2071-S2 AMS LGLT S5111.1
 
2SHB 2071 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs
ADOPTED 02/27/2024
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that lowering the cost of middle and multiplex housing construction will increase the housing supply and help address the state's shortage of affordable housing. It further finds that home builders and residentially focused architects are more familiar with the provisions of the international residential code. Allowing middle and multiplex housing to be built according to the standards of the international residential code will result in housing being easier to build and more affordable without sacrificing quality and safety. Therefore, the legislature intends to simplify the production of middle and multiplex housing by allowing more types of housing to use provisions of the international residential code.
(2) The state building code council shall convene a technical advisory group for the purpose of recommending the additions or amendments to rules or codes that are necessary for the council to apply the Washington state residential code to multiplex housing. The technical advisory group shall determine the most efficient mechanism to implement these changes in the Washington state residential code. These recommendations must include those code changes necessary to ensure public health and safety in multifamily housing under the international residential code and must consider the life safety systems and accessibility requirements for multiplex housing from the Washington state building code.
(3) The advisory group shall provide its recommendations to the council in time for the council to adopt or amend rules or codes as necessary for implementation in the 2024 international building code. The council shall take action to adopt additions and amendments to rules or codes as necessary to apply the international residential code to multiplex housing by November 1, 2026.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "multiplex housing" means a building with up to six dwelling units consolidated into a single structure with common walls and floors and a functional primary street entrance, or a building of up to three stories containing up to six dwelling units consolidated into a single structure.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 19.27 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The state building code council shall convene a technical advisory group for the purpose of recommending amendments to the international building code that would allow for a minimum dwelling unit size that is less than the requirements for an efficiency dwelling unit in the international building code. The technical advisory group shall consider aligning the state building code sections related to interior environment with the relevant sections of the national healthy housing standard published by the national center for healthy housing. When developing the recommendations, the technical advisory group must review the differences between the state building code and the national healthy housing standard and allow experts in public health and fire safety to comment during the process.
(2) The technical advisory group shall provide its recommendations to the council in time for the council to adopt or amend rules or codes as necessary for implementation in the 2024 international building code. The council shall take action to adopt additions and amendments to rules or codes as necessary by November 1, 2026.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. The office of regulatory innovation and assistance shall contract with a qualified external consultant or entity to develop a standard energy code plan set demonstrating a prescriptive compliance pathway that will meet or exceed all energy code regulations for residential housing in the state subject to the international residential code. The standard energy code plan set may be used, but is not required, by local governments and building industries. In developing the standard energy code plan set, the consultant shall, at a minimum, seek feedback from cities, counties, building industries, and building officials. The standard energy code plan set must be completed by June 30, 2025."
2SHB 2071 - S COMM AMD
By Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs
ADOPTED 02/27/2024
On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "regulations;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "adding new sections to chapter 19.27 RCW; and creating a new section."
EFFECT: Removes the requirement that counties and certain cities must modify the setback, height limit, and gross floor area requirements for retrofits of existing buildings that are to be used for residential housing and for new residential construction and retrofit of existing buildings meeting passive house requirements. Removes the provision that prohibits certain cities and counties from requiring off-street parking for residential projects if tree retention or protection requirements otherwise make a proposed residential development infeasible.
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