All Roll Calls
Yes: 145 • No: 0
WashingtonSB 55582025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
Concerning growth management comprehensive plans.
Sponsored By: Keith Goehner (Republican)
Became Law
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 8 mixed.
More homes allowed on city lots
The law lets many cities allow more homes on most residential lots. Cities with 25,000–74,999 people must allow at least two homes on a lot, and at least four within a quarter‑mile walk of major transit or when one unit is affordable. Cities with 75,000+ people must allow at least four homes on a lot, and at least six near major transit or when two units are affordable. Some small cities under 25,000 in large urban areas must allow at least two homes on a lot. Cities must allow at least six of nine middle‑housing types, can count ADUs toward the total, and must allow zero‑lot‑line short plats that match the required unit count. If you use the affordable‑unit option, you must record a covenant keeping those units affordable for at least 50 years.
Simpler permits and lower parking
Middle housing gets only administrative design review, with rules no stricter than for single‑family homes. The same permit and environmental review steps apply as for single‑family homes. No off‑street parking is required within a half‑mile walk of major transit. Elsewhere, parking is capped at one space per unit on lots 6,000 sq ft or smaller and two spaces per unit on larger lots. A city may require more parking if a certified safety study shows it is safer, and the caps do not apply within one mile of a Washington commercial airport with at least 9,000,000 annual enplanements.
Small cities get planning relief
Very small cities can opt out of a full plan review if they have under 500 people, are at least 10 miles from a city over 100,000, grew less than 10% in the past decade, and give notice. They must still update critical areas and capital facilities and transportation parts of their plans. The state checks growth and tells cities about eligibility at least three years before updates are due. Qualifying small counties and small cities also get 24 extra months to meet plan deadlines.
Accessory dwelling unit rules and limits
ADU rules take effect when a city or county does its next periodic plan update. If the place does not adopt required ADU ordinances, state rules override conflicting local rules and compliance steps cannot be challenged under this chapter. Local governments may limit ADUs used as short‑term rentals, apply standard health, safety, building, and environmental permits, ban ADUs on lots without public sewers, and restrict ADUs in very low‑density wetlands, habitats, floodplains, or geologic hazards.
Farm and climate planning changes
If a watershed is meeting protection goals, a county does not need to update critical‑area rules for farm activities right away. Ten years after funding is received, the county must review and revise if needed. A city or county must add a climate and resiliency element and update transportation only if the state funds this work by December 31, 2027.
New planning updates and deadlines
Larger or faster‑growing counties and their cities over 6,000 people must file a five‑year progress report after each plan update. If work is not done, they must adopt a plan to finish within two years. Local governments review comprehensive plan changes no more than once per year, with listed exceptions. The law sets new review deadlines by county in 2024, 2025, 2026, or 2027, then every 10 years. Design‑review requirements start at each place’s next periodic plan update.
Planning grants and funding tied to compliance
Counties and cities that start their plan review early may get state grants, if money is available. To receive certain grants, loans, or guarantees, a place must meet deadlines or show strong progress; being under 12 months out of compliance counts as substantial progress. Only compliant places get preferences for some grants or loans.
Timing and transition for housing changes
A city must follow the new middle‑housing rules on the later of its next periodic plan update (if it met 2020 OFM thresholds) or 12 months after its next progress report once OFM says it reached a threshold. If a city complies without a timeline extension, it does not have to update its capital facilities plan for the added housing until its first plan update on or after June 30, 2034. Until June 30, 2026, added capacity on lots with critical areas or buffers is not treated as inconsistent with county or multicounty growth policies for cities with growth targets.
Urban growth borders can shift
A county can swap land into and out of its urban growth area to handle 20‑year development pressure without making the area bigger overall. Added land cannot be long‑term farm, forest, or mineral lands; less than 15% may be critical areas; and it must be suitable and planned for roads and public services. Removed land cannot include existing urban growth or urban densities, and the new border must be contiguous and not push urbanization into rural or resource lands.
Where middle housing rules don’t apply
A city can meet the new unit rules on at least 75% of single‑family lots and leave up to 25% exempt. Exemptions may cover critical areas and buffers, hazard zones, some airport areas, or places with certified displacement or infrastructure limits. Cities cannot use exemptions to worsen racial disparities, and some near‑transit or historically restricted areas are limited. The rules also do not apply in certain sole‑source aquifers on Puget Sound islands, watersheds for reservoirs listed as impaired as of July 23, 2023, urban separators as of that date, and lots created by splitting a single residential lot.
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Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Keith Goehner
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Chris Gildon
Republican • Senate
Deborah Krishnadasan
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Holy
Republican • Senate
Judy Warnick
Republican • Senate
Leonard Christian
Republican • Senate
Marcus Riccelli
Democratic • Senate
Matt Boehnke
Republican • Senate
Nikki Torres
Republican • Senate
Paul Harris
Republican • Senate
Perry Dozier
Republican • Senate
Shelly Short
Republican • Senate
T'wina Nobles
Democratic • Senate
Yasmin Trudeau
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/10/2025
3rd Reading & Final Passage
Yes: 96 • No: 0 • Other: 2
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
3rd Reading & Final Passage
Yes: 49 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Effective date 7/27/2025.
4/22/2025SenateChapter 148, 2025 Laws.
4/22/2025SenateGovernor signed.
4/22/2025legislatureDelivered to Governor.
4/17/2025legislatureSpeaker signed.
4/16/2025legislaturePresident signed.
4/15/2025legislatureThird reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.
4/10/2025SenateRules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
4/10/2025SenateRules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
4/8/2025SenateReferred to Rules 2 Review.
3/25/2025SenateLG - Majority; do pass.
3/21/2025SenateLG - Executive action taken by committee.
3/21/2025SenateFirst reading, referred to Local Government.
3/7/2025SenateThird reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.
3/5/2025SenateRules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
3/5/2025Senate1st substitute bill substituted.
3/5/2025SenatePlaced on second reading by Rules Committee.
3/3/2025SenatePassed to Rules Committee for second reading.
2/14/2025SenateLGV - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.
2/13/2025SenateFirst reading, referred to Local Government.
1/28/2025SenateIntroduced
1/28/2025Senate
Bill Text
Session Law
4/25/2025
Bill as Passed Legislature
4/18/2025
Substitute Bill
2/14/2025
Original Bill
1/28/2025
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