By Joan Bloom
Posted: December 1, 2024
An open letter to the Edmonds City Council and Mayor:
I can’t imagine how stressful this holiday season has been for all of you, given the financial state of the city, biennial budget deliberations, the Regional Fire Authority issue, and the Edmonds Comprehensive Plan update.
Many of us are extremely concerned that council will finalize the draft Comp Plan by year end. Yet, xouncil has six months after the Comp Plan update deadline of 12-31-24 to finalize the Comp Plan before the State preempts local control and enforces housing mandates.
Council has time to consider your constituents’ concerns and consider Joe Scordino’s “Environmentally Sensitive” zoning and “staggered” approach to development.
In the Department of Commerce 12-1-24 newsletter is a link to the PDF – Preemptive State law for infill housing
Excerpt:
“The following laws are preemptive six months after the periodic update due date:
Several preemption clauses related to housing development were enacted in the 2023-24 legislative sessions. These provisions supersede, preempt and invalidate local codes if a local government does not adopt regulations consistent with state law, by the date specified in statute. The following laws are preemptive six months after the periodic update due date:
- Permitting at least two accessory dwelling units per lot, for all urban growth areas, (RCW 36.70A.680 and RCW 36.70A.681).
- Permitting conversion of commercial buildings to multifamily, (RCW 35A.21.440 or RCW 35.21.990).
- Allowing a minimum middle housing, (RCW 36.70A.636 and RCW3 6.70A.635.
The following law is preemptive Dec. 31, 2025:
- Permitting Co-living for urban growth areas on lots that allow six or more multifamily residential units, (RCW 36.70A.535).”
Also in the Department of Commerce 12-1-24 newsletter is their new report on the “housing landscape,” which states the following:
“Nearly half of renter households pay more than 30% of income on housing costs.”
The State’s definition of affordable housing is the renter pays no more than 30% of their income on housing. The draft Comp Plan references 0-80% AMI (adjusted median income) only, with no housing specific to 0-30% AMI, and no rental limits (max 30% of income) for any proposed housing. All of the housing in the Comp Plan will be “market rate.”
Please give yourselves and your constituents a breather and extend review of the draft Comp Plan beyond your self-imposed 12-31-24 deadline. There is no question that the draft Comp Plan needs significant improvement for the benefit of our environment (thus our quality of life) and to address our seriously over burdened infrastructure which is unable to accommodate the imposed housing growth.
And please keep in mind that those who are on fixed incomes and/or low income (0-30% AMI) struggling to make ends meet are the ones who will, and always do, suffer the most.
— By Joan Bloom
Author Joan Bloom served as an Edmonds City Councilmember from 2012-2015.