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SB5471 • 2026
Authorizing middle housing in unincorporated growth areas and unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities.
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.
Middle housing
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
0 • Housing
Plain English: 5471.E AMH HOUS H2045.1 ESB 5471 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Housing ADOPTED 04/12/2025 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
30 • Bateman
Plain English: 5471 AMS BATE S1604.1 SB 5471 - S AMD 30 By Senator Bateman PULLED 02/19/2025 On page 1, line 13, after "(1)" insert "(a)" 1 On page 1, line 14, after "in" strike "designated urban growth 2 areas," 3 On page 1, at the beginning of line 17, strike " (2)" and insert 4 "(b)" 5 On page 2, at the beginning of line 1, strike " (a)" and insert 6 "(i)" 7 On page 2, at the beginning of line 7, strike " (b)" and insert 8 "(ii)" 9 On page 2, at the beginning of line 13, strike " (c)" and insert 10 "(iii)" 11 On page 2, after line 14, insert the following:12 "(2)(a) At least one middle housing unit on each parcel that 13 permits single-family residences in designated urban growth areas.14 (b) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 15 may not authorize more than four residential units per lot within the 16 designated urban growth area and its development regulations must:17 (i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 18 restrictive than those required for detached single-family 19 residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 20 are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 21 not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 22 canopy and retention requirements; 23 (ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 24 environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 25 residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 26 not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 27 building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 28 19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and29 Code Rev/MFW:akl 1 S-1604.1/25 (iii) Require that middle housing in designated urban growth 1 areas be served by urban services." 2 EFFECT: Separates requirements for counties authorizing middle housing in limited areas of more intensive development and in urban growth areas into respective sections.
47 • Bateman
Plain English: 5471 AMS BATE S1604.2 SB 5471 - S AMD 47 By Senator Bateman ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 1, line 13, after "(1)" insert "(a)" 1 On page 1, line 14, after "in" strike "designated urban growth 2 areas," 3 On page 1, at the beginning of line 17, strike " (2)" and insert 4 "(b)" 5 On page 2, at the beginning of line 1, strike " (a)" and insert 6 "(i)" 7 On page 2, at the beginning of line 7, strike " (b)" and insert 8 "(ii)" 9 On page 2, at the beginning of line 13, strike " (c)" and insert 10 "(iii)" 11 On page 2, after line 14, insert the following:12 "(2)(a) At least one middle housing unit on each parcel that 13 permits single-family residences in designated urban growth areas.14 (b) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 15 may not authorize more than four residential units per lot within the 16 designated urban growth area and its development regulations must:17 (i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 18 restrictive than those required for detached single-family 19 residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 20 are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 21 not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 22 canopy and retention requirements; 23 (ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 24 environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 25 residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 26 not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 27 building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 28 19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and29 Code Rev/MFW:jlb 1 S-1604.2/25 2nd draft (iii) Require that middle housing in designated urban growth 1 areas be served by water and sewer services." 2 EFFECT: Separates requirements for counties authorizing middle housing in limited areas of more intensive development and in urban growth areas into respective sections.
48 • Bateman
Plain English: 5471 AMS BATE S1729.1 SB 5471 - S AMD 48 By Senator Bateman ADOPTED 02/19/2025 On page 1, line 13, after " (1)" strike "At least one middle 1 housing unit" and insert "Middle housing types" 2 EFFECT: Specifies that counties planning under the GMA may authorize middle housing types on each parcel that permits single- family residences in designated UGAs, as opposed to at least one middle housing unit.
Effective date 7/27/2025.
Middle housing
AN ACT Relating to authorizing middle housing in unincorporated 1 urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural 2 development, and fully contained communities; reenacting and amending 3 RCW 43.21C.495 and 36.70A.280; and adding a new section to chapter 4 36.70A RCW. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 36.70A 7 RCW to read as follows: 8 Any county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 9 36.70A.040 may provide by ordinance and incorporate into its 10 development regulations, zoning regulations, and other official 11 controls, authorization for the following: 12 (1) At least one middle housing unit on each parcel that permits 13 single-family residences in designated urban growth areas, limited 14 areas of more intensive rural development designated according to the 15 requirements in RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d)(i); 16 (2) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 17 may not authorize more than 4 residential units per lot in limited 18 areas of more intensive rural development designated according to RCW 19 36.70A.070(5)(d)(i), and its development regulations must:20 S-0529.3 SENATE BILL 5471 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Senators Goehner, Bateman, Chapman, Frame, Liias, Nobles, and Saldaña Read first time 01/23/25. Referred to Committee on Housing. p. 1 SB 5471 (a) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 1 restrictive than those required for detached single-family 2 residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 3 are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 4 not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 5 canopy and retention requirements; 6 (b) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 7 environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 8 residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 9 not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 10 building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 11 19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and12 (c) Require that middle housing in limited areas of more 13 intensive rural development be served by sewer service.14 Sec. 2. RCW 43.21C.495 and 2023 c 334 s 6 and 2023 c 332 s 8 are 15 each reenacted and amended to read as follows: 16 (1) Adoption of ordinances, development regulations and 17 amendments to such regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by 18 a city to implement: The actions specified in section 2, chapter 246, 19 Laws of 2022 unless the adoption of such ordinances, development 20 regulations and amendments to such regulations, or other nonproject 21 actions has a probable significant adverse impact on fish habitat; 22 and the increased residential building capacity actions identified in 23 RCW 36.70A.600(1), with the exception of the action specified in RCW 24 36.70A.600(1)(f), are not subject to administrative or judicial 25 appeals under this chapter. 26 (2) Amendments to development regulations and other nonproject 27 actions taken by a city to implement the requirements under RCW 28 36.70A.635 pursuant to RCW 36.70A.636(3)(b) are not subject to 29 administrative or judicial appeals under this chapter.30 (3) Adoption of ordinances, development regulations and 31 amendments to such regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by 32 a city or county consistent with the requirements of RCW 36.70A.680 33 and 36.70A.681 are not subject to administrative or judicial appeals 34 under this chapter. 35 (4) Adoption of ordinances, development regulations, amendments 36 to such regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by a county 37 to implement section 1 of this act are not subject to administrative 38 or judicial appeals under this chapter.39 p. 2 SB 5471 Sec. 3. RCW 36.70A.280 and 2023 c 334 s 7, 2023 c 332 s 6, and 1 2023 c 228 s 7 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:2 (1) The growth management hearings board shall hear and determine 3 only those petitions alleging either: 4 (a) That, except as provided otherwise by this subsection, a 5 state agency, county, or city planning under this chapter is not in 6 compliance with the requirements of this chapter, chapter 90.58 RCW 7 as it relates to the adoption of shoreline master programs or 8 amendments thereto, or chapter 43.21C RCW as it relates to plans, 9 development regulations, or amendments, adopted under RCW 36.70A.040 10 or chapter 90.58 RCW. Nothing in this subsection authorizes the board 11 to hear petitions alleging noncompliance based on a city or county's 12 actions taken to implement the requirements of RCW 36.70A.680 13 ((and)), 36.70A.681, or section 1 of this act within an urban growth 14 area; 15 (b) That the 20-year growth management planning population 16 projections adopted by the office of financial management pursuant to 17 RCW 43.62.035 should be adjusted; 18 (c) That the approval of a work plan adopted under RCW 19 36.70A.735(1)(a) is not in compliance with the requirements of the 20 program established under RCW 36.70A.710; 21 (d) That regulations adopted under RCW 36.70A.735(1)(b) are not 22 regionally applicable and cannot be adopted, wholly or partially, by 23 another jurisdiction; 24 (e) That a department certification under RCW 36.70A.735(1)(c) is 25 erroneous; 26 (f) That the department's final decision to approve or reject a 27 proposed greenhouse gas emissions reduction subelement or amendments 28 by a local government planning under RCW 36.70A.040 was not in 29 compliance with the joint guidance issued by the department pursuant 30 to RCW 70A.45.120; or 31 (g) That the department's final decision to approve or reject 32 actions by a city implementing RCW 36.70A.635 is clearly erroneous.33 (2) A petition may be filed only by: (a) The state, or a county 34 or city that plans under this chapter; (b) a person who has 35 participated orally or in writing before the county or city regarding 36 the matter on which a review is being requested; (c) a person who is 37 certified by the governor within 60 days of filing the request with 38 the board; or (d) a person qualified pursuant to RCW 34.05.530.39 p. 3 SB 5471 (3) For purposes of this section "person" means any individual, 1 partnership, corporation, association, state agency, governmental 2 subdivision or unit thereof, or public or private organization or 3 entity of any character. 4 (4) To establish participation standing under subsection (2)(b) 5 of this section, a person must show that his or her participation 6 before the county or city was reasonably related to the person's 7 issue as presented to the board. 8 (5) When considering a possible adjustment to a growth management 9 planning population projection prepared by the office of financial 10 management, the board shall consider the implications of any such 11 adjustment to the population forecast for the entire state.12 The rationale for any adjustment that is adopted by the board 13 must be documented and filed with the office of financial management 14 within ten working days after adoption. 15 If adjusted by the board, a county growth management planning 16 population projection shall only be used for the planning purposes 17 set forth in this chapter and shall be known as the "board adjusted 18 population projection." None of these changes shall affect the 19 official state and county population forecasts prepared by the office 20 of financial management, which shall continue to be used for state 21 budget and planning purposes. 22 --- END --- p. 4 SB 5471