Clyde Hill News: Housing density and the “missing middle” grant
Also: What residents can do about local zoning; State lawmakers propose raising property tax cap
The City of Clyde Hill accepted a $35,000 “Middle Housing Grant” from Washington’s Department of Commerce, according to a document posted on the city’s website Friday (link).
Middle housing “refers to those housing types between single-family residences and mid-rise, multi-family development” (link). The grants and legal changes at the state level are part of a larger effort by state lawmakers “intended to expand the state’s housing supply and help address the ongoing affordable housing crisis,” according to the same article.
More details below on how residents can provide feedback about Clyde Hill land use code changes, including the role of the Planning Commission. Also, news about an effort by state lawmakers to raise the limit on property tax increases to 3% from 1%.
Disclaimer: while I am a councilmember on the Clyde Hill City Council, I write this newsletter in my capacity as an individual resident. Any opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the position of the city. City information and references here are from public sources. I welcome email responses — and if the topic is about city business I will respond from my city email account.
State effort to increase housing density
The short version:
State lawmakers enacted changes that require Clyde Hill and many other Washington cities to permit multiple dwellings on each lot.
The specifics of land use regulations and permitting are up to Clyde Hill and other local entities.
Clyde Hill, Medina, Yarrow Point, and Beaux Arts each accepted $35,000 grants from the Department of Commerce “to support the adoption of local comprehensive plan policies and zoning codes to allow more middle housing in residential neighborhoods.” (link)
The longer version: state laws, local zoning
Legislators in Olympia enacted many new housing laws in 2023 (link), with even more new housing laws expected this year. For example, a recent “lot splitting bill” would effectively override local regulations about minimum lot sizes in Clyde Hill and other cities (link).
How these new state laws play out locally depends on local land use regulations. Clyde Hill’s current land use code, for example, has many restrictions (link) on accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These restrictions will likely need to change to accommodate a new state law (EHB 1337) passed last year:
As noted in this write-up from the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC), many of the new state laws have deadlines for local compliance. You can read more about the local response to state housing laws and the city’s Comprehensive Plan update here (link).
Clyde Hill’s choices
The city reported that it “executed an Interagency Agreement with WA Department of Commerce for Middle Housing Grant ($35,000 in funding provided to City).” (link)
As a resident, one way to make sense of this grant is: Clyde Hill is going to have to do the work related to complying with the new state laws one way or another. Grant money helps offset the cost of this necessary work.
It’s not clear from the city’s website what obligations might come with the grant. It’s also not clear why neighboring Hunts Point did not join the other Points Communities in accepting grant money.
Residents’ voices
The question I’ve been getting from readers is: what can residents do about local zoning?
“Ask your local elected and appointed officials questions what options the city has, and then express your preferences about those options” is a basic starting point.
The most recent public update from Clyde Hill’s administration indicated that the city is still waiting on guidance from the Department of Commerce and other agencies about the new laws before taking action.
The Planning Commission
The Planning Commission serves an important role for residents, providing independent review of any proposed revisions to Clyde Hill’s land use regulations.
It’s reasonable to expect that at some point, the Planning Commission will consider specific density-related changes to Clyde Hill’s municipal code. Commission meetings have historically welcomed public comment on matters under discussion.
Five Clyde Hill residents serve on the city’s Planning Commission “in an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters involving zoning, land use, and long-range planning,” according to the city’s website (link). The Planning Commission “also hears View/Sunlight complaints” from residents.
One challenge has been the Planning Commission’s “throughput problem,” to use former Mayor Klaas’s language. During 2023, the Planning Commission skipped three meetings. During 2022, it met only three times. City staff attempted to help the Planning Commission by proposing a “formal work plan” in May 2023 (link); it’s not clear what resulted from that proposal. The city council sent the Planning Commission proposed changes to city land use code (link) a year ago (in January 2023) that the Commission has not yet acted on.
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for January 25. It’s likely that the two newly appointed commissioners will take the oath of office; no agenda has been posted yet.
Property tax limits: SB 7770
Senate Bill 5770 (SB 5770) would enable local taxing authorities (like Clyde Hill) to raise property taxes by up to 3% a year, eliminating the current 1% limit on property tax increases. The bill is currently in committee (link), and it’s not clear how likely it is to advance.
Over on his personal website here (link), Cm Steve Sinwell has a great write-up about property tax in Clyde Hill, this new bill, and addressing the city’s budget deficit.
Residents often try to make sense of why their King County Property Tax bill goes up so much every year when the city can only raise property taxes by 1%. Sinwell’s blog post offers a good write-up.
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Dean Hachamovitch