Bill > SB5184

This bill addresses minimum parking requirements for cities, code cities, and counties in Washington State, aiming to reduce excessive parking mandates that the legislature believes drive up development costs, discourage alternative transportation, and increase automobile dependency. The bill limits parking requirements to 0.5 spaces per multifamily dwelling unit, one space per single-family home, and two parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of commercial space. It eliminates minimum parking requirements entirely for several categories, including residences under 1,200 square feet, commercial spaces under 3,000 square feet, affordable housing, senior housing, child care centers, ground-level spaces in mixed-use buildings, and buildings changing use. The law provides exceptions for cities and counties with populations under 30,000, areas near large commercial airports, and jurisdictions that can demonstrate safety concerns through empirical studies. Cities and counties with populations between 30,000 and 50,000 have three years to implement these requirements, while larger cities must comply within 18 months. The bill also requires the state building code council to research and update accessible parking space requirements and repeals previous laws related to residential parking minimums. The legislation is designed to provide more flexibility in parking development, reduce construction costs, and encourage more sustainable urban design.