The article is slanted and leaves out or mischaracterizes many important facts. First, Accessory Dwelling Units were not newly allowed by the Missing Middle. They have been allowed in single family neighborhoods since 1994. Also cottages, townhouses, tiny homes and manufactured homes were allowed in these neighborhoods prior to the Missing Middle. Therefore single family neighborhoods have long allowed diverse housing types.
The Missing Middle would allow some new forms of density at the expense of the environment by including: duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and courtyard apartments; and would permit long rows of townhouses similar to the row houses of Baltimore. It would also give density bonuses, decreased lot sizes, and setbacks in yards, thereby decreasing greenspace.
The reason the Growth Management Hearings Board invalidated the Missing Middle ordinance is because they found that it violated two major State laws, SEPA (the State Environmental Policy Act) and GMA (the Growth Management Act). The Board found that the City had done an inadequate environmental review (ignoring over half of it) and there were serious concerns about stormwater and protection of water bodies. The Board also found that density could more than double what was allowed by the City's Comprehensive Plan and that adequate infrastructure such as roads, school and fire had not been planned for.
All these concessions, and still no incentives for affordable housing.
Walt
Walter R. Jorgensen
823 North St SE
Tumwater, WA 98501-3526
waltjorgensen@comcast.net
360-819-0678 (cell)
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