SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6476

As Passed Senate, February 17, 2004

Title: An act relating to designating manufactured housing communities as nonconforming uses.

Brief Description: Designating manufactured housing communities as nonconforming uses.

Sponsors: Senators Mulliken and T. Sheldon.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Land Use & Planning: 2/2/04 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/17/04, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LAND USE & PLANNING

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Mulliken, Chair; Kline, Morton, Murray and T. Sheldon.

Staff: Genevieve Pisarski (786-7488)

Background: There is concern that local jurisdictions are improperly using zoning ordinances to eliminate existing manufactured housing communities, a source of lower-cost housing.

Summary of Bill: Local governments are authorized to designate new manufactured housing communities as a nonconforming use, but are prohibited from ordering removal or phased elimination of existing manufactured housing communities on the basis of status as a nonconforming use.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Existing manufactured housing communities provide a needed source of low-income and affordable housing. They need to be protected.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: John Woodring, Manufactured Housing Communities; Genesse Adkins, 1000 Friends of WA.