Monroe City Council held a public hearing on May 20 and left the matter open, asking staff to return June 10 with options to implement Washington's new ADU statute while protecting downtown character and homeowners.

Staff presented draft amendments to implement House Bill 1337 (codified at RCW 36.78.680 and .681), which requires cities to remove certain barriers to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and caps some fees for ADUs. Amy Bright summarized the required changes: remove owner-occupancy rules, allow up to two ADUs on lots that permit single-family homes (in attached/detached combinations), set a minimum maximum allowed ADU size of 1,000 square feet or 50% of the primary unit's floor area (whichever is larger), and permit detached ADUs in setbacks in specific alley-facing situations.

Why it matters: The state law takes effect July 1, 2025. Local code decisions will determine how ADUs are sited, sized and permitted in Monroe's existing neighborhoods and downtown. The council asked staff to refine the draft to better protect historic downtown character while complying with the statute.

Key details on the proposed amendments

- Owner-occupancy: staff proposed removing the current local owner-occupancy requirement, as required by state law.

- Number and configuration: the draft allows two ADUs on qualifying single-family lots in the permitted configurations stated in state law (one attached + one detached, or two attached, or two detached).

- Size: the planning commission recommended the maximum ADU size be the larger of 1,000 square feet or 50% of the primary dwelling's floor area (excluding garage).

- Height and design: state law prohibits local roof-height limits for ADUs under 24 feet unless the zone's established maximum is lower; staff proposed aligning accessory height with the primary structure. Council members asked staff to evaluate a 24-foot cap for detached ADUs, especially downtown, to avoid ADUs that visually dominate historic single-story homes.

- Parking and transit: staff recommended continuing to require one additional off-street stall per ADU because Monroe presently has no qualifying "major transit stop" within a half-mile (a statutory exemption applies to ADUs within a half-mile of a qualifying transit stop).

- Permit processing and critical areas: staff proposed streamlining permitting by changing ADU land-use review from a Type 2 to a Type 1 process and including a limited critical-area exemption for ADUs at least 250 feet from a critical area.

Public comment and council direction

- Residents raised downtown preservation and historic-home concerns. Stacy McGregor, a downtown homeowner, told council she owns a 1926 historic house in the neighborhood commercial zone and asked council to permit two-unit conversions that preserve the residential character. McGregor asked that the city allow basement or garage apartments as two units rather than forcing a three-unit minimum for converted residential buildings in certain zones.

- Council members asked staff to bring back analyses and ordinance language for three topics: (1) allowing ADUs in mixed-use neighborhoods or otherwise enabling conversions in legally nonconforming historic single-family homes in mixed-use zones, (2) studying a 24-foot roof-height limit for detached ADUs in sensitive areas (noting the statutory 24-foot floor), and (3) options to preserve downtown design character (e.g., matching materials and scale) while meeting the statute.

Outcome

- Council kept the public hearing open and asked staff to return June 10 with revised language and supporting analysis. Staff emphasized the statute will supersede conflicting local rules if the city does not adopt compliant amendments before the statutory deadline.

Speakers

- Amy Bright, Staff member (presenter)
- Stacy McGregor, Resident (public comment)
- Multiple council members and planning commissioners participated in questions and remarks.

Authorities

- Statute: House Bill 1337 (codified at RCW 36.78.680 and RCW 36.78.681) requiring minimum ADU regulatory standards and fee caps.
- Local code sections proposed for amendment: Monroe Municipal Code chapters relating to ADUs, permits and critical areas (e.g., MMC 22.80, MMC 22.42).

Clarifying details

- Deadline: the city must adopt implementing amendments no later than June 30, 2025, or the state statute's provisions will preempt conflicting local rules.
- Permit processing: staff proposed changing ADU land-use review from Type 2 to Type 1 to streamline approvals.
- Transit exemption: Monroe currently has no bus stop that meets the statutory definition of a "major transit stop" (regular service every 30 minutes), so the staff recommended continuing a one-stall-per-ADU parking requirement for now.

Next steps

- Staff will return on June 10 with amended ordinance language and analyses showing the implications of allowing ADUs in mixed-use zones, a 24-foot height option for detached ADUs, and design alternatives for downtown to preserve scale and materials.

Provenance

- Topic introduced by Amy Bright at the start of the ADU hearing (transcript block beginning 00:59:03) and the hearing was left open at the end of the May 20 meeting for continuation on June 10.

Tags: ADU, HB1337, permit processing, Monroe City, design standards