Title
Approval of an Ordinance to Adopt Code Amendments Related to Title 17 - Subdivisions
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Land Use and Environment Committee recommend approval of an ordinance adopting Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve, on first reading and forward to second reading, an ordinance to adopt Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve, on first reading and forward to second reading, an ordinance to adopt Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions.
Staff Contact:
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Economic Development, 360.753.8254
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
Staff regularly proposes amendments to the Olympia Municipal Code (OMC) to make updates, corrections, and clarifications, including amendments necessary to comply with new state requirements. During the multi-year Comprehensive Plan update process, staff identified several areas of the code that warranted future amendment but deferred work on those items until completion of the Comprehensive Plan update.
During that same timeframe, the Washington State Legislature adopted new laws requiring local code amendments. Due to statutory timelines included in some of the legislation, several of the required amendments are highly specific and must be adopted within six months of the Comprehensive Plan update. As a result, some of the proposed code amendments must be completed by the end of June of this year.
This set of proposed amendments affects several different Titles within the OMC. The amendments originate from a variety of sources and operational needs. Some were requested by the Olympia Fire Department and relate to Title 16 (Buildings and Construction). Others were proposed by the City’s Historic Preservation Planner and development review planners within the Community Planning and Development Department, affecting Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic) and Title 18 (Unified Development Code). Additional amendments are necessary to comply with new state requirements and affect Title 17 (Subdivisions) and Title 18 (Unified Development Code).
Because several years passed without a comprehensive package of code amendments, and due to the need to address both accumulated updates and new state mandates, the 2026 amendment package is relatively extensive. In total, the package includes more than 40 proposed amendments that would modify four Titles in the OMC.
To improve organization and readability, staff arranged the amendments generally in the order in which they appear in the OMC. Each proposal is identified by number and includes the relevant code citation and topic area. Amendments are grouped by Title, and within each Title, proposals are organized by chapter and section order. To reduce the overall length of the document, only the specific subsections proposed for amendment are included.
To assist members of the public in understanding the purpose of each proposal and identifying which amendments are required by state law, staff also prepared a companion review document.
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission received a briefing on the proposed amendments in March and held a public hearing in April. No written comments were submitted, and no members of the public provided testimony during the hearing.
Following deliberation, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the amendments as proposed. During discussion, the Commission considered issues related to ground-floor retail requirements and the limitations those requirements may create for housing development in certain areas of Downtown Olympia. This language was not specifically proposed for amendment, but Commissioners are aware of it, the City’s vacancy study work, and upcoming requirements for allowing ground-floor residential units in most of the City.
Ultimately, the Commission recommended revisiting the issue later this year as part of the implementation of SB 6026 and other forthcoming state requirements that may further limit local ground-floor commercial requirements. The Commission also recommended that future discussion be informed by the findings of the recent commercial vacancy study.
Land Use and Environment Committee
The Committee considered the proposed amendments at its meeting in May. The Committee recommends approval of the code amendments as proposed and understands the issues raised by the Planning Commission. Planning Commission Chair, Greg Quetin, was present to summarize the Commission’s deliberations and answer questions.
Climate Analysis:
These proposed amendments are relatively minor or additions to the code to address new state requirements. Staff do not believe these amendments will have a significant impact on climate related issues, either positively or negatively. Some of the amendments to implement new requirements do support urban land uses and the retrofitting of existing buildings being converted to residential uses that meet newer, more stringent, energy code requirements. These measures will provide some support for our community’s efforts to reduce emission of greenhouse gases.
Equity Analysis:
These amendments are likely to only have a minimal effect on equity issues. Some of the amendments will provide support for the conversion of existing structures into residential uses. This could provide greater housing supply, which may help slow, or potentially reduce, the cost of housing for renters. If such projects are taken in areas where other incentives for multifamily housing exist, this could make housing projects more likely to occur.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Staff received some questions regarding the proposed amendments when they were first issued in late February. Those questions led to the development of the review companion document and appear to have answered those questions. No additional inquiries were made and no public comments were received.
Financial Impact:
Funding for this work was supported through the department’s existing base budget.
Options:
1. Move to approve, on first reading and forward to second reading, an ordinance to adopt Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions.
2. Move to approve, on first reading and forward to second reading, an ordinance to adopt Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions, with revisions.
3. Do not adopt an ordinance for Code Amendments related to Title 17 - Subdivisions.
Attachments:
Ordinance
Proposed Code Amendments
Companion Review Document
Planning Commission Recommendation Letter