Companion bills that intend to increase housing through lot splitting—allowing an existing residential lot to be split into two lots—have passed out of committee, and each is awaiting floor action in their respective chamber.
HB 1245 and SB 5365 have both been amended but retain their companion status, as their amendments match. The retained original provisions still seem very prescriptive for state law:
- Require authorizing lot splitting within residential zones that allow for the development of detached single-family homes if the statutory list of conditions are met, including that the resulting lots are at least 1,500 square feet and at least 40%
of the size of the original lot.
- Not impose the following requirements on the split lots:
- more than one off-street parking space per lot
- more than 20 feet of frontage width per lot
- permitting requirements, design standards, or impacts fees on construction that are greater than those imposed on new residential construction generally within the same zone
The substitute version of each bill now has these changes:
- Clarifies that cities may require easements wider than four feet for access to rear lots if required by site-specific conditions, such as access to utilities.
- Also allows exceptions for site-specific conditions to the prohibition of a city from imposing requirements for dedications of rights-of-way or for the construction of off-site improvements.
- Removes references to specific types of laws and specifies that the construction on lots resulting from a split is subject to all existing state and local laws, except for the provisions outlined in this act.
- Requires all lots resulting from a split to meet existing minimum review standards for subdivisions.
Please let Carl or Shannon know how these would impact your city, and whether the lot splitting concept with less prescription would receive your city’s support.