Washougal City Council Workshop: Arts Funding, Code Updates, and Parking Zones, March 9, 2026

The Washougal City Council held a workshop on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM via Zoom, with Mayor Pro Tem David Fritz presiding. Mayor David Stuebe was absent. The council heard public comment, received presentations on arts funding, state-mandated code updates, and a proposed permit-only parking zone, and discussed next steps. No formal votes were taken.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lynda Boesel, president of the Camas-Washougal Pickleball Club, a subsidiary of the Columbia River Pickleball Club, presented an alternative proposal to address cracks at the pickleball courts. She requested that only the major cracks be repaired before next winter at an estimated cost of $8,000, instead of the previously discussed $22,000 repair. She stated the courts are heavily used and that fixing the worst cracks could delay a full resurfacing for two to three years.

New Business: Arts Commission Funding Request

• Rose Jewell, Community Engagement Manager, presented the Arts Commission's request for $1,800 to fund live music performances at the Washougal Community Market. The proposal would pay musicians $50 per hour for the nine-week market. Jewell noted that last year the city paid high school musicians $25 per hour and more experienced musicians $50 per hour.
• Council asked how the funding would be allocated. Jewell confirmed the proposed rate would be a flat $50 per hour for all artists. The item is expected to return on the consent agenda in two weeks.

New Business: Code Updates 2

• Jessica Herceg of DOWL and Community Development Director Mitch Kneipp presented the second round of code updates covering unit lot subdivisions, manufactured housing, co-living housing, and residential parking.
• Unit lot subdivisions: State law requires cities to allow unit lot subdivisions, which create individual ownership lots for housing units such as ADUs and middle housing on a parent lot. The parent lot must meet zoning and dimensional standards, while unit lots are exempt from typical lot dimensional standards. The proposal follows short plat procedures with Type II review, 500-foot public notice, a nine-lot maximum, and an additional site plan document. Building and fire code compliance still applies.
• Manufactured housing: State law requires manufactured homes on individual lots to be treated the same as stick-built homes. The proposal removes design standards not applied to all single-family homes, such as porch and cover requirements, while requiring permanent foundations, fire and life safety compliance, and new or energy-code-compliant units. For existing manufactured home parks, the city cannot restrict placement based on home age, setbacks, or building separation, and cannot prohibit recreational vehicles used as permanent housing. Building and fire review still applies.
• Co-living housing: Defined as a dwelling with lockable, independently rented sleeping units that share kitchen facilities. It would be allowed only in zones that permit six or more multifamily units, and as a conditional use in the Woodburn Hill sub-area and commercial areas. Density is calculated as four sleeping units per dwelling unit, and parking cannot be required at more than one-quarter space per sleeping unit. Councilmembers expressed concern about parking spillover and the volume of state mandates.
• Residential parking: State law changes include allowing grass-block pavers or hard pavers, allowing existing gravel lots to serve up to six residential parking spaces, permitting tandem parking, and limiting required residential stall sizes to 8 feet by 20 feet. Additional parking cannot be required when dwelling units are added to an existing residential development. The updated parking table also addresses ADUs, middle housing, manufactured homes, permanent supportive housing, and transitional housing.
• Staff noted that impact fee recalculations will follow completion of the transportation and parks plan updates, with possible adoption around the fourth quarter of 2026. Councilmembers asked about lending industry acceptance of unit lots and about the origin of the state mandates.

New Business: Permit-only Parking Zone

• Joe Walsh, Community Services & Strategy Director, presented a proposed permit-only parking zone for the Sandy Swimming Hole neighborhood. The problem is that there are only 18 on-site parking spaces, causing summer spillover into nearby streets and livability complaints.
• Engagement results: 33 residents live in the proposed zone; 9 responded. Of those, 7 were strongly in favor, 2 were supportive or indifferent, and none were opposed. The idea originated with residents and was refined through an October meeting.
• The proposal is part of a multi-prong approach: a city acquisition across from the swimming hole closed that day and is expected to add about 50 parking spaces; Shepherd Road improvements are planned; and enforcement would increase using the council-adopted 0.1% sales tax.
• The zone would operate June 1 through September 30, with signs posted year-round. Residents would receive their first two permits free. Additional visitor permits would cost $5 per day, with no cap but with tracking and resident responsibility. Councilmembers questioned whether the $5 visitor fee felt punitive and asked how permits would be enforced. The code for the pilot zone is expected to return in two weeks.

Reports and Communications

• City Manager David Scott requested confirmation of an alternate representative for a CTRAN meeting because Councilmember Robertson had a scheduling conflict. Councilmember Wagner confirmed she would attend as alternate.
• Mayor Stuebe was absent. Mayor Pro Tem Fritz and Councilmembers Robertson, Wagner, Suggs, Swofford, and Szyplinski deferred their reports.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken at the workshop.
• The Arts Commission funding request and the permit-only parking zone code will return for council action in two weeks.
• Staff will schedule a future work session on the Woodburn Hill sub-area plan after the comprehensive plan and code update process.
• The next city council workshop and meeting are scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. The workshop adjourned at 6:57 PM.