Middle housing/uninc. areas

AN ACT Relating to middle housing in unincorporated areas; and 1
amending RCW 36.70A.536. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 36.70A.536 and 2025 c 386 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1)(a) Any rural county that is required or chooses to plan under 6
RCW 36.70A.040 may provide by ordinance and incorporate into its 7
development regulations, zoning regulations, and other official 8
controls, authorization for ((the following:9
(1)(a) Middle)) middle housing types on each parcel that permits 10
single-family residences in limited areas of more intensive rural 11
development designated according to the requirements in RCW 12
36.70A.070(5)(d)(i)((;)).13
(b) If a rural county takes action authorized by this subsection, 14
it may not authorize more than ((4 [four] )) four residential units 15
per lot in limited areas of more intensive rural development 16
designated according to RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d)(i), and its development 17
regulations must: 18
(i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 19
restrictive than those required for detached single-family 20
residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 21
H-2627.1
HOUSE BILL 2269
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Bernbaum, Engell, Peterson, Reed, Leavitt, and
Gregerson
Prefiled 01/06/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Housing.
p. 1 HB 2269
are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 1
not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 2
canopy and retention requirements; 3
(ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 4
environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 5
residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 6
not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 7
building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 8
19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and9
(iii) Require that middle housing in limited areas of more 10
intensive rural development be served by ((existing sewer service)) a 11
publicly owned sanitary sewer system or a large on-site sewage 12
system.13
(c) For the purposes of this subsection (1):14
(i) "Rural county" has the same meaning as in RCW 43.160.020; and15
(ii) "Large on-site sewage system" has the same meaning as in RCW 16
70A.115.010. 17
(2)(a) ((Middle)) Any county that is required or chooses to plan 18
under RCW 36.70A.040 may provide by ordinance, and incorporate into 19
its development regulations, zoning regulations, and other official 20
controls, authorization for middle housing types on each parcel that 21
permits single-family residences in designated urban growth areas.22
(b) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 23
may not authorize more than four residential units per lot within the 24
designated urban growth area and its development regulations must:25
(i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 26
restrictive than those required for detached single-family 27
residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 28
are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 29
not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 30
canopy and retention requirements; 31
(ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 32
environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 33
residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 34
not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 35
building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 36
19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and37
p. 2 HB 2269
(iii) Require that middle housing in designated urban growth 1
areas be served by water and sewer services. 2
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p. 3 HB 2269