wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5184 > Original Bill

SB 5184 - Minimum parking requirements

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Section 1

The legislature finds that predetermined on-site parking requirements needlessly drive up the cost of development, particularly housing; discourage walking and multimodal transit usage; and encourage excessive reliance of automobiles with attendant impacts on human health and greenhouse gas emissions. The legislature further finds that the amount of parking that a project actually needs should be determined on a case-by-case basis by permit applicants sensitive to actual market conditions rather than a one-size-fits-all regulation.

Section 2

  1. A city may not require more than 0.5 parking space per residential dwelling unit.

  2. A city may not require more than one parking space per 1,000 feet of commercial space.

  3. A city may not require any minimum parking requirements for:

    1. Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant buildings;

    2. Residences under 1,200 square feet;

    3. Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;

    4. Affordable housing;

    5. Senior housing;

    6. Housing for people with disabilities;

    7. Facilities that serve alcohol;

    8. Child care facilities;

      1. Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects.

  4. For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030.

  5. This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.

Section 3

  1. A code city may not require more than one parking space per residential dwelling unit.

  2. A code city may not require more than one parking space per 1,000 feet of commercial space.

  3. A code city may not require any minimum parking requirements for:

    1. Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant buildings;

    2. Residences under 1,200 square feet;

    3. Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;

    4. Affordable housing;

    5. Senior housing;

    6. Housing for people with disabilities;

    7. Facilities that serve alcohol;

    8. Child care facilities;

      1. Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects.

  4. For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030.

  5. This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.

Section 4

  1. A county may not require more than 0.5 parking space per residential dwelling unit.

  2. A county may not require more than one parking space per 1,000 feet of commercial space.

  3. A county may not require any minimum parking requirements for:

    1. Existing buildings undergoing change of use, including vacant buildings;

    2. Residences under 1,200 square feet;

    3. Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;

    4. Affordable housing;

    5. Senior housing;

    6. Housing for people with disabilities;

    7. Facilities that serve alcohol;

    8. Child care facilities;

      1. Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects.

  4. For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030.

  5. This section does not apply to accessible parking spaces in compliance with the Americans with disabilities act.

Section 5

In counties and cities planning under RCW 36.70A.040, minimum residential parking requirements mandated by municipal zoning ordinances for housing units constructed after July 1, 2019, are subject to the following :

Cities with a population of at least 10,000 that are within a county with a population density exceeding 100 people per square mile may not require off-street parking as a condition of permitting development of multifamily, middle housing, or accessory dwelling units that are located within one-half mile walking distance of transit service. For the purposes of this section, transit service means at least one route that provides service at least four times per hour for 12 or more hours per day. Nothing in this section precludes a city from adopting maximum parking limits or requiring frontage improvements to provide on-street parking.

Section 6

This act may be known and cited as the parking reform and modernization act.

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