization which provides on -site services. The City has considered but not acted on a proposal to regulate temporary homeless encampments which must be permitted on sites owned or controlled by religious organizations per the requirements and definitions of RCW 35A.21.360. Encampments do not fall within the requirements in HB 1220 as the "housing" provided is not within a building. DISCUSSION Cities may enact reasonable occupancy, spacing, and safety requirements for temporary tiny home villages to protect public health and safety so long as the conditions do not preclude the siting of these Tukwila City Hal! • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov 27 Tiny Home Villages Code Update 5-23-24 Page 2 villages by religious institutions per RCW 35A.21.360. The proposal is to use a similar framework to the standards Tukwila has adopted for other types of emergency housing. This is a residential model where clients are screened, admitted, and assigned a space for the duration of their stay rather than a day or night shelter model where people must leave with their belongings each day. On -site services would be limited to residents and not offered for drop in use. The stability offered by this model has better outcomes for the clients and fewer impacts on the surrounding neighborhood. Therefore, staff is suggesting the following standards: 1. It must be a 24-hour-a-day facility where tiny homes are assigned to specific residents for the duration of their stay. 2. On -site services such as laundry, hygiene, meals, case management, and social programs are limited to the residents of the facility and not available for drop -in use by non-residents. 3. The maximum number of units permitted on a site is constrained by adherence to life safety, infrastructure, and environmental codes but in no case will more than 45 units be permitted. 4. A Memorandum of Agreement between the host organization and the city per TMC 18.50.270 must be executed prior to the start of construction. Transit Access Originally staff had proposed a requirement that villages (like other types of emergency housing) be located within a half mile walking distance of a bus or rail transit stop which was intended to allow these transit dependent populations to reach services and employment. However, the City cannot preclude a religious organization from hosting a village regardless of the distance to transit so that criterion has been dropped. Unit Count Setting a unit count of 45 would allow potential expansions of the two existing villages in Tukwila. Miracle Village has 30 units and Riverton Village has 22. However, not all sites may accommodate this number due to the need to meet Fire Code, access requirements, critical area setbacks, infrastructure requirements etc. In addition, the following standards contained in RCW 35A.21.360 Hosting the homeless by religious organizations —When authorized —Requirements —Prohibitions on local actions would also apply: 1. The duration of the village will be for a minimum of a one-year term that is renewable according to the terms of a memorandum of understanding agreed to by the host organization and City. 2. The maximum unit square footage is one hundred twenty square feet each, with units set at least six feet apart. 3. Electricity and heat must be provided and inspected by the City. 4. Space heaters, if provided, must be approved by the local fire authority. 28 Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov Tiny Home Villages Code Update 5-23-24 Page 3 5. Doors and windows must be included and be lockable, with the managing agency and host organization also possessing keys. 6. Each unit must have a fire extinguisher. 7. Adequate restrooms and hygiene facilities must be provided, including restrooms solely for families if present, along with handwashing and potable running water to be available if not provided within the individual units, including accommodating black water. An additional policy question is whether villages should also be allowed on sites not owned or controlled by a religious organization, such as a government agency or a non-profit organization. If well managed these have proven to be an effective type of emergency housing. Here is a list of the current THV in King County. ProgramName Camp Second Chance 2 Friendship Heights Village 3 Georgetown Village 4 Lake Union Village 5 Miracle Village 6 Othello Village 7 Progressive Skyway Village 8 Riverton Park Village 9 Rosies Village 10 Southend Village 11 T.C. Spirit Village 12 True Hope Tiny House Village 13 Whittier Heights Village 14 Nicklesville - Central District 15 Northlake Service Provider .. Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi.,. Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Low Income Housi... Nicklesville Nicklesville Sub -Region Jurisdiction/CoS Council... Urban Unincorporated K... CarEMM Seattle Seattle Seattle South King County Seattle Seattle Council Dst 5 Seattle Council Dst 2 Seattle Council Dst 7 Seattle Council Dst 2 Urban Unincorporated K._CEEB South King County Seattle Seattle Seattle Seattle Seattle Seattle Seattle REQUESTED ACTION Seattle Council Dst 4 Seattle Council Dst 2 Seattle Council Dst 3 Seattle Council Dst 3 Seattle Council Dst 6 Seattle Council Dst 4 Type of Program Tiny House Villag. Tiny House Villag♦ Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Tiny House Village Hold the public hearing on the proposed code amendments on June 27, review the amendments, and forward the language as proposed or amended to the City Council for review and adoption. Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov 29 Tiny Home Villages Code Update 5-23-24 Page 4 Attachment A A new Definition is added to Tukwila Municipal Code to read as follows: 18.06.XXX "Tiny Home Villages" means temporary shelter comprised of two or more sleeping structures up to 120 square feet in size with common hygiene and kitchen facilities managed by a host organization which provides on -site services. A new Section TMC 18.50.240 is added to Tukwila Municipal Code to read as follows: 18.50.240 Tiny Home Villages Tiny Home Villages are allowed on properties owned or controlled by a religious organization or government agency subject to the following criteria: 1. It must be a 24-hour-a-day facility where tiny homes are assigned to specific residents for the duration of their stay. 2. On -site services such as laundry, hygiene, meals, case management, and social programs are limited to the residents of the facility and not available for drop -in use by non-residents. 3. The duration of the village will be for a minimum of a one-year term that is renewable according to the terms of a memorandum of understanding agreed to by the host organization and City. 4. The maximum unit square footage is one hundred twenty square feet each, with units set at least six feet apart. 5. Electricity and heat must be provided and inspected by the City. 6. Space heaters, if provided, must be approved by the local fire authority. 7. Doors and windows must be included and be lockable, with the managing agency and host organization also possessing keys. 8. Each unit must have a fire extinguisher. 9. Adequate restrooms and hygiene facilities must be provided, including restrooms solely for families if present, along with handwashing and potable running water to be available if not provided within the individual units, including accommodating black water. 10. The maximum number of units permitted on a site is constrained by adherence to life safety, infrastructure, and environmental codes but in no case will more than 45 units be permitted. 11. A Memorandum of Agreement between the host organization and the city per TMC 18.50.270 must be executed prior to the start of construction. TMC Section 18.50.270 is hereby amended to read as follows: 18.50.270 Memorandum of Agreement for Emergency Housing, Emergency Shelter, Tiny Home village. l Permanent Supportive Housing or Transitional Housing Prior to the start of operation, the City and facility operator shall develop and execute a Memorandum of Agreement containing, at a minimum, the following items: 30 Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov Tiny Home Villages Code Update 5-23-24 Page 5 1. A Good Neighbor Agreement addressing the following items: a. Quiet hours, b. Smoking areas, c. Security procedures, d. Litter, and e. Adequacy of landscaping and screening. 2. A Code of Conduct establishing a set of standards and expectations that residents must agree to follow. 3. A parking plan approved by the City showing that the facility has adequate parking to meet the expected demand from residents, staff, service providers and visitors. Residents may not park off -site and all vehicles must be operational. 4. A coordination plan with both the Police and Fire Departments, including protocols for response to the facility and to facility residents throughout the City and a maximum number of responses threshold for law enforcement services as established by calls for services in TMC Sections 5.60.040 through 5.60.060. If calls for law enforcement services exceed the agreed upon threshold in any given quarter, the facility operator will work with the City to reduce calls below the threshold level. 5. A requirement to provide regular reports to the City's Human Services Program Coordinator on how facilities are meeting performance metrics such as placement of residents into permanent housing or addiction treatment programs. 6. Any other terms required for consistency with RCW 35A.21.360. Tablel8-6: Land Uses Allowed by District," is hereby amended to add Tiny Home Villages as an accessory use to all zones that allow religious facilities as set forth below. Exhibit A — Table 18-6: Land Uses Allowed by District See Table 18-2 for uses allowed in TUC and Figure i8-1 for uses allowed in Shoreline. For properties zoned LDR, MDR and HDR that are designated as Commercial Redevelopment Areas )see figure 18-9 or 18-10), the uses and development standards of the adjacent commercial zone are permitted and shall apply, subject to the specific criteria and procedures defined in TMC 18.60.060 P = Permitted outright; A = Accessory lcustomarily appurtenant and incidental to a permitted use) ; C= Conditinnai l Su hi ect to TMC 1864); ii= Unclassified (subject to TMC 18.66); 5 =Special Permission {Administrative approval by the Directorl R MDR HDR MUD 0 FCC NCC RC RCM CALI Li HI MICA MK/H TVS TSO PRO Religious facilities with an assembly a rca less than 750 sq.ft. C P P PP P PPP P P Religious Facilities with an assembly area greater than 750 suit. and associated community center buildings c C C C C C C c Tiny Home Village A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov 31