SB 6274, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D–Shoreline), proposes amending the Growth Management Act (GMA) to address street frontage improvements as a barrier to housing.

Although the bill is long, the proposed amendments to current law are not. The bill amends requirements under the comprehensive plan’s housing element to include “identifies infrastructure barriers that may constrain the feasibility of housing development, including public infrastructure and frontage improvement requirements that disproportionately affect infill or middle housing.” The transportation element is amended to reflect:

Counties and cities shall evaluate whether local street, frontage, and right-of-way standards are consistent with adopted land use and housing goals, including infill development and missing middle housing. Such standards should allow for context-sensitive design that considers existing conditions, anticipated traffic volumes, and surrounding development patterns, and should avoid unnecessary infrastructure requirements that materially constrain housing feasibility on infill or redevelopment sites.

Finally, the bill requires that “cities shall periodically review and, if necessary, revise street standards, frontage improvement requirements, and related public works design standards to ensure consistency with current land use patterns, housing needs, and growth management goals.”

Date to remember

SB 6274 will be heard in the Senate Local Government Committee on Thursday, January 30, at 1:30 pm.