You’ve heard of ‘missing middle.’ Olympia is taking another step to add housing
You’ve heard of the so-called “missing middle,” the land-use proposal pitched in Olympia in 2018 to create more housing that falls somewhere between a single-family residence and a large apartment building.
Now, the city is embarking on an another step to achieve that housing density goal. To get there, the City Council has directed the city’s planning commission to draft an ordinance related to accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, and courtyard apartments.
Here are some proposals for each:
▪ Accessory dwelling units: Allow both attached and detached ADUs on all parcels with a single-family residence, as long as the lot is at least 4,356 square feet.
▪ Duplexes: Allow duplexes on all corner lots in all zoning districts that permit single-family residences.
▪ Triplexes and courtyard apartments: Allow them on all parcels in one or more zoning districts that permit single-family residences.
If this all seems similar to the “missing middle” proposal, Leonard Bauer, deputy director of the city’s community planning and development department, called it a “parallel process” to address the need for a greater variety of housing.
Four public meetings have been scheduled to help inform the planning commission. The first is 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday in council chambers at Olympia City Hall, 601 Fourth Ave. E.
The other meetings:
▪ 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Olympia City Hall, room 207.
▪ 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24. The location is still to be determined.
▪ 5:30-7 p.m. March 23, Olympia City Hall council chambers.
Comments also can be sent to housingoptions@ci.olympia.wa.us.
What about missing middle?
In November, the state’s Growth Management Hearings Board denied the city’s motion for the board to rescind its order invalidating the missing middle regulations along with a motion to dismiss the case. The city then planned to appeal the ruling to Thurston County Superior Court.
Bauer said the appeal is still on, although he wasn’t sure if court dates had been set.
A group called Olympians for Smart Development & Livable Neighborhoods challenged the missing middle regulations before the state board, which over the summer invalidated the regulations after finding the city failed to comply with the state’s Growth Management Act by not anticipating impacts on the environment, public facilities and services.
The state board also agreed with petitioners that the changes went against parts of Olympia’s comprehensive plan.
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
