ORD NO. 2018-31 LIMITING THE HOUSING DESIGN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT PROGRAM TO AFFORDABLE HOUSINGORDINANCE NO. 2018-31
AN ORDINANCE of the City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, limiting
the Housing Design Demonstration Project program to projects consisting
entirely of affordable housing.
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2009, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2009-
06, establishing a pilot Housing Design Demonstration Project (HDDP) program to allow
for the development of projects to increase the variety of housing choices available to
residents of all economic segments and to encourage sustainable development through
the use of development standard incentives; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2009-06 established a sunset date of August 26,
2012, for the HDDP program; and
WHEREAS, on July 18, 2012, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 2012-
09, extending the HDDP program until December 31, 2013, to allow time for the City to
further evaluate the program; and
WHEREAS, the City Council convened an Ad Hoc Committee made up of a
Planning Commissioner, three City Councilmembers, a member of the Design Review
Board, and a representative from the Housing Resources Board to evaluate and make
recommendations on the HDDP program; and
WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc Committee recommended changes to the HDDP
program, including extending the HDDP program until the end of 2016 to allow time for
the construction of approved projects; and
WHEREAS, on December 11, 2013, the City Council adopted those
recommendations with the approval of Ordinance No. 2013-25, extending the HDDP
program to December 31, 2016; and
WHEREAS, on September 27, 2016, the City Council adopted Ordinance No.
2016-27, extending the HDDP program until December 31, 2019, to allow time to review
the program and compare it to other affordable housing tools the City may choose to
utilize, as envisioned by the draft 2016 Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, on February 28, 2017, the City Council adopted Ordinance No.
2017-01, approving the 2016 Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the 2016 Comprehensive Plan includes several policies related to
promotion of sustainable development and affordable housing; and
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WHEREAS, the purpose of the existing HDDP program is to allow the
development of housing design demonstration projects that increase the variety of
housing choices available to residents across underserved portions of the socio-economic
spectrum, promote compact, low -impact development where it is most appropriate, and
encourage high quality and innovation in building design, site development, and "green"
building practices; and
WHEREAS, the goals of the existing HDDP program are to increase the housing
supply and the choice of housing styles available in the community, to promote socio-
economic diversity by adding to the stock of income -qualified housing, to encourage
development of smaller homes, at reasonable prices, in neighborhoods attractive to a mix
of income and age levels, and to demonstrate that innovative design and building
techniques (conserving water and energy, using sustainably sourced materials, limiting
environmental impacts) are compatible with market considerations; and
WHEREAS, the Affordable Housing Task Force (AHTF) was created by the City
Council on May 9, 2017, and was instructed to make recommendations for specific
actions, programs, and strategies the City of Bainbridge Island and the City Council can
take in the near-term to improve access to affordable housing across the economic
spectrum; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has expressed significant concerns about
development and growth in the City under current regulations in the context of the vision
and goals of the City's Comprehensive Plan, and wishes to revise development
regulations to best accommodate growth and development in both general and specific
ways; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2018-02 imposed a temporary six-month
moratorium on the acceptance of certain development (development moratorium), stating
the City Council's concerns regarding likely adverse impacts related to growth and
development under existing regulations; and
WHEREAS, Tier 3 HDDP projects require 50% of dwelling units be designated
for affordable housing and these Tier 3 HDDP projects are exempt from the development
moratorium; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission and Design Review Board are working
on revisions to Title 17 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code (BIMC) relating to
subdivisions to improve consistency between subdivision development and the City's
Comprehensive Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission expressed concern during project review
and recommendation meetings related to HDDP land use applications that the existing
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HDDP program is difficult to implement and is not achieving its stated purpose and
goals; and
WHEREAS, on June 21, 2018, the Planning Commission recommended that the
City Council suspend the existing HDDP program until work on revisions to Title 17
BIMC are completed; and
WHEREAS, the AHTF Final Report, as accepted by the City Council on July 24,
2018, contains several priority recommendations including amending the BIMC to
facilitate an increase in the diversity of housing types and supply of affordable housing;
and
WHEREAS, on August 28, 2018, the City Council discussed the issue of
suspending the HDDP program, as recommended by the Planning Commission, and held
a public hearing on Ordinance No. 2018-31; and
WHEREAS, on August 13, 2018, notice was given to the Office of Community
Development at the Washington State Department of Commerce in conformance with
RCW 36.70A.106.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAINBRIDGE
ISLAND, WASHINGTON, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 2.16.020.Q.2 of the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code is
hereby amended to read as follows:
2. Applicability. This subsection Q is applicable to all properties located within
the Winslow sanitary sewer system service area. An application for a housing
design demonstration project may be applied to single-family residential
subdivisions, mixed-use/multifamily and multifamily developments. The city will
only accept applications for housingdesin demonstration projects where 100%
of the housing units created will constitute affordable housing. as defined by
BIMC 18.36.030.16. for one or more of the income groLips defined in BIMC
18.21.020.A. Since the purpose is to provide housing projects as demonstrations,
the city will accept projects for consideration and approval prior to the sunset date
of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The city will limit acceptance of Tier 3
and 4 projects outlined in this section to three projects in each tier.
Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force five (5) days from its
passage, approval, and publication as required by law.
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PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 28th day of August, 2018.
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this 28th day of August, 2018.
Kol Medina, Mayor
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATE:
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FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: August 24, 2018
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: August 28, 2018
PUBLISHED: September 7, 2018
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 12, 2018
ORDINANCE NUMBER: 2018-31
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