Vancouver planners are proposing sweeping changes to the city’s zoning regulations that will reimagine what it means to live in the growing city’s neighborhoods. The changes, which are still being reviewed, are a response to a widespread shortage of affordable housing; some families are left with no choice but to pay more than half their income on rent. “It’s getting worse, not better,” said Bryan Snodgrass, Vancouver long-range principal planner. The city is joining governments across the nation supporting measures to promote affordable housing through increased housing density and adding lower-cost “middle housing” concepts into single-family residential areas. “The need continues to grow, and we’re not building enough affordable housing to keep pace with it,” said Patrick Quinton, Vancouver economic development director. Addressing the issue, code by code Vancouver’s approach in resolving the issue includes modifying and introducing nine zoning codes that would make it easier to develop more affordable housing in the city.

Snodgrass said the goal is to create an environment with rent prices that are affordable for people at different income levels, focusing on boosting a supply of more reasonably priced homes rather than low-income ones. Most of the prospective adjustments were recommended in a 2016 Affordable Housing Task Force report. Others are already in effect throughout the county and state. Here is what is being proposed: Cottage clusters in lower-density residential areas, with small dwelling units built on a larger tract of land sharing a common courtyard that promotes neighborly interactions. It is a form of middle housing, which bridges the gap between single- and multi-family homes. Vancouver city staff looked at Battle Ground’s The Cottages at Robison Place to provide insight when shaping their own code, Snodgrass said. It includes design elements that are similar to bigger homes, such as a porch and designated parking areas, but there would be a greater emphasis on shared public space. Accessory dwelling units — detached units from single-family houses — would become easier to build with code changes that would give homeowners more flexibility in developing these units on their own property, as well as ensure that the construction complies with neighborhood integrity standards.

Denser high-density areas, with up to 50 units per acre instead of the current limit of 35 per acre, are allowed only in downtown Vancouver or mixed-use developments, Snodgrass said, so expanding these limits would directly address the city’s housing shortage. New low-density housing standards would create zoning districts that would allow subdivisions with single-unit homes on lots between 2,500 and 5,000 square feet. The highest-density district currently requires lot sizes of at least 5,000 square feet. Micro housing, or small multi-family rental properties usually between 120 and 400 square feet per unit, would be permitted in multi-family zoning districts. These micro housing units would share common areas, such as kitchens. Enhanced buffering would involve new codes aimed at protecting the character of existing neighborhoods through buffering and setbacks when new apartments are constructed next to existing lower-density neighborhoods. Aging-in-place incentives would help promote the development of inclusive housing for those with limited mobility, allowing more people to live independently regardless of their age or ability.

Faith-based affordable housing would promote projects benefiting households making less than 80 percent of the area’s median income on property owned by religious organizations. Parking rules near transit would reduce requirements at affordable, senior or disabled housing to provide the parking spaces that must usually be offered near transit stops. Public review One of the challenges in altering codes for residential areas is balancing neighborhood concerns as they relate to the beautification and historic integrity of an area, Snodgrass said. Community members have shared their perspective on how the code updates would impact the neighborhoods’ visual character, architectural standards for smaller homes and parking. Some are worried about potential displacement. Vancouver’s Planning Commission will hold a workshop on the proposed changes at 5 p.m. Tuesday. It will be followed at 6:30 p.m. by a community forum during which the public can speak about any issues or provide feedback on the proposed code changes.

Once city staff gather public input, the proposals will be presented to the city council in the spring, at a date to be determined. If approved by the Vancouver City Council, the revised zoning codes would unfold slowly. The strategy is part of a long-term approach for the expansion of housing stock, and changes will appear over the course of a few years, Quinton said. Other efforts Similarly, state lawmakers have pushed for proposals that would fill the middle-housing gap by requiring local governments to allow different types of housing in single-family zones. Some the measures, such as House Bill 1782 and Senate Bill 5670, suggested the development of fourplexes, duplexes and accessory dwelling units on single-family lots larger than 4,500 square feet. However, the House bill was not advanced to the Senate before a 5 p.m. Feb. 16 deadline, so it has failed for this session.

Those who opposed the legislation argued that the decision to incorporate middle housing in single-family zones should be made on a local level, not a statewide one. The policymaker who sponsored the bill, Rep. Jessica Bateman, D-Olympia, wrote that the House bill established a necessary foundation for a stronger policy proposal to be introduced next year.

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