Washington HB 1175: Allowing small business establishments in residential zones.

Bill Text

AN  ACT  Relating  to  allowing  small  business  establishments  in 1
residential  zones;  adding  a  new  section  to chapter 35.21  RCW;  and 2
adding a new section to chapter 35A.21 RCW.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 35.21 5
RCW to read as follows:6
(1)  A  city  or  town  must  allow  neighborhood  stores  and 7
neighborhood  cafés  to  be  permitted  in  any  zone  allowing  residential 8
uses  provided  that  a  café  must  offer  food  if  alcoholic  drinks  are 9
offered.10
(2)  Cities  and  towns  may  regulate  parking  provided  that  the 11
regulations are not infeasible.12
(3)  Hours  of  operation  may  be  limited  by  the  city  or  town 13
provided  that  neighborhood  cafés  are  permitted  to  operate  for  at 14
least 12 consecutive hours.15
(4)  Cities  may  establish  additional  regulations  as  necessary, 16
including maximum square footage requirements.17
(5)  For  the  purposes  of  this  section,  "neighborhood  café"  means 18
an establishment that serves a limited menu of food items and has at 19
least 500 square feet of gross floor area.20
H-0374.2
HOUSE BILL 1175
State of Washington69th Legislature2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Klicker, Leavitt, Taylor, Parshley, Richards, Ryu, 
Thai,  Barkis,  Fitzgibbon,  Dye,  Macri,  Doglio,  Wylie,  Kloba,  Nance, 
and Bernbaum
Prefiled 01/07/25.   Read first time 01/13/25.   Referred to Committee 
on Local Government.
p. 1HB 1175

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 35A.21 1
RCW to read as follows:2
(1)  A  code  city  or  town  must  allow  neighborhood  stores  and 3
neighborhood  cafés  to  be  permitted  in  any  zone  allowing  residential 4
uses  provided  that  a  café  must  offer  food  if  alcoholic  drinks  are 5
offered.6
(2)  Cities  and  towns  may  regulate  parking  provided  that  the 7
regulations are not infeasible.8
(3)  Hours  of  operation  may  be  limited  by  the  city  or  town 9
provided  that  neighborhood  cafés  are  permitted  to  operate  for  at 10
least 12 consecutive hours.11
(4)   Code   cities   may   establish   additional   regulations   as 12
necessary, including maximum square footage requirements.13
(5) For the purposes of this section:14
(a)  "Neighborhood  café"  means  an  establishment  that  serves  a 15
limited menu of food items and has at least 500 square feet of gross 16
floor area; and17
(b)  "Neighborhood  store"  means  a  convenience  grocery  store  or 18
mini-market  that  provides  a  variety  of  convenience  items  that  may 19
include,  but  are  not  limited  to,  food,  beverages,  and  household 20
items. A neighborhood store must be at least 500 square feet of gross 21
floor area.22
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p. 2HB 1175