A bill that exempts certain interior alterations projects from site plan review and creates grant programs to assist local governments in streamlining permit processing awaits a floor vote in its house of origin. AWC supports this proposal to create capacity
in permit review and to fund a consolidated permit review process and the transition to digital permit review. Reach out to your Senators and budget leaders to keep this bill moving!
SB 5964, sponsored by Sen. Mark Mullet (D–Issaquah), would exempt project permit applications for interior alterations
from site plan review if they do not:
- Create sleeping quarters;
- Create nonconformity with federal emergency management agency substantial improvement thresholds; and
- Increase the total square footage or valuation of the structure resulting in upgraded fire safety systems.
The bill defines “interior alterations” as construction activities that do not modify the existing site layout or its current use and involve no exterior work adding to the building footprint.
On the grants side, and subject to funding, SB 5964 proposes the following:
- The Department of Commerce (Commerce) must establish a consolidated permit review grant program for eligible local governments. Prior to receiving a grant, a local government must commit to issuing final residential permit application decisions within
45 business days or 90 calendar days and establish an application fee structure that would allow the jurisdiction to continue providing consolidated permit review within the same time frame.
- Commerce must also establish a grant program for local governments to update their permit review process from paper filing systems to software systems capable of processing digital permit applications, virtual inspections, electronic review, and capacity
for video storage.
Finally, SB 5964 requires Commerce to convene a digital permitting process work group to examine a potential statewide license and permitting software for local governments to encourage streamlined and efficient permit review. The work
group must include cities, counties, building industries, and building officials and provide a final report to the Legislature by August 2023.
The bill is in Rules Committee and must receive a floor vote in the Senate by February 15 to stay alive.