BySenate State Government & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators J. Wilson, Mullet, and L. Wilson)

AN ACT Relating to city and town permitting of kit homes; amending RCW 19.27.015; adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW; and creating a new section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the state of Washington is in a housing crisis. The best way to combat this crisis is to simplify and streamline the ability to build inexpensive affordable homes.

(1) "Agricultural structure" means a structure designed and constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock, or other horticultural products. This structure may not be a place of human habitation or a place of employment where agricultural products are processed, treated, or packaged, nor may it be a place used by the public.

(3) "Commercial building permit" means a building permit issued by a city or a county to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of any building not covered by a residential building permit.

(4) "Kit homes" mean structures designed and constructed in a factory to sufficient life, health, and safety standards to be utilized as housing for at least 10 years to be assembled on-site with or without a permanent foundation.

(5) "Multifamily residential building" means common wall residential buildings that consist of four or fewer units, that do not exceed two stories in height, that are less than five thousand square feet in area, and that have a one-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation between units.

(((5)))(6) "Residential building permit" means a building permit issued by a city or a county to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of any building containing only dwelling units used for independent living of one or more persons including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation, and structures accessory to dwelling units, such as detached garages and storage buildings.

(((6)))(7) "Temporary growing structure" means a structure that has the sides and roof covered with polyethylene, polyvinyl, or similar flexible synthetic material and is used to provide plants with either frost protection or increased heat retention.

Kit homes under 800 square feet on private property or on public property within a planned unit development are exempt from this chapter subject to permitting by incorporated cities or towns and local fire safety regulations.