The Washington State Department of Commerce is updating administrative rules for the Growth Management Act to address recent legislation on housing, permitting, development regulations, urban growth areas, and rural development.
Growth Management Services (GMS) is actively working with local governments and other stakeholders to ensure local comprehensive plans and development regulations plan for and accommodate housing affordable to all economic segments of the population in Washington. Planning for housing now requires an inclusive and equity-driven approach to meet the housing needs for all residents at all income levels. Rulemaking will reflect recommendations in the technical guidance that GMS developed to support local government planning for increased densities, housing types, and considerations of displacement, exclusion and racially disparate impacts in local housing policies.
A public hearing was held on January 6, 2025; you can view the video here.
Sign up to be included on the mailing list for this rulemaking process by clicking here.
| Bills Included in WAC Update | Bill Title | Legislative Session |
| ESHB 1042 | Allows converting existing buildings for residential purposes. | 2023 |
| SHB 1043 | Revises the recording-keeping rules for apartment owners and associations. | 2023 |
| E2SHB 1110 | Increases middle housing in areas traditionally dedicated to single-family detached housing. | 2023 |
| E2SHB 1220 | Requires commerce to project housing needs by income segment, and requires local government to plan for and accommodate these needs through comprehensive planning and development regulations. | 2021 |
| ESHB 1293 | Streamlines local design processes, requiring "clear and objective" standards that do not reduce development capacity otherwise allowed. | 2023 |
| SHB 1326 | Waives municipal utility connection charges for certain properties. | 2023 |
| EHB 1337 | Allows two ADUs per lot in all urban growth areas, with exceptions. | 2023 |
| SHB 1377 | Provides bonus density for affordable housing development on property owned by a religious organization. | 2019 |
| HB 1695 | Defines affordable housing for purposes of using surplus public property for public benefit. | 2023 |
| E2SHB 1923 | Adds definitions related to housing under GMA. Sets parking limits for certain types of developments and reduces the opportunity for appeals under SEPA for actions that increased housing supply. Requires cities to allow permanent supportive housing in areas where multi-family housing is allowed. | 2019 |
| ESHB 1998 | Relates to legalizing inexpensive housing options through co-living housing. | 2024 |
| SHB 2001 | Expands the ability to build tiny houses. | 2022 |
| ESHB 2321 | Modifies Middle Housing requirements, trailer bill to HB 1110. | 2024 |
| SB 5042 | Provides an effective date of actions that expand an urban growth darea, establish a community or resort, or change a land designation. | 2022 |
| E2SSB 5258 | Requires local governments to publish a schedule of impact fees which reflects the proportionate impact of new housing units. | 2023 |
| 2ESSB 5275 | Enhances opportunity in limited areas of more intense rural development (LAMIRD), providing that any development or redevelopment of building size, scale, use or intensity may be permitted within a LAMIRD, with exceptions. | 2022 |
| 2SSB 5290 | Makes changes to local government procedures for new housing permit processing, clarifying timelines around complete permit applications. | 2023 |
| 2E2ESSB 5536 | Recognizes opioid treatment programs, recovery residences, and harm reduction programs as essential public facilities for the purpose of local land use regulations. | 2023 |
| ESSB 5593 | Requires that counties consider patterns of development when reviewing urban growth areas under the GMA, in addition to other criteria. | 2022 |
| SSB 5818 | Requires the Washington State Department of Ecology to update SEPA rules relating to categorical exemptions for residential development, andlimits appeals under the state Environmental Policy Act and GMA. | 2022 |
| SSB 5834 | Concerns urban growth area swaps. | 2024 |
| SSB 6015 | Concerns parking configurations in residential areas. | 2024 |
| SSB 6140 | Concerns more intensive rural development in limited areas. | 2024 |
| ESSB 6617 | Adds new requirements related to accessory dwelling units (ADU) parking. | 2020 |
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