Kenmore council to discuss SRO housing and residential parking rules June 23

What the records say

The Kenmore City Council's June 23, 2025 regular meeting agenda lists 'Single Room Occupancy and Residential Parking Regulations,' presented by Principal Planner Todd Hall and Senior Planner Brittany Chue for discussion and direction ¹. Attached staff materials describe draft code changes: SRO would be defined as a residential development with independently rented, lockable sleeping units that share kitchen facilities; SRO would be allowed in residential zones (R-6 through R-48) and various mixed-use zones; one sleeping unit would count as one-quarter of a dwelling unit for density and affordable housing calculations, and one-half of a dwelling unit for sewer fees; and SRO parking would require no minimum spaces within a half-mile of a major transit stop, with no more than 0.25 spaces per sleeping unit beyond that ¹. Residential parking proposals include allowing tandem stalls in all residential uses, capping stall dimensions at 8 by 20 feet, dropping townhouse garage requirements, and waiving minimum parking when compliance with both parking and tree-retention rules would make a development infeasible ¹. These are staff proposals for discussion; the records do not establish any council decision.

• The June 23, 2025 agenda lists 'Single Room Occupancy and Residential Parking Regulations' for discussion and direction, presented by Principal Planner Todd Hall and Senior Planner Brittany Chue ¹.
• Draft materials would allow SRO housing — buildings with lockable, independently rented sleeping units and shared kitchens — in residential zones (R-6 through R-48) and multiple mixed-use zones ¹.
• Under the draft, one SRO sleeping unit would count as one-quarter of a dwelling unit for density and affordable housing purposes and one-half of a dwelling unit for sewer fees ¹.
• Proposed SRO parking rules: no minimum off-street parking within a half-mile of a major transit stop, and no more than 0.25 spaces per sleeping unit beyond that; Kenmore has three major transit stops along NE Bothell Way ¹.
• Residential parking proposals include tandem stalls allowed in all residential uses, stall dimensions capped at 8 by 20 feet, removal of townhouse garage requirements, and a waiver when parking and tree-retention rules conflict ¹.

Why it matters

If the council later adopts rules along these lines, they would change what kinds of small, shared-kitchen housing can be built in Kenmore neighborhoods and how much off-street parking new residential development must provide — questions that affect housing supply and neighborhood parking. Analysis: The June 23 item is a discussion and direction stage, so no rule change takes effect from this meeting; residents interested in the eventual code changes have time to weigh in as the proposal moves forward.

What changed / what's next

• The packet contains only pre-meeting materials; it does not establish what, if anything, the council decided on June 23 ¹.
• The item is for discussion and direction, so any actual code amendment would come before the council at a later stage ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.