﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><CertifiedBill type="pl" xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document"><EnrollingCertificate xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document" type="hBill"><Table align="center" pubwidth="wide" width="504.0pt" fontFamily="Courier New"><Col width="252.0pt" /><Col width="228.0pt" /><TR><TDEnroll><Passage><PassedBy chamber="h"><PassedDate>February 10, 2026</PassedDate><Yeas>96</Yeas><Nays>0</Nays><Signer /></PassedBy><PassedBy chamber="s"><PassedDate>February 26, 2026</PassedDate><Yeas>48</Yeas><Nays>0</Nays><Signer /></PassedBy></Passage></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><Certificate><P><TextRun>I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is </TextRun><TextRun fontWeight="bold">SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2269</TextRun><TextRun> as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.</TextRun></P><Certifier /><CertifierPosition>Chief Clerk</CertifierPosition></Certificate></TDEnroll></TR><TR><TDEnroll><ApprovedDate /></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><FiledDate /></TDEnroll></TR><TR><TDEnroll><Governor /></TDEnroll><TDEnroll><P textAlign="center"><TextRun fontWeight="bold">Secretary of State</TextRun></P><P textAlign="center"><TextRun fontWeight="bold"> State of Washington</TextRun></P></TDEnroll></TR></Table></EnrollingCertificate><Bill type="bill" xmlns="http://leg.wa.gov/2012/document"><BillHeading><ShortBillId>SHB 2269.PL</ShortBillId><LongBillId>SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2269</LongBillId><PLMessage><Message>Passed Legislature</Message><PLSession>2026 Regular Session</PLSession></PLMessage><Legislature>69th Legislature</Legislature><Session>2026 Regular Session</Session><Sponsors>House Housing (originally sponsored by Representatives Bernbaum, Engell, Peterson, Reed, Leavitt, and Gregerson)</Sponsors><BillHistory><ReadDate>READ FIRST TIME 01/27/26.</ReadDate></BillHistory><BriefDescription>Concerning middle housing in unincorporated areas.</BriefDescription></BillHeading>

<BillBody>
<BillTitle>AN ACT Relating to middle housing in unincorporated areas; and amending RCW 36.70A.536.</BillTitle>
<EnactedClause />
<BillSection type="amendatory" action="amend">
<BillSectionHeader><BillSectionNumber><TextRun>Sec. </TextRun><Value>1</Value><TextRun>.  </TextRun></BillSectionNumber><SectionCite><TextRun>RCW </TextRun><TitleNumber>36</TitleNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><ChapterNumber>70A</ChapterNumber><TextRun>.</TextRun><SectionNumber>536</SectionNumber></SectionCite> and 2025 c 386 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:<Caption>Middle housing.</Caption></BillSectionHeader>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(1)</TextRun> Any county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 may provide by ordinance and incorporate into its development regulations, zoning regulations, and other official controls, authorization for the following:</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(1)</TextRun>(a)<TextRun amendingStyle="add">(i)</TextRun> Middle housing types on each parcel that permits single-family residences in limited areas of more intensive rural development designated according to the requirements in RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d)(i);</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(b)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(ii)</TextRun> If a county takes action authorized by this subsection <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(1)(a)</TextRun>, it may not authorize more than <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">4 [four]</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">four</TextRun> residential units per lot in limited areas of more intensive rural development designated according to RCW 36.70A.070(5)(d)(i), and its development regulations must:</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(i)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(A)</TextRun> Not require any standards for middle housing that are more restrictive than those required for detached single-family residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that are required for detached single-family residences, including, but not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree canopy and retention requirements;</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(ii)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(B)</TextRun> Apply to middle housing the same development permit and environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; <TextRun amendingStyle="strikemarkleft">and</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strikemarkright">(iii)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(C) Require that middle housing in limited areas of more intensive rural development in a rural county be served by a publicly owned sanitary sewer system or a large on-site sewage system; and</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(D)</TextRun> Require that middle housing in limited areas of more intensive rural development <TextRun amendingStyle="add">in a nonrural county</TextRun> be served by <TextRun amendingStyle="strike">existing sewer service</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">a publicly owned sanitary sewer system</TextRun>.</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(2)(a)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(b)(i)</TextRun> Middle housing types on each parcel that permits single-family residences in designated urban growth areas.</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(b)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(ii)</TextRun> If a county takes action authorized by this subsection <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(1)(b)</TextRun>, it may not authorize more than four residential units per lot within the designated urban growth area and its development regulations must:</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(i)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(A)</TextRun> Not require any standards for middle housing that are more restrictive than those required for detached single-family residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that are required for detached single-family residences, including, but not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree canopy and retention requirements;</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(ii)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(B)</TextRun> Apply to middle housing the same development permit and environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="strike">(iii)</TextRun> <TextRun amendingStyle="add">(C)</TextRun> Require that middle housing in designated urban growth areas be served by water and sewer services.</P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(2) For purposes of this section:</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(a) "Rural county" has the same meaning as in RCW 43.160.020; and</TextRun></P>
<P><TextRun amendingStyle="add">(b) "Large on-site sewage system" has the same meaning as in RCW 70A.115.010.</TextRun></P>
<History>2025 c 386 s 1.</History>
</BillSection>
</BillBody>
</Bill></CertifiedBill>