While still a favorite focus of legislative attention, land use policy debates were a little quieter than they have been in recent years—with one big exception. Gov. Bob Ferguson requested SB 6026 to require cities to allow residential housing in commercial areas and restrict the application of first-floor retail requirements for cities over 30,000 in population. The breadth of the impact of this proposal quickly became apparent as cities expressed deep concerns about their ability to grow vibrant communities and stable tax bases into the future, particularly due to the first-floor retail restrictions.
The result demonstrated the power of cities advocating together as we were able to get significant amendments to improve the bill and avoid the worst possible outcomes while still providing new opportunities to address the statewide housing challenge.
Apart from this notable exception, the Legislature did seem to hear cities’ request to minimize land use changes as they continue to process the multiple changes made in recent years.
Bill # | Description | Status |
|---|
HB 2239 | Family burial grounds | Law; various effective dates |
HB 2294 | Negative use restrictions re: grocery stores and pharmacies | Law; effective June 11, 2026 |
HB 2418 | Project permit shot clocks | Law; effective June 11, 2026 |
HB 2624 | Land sold for public purpose | Law; effective June 11, 2026 |
SB 6026 | Housing in commercial and mixed-use zones | Law; effective June 11, 2026 |
SB 6309 | Sound Transit permits | Law; various effective dates |
HB 1065 | Family burial grounds | Did not pass |
HB 1175 | Neighborhood cafes and stores | Did not pass |
HB 2480 | Housing in commercial zones | Did not pass |
SB 5249 | Kit home siting for emergency housing | Did not pass |
SB 5609 | SEPA cultural review | Did not pass |
SB 5633 | Subdivision reform | Did not pass |
SB 6274 | Street frontage improvements in GMA | Did not pass |