WA State: SB 6015 Parking Requirements
Washington's 2024 Substitute Senate Bill 6015, now RCW 36.70A.622, significantly alters residential parking regulations under the Growth Management Act (GMA). Applicable to fully planning counties and their cities, excluding areas within a mile of major airports (with some exceptions), the law mandates updates to comprehensive plans and development regulations to comply with new parking standards. These updates must be completed by the next periodic update cycle.
The legislation focuses on flexibility and reducing the impact of parking requirements on housing development. It establishes maximum dimensions for required parking spaces at 8 feet by 20 feet, but allows jurisdictions to set smaller minimums. Only parking for people with disabilities can exceed these dimensions. Tandem parking, defined as two or more vehicles parked one behind the other with a single access point, is explicitly permitted and counts towards minimum parking requirements at a rate of one space per 20 linear feet. This maximum length applies to tandem spaces, but jurisdictions can allow shorter ones.
The law also addresses parking space enclosure, stipulating that garages and carports cannot be mandated to meet minimum parking requirements, and that required parking spaces can be either enclosed or unenclosed. However, jurisdictions retain the right to regulate enclosure for voluntarily provided spaces exceeding the minimum. Regarding surfacing, the law mandates that grass block pavers can be used to fulfill minimum parking requirements. It also protects existing legally nonconforming gravel parking areas, allowing up to six spaces to count towards minimums.
A crucial provision addresses the interplay between parking and tree retention. In counties and cities with populations over 6,000, off-street parking cannot be required if it makes residential development infeasible due to tree retention requirements. This provision prioritizes tree preservation over parking mandates when conflicts arise. The law applies to all residential projects, including single-family homes, ADUs, middle housing, and multifamily developments, and covers any tree retention standards that condition permitting on retaining existing trees. The applicant bears the responsibility of demonstrating infeasibility.
The legislation also clarifies the status of existing non-conforming parking spaces. Spaces that did not conform to the new requirements by June 6, 2024, are not required to be modified, except for ADA compliance. Existing paved parking lots are also exempt from size changes during resurfacing if such changes would be more costly or require significant reconfiguration. "More costly" refers to increased expenses compared to simple resurfacing, while "significant reconfiguration" implies a substantial change in the location or orientation of parking spaces.
Beyond these specific requirements, the document explores broader parking considerations. It highlights existing GMA limitations on minimum parking requirements for ADUs, middle housing, and multifamily, senior, and low-income housing near transit. It also notes prohibitions on minimum parking requirements for converting existing non-residential buildings to residential use in cities. The document further discusses the option for jurisdictions to eliminate minimum off-street parking requirements entirely, citing the potential benefits of reduced housing costs and increased development feasibility, especially in areas with robust public transportation. It also suggests allowing parking within required setbacks and considering on-street parking credits towards minimum off-street requirements. Finally, it touches on the potential of car sharing to reduce reliance on personal vehicle ownership and thus, parking demand.