S-0722.1
SENATE BILL 5424
State of Washington | 66th Legislature | 2019 Regular Session |
BySenators Palumbo, Liias, Nguyen, and O'Ban
Read first time 01/21/19.Referred to Committee on Local Government.
AN ACT Relating to establishing minimum density standards around regional transit; adding a new section to chapter
81.112 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter
36.70A RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter
81.112 RCW to read as follows:
A regional transit authority may not approve or adopt a final alignment, or select a preferred alternative, for any light rail station proposed to be funded in the regional transit system plan approved by voters in 2016, unless the city or county in which a light rail station is proposed to be located has adopted the minimum density standards as specified in section 2 of this act. A city or county in which a light rail station is proposed must adjust the minimum density standards as provided in section 2 of this act to account for the proposed final location of a light rail station prior to a regional transit authority adopting a final alignment, or selecting a preferred alternative.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter
36.70A RCW to read as follows:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, in areas designated for residential use and located within one-half mile of a light rail station as referred to in section 1 of this act, cities and counties must establish a minimum gross urban density of no less than one hundred fifty dwelling units per acre.
(2)(a) Parcels of land with affordable housing units that are rented or occupied by low-income households are exempt from the minimum density requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
(b) For the purposes of this subsection:
(i) "Affordable housing" means residential housing that is rented by a person or household whose monthly housing costs, including utilities other than telephone, do not exceed thirty percent of the household's monthly income. For the purposes of housing intended for owner occupancy, "affordable housing" means residential housing that is within the means of low-income households.
(ii) "Low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below fifty percent of the median family income adjusted for family size, for the county where the household is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.
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