Tumwater looking to update and clarify four minor development regulations

Tumwater is set to update four minor development regulations to clarify certain requirements for manufactured home parks, utilities, buildings along the town center, and industrial buildings over 65 feet.

The four proposed amendments are part of the preliminary docket being developed by the city’s Community Development Department as part of the city’s annual housekeeping code amendments. City staff briefed the General Government Committee about the inclusions of the docket on Wednesday, August 9.

Open spaces in RV Parks

The first proposal seeks to clarify open space requirements for manufactured home parks. A report prepared by city staff stated that manufactured home parks that are not subject to the land division process, are exempt from open space requirements.

A 2021 city resolution requires at least 15% of the area of manufactured home parks to be set aside for park and open space.

Mixed-use buildings

City staff also wanted to clarify the allowed uses for developments on the first floor of mixed-use buildings in the Town Center Mixed Use subdistrict. Certain uses may be in conflict with the intent of the subdistrict, where first-floor land uses should help generate pedestrian activity. The city staff’s report stated that the current code about the allowed uses is unclear.

Industrial conditional use permit process

Another proposal seeks to establish a conditional use permit process for certain industrial developments above 65 feet. Industrial developments are currently allowed a maximum height of 65 feet since a 2017 resolution.

Utility lines installed underground

A proposal also seeks to clarify that new utility transmission lines must be installed underground.

The preliminary docket would now be sent to the city council as part of its consent agenda on its September 5 meeting so councilmembers could decide the final inclusions of the docket.

Once the preliminary docket is finalized, the city’s planning commission plans to hold several meetings and a public hearing to review the actual language of the amendments before it is returned to the city council for adoption.

City staff projects that the city council would make the final consideration on whether to adopt these amendments by February next year. Minor housekeeping code amendments are done once a year through a process provided by the city’s municipal code.