ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5657
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session
By Senate State Government & Elections (originally sponsored by
Senators J. Wilson, Mullet, and L. Wilson)
READ FIRST TIME 02/17/23.
1 AN ACT Relating to city and town permitting of kit homes;
2 amending RCW 19.27.015; adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW;
3 and creating a new section.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the state of
6 Washington is in a housing crisis. The best way to combat this crisis
7 is to simplify and streamline the ability to build inexpensive
8 affordable homes.
9 Sec. 2. RCW 19.27.015 and 2018 c 207 s 1 are each amended to
10 read as follows:
11 As used in this chapter:
12 (1) "Agricultural structure" means a structure designed and
13 constructed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock,
14 or other horticultural products. This structure may not be a place of
15 human habitation or a place of employment where agricultural products
16 are processed, treated, or packaged, nor may it be a place used by
17 the public.
18 (2) "City" means a city or town.
19 (3) "Commercial building permit" means a building permit issued
20 by a city or a county to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move,
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 1 demolish, or change the occupancy of any building not covered by a
2 residential building permit.
3 (4) "Kit homes" mean structures:
4 (a) Designed and constructed in a factory to sufficient life,
5 health, and safety standards as outlined in the United States
6 department of housing and urban development code; and
7 (b) Inspected at the factory by the department of labor and
8 industries for in-state factories, or inspected by the functional
9 equivalent of the department of labor and industries for out-of-state
10 factories.
11 (5) "Multifamily residential building" means common wall
12 residential buildings that consist of four or fewer units, that do
13 not exceed two stories in height, that are less than five thousand
14 square feet in area, and that have a one-hour fire-resistive
15 occupancy separation between units.
16 (((5))) (6) "Residential building permit" means a building permit
17 issued by a city or a county to construct, enlarge, alter, repair,
18 move, demolish, or change the occupancy of any building containing
19 only dwelling units used for independent living of one or more
20 persons including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating,
21 cooking, and sanitation, and structures accessory to dwelling units,
22 such as detached garages and storage buildings.
23 (((6))) (7) "Temporary growing structure" means a structure that
24 has the sides and roof covered with polyethylene, polyvinyl, or
25 similar flexible synthetic material and is used to provide plants
26 with either frost protection or increased heat retention.
27 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 19.27
28 RCW to read as follows:
29 Kit homes under 800 square feet on private property or on public
30 property within a planned unit development are exempt from this
31 chapter subject to permitting by incorporated cities or towns and
32 local fire safety regulations.
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Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 19.27.015
Substitute Bill: 19.27.015
Engrossed Substitute: 19.27.015