The Mountlake Terrace City Council held a work session on April 24, 2025, focusing on housing development strategies and compliance with state legislation. The meeting highlighted the city's efforts to enhance housing variety, affordability, and accessibility in response to community feedback and state mandates.

Key discussions centered around the findings from a recent community workshop held on March 26, where residents expressed strong support for increasing housing density, particularly in the R3 and R4 zones. The community also showed interest in reducing barriers for building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and emphasized the importance of walkability and maintaining a sense of place.

City planners presented an analysis of housing types that could be viable in Mountlake Terrace, revealing a strong market for detached homes, townhomes, and cottage housing. The analysis indicated that increasing the number of units per lot would enhance development feasibility, suggesting that policies allowing for greater density could stimulate housing production.

The council discussed the implications of House Bill 1110, which requires the city to permit two units per lot, or four units if located near a major transit stop. This legislation also affects parking requirements, allowing for reduced parking mandates in certain areas to promote walkability.

In addition to density and affordability, the proposed code revisions aim to preserve existing trees and enhance neighborhood aesthetics. The draft code includes incentives for developers to retain trees and create mid-block connections to improve neighborhood connectivity.

The meeting concluded with a call for further discussion on the draft code, which aims to balance increased housing options with community values. The council is expected to review these proposals in upcoming sessions, with the goal of finalizing a housing action plan that aligns with both state requirements and local needs.