ADU Reform at the City & State Levels

ADU Reform at the City & State Levels

Written By: Nicole Miller

Currently both Washington State and the City of Bellingham are proposing changes to the current ADU regulations and process. From the outside it may seem complicated and long winded, but we’ve been keeping up to date with it, so you don’t have to!

But first let’s back up. Why is this such an important topic? All over the state, including Bellingham, we are seeing both a housing shortage and unaffordable costs for both renters and home buyers. Accessory Dwelling Units, aka ADUs, are seen as a tool to help fight both of these issues. While ADUs are certainly not the only answer to the affordability crisis, they are a start to addressing the issue. ADUs are, however, thought to have a much bigger effect on addressing the housing shortage. According to 2020 Census data, 71% of Bellingham households are made up of only 1-2 people. This means that medium and large sized single-family residences are not what Bellingham needs in order to solve the housing crisis. It needs ADUs and other forms of middle housing. As it stands right now, State and City regulations make it more difficult than it needs to be in order to permit and build ADUs (and middle housing). So, at both levels reform to the current ordinances are being proposed in order to ease these restrictions, allowing for more ADUs to be built and with less needless regulations.

Summary

-At the State level: There were two bills currently addressing changes to ADU regulations for the entire state. These are bills HB 1276 and HB 1337. Bill HB 1276 is essentially the watered-down version of HB 1337. However, bill HB 1337 recently passed out of the House Housing Committee with no amendments. Next steps for HB 1337 are to pass through the Rules committee and then through the Floor.  Organizations who support HB 1337 vocally as of the first hearing include Homes4WA, Sightline Institute, FutureWise, League of Women Voters, Habitat For Humanity, American Farmland Trust, Kirkland Planning Commission and a handful of architects and builders. TC Legend also supported HB 1337 over HB 1276.

-At the City level: There is one ordinance being proposed to amend Bellingham Municipal Code Titles 20 and 21 regarding ADU regulations and processes. This ordinance is essentially bill HB 1337 specifically for Bellingham. Whatcom Housing Alliance’s recommendations to the changes being put forth have been the main reference point for many community members and organizations. You can find their recommendations HERE. After the first hearing, City Council has sent the ordinance back to the Planning Commission for revisions for further clarification, data and feedback. Once the Planning Commission has finished this review, it will be presented to City Council again. They may need to revise again, or they will vote at that time. Once the ordinance passes through City Council it will take a bit of time for the Planning Commission to update their current ADU ordinance and implement the changes. However, assuming all goes smoothly, we should see the changes being implement most likely by the end of the year.

Key Components

-Remove Owner Occupancy Requirements: This is arguably the most contested topic in the City level ADU reform. The amendment states that the owner of the ADU is no longer required to live in either the main SFR or the ADU while renting and can therefore rent both out at the same time. On one hand, this would allow flexibility for homeowners who need to go out of town for extended period of time, or are elderly, and would increase housing availability. On the other hand, if there are not restrictions added to this amendment, it could open up Bellingham to more large-scale investors, taking control of our rental market and potentially further pricing out locals.

-Remove Off-Street Parking Requirements: The requirement of off-street parking, while may seem necessary to some, is typically not necessary or feasible on infill lots which are already near shopping centers and bus stops. Cities are using this as a technique to incentivize alternative modes of transportation, while also recognizing the limitations that come with infill lots.

-Condo-ization of ADU’s: Opening ADU’s to purchase is thought to help homeownership among the many small households that are currently struggling to afford the houses currently on the market and are therefore forced to remain renting. It is debatable as to whether this would create an affordable option or not. But the best way to create an equitable housing market is for more homeownership among the lower and middle class.

-Removing Appearance Requirements: Currently there are height restrictions and appearance requirements on DADU’s stating that they must match the aesthetic of the neighborhood, however current SFR’s are not even held to that same standard. The amendment would also allow the height of the ADU to increase to 25’ from 20’. There are some arguments to increase this limit even more or get rid of the restriction altogether to be able to accommodate a second floor and higher ceilings.

Other Bills To Watch

Washington State has at least 50 proposed housing bills. So if you want to take action and help sculpt the trajectory of housing in our state, look out for these bills and submit your commentary to the Housing Committee.

Among those proposed housing bills, HB 1110 / SB 5190 should be highlighted as they are important in legalizing middle housing.

If you are a renter, then you’ll want to watch out for HB 1124 which increases the timeframe that landlords must notify tenants of any increases to rent. There are also HB 1389 / SB 5435 which puts a cap on rent increase to either the rate of inflation or 3% (whichever is greater).

For more information on the State and City level ADU reform, see the following related articles.

-50 Housing Bills To Watch: https://www.sightline.org/2023/02/15/50-housing-bills-to-watch-in-olympia-right-now/?utm_source=Sightline+Newsletters+II&utm_campaign=ac6344b2dc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_22_09_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3e1b0f73ac-ac6344b2dc-296546103

-Comparison of HB 1276 and HB 1337: https://www.sightline.org/2023/01/21/washington-bill-would-boost-in-law-apartments-throughout-the-state/#:~:text=HB%201276%3A%20Allows%20one%20attached,key%20reforms%20the%20bill%20requires).

-Recap of HB 1276 and HB 1337 Hearing: https://whatcomhousingalliance.org/bellingham-adu-public-hearing-recap/

-Washington State Legislature Bill Lookup: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/

2022 Wrap Up – TC Legend Homes Achievements & Company Culture

2022 Wrap Up – TC Legend Homes Achievements & Company Culture

As we come towards the end of 2022, which in former years Winter was our slow season, the company is still quite busy with our six houses in the queue!

The end of the year is always a great time to reflect on these past four seasons and solar cycle.

Especially 2022… this was a record breaking year for TC Legend Homes!

The crew gathered for a Holiday party last Friday at Norm’s place, and took a moment to appreciate our team’s hard work and how far we’ve come….

TC Legend Homes 2022 Achievements

  • HIA Grand Award Winner Custom Homes for Buyer (< 2500 Square Feet) – House in a Hollow
  • Built Green 5-Star Certifications on all (4) projects completed this year
  • All (4) projects received a HERS score of -8 or better
  • Sold our first Net Zero spec house- Cascade!!
  • To be featured in (2) Bellingham Alive articles
  • Hired on (2) new employees & expanding diversity in our team.
  • Took 58th Place in the 2022 Ski to Sea event and getting 4th in the Corporate Division!
  • Designer Talia hosted her first educational seminar on Embodied Carbon in the Sustainable Connections Embodied Carbon series.
  • Owner Ted was a panelist at a conference about building with panels.
  • Started offering SIPs and ICF training to contractors and eligible individuals.
  • Senna hosted two Green Energy Home Tours.
  • Started a TC record-breaking (6) projects in one year!
  • Launching a Brand New Plans for Sale website – great work Design Team!!
  • Surviving and thriving during a pandemic!
  • And the numerous days everyone went skiing together!!
  • We survived and thrived in a world pandemic with zero turn-over, while retaining our staff at their full-time hours and hourly wages (PLUS+ performance & wage raises to match the increasing cost of living). That’s a HUGE feat! Major kudos to our leadership, and rock solid team!

One of my (Senna’s) favorite things about getting the crew all together are these EPIC potlucks! The team really brings their A-game! 🙂

The team & loved ones indulged in some Spiced Egg Nog, Hot Buttered Rum, Mulled Wine… and of course, dessert!

The kiddos had fun making gingerbread houses, candles, and compostable buildings! Here are the results of the Boys vs. Girls. Which one do you like most? Not sure they are net-zero energy though.

Nicole facilitated the White Elephant gift exchange. Jeff got a bunch of worker’s pencils, Mile’s got some Mad Libs, Dan got one of Isaac’s amazing pottery chalices, Nicole won a hangover kit, Jake got some truffles (which Nicole later stole!), Senna and her son got a Christmas blanket!

A knee brace, something called a ‘Damnit Doll,’ and Fun Facts for toilet reading were some other gifts that went around!

Such a big thank you to the team, our customers, subcontractors and of course, our loved ones & SUPPORT TEAM! We couldn’t do it nearly as well without you. 🙂

From the TC Family, we send you and your loved ones our warmest regards full of peace, health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year.


Happy Holidays!

Case Study: Cascade House

Case Study: Cascade House

This month the Cascade house sold! 

Thanks to all who came out to the Zero-Energy Home tours!

And a BIG thank you to Sustainable Connections for co-hosting! We had a great turn out both nights educating the community about what a Zero-Energy home is all about, and how it differentiates from conventional home building. 

Learn more about the embodied carbon and the utilities (calculated by Talia & Nicole) saved by this Zero-Energy House in this case study!

Zero-Energy Green Home Tours of Cascade!

Zero-Energy Green Home Tours of Cascade!

TC Legend Homes is partnering with Bellingham’s very own Sustainable Connections to host not one, but two educational Zero-Energy Green Home Tours!

The tours will take place on:

Friday, September 9th from 10am-1pm for a family friendly option,

and on Friday, September 16th from 6pm-8pm for a beer and tour option.

Both events will have an opportunity for self-guided tour and learning about the features of our new build at Cascade.

Located in Sudden Valley at 17 Cascade Ln, the roads are narrow, so we are encouraging attendees to carpool when possible.

We hope to see you there!

Impact of Eco-Conscious Living Series: Water Efficiency

Impact of Eco-Conscious Living Series: Water Efficiency

Written by: Nicole Miller

Water Efficiency

Water is often thought of as an infinite resource because of the vastness of the oceans, lakes and rivers and the great quantities of rainfall across the land.

In actuality, of all the water on this planet, less than 0.3% of it is accessible for human consumption.2 Of that 0.3% of accessible water, many regions are battling pollution in their local tap water, as well as water shortages.

In fact, in a 2014 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, “40 of 50 state water managers expected shortages in some portion of their states under average conditions in the next 10 years”1.

This is a reality that we are seeing ring true 8 years later.

Groundwater in the USA is the main source of drinking water for almost 50% of the total population and “provides over 50 billion gallons per day for agricultural needs.”4 However, as shown in Figure 1 and described by USGS in “Groundwater Decline and Depletion,” many of the USA’s largest aquifers are depleting due to the outweighed removal of water from natural replenishing4.

1 “Map of the United States (excluding Alaska) showing cumulative groundwater depletion, 1900 through 2008, in 40 assessed aquifer systems or subareas….Colors are hatched in the Dakota aquifer (area 39) where the aquifer overlaps with other aquifers having different values of depletion.”4

Although, this is not just an issue with large aquifers and the ramifications on one side of the country will inevitably affect the country as a whole, as we share resources throughout from bottled water to crops and livestock watered with local aquifers.  Not to mention, as we deplete our own resources, we are simultaneously depleting the resources for our surrounding ecosystems, which require clean water just as we do.

As with all environmental issues, there is a trickle-down effect that must be taken into consideration.

But as a society or individual, what can we do to help?

Firstly, if your local tap water is safe to drink, then choose that option before purchasing bottled water and taking away the local tap water from others. You can also install a whole-house water filter if worried about certain pollutants in the local tap water.

Secondly, opt to use a dishwasher and heated dry option instead of handwashing your dishes where applicable.3 Unless you are correctly hand washing dishes in a two-basin setup as described in Porras, Gabriela Y, et al article, it is more efficient in both greenhouse gas emissions and water usage, to use a dishwasher (with the only pre-treatment being scraping off food particles).3

Thirdly, when purchasing appliances and plumbing fixtures, only purchase those that are WaterSense® labelled. This ensures they are water efficient. Also opt for dual flush toilets if composting toilets are not an option.

Fourth, do not plant grass for landscaping and instead plant native flora that doesn’t require extra watering. If some form of grass is desired, try planting an alternative like wildflowers, clover, moss or sedum. These can give a similar visual and functional effect as grass but promote a more biodiverse ecosystem while also requiring little to no manual watering.

Lastly, if you do choose a landscape that requires manual watering, install a rain catchment system to supply the water instead of using potable water out of the hose bib. There is no reason to use clean drinking water on plants and lawns, when they will fair just fine with rainwater.

There are many other ways to increase water efficiency and reduce water consumption, however these listed are some of the easiest and best ways that you can make a difference just in your home.

At TC Legend Homes we understand the importance of water conservation through efficiency, which is why we have made it our standard to require WaterSense® labelled fixtures. We also encourage clients to landscape with only native flora and add rain catchment systems to their yard.

In actively reducing our water consumption and using water efficient solutions, we can help reduce the rate at which we are depleting the world’s accessible water, leaving more time to find a solution to the water crisis and help reverse the impact we’ve already had.

This in turn, will also reduce the impact that our water depletion is having on the ecosystems around us, as well as help reduce the inequity that comes with competition for draining resources.


SOURCES:

“Freshwater: Supply Concerns Continue, and Uncertainties Complicate Planning.” GAO, U.S. Government Accountability Office, https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-14-430. 2/21/22.

2 Kimberly Mullen. “Information on Earth’s Water.” NGWA, National Ground Water Association, https://www.ngwa.org/what-is-groundwater/About-groundwater/information-on-earths-water. 2/21/22.

3Porras, Gabriela Y, et al. “A Guide to Household Manual and Machine Dishwashing through a Life Cycle Perspective.” Environmental Research Communications, vol. 2, no. 2, 12 Feb. 2020.

4Water Science School. “Groundwater Decline and Depletion.” USGS, United States Geologic Survey, https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/groundwater-decline-and-depletion. 2/21/22.