001-25 - Ordinance - Impact FeesDocusign Envelope ID: DEC9D97E-9702-41BE-BD22-9ABF2A3707B7
ORDINANCE NO. 001-25
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, RELATING
TO IMPACT FEES, ADOPTING NEW SECTION 20.182.075 OF THE PORT
ORCHARD MUNICIPAL CODE (POMQ AMENDING POMC 20.184.010 TO ADD
DEFINITION FOR BEDROOM; ADOPTING A NEW PARK IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE
AND REPEALING THE PRIOR PARK IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE ADOPTED AS
EXHIBIT A TO ORDINANCE NO. 013-22; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND
CORRECTION; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the State of Washington Growth Management Act, Chapter 36.70A RCW
and related sections ("GMA") requires the City to adopt a Comprehensive Plan that provides
adequate public facilities to serve development; and
WHEREAS, counties, cities, and towns that are required or choose to plan under RCW
36.70A.040 are authorized to impose impact fees on development activity as part of the
financing for public facilities, provided that the financing or system improvements to serve
new development must provide for a balance between impact fees and other sources of
public funds and cannot rely solely on impact fees; and
WHEREAS, RCW 82.02.050 -.110 and WAC 365-196-850 authorize counties, cities, and
towns planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA) to impose impact fees for public
streets and roads, publicly owned parks, open space, and recreation facilities, and school
facilities, and fire protection facilities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Port Orchard has adopted transportation, school, and park
impact fees, as codified in subsection 20.182.060 of the Port Orchard Municipal Code (POMC)
and Appendices A-C in Exhibit 1 of Ordinance 019-17, as amended by Ordinance 007-21 and
013-22; and
WHEREAS, the Washington Legislature passed numerous bills related to housing
affordability in 2023 including, but not limited to, SB 5258 and HB 1337; and
WHEREAS, SB 5258 includes a requirement codified in RCW 82.02.060 that impact fee
schedules reflect the proportionate impact of new housing units, including multifamily and
condominium units, based on the square footage, number of bedrooms, or trips generated,
in or by the housing unit in order to produce a proportionally lower impact fee for smaller
housing units; and
WHEREAS, Port Orchard's current park impact fee schedule assesses park impact fees
based on housing types (derived from averages of persons per household by housing type), a
method that will cease to be permissible under state law after June 30, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City's Director of Community Development undertook a study of the
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City's existing park impact fee rate structure and the 2022 study which was the basis of the
park impact fee rate schedule to provide recommendations on revisions to the fee schedule
required to comply with RCW 82.02.060 and presented it to the City Council on February 18,
2025; and
WHEREAS, this study compared alternatives for a park impact fee rate schedule
comparing a per square foot rate structure to a per bedroom rate structure; and
WHEREAS, HB 1337 includes a requirement as codified in RCW 36.70A.681 that cities
may not assess impact fees on the construction of accessory dwelling units that are greater
than 50 percent of the impact fees that would be imposed on the principal unit; and
WHEREAS, the City has prepared additional code language under POMC 20.182.075
that ensures that the City is compliant with RCW 36.70A.681 by allowing a reduction in impact
fee assessments if the City's fee schedule were to result in an impact fee amount where the
accessory dwelling unit would be required to pay fee that is more than 50% of the fee
assessed (or that would have been assessed) to the principal unit; and
WHEREAS, on February 18, 2025, the City Council reviewed the alternatives found in
the Park Impact Fee Rate Study recommended to achieve compliance with RCW 82.02.060
and the proposed code language prepared by staff to achieve compliance with RCW
36.70A.681; and
WHEREAS, Council requested that staff prepare an ordinance for consideration to
include a new park impact fee rate study that utilized the "per bedroom" approach and would
set a park impact fee rate at $1,616.73 per bedroom, and adopt the proposed code language
to ensure that ADUs would not pay impact fees that are greater than 50 percent of the impact
fees that would be imposed on the principal unit, and that a public hearing be scheduled for
March 11, 2025 to take testimony on the proposed rate structure; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the "per bedroom" approach most accurately
reflects the likely impact of development on the City's park system because it is most closely
associated with the number of residents likely to be living in a housing unit; and
WHEREAS, the proposed fee of $1,616.73 per bedroom is derived from a 4-year
average for the number of bedrooms found in a new homes in Port Orchard and reflects
trends that are expected to continue based on development in the pipeline; and
WHEREAS, the per bedroom approach is easier to administer and verify compared to
the alternative square footage approach considered; and
WHEREAS, The City Council intends to review a future proposal from the South Kitsap
School District to revise the school impact fee in compliance with these new statutes at a
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future date prior to the deadline for compliance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the City's transportation impact fee rate
schedule is compliant with RCW 82.02.060 because transportation impact fees are based on
trips generated, one of the three approved methods under law; and
WHEREAS, a properly noticed public hearing on this Ordinance was conducted on
March 11, 2025; and
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2025, at its regular meeting and after conducting a public
hearing, the City Council considered the updated parks impact fee schedule and revised code
language, and public testimony; and
WHEREAS, in 2022, by Ordinance No. 013-22, the City Council adopted a new fee
schedule for Park Impact Fees as Exhibit A thereto, and desires to update that schedule
consistent with this legislation; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with RCW 36.70A.106 and WAC 365-196-630, a notice of
intent to adopt the proposed new development regulations was sent to the State of
Washington Department of Commerce and to other state agencies to allow for an expedited
15-day review and comment period, which comment period ended prior to adoption of this
ordinance; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of the State
Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Chapter 43.21C RCW, and the City's environmental
regulations, Chapter 20.160 POMC; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the amendments herein are consistent with
goals and policies of the City's Comprehensive Plan and related regulations, and serve the
public health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Port Orchard; now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council adopts the "Whereas" sections of this ordinance as findings
in support of this ordinance.
SECTION 2. Port Orchard Municipal Code Section 20.184.010 is amended in part to add
a new definition as follows (amendment shown in legislative marks):
POMC 20.184.010 Definitions.
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"Approving authority" means the city employee, agency or official having the authority
to issue the approval or permit for the development activity involved.
"Bedroom" means any room or space used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes
in either a dwelling unit or a sleeping unit. A bedroom has a minimum size of 70 square feet
with a minimum dimension of seven feet in any plan dimension. Rooms intended as studies,
nooks, dens, home offices, walk-in closets, and similar functions shall not be counted as
bedrooms for the purpose of calculating impact fees. Housing units with zero bedrooms —also
known as studio units — shall be treated as a 1-bedroom unit for the purpose of this chapter.
"Capacity" means the ability of a public facility to accommodate users, expressed in an
appropriate unit of measure, such as average daily trip ends, or "peak p.m. trips," or school
facility within the LOS standards for the facility, or fire flow, or sewer treatment plant capacity.
SECTION 3. A new Section 20.182.075 of the Port Orchard Municipal Code is hereby
adopted to read as follows:
20.182.075 Accessory Dwelling Unit Impact Fee Calculations
(1) Accessory dwelling units shall be charged impact fees in accordance with the
schedules adopted in POMC 20.182.070 (1), except that pursuant to RCW 36.70A.681 (1)
(a), the City may not assess impact fees on the construction of accessory dwelling units
that are greater than 50 percent of the impact fees that would be imposed on the
principal unit. If the impact fee resulting from the use of the rates established in POMC
20.182.070 (1) result in an impact fee on an accessory dwelling unit that is in excess of
50% of the fee that would be imposed on the principal unit, then the City shall reduce
the amount of impact fee owed on the accessory dwelling unit to 50% of the amount
that would be owed on the principal dwelling were it to be constructed at the current
rate.
(2) Applicants seeking approval for the construction or creation of (an) accessory
dwelling unit(s) shall provide the following information with their application for the
construction or creation of (an) accessory dwelling unit(s):
(a) The estimated trip generation pursuant to the currently adopted version of
the ITE manual for both the accessory dwelling unit and the principal dwelling unit on
the site.
(b) The number of bedrooms in the proposed accessory dwelling unit and the
principal dwelling unit on the site. If the principal unit is existing, this shall be the
number of bedrooms as reported by the Kitsap County Assessor's office for the existing
structure. If the principal unit (either new or modified) is being proposed concurrent
with the accessory dwelling unit(s), then the proposed number of bedrooms for the
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principal unit shall be provided consistent with the submitted plans for the principal
dwelling.
(c) The total finished square footage in the proposed accessory dwelling unit and
the principal dwelling unit on the site. If the principal unit is existing, this shall be the
finished square footage as reported by the Kitsap County Assessor's office for the
existing structure. If the principal unit (either new or modified) is being proposed
concurrent with the accessory dwelling unit(s), then the proposed square footage for
the principal unit shall be provided consistent with the submitted plans for the principal
dwelling.
(3) An applicant for the construction or creation of an accessory dwelling unit may
request a variation from the impact fee schedule in accordance with POMC 20.182.090.
(4) Unless a variation to the impact fee schedule is granted in accordance with POMC
20.182.090, the City shall determine the amount of impact fees owed for the creation or
construction of accessory dwelling units based on the information supplied by the
applicant pursuant to section (2). This information shall be verified by the city by
reviewing the currently adopted ITE trip generation estimates for the proposed uses,
the number of bedrooms and/or square footage either reported by the Kitsap County
Assessor or as shown on plans for the accessory dwelling unit and principal structure.
Where inconsistencies are found between the applicant -supplied information and the
ITE manual or Kitsap County Assessor records, the application shall be returned to the
applicant for correction. Required corrective action may include, but is not limited to,
the following:
(a) Correcting the supplied information to match County Assessor Records or
submitted construction plans; and/or
(b) Requesting amendment to property records or appealing assessments to the
Kitsap County Assessor office; and/or
(c) Submitting an impact fee variation request in accordance with POMC
20.182.090.
(5) The conversion of an ADU to a principal unit or the enlargement of a principal unit
shall be considered new development subject to impact fee charges which may apply.
SECTION 4. Repealer. The City Council herein repeals Exhibit A to Ordinance No. 013-22,
the City's previously adopted Park Impact Fee Schedule, and all previous iterations of the Park
Impact Fee Schedule adopted prior to the enactment of Ordinance No. 13-22.
SECTION 5. Adoption of Parks Impact Fee Schedule. In accordance with POMC
20.182.060, the City Council hereby adopts a new Parks Impact Fee Schedule which is attached
to this Ordinance as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference as if set forth in full. This
parks impact fee schedule shall become effective on the effective date established in Section 11
below and shall replace and supersede any previously adopted parks impact fee schedule. No
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other Impact Fee Schedules (transportation or school district) are modified by this Ordinance.
SECTION 6. Section 5 of this Ordinance is deemed of special effect and shall not be
codified.
SECTION 7. Effective Date of New Park Impact Fee Schedule. The Park Impact Fee
Schedule which is adopted pursuant to Section 4 of this Ordinance shall take effect and be in full
force and effect on 12:01 AM on July 1, 2025.
SECTION 8. Savings Clause. The Parks Impact Fee Schedule which is repealed and
replaced by this ordinance shall remain in force and effect as set out prior to this ordinance until
the effective date set out in Section 7 hereof. Such repealer shall not be construed as affecting
any existing right acquired under the laws repealed, nor as affecting any proceeding instituted
thereunder, nor any rule, regulation or order promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 9. Severability. If any section, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance
should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity of constitutionality of any other
section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance.
SECTION 10. Corrections. Upon the approval of the city attorney, the city clerk and/or
code publisher is authorized to make any necessary technical corrections to this Ordinance,
including but not limited to the correction of scrivener's/clerical errors, references, Ordinance
numbering, section/subsection numbers, and any reference thereto.
SECTION 11. Effective Date. This ordinance shall be posted and published as required by
law and shall be effective and in full force five (5) days following publication. A summary of this
ordinance may be published in lieu of publishing the ordinance in its entirety.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Port Orchard, APPROVED by the Mayor and
attested by the Clerk in authentication of such passage this 11t" day of March 2025.
Signed by:
Robert Putaansuu, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Signed by:vAAJA,o Uilal�a�t,
A RA SG SA RRfIfI(ld'IR
Brandy Wallace, MMC, City Clerk
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
/Signed by:
Charlotte A. Archer, City Attorney
PUBLISHED: March 14, 2025
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 19, 2025
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Exhibit A
City of Port Orchard
Park Impact Fee Rate
Park Impact Fee Per Bedroom: $1,616.73*
*Pursuant to POMC 20.182. 060 (4), the Park Impact Fee Rate shall be subject to a CPI-U
increase on March I annually. This rate is valid through February 28, 2026. A new rate will be
published by the Department of Community Development once CPI-U information becomes
available in early 2026 and annually thereafter.