Shoreline Planning Commission Meeting - February 2, 2023

The Shoreline Planning Commission met on February 2, 2023, at 3:00 PM UTC to discuss two major study items: an overview of the middle housing work plan and a detailed review of proposed cottage housing development code amendments. The meeting included public comment, staff presentations, and commissioner discussion on density, tree preservation, parking, and site design.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Suzanne Soming, a Shoreline resident and property owner, spoke in support of a proposed development code amendment to incorporate cottage-specific tree preservation language. She stated that Shoreline is approximately 80% residentially zoned (based on the 2021 zoning map) and that reintroducing cottage housing will lead to more removal of established trees. She urged the commission to study the proposed cottage-specific tree code to minimize tree canopy loss.

Discussion Items

• Middle Housing Work Plan Overview: Staff presented a comprehensive overview of the middle housing study, funded by a Washington State Department of Commerce grant. The work plan includes a demographic and policy analysis, a racial equity analysis (required by the Growth Management Act), and community engagement through compensated participation from community-based organizations. The work is scheduled to be completed by June 2023. Commissioners discussed the need to engage landlords, the potential impact of pending state bills, and the importance of framing middle housing benefits beyond density—such as property tax implications, support for neighborhood businesses, and sidewalk improvements. The commission expressed interest in a presentation from the Department of Commerce on racial equity analysis.
• Cottage Housing Development Code Amendments: Staff presented a draft code for cottage housing, which is a priority from the Housing Action Plan. Key discussion points included:
  • Location: The commission opposed exploring cottages in the MUR-35 zone, citing that it would disrupt the intended transition between higher and lower density zones.
  • Density: The draft code allows double the underlying zone density (e.g., 12 units/acre in R6) without requiring additional bonuses. Commissioners discussed potential density bonuses for affordable housing or community land trusts but leaned toward keeping the code simple and exploring such incentives separately.
  • Development Size: The proposed maximum of 24 units was debated; commissioners preferred not to over-restrict but suggested clustering could be encouraged for larger developments.
  • Tree Preservation: The commission generally opposed a separate cottage-specific tree code, favoring the existing tree code (25% retention of significant trees) with added incentives for preserving large trees (e.g., counting drip lines as open space). They supported the incentive approach.
  • Parking: The commission opposed requiring garages, preferring to let the market decide the form of parking (surface, garage, or carport). They noted that garages can complicate HOA issues and that storage for bikes or strollers could be a better use of space.
  • Open Space: The commission agreed that community buildings should not count as open space, though covered bike storage could be considered. They also discussed the need for porches to face common open space and the street to foster community interaction.
  • Infill Development: The commission was hesitant to allow cottages on lots with existing homes, suggesting that such infill might be better addressed through accessory dwelling unit or middle housing policies rather than the cottage code.

Key Outcomes

• Direction on MUR-35: Staff will not explore cottages in the MUR-35 zone.
• Tree Preservation: Staff will develop incentive-based tree retention measures for cottages, not a separate tree code.
• Parking: The code will allow flexible parking design (no mandatory garages).
• Unit Lot Subdivisions: Staff will explore allowing unit lot subdivisions for cottages, which could facilitate community land trust ownership and easier financing, but this will be addressed under subdivision code updates.
• Infill: The commission directed staff to focus on redevelopment scenarios rather than infill on existing lots for now.
• Next Steps: The draft code will be revised based on commission feedback and brought back for discussion at the March 2, 2023 meeting. Staff will also prepare illustrative graphics to help visualize concepts.
• Future Meetings: The commission will hold a joint dinner meeting with city council on May 8, 2023, and will continue work on the comprehensive plan update, with public engagement launching mid-March.