Detached Accessory Dwelling Units
What You Need to Know
The Details
In accordance with the 1993 Washington Housing Policy Act, the Department of Commerce put forth recommendations aimed at stimulating the development and placement of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These recommendations were officially published in 1994 under the title "Model ADU Ordinance Recommendations." The Act mandated that cities with populations exceeding 20,000 and counties with populations exceeding 125,000, operating under the Growth Management Act, incorporate the Commerce recommendations into their zoning and development regulations. It's important to note that these recommendations were subject to local regulations, conditions, procedures, and limitations to allow for flexibility at the local level.
Fast forward to 2019, when the state Legislature recognized Washington State's housing affordability crisis and took proactive steps to encourage the creation of ADUs. The Department of Commerce introduced a grant program designed to incentivize cities to adopt regulations that would bolster housing supply. These regulations included: (1) permitting ADUs in zoning districts where they were previously prohibited; (2) eliminating minimum parking requirements; (3) removing owner occupancy requirements; (4) implementing less restrictive square footage requirements compared to existing ones; and (5) establishing local programs offering homeowners a combination of financing, design, permitting, or construction support for ADU construction.
750 s.f.
Median Size of a DADU
$732,000
Median Price of a DADU
2%
Of All King County Sales include an ADU
Urban Growth
In 2020, the legislature imposed restrictions on the amount of off-street parking that local governments could mandate for ADUs near transit stops. Consequently, cities adhering to full planning under the Growth Management Act could no longer require off-street parking for ADUs located within a quarter mile of a major transit stop, with certain limited exceptions.
Moving into 2021, the legislature amended RCW 36.70A.070(2) to make it mandatory for all cities and counties fully planning under the Growth Management Act to "consider the role of accessory dwelling units in meeting housing needs." Furthermore, Section 7 of the bill suggested that cities and counties "should consider" specific policies to encourage ADU construction. Governor Jay Inslee vetoed this section, highlighting a crucial distinction: While it is undeniable that local governments should promote ADUs within cities and urban growth areas, distinct considerations arise concerning county rural and resource lands.
Are you interested in
buying, selling or building a DADU?
Drop us a line today!