Growth Management Act.  The Growth Management Act (GMA) is the comprehensive land use planning framework for counties and cities in Washington.  The GMA also establishes a significantly wider array of planning duties for 28 counties, and the cities within those counties, that are obligated to satisfy all planning requirements of the GMA.  These jurisdictions are sometimes said to be fully planning under the GMA.

The GMA also directs fully planning jurisdictions to adopt internally consistent comprehensive land use plans. Comprehensive plans are implemented through locally adopted development regulations, and both the plans and the local regulations are subject to review and revision requirements prescribed in the GMA.  A comprehensive plan must be reviewed and, if necessary, revised every ten years to ensure that it complies with the GMA.

Minimum Residential Parking Requirements.  In counties and cities fully planning under the GMA, minimum residential parking requirements mandated by municipal zoning ordinances are subject to certain requirements.  Requirements are dependent upon:

• whether the housing units are offered as affordable to very low-income people or extremely low-income people, are specifically for seniors or people with disabilities, or are market rate multifamily housing units; and
• the proximity of the housing units to a transit stop that receives a certain frequency of transit service.

Limits on Minimum Residential Parking Requirements.  For affordable housing units that are affordable to very low-income or extremely low-income individuals and located within 0.25 miles of a transit stop receiving transit service at least two times per hour for twelve or more hours a day, minimum residential parking requirements may be no greater than one parking space per bedroom or 0.75 space per unit.

For housing units that are specifically for seniors or people with disabilities and located within 0.25 miles of a transit stop receiving transit service at least four times per hour for twelve or more hours a day, a city may not impose minimum residential parking requirements for the residents of such housing units.  A city may require a developer to record a covenant that prohibits the rental of a unit subject to this parking restriction for any purpose other than providing housing for seniors or people with disabilities.

For market rate multifamily housing units that are located within 0.25 miles of a transit stop that receives transit service from at least one route that provides service at least four times per hour for twelve or more hours per day, minimum residential parking requirements may be no greater than one parking space per bedroom or 0.75 space per unit.

A city may establish a requirement for the provision of additional parking space per bedroom or per unit if the jurisdiction has determined particular housing unit to be in an area with a lack of access to street parking capacity, physical space impediments, or other reasons supported by evidence that would make on-street parking infeasible for the unit.

A city that is required or chooses to plan under the GMA may not:

• require off-street parking as a condition of permitting development of middle housing within one-half mile walking distance of a major transit stop;
• require more than one off-street parking space per unit as a condition of permitting development of middle housing on lots smaller than 6000 square feet; and
• require more than two off-street parking spaces per unit as a condition of permitting development of middle housing on lots greater than 6000 square feet.

The bill as referred to committee not considered.

A city, code city, or county may not require more than 0.5 parking space per residential dwelling unit. 

A city, code city, or county may not require more than one parking space per 1000 feet of commercial space.

A city, code city, or county may not require any minimum parking requirements for:

• existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant buildings;
• residences under 1200 square feet;
• commercial spaces under 5000 square feet;
• affordable housing;
• senior housing;
• housing for people with disabilities;
• facilities that serve alcohol;
• child care facilities; and
• commercial spaces in mixed-use projects.

Parking restrictions do not apply to accessible parking spaces in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Current minimum residential parking requirements for cities planning under the GMA are repealed.