Washington SB 5471: Addressing the use of electric-assisted bicycles on certain trails and roads by persons with disabilities.

Bill Text

CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5471
Chapter 386, Laws of 2025
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
MIDDLE HOUSING—COUNTIES—GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 27, 2025
Passed by the Senate April 21, 2025
Yeas 48 Nays 0
JOHN LOVICK
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 12, 2025
Yeas 90 Nays 4
LAURIE JINKINS
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
CERTIFICATE
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
Washington, do hereby certify that
the attached is ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL 5471 as passed by the Senate
and the House of Representatives on
the dates hereon set forth.
SARAH BANNISTER
Secretary
Approved May 20, 2025 10:48 AM FILED
May 21, 2025
BOB FERGUSON
Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to authorizing middle housing in unincorporated 1
urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural 2
development, and fully contained communities; reenacting and amending 3
RCW 43.21C.495 and 36.70A.280; and adding a new section to chapter 4
36.70A RCW.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 36.70A 7
RCW to read as follows:8
Any county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 9
36.70A.040 may provide by ordinance and incorporate into its 10
development regulations, zoning regulations, and other official 11
controls, authorization for the following:12
(1)(a) Middle housing types on each parcel that permits single-13
family residences in limited areas of more intensive rural 14
development designated according to the requirements in RCW 15
36.70A.070(5)(d)(i);16
(b) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 17
may not authorize more than 4 residential units per lot in limited 18
areas of more intensive rural development designated according to RCW 19
36.70A.070(5)(d)(i), and its development regulations must:20
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5471
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed Legislature - 2025 Regular Session
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Goehner, Bateman, Chapman, Frame, Liias, Nobles, and
Saldaña
Read first time 01/23/25. Referred to Committee on Housing.
p. 1 ESB 5471.SL

(i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 1
restrictive than those required for detached single-family 2
residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 3
are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 4
not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 5
canopy and retention requirements;6
(ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 7
environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 8
residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 9
not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 10
building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 11
19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and12
(iii) Require that middle housing in limited areas of more 13
intensive rural development be served by existing sewer service.14
(2)(a) Middle housing types on each parcel that permits single-15
family residences in designated urban growth areas.16
(b) If a county takes action authorized by this subsection, it 17
may not authorize more than four residential units per lot within the 18
designated urban growth area and its development regulations must:19
(i) Not require any standards for middle housing that are more 20
restrictive than those required for detached single-family 21
residences, but may apply any objective development regulations that 22
are required for detached single-family residences, including, but 23
not limited to, setback, lot coverage, stormwater, clearing, and tree 24
canopy and retention requirements;25
(ii) Apply to middle housing the same development permit and 26
environmental review processes that apply to detached single-family 27
residences, unless otherwise required by state law, including, but 28
not limited to, shoreline regulations under chapter 90.58 RCW, 29
building codes under chapter 19.27 RCW, energy codes under chapter 30
19.27A RCW, or electrical codes under chapter 19.28 RCW; and31
(iii) Require that middle housing in designated urban growth 32
areas be served by water and sewer services.33
Sec. 2. RCW 43.21C.495 and 2023 c 334 s 6 and 2023 c 332 s 8 are 34
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:35
(1) Adoption of ordinances, development regulations and 36
amendments to such regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by 37
a city to implement: The actions specified in section 2, chapter 246, 38
Laws of 2022 unless the adoption of such ordinances, development 39
p. 2 ESB 5471.SL

regulations and amendments to such regulations, or other nonproject 1
actions has a probable significant adverse impact on fish habitat; 2
and the increased residential building capacity actions identified in 3
RCW