Shoreline Planning Commission Regular Meeting - August 3, 2023

The Shoreline Planning Commission held a regular meeting on August 3, 2023, to discuss middle housing policy amendments, receive public comments, and provide staff direction on comprehensive plan updates. The meeting was called to order at 3:00 PM with Commissioners Brunson, Callahan, Galuska, Mosier, and Vice Chair Wamashon Jay present; Commissioners Lena and Chair Sager were absent with notice.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the agenda as presented.
• Approved the minutes from the July 20, 2023 meeting without changes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jim Cole (Realtor, Seattle) expressed full support for middle housing, including ADUs and daddies, stating he sees a "dirge of non-available properties" in the market and that Shoreline has a geographical advantage for smart planning. He emphasized the need for a "middle way" for housing to allow families, individuals, and seniors to live in the community.
• Catherine Weinbridge (Shoreline resident, Hamlin Park area) said her lot is just under size for subdividing, preventing her from building a three-bedroom home on the other half. She noted that many existing ranch-style homes would require demolition to add units and asked about making it easier to remove deed and plat restrictions that enforce single-family-only housing.
• Kathleen Russell (Resident, Safe Shoreline Trees) asked that the environment, tree canopy, and tree code be included as a primary theme in middle housing discussions. She cited the city's announced 2025 tree code review and requested that the discussion not preclude environmental considerations now, noting that citizens expressed concerns for trees and open spaces during public engagement.

Discussion Items

• Middle Housing Policy Presentation & Commission Guidance — Senior Planner Elise Keim presented an update on middle housing policy amendments, funded by a Department of Commerce grant. The presentation covered an existing conditions report (which found Shoreline lacks middle housing options, with most homes occupied by 1–2 people and 45% of single-person households age 65+), a regulatory analysis, and public engagement themes. Staff proposed four themes: increasing variety, focusing on affordability, regulating building form over use, and ensuring community involvement. Staff sought commission feedback on the overall goal for middle housing and whether any themes were missing.
• Commission Discussion — Commissioners offered the following input:
  • Commissioner Mosier emphasized creating vibrant, self-supporting communities beyond just housing.
  • Commissioner Brunson cautioned against regulations at cross-purposes (e.g., Seattle’s ADU rules creating condominium arrangements due to lot size restrictions) and advocated for facilitating new community visions.
  • Commissioner Galuska urged not merely changing use in low-density zones but proactively adjusting zoning maps to allow higher densities near transit and corridors, scaling down outward.
  • Commissioner Callahan supported the theme of regulating form over use and agreed with Galuska’s idea of different intensities in different areas.
  • Commissioner Mosier noted commenter Paul Malmsten’s suggestion for low-impact commercial uses in residential zones, tying to work-life housing.
  • Commissioner Wamashon Jay raised concern about displacement, asking how to avoid unintended consequences through anti-displacement tools and public investment in affordability.
  • Commissioner Brunson stressed that true affordability requires additional public subsidy, and that anti-displacement measures often need financial tools not zoning.
  • Commissioner Callahan highlighted impact fees (per-unit based) as a disincentive for middle housing and urged quick changes.
  • Multiple commissioners discussed defining “neighborhood character” more precisely, with Galuska favoring unique neighborhood identities and Wamashon Jay suggesting trees and open space as consistent character elements.
  • Staff noted the racial equity analysis will be presented later (targeting end of September) and acknowledged challenges in reaching young adults and renters during public engagement.

Key Outcomes

• Commission provided broad guidance: support a wide variety of housing choices, emphasize affordability, consider form-based regulations, and incorporate environmental themes (tree canopy, open space) into middle housing discussions.
• Staff will refine goals and policies based on commission feedback, ensuring alignment with equity, social justice, and climate lenses, as well as county, regional, and state requirements.
• The next regular meeting on August 17, 2023, was cancelled; the next meeting is the annual planning commission retreat on September 7, 2023, at 5:30 PM.
• Staff will present the racial equity analysis in late September. Commission also discussed possible topics for the retreat, including sub-area planning, youth planning commissioners, and a general check-in.
• Commissioners were reminded of the Celebrate Shoreline festival on August 19, where staff will have a booth; commissioners were invited to volunteer.