The bill aims to reform minimum parking requirements in Washington State to reduce development costs, promote walking and multimodal transit usage, and decrease reliance on automobiles. It establishes specific limits on parking requirements for cities and counties, stipulating that cities cannot require more than 0.5 parking spaces per residential dwelling unit and one parking space per 1,000 square feet of commercial space. Additionally, it exempts various types of buildings and housing, including existing buildings undergoing change of use, affordable housing, and facilities serving specific populations, from minimum parking requirements.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing law to prevent cities with populations of at least 10,000 in densely populated counties from requiring off-street parking for certain types of housing located within half a mile of transit service. This change is intended to facilitate the development of multifamily, middle housing, and accessory dwelling units in areas with good transit access. The legislation emphasizes a case-by-case approach to determining parking needs based on actual market conditions rather than a uniform regulatory framework.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 36.70A.620