HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit 56-4 - Att C - 5559.SLCERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5559
Chapter 271, Laws of 2025
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
UNIT LOT SUBDIVISIONS—LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 27, 2025
Passed by the Senate April 21, 2025
Yeas 48 Nays 0
JOHN LOVICK
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 10, 2025
Yeas 95 Nays 0
LAURIE JINKINS
Speaker of the House of
Representatives
CERTIFICATE
I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of
the Senate of the State of
Washington, do hereby certify that
the attached is ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL 5559 as passed by the Senate
and the House of Representatives on
the dates hereon set forth.
SARAH BANNISTER
Secretary
Approved May 13, 2025 10:37 AM FILED
May 14, 2025
BOB FERGUSON
Governor of the State of Washington
Secretary of State
State of Washington
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EXHIBITS 56-4
AN ACT Relating to streamlining the subdivision process inside 1
urban growth areas; and amending RCW 58.17.020 and 58.17.060.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 58.17.020 and 2002 c 262 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows:5
As used in this chapter, unless the context or subject matter 6
clearly requires otherwise, the words or phrases defined in this 7
section shall have the indicated meanings.8
(1) "Subdivision" is the division or redivision of land into five 9
or more lots, tracts, parcels, sites, or divisions for the purpose of 10
sale, lease, or transfer of ownership, except as provided in 11
subsection (6) of this section.12
(2) "Plat" is a map or representation of a subdivision, showing 13
thereon the division of a tract or parcel of land into lots, blocks, 14
streets and alleys, or other divisions and dedications.15
(3) "Dedication" is the deliberate appropriation of land by an 16
owner for any general and public uses, reserving to himself or 17
herself no other rights than such as are compatible with the full 18
exercise and enjoyment of the public uses to which the property has 19
been devoted. The intention to dedicate shall be evidenced by the 20
owner by the presentment for filing of a final plat or short plat 21
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL 5559
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
Passed Legislature - 2025 Regular Session
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Lovelett, Nobles, and Trudeau
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Local Government.
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EXHIBITS 56-4
showing the dedication thereon; and, the acceptance by the public 1
shall be evidenced by the approval of such plat for filing by the 2
appropriate governmental unit.3
A dedication of an area of less than two acres for use as a 4
public park may include a designation of a name for the park, in 5
honor of a deceased individual of good character.6
(4) "Preliminary plat" is a neat and approximate drawing of a 7
proposed subdivision showing the general layout of streets and 8
alleys, lots, blocks, and other elements of a subdivision consistent 9
with the requirements of this chapter. The preliminary plat shall be 10
the basis for the approval or disapproval of the general layout of a 11
subdivision.12
(5) "Final plat" is the final drawing of the subdivision and 13
dedication prepared for filing for record with the county auditor and 14
containing all elements and requirements set forth in this chapter 15
and in local regulations adopted under this chapter.16
(6) "Short subdivision" is the division or redivision of land 17
into four or fewer lots, tracts, parcels, sites, or divisions for the 18
purpose of sale, lease, or transfer of ownership. However, the 19
legislative authority of any city or town may by local ordinance 20
increase the number of lots, tracts, or parcels to be regulated as 21
short subdivisions to a maximum of nine. The legislative authority of 22
any county planning under RCW 36.70A.040 that has adopted a 23
comprehensive plan and development regulations in compliance with 24
chapter 36.70A RCW may by ordinance increase the number of lots, 25
tracts, or parcels to be regulated as short subdivisions to a maximum 26
of nine in any urban growth area.27
(7) "Binding site plan" means a drawing to a scale specified by 28
local ordinance which: (a) Identifies and shows the areas and 29
locations of all streets, roads, improvements, utilities, open 30
spaces, and any other matters specified by local regulations; (b) 31
contains inscriptions or attachments setting forth such appropriate 32
limitations and conditions for the use of the land as are established 33
by the local government body having authority to approve the site 34
plan; and (c) contains provisions making any development be in 35
conformity with the site plan.36
(8) "Short plat" is the map or representation of a short 37
subdivision.38
(9) "Lot" is a fractional part of divided lands having fixed 39
boundaries, being of sufficient area and dimension to meet minimum 40
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zoning requirements for width and area. The term shall include tracts 1
or parcels.2
(10) "Block" is a group of lots, tracts, or parcels within well 3
defined and fixed boundaries.4
(11) "County treasurer" shall be as defined in chapter 36.29 RCW 5
or the office or person assigned such duties under a county charter.6
(12) "County auditor" shall be as defined in chapter 36.22 RCW or 7
the office or person assigned such duties under a county charter.8
(13) "County road engineer" shall be as defined in chapter 36.40 9
RCW or the office or person assigned such duties under a county 10
charter.11
(14) "Planning commission" means that body as defined in chapter 12
36.70, 35.63, or 35A.63 RCW as designated by the legislative body to 13
perform a planning function or that body assigned such duties and 14
responsibilities under a city or county charter.15
(15) "County commissioner" shall be as defined in chapter 36.32 16
RCW or the body assigned such duties under a county charter.17
(16) "Parent lot" means a residential lot that is subdivided into 18
unit lots through the unit lot subdivision process.19
(17) "Unit lot" means a subdivided lot within a residential 20
development as created from a parent lot and approved through the 21
unit lot subdivision process.22
(18) "Unit lot subdivision" means a subdivision or short 23
subdivision proposed as part of a residential development project 24
that meets the development standards applicable to the parent lot at 25
the time the application is vested, but which may result in 26
development on one or more individual unit lots becoming 27
nonconforming as to specified land use and development standards 28
based on the analysis of the individual unit lot. By June 30, 2026, 29
all unit lot subdivisions shall require notification to purchasers of 30
their legal status as further described in RCW 58.17.060.31
(19) "Clear and objective design and development standards" means 32
locally adopted development regulations that involve no personal or 33
subjective judgment by a public official, and are ascertainable by 34
reference to measurable written or graphic criteria available and 35
knowable to the permit applicant, the public, and public officials 36
prior to submittal.37
Sec. 2. RCW 58.17.060 and 2023 c 337 s 11 are each amended to 38
read as follows:39
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(1) The legislative body of a city, town, or county shall adopt 1
regulations and procedures, and appoint administrative personnel for 2
the summary approval of short plats and short subdivisions or 3
alteration or vacation thereof. When an alteration or vacation 4
involves a public dedication, the alteration or vacation shall be 5
processed as provided in RCW 58.17.212 or 58.17.215. Such regulations 6
shall be adopted by ordinance and shall provide that a short plat and 7
short subdivision may be approved only if written findings that are 8
appropriate, as provided in RCW 58.17.110, are made by the 9
administrative personnel, and may contain wholly different 10
requirements than those governing the approval of preliminary and 11
final plats of subdivisions and may require surveys and 12
monumentations and shall require filing of a short plat, or 13
alteration or vacation thereof, for record in the office of the 14
county auditor: PROVIDED, That such regulations must contain a 15
requirement that land in short subdivisions may not be further 16
divided in any manner within a period of five years without the 17
filing of a final plat, except that when the short plat contains 18
fewer than four parcels, nothing in this section shall prevent the 19
owner who filed the short plat from filing an alteration within the 20
five-year period to create up to a total of four lots within the 21
original short plat boundaries: PROVIDED FURTHER, That such 22
regulations are not required to contain a penalty clause as provided 23
in RCW 36.32.120 and may provide for wholly injunctive relief.24
An ordinance requiring a survey shall require that the survey be 25
completed and filed with the application for approval of the short 26
subdivision.27
(2) Cities, towns, and counties shall include in their short plat 28
regulations and procedures pursuant to subsection (1) of this section 29
provisions for considering sidewalks and other planning features that 30
assure safe walking conditions for students who walk to and from 31
school.32
(3) All cities((,)) and towns((, and counties shall include in 33
their short plat regulations)) located in a county planning under RCW 34
36.70A.040 shall adopt or enact procedures for unit lot subdivisions 35
((allowing division of a parent lot into separately owned unit 36
lots)). Portions of the parent lot not subdivided for individual unit 37
lots shall be owned in common by the owners of the individual unit 38
lots, or by a homeowners' association comprised of the owners of the 39
individual unit lots.40
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(a) These procedures shall include, at a minimum, the requirement 1
that prominent informational notes be placed on the unit lot 2
subdivision's plat, and recorded in the county or counties in which 3
such land is located, to acknowledge each of the following:4
(i) Approval of the design and layout of the unit lot's housing 5
development project was granted based on detailed review of that 6
specified project, as a whole, on the parent lot, including specific 7
reference to the applicable permit or file number for that specified 8
project;9
(ii) Subsequent subdivision actions, additions, or modifications 10
to the unit lot housing development project's structures may not 11
create or increase any nonconformity of the parent lot as a whole, 12
and shall conform to the approved unit lot housing development 13
project or to the land use and development standards in effect at the 14
time of the proposed actions, additions, or modifications;15
(iii) If a structure or portion of a structure within the unit lot 16
housing development project has been damaged or destroyed, any 17
repair, reconstruction, or replacement of any structure shall conform 18
to the approved unit lot housing development project or to the land 19
use and development standards in effect at the time the proposed 20
repair, reconstruction, or replacement project's permit application 21
becomes vested; and22
(iv) Additional development or redevelopment of the individual 23
unit lots may be limited as a result of the application of 24
development standards to the parent lot.25
(b) These procedures shall also:26
(i) Not require any public predecision meeting or hearing, nor 27
any design review other than administrative design review, except for 28
those required to comply with state law, including chapter 90.58 RCW. 29
A city must ensure that the community and property owners within 250 30
feet of the unit lot to be subdivided are provided notice consistent 31
with RCW 36.70B.110 of how to provide written comments to the 32
administrative decision maker, including through notice posted on the 33
closest public sidewalk or roadway;34
(ii) Apply only clear and objective design and development 35
standards;36
(iii) Be logically integrated with the application, review, and 37
approval procedures that apply to the underlying unit lot housing 38
development project to the greatest extent feasible; and39
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(iv) Be specifically subject to the maximum time period for local 1
government actions as set forth in RCW 36.70B.080, unless extended 2
pursuant to project-specific mutual agreement as permitted by RCW 3
36.70B.080.4
(c) After the deadlines in (e) of this subsection, no city or 5
town subject to this section may decline to accept, process, or 6
approve an application for a unit lot subdivision, consistent with 7
the procedural requirements of (a) and (b) of this subsection, solely 8
because that city or town has not completed adoption or enactment of 9
the procedures required under this section.10
(d) Nothing in this section:11
(i) Prohibits a city or county from applying public health, 12
safety, building code, and environmental permitting requirements to a 13
development project that is subject to or integrated with a unit lot 14
subdivision process;15
(ii) Requires a city or county to authorize a development project 16
or a unit lot subdivision in a location where development is 17
restricted under other laws, rules, or ordinances, such as in 18
locations where development is limited as a result of physical 19
proximity to on-site sewage system infrastructure, critical areas, or 20
other unsuitable physical characteristics of a property.21
(e) Cities and towns that are required to submit their next 22
comprehensive plan update in 2027 pursuant to RCW 36.70A.130 must 23
adopt or amend by ordinance, and incorporate into their development 24
regulations, zoning regulations, and other official controls, the 25
requirements of this section in their next comprehensive plan update. 26
All other cities and towns must implement the requirements of this 27
section within two years of the effective date of this section.28
(f) Nothing in this subsection alters the vesting requirements 29
set forth in RCW 58.17.033.30
Passed by the Senate April 21, 2025.
Passed by the House April 10, 2025.
Approved by the Governor May 13, 2025.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 14, 2025.
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