Ordinance 4393ORDINANCE NO. 4393
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, AMENDING THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT
STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS,
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, EMERGENCY HOUSING, AND
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ("STEP" HOUSING).
WHEREAS, the Washington state legislature passed House Bill 1220 (HB 1220) in 2021,
which amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements for housing; and
WHEREAS, the law requires local governments like Edmonds to plan for and
accommodate housing affordable to all income levels, which includes demonstrating sufficient
land capacity for housing at all income levels to meet future housing needs, including permanent
supportive housing and emergency housing; and
WHEREAS, local governments must also identify local barriers to production ofaffordable
housing and take actions to remove those barriers; and
WHEREAS, housing targets were established for Edmonds as part of the recent periodic
Comprehensive Plan update; and
WHEREAS, Edmonds, as a high-cost community, must plan for 6,814 units of permanent
supportive and low-income housing (0-80% of Area Median Income) over the next 20 years; and
WHEREAS, these targets informed the development of the Comprehensive Plan goals and
policies regarding supportive housing; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance addresses the supportive housing goal and policies H-9.2, H-
9.5, H-9.6, and H-9.7 by allowing:
• Indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing as permitted uses in all
zones where hotels are currently allowed in Edmonds: Commercial Waterfront
(CW) Community Business (BC), Downtown Business (BD), and General
Commercial (CG);
• Permanent supportive housing and transitional housing as permitted in all zones
where residential dwelling units or hotels are allowed; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to RCW 36.70A.390, this interim ordinance may be adopted without
first holding a public hearing; and
WHEREAS, the city council adopted an interim set of STEP housing regulations on
January 28, 2025 with Ordinance 4382; and
WHEREAS, the regulations adopted by this ordinance are intended to replace the
regulations adopted by Ordinance 4382; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board reviewed the draft interim ordinance on January 22, 2025
and discussed possible revisions for a permanent ordinance on February 12, 2025 and March 12,
2025;and
WHEREAS, the Planning Board discussed a draft recommendation to Council on March
26, 2025 and approved their final recommendation on April 9, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City Council heard a presentation and discussed the draft permanent STEP
housing code on April 16, 2025 in preparation for the April 21, 2025 public hearing; NOW,
THEREFORE,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN
AS FOLLOWS:
Section I . Chapter 17 .125, entitled "Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Emergency
Housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing (STEP Housing)," is hereby amended to read as
shown in Exhibit A, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein as if set forth in full.
Section 2. Severability. If any section, subsection, clause, sentence, or phrase of this
ordinance should be held invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of
the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 3. Effective Date. This ordinance being an exercise of a power specifically
delegated to the City legislative body, is not subject to referendum and shall take effect five (5)
days after passage and publication ofan approved summary thereof consisting of the title.
2
ATTEST/ AUTHENTICATED:
ASSEY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY :
BY ~
JEFFTARADAY -
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
PUBLISHED:
EFFECTIVE DA TE:
ORDINANCE NO.:
APPROVED:
MA ~
May 1, 2025
May 6, 2025
May 9, 2025
May 14 , 2025
4393
3
SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 4393
of the City of Edmonds, Washington
On the 6th day of May, 2025, the City Council of the City of Edmonds, passed Ordinance
No. 4393. A summary of the content of said ordinance, consisting of the title, provides as
follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, AMENDING THE CITY'S
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY
SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING,
EMERGENCY HOUSING, AND PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ("STEP" HOUSING).
The full text of this Ordinance will be mailed upon request.
DATED this 6th day of May, 2025.
4
ECDC Chapter 17.125, STEP Housing (Draft Permanent, Rev. 1) Page 1 of 3
Chapter 17 .125
Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Emergency Housing, and Permanent
Supportive Housing (STEP Housing)
Sections:
17.125.000 Purpose.
17.125.010 Applicability.
17.125.020 Definitions.
17.125.030 Regulations.
17 .125.000 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to:
A. Ensure compliance with the State of Washington's Growth Management Act and other laws.
B. Support the implementation of Edmonds's comprehensive plan.
C. Encourage the development of emergency housing, emergency shelters, permanent
supportive housing and transitional housing consistent with best practices for these
development types to help address local housing needs.
D. Direct STEP development to areas with existing amenities, like jobs, services and transit, to
ensure occupants have access to opportunities.
E. Protect the health, safety and welfare of the individuals served by these development types
and the broader community.
17.125.010 Applicability.
A. Where this chapter conflicts with any other, this chapter prevails.
17.125.020 Definitions.
The following definitions apply to this chapter:
A. "Emergency housing" means temporary indoor accommodations for individuals or families
who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless that is intended to address the
basic health, food, clothing and personal hygiene needs of individuals or families.
Emergency housing may or may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy
agreement. [RCW 36.70A.030(14)]
ECDC Chapter 17.125, STEP Housing (Draft Permanent, Rev. 1) Page 2 of 3
B. "Emergency shelter" means a facility that provides a temporary shelter for individuals or
families who are currently homeless. Emergency shelter may not require occupants to enter
into a lease or an occupancy agreement. Emergency shelter facilities may include day and
warming centers that do not provide overnight accommodations. [RCW 36.70A.030(15)]
C. "Permanent supportive housing" is subsidized, leased housing with no limit on length of
stay that prioritizes people who need comprehensive support services to retain tenancy and
utilizes admissions practices designed to use lower barriers to entry than would be typical
for other subsidized or unsubsidized rental housing, especially related to rental history,
criminal history and personal behaviors. Permanent supportive housing is paired with on-
site or off-site voluntary services designed to support a person living with a complex and
disabling behavioral health or physical health condition who was experiencing
homelessness or was at imminent risk of homelessness prior to moving into housing to
retain their housing and be a successful tenant in a housing arrangement, improve the
resident's health status, and connect the resident of the housing with community-based
health care, treatment or employment services. Permanent supportive housing is subject to
all of the rights and responsibilities defined in chapter 59.18 RCW. [RCW 36.70A.030(31)]
D. "Religious organization" means the federally protected practice of a recognized religious
assembly, school or institution that owns or controls real property. [RCW 36.01.290(6)(c)]
E. "Temporary", as applied in this chapter, applies to the person and how long they reside in
STEP housing, not the structure or length of time for the land use.
F. "Transitional housing" means a project that provides housing and supportive services to
homeless persons or families and that has as its purpose facilitating the movement of
homeless persons and families into independent living, generally in less than two years .
[RCW 84.36.043(3)(c)]
17.125.030 Regulations.
A. Permitted zones for STEP Housing .
1. Indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing are permitted in all zones in
which hotels are allowed.
a. Indoor emergency shelters operated by a religious organization or located in a local
public facility are subject to the requirements of ECDC 17.105, not ECDC 17.125.
2. Permanent supportive housing and transitional housing are permitted in all zones where
residential dwelling units or hotels are allowed .
B. Expectations
1. Nuisances and criminal behavior are subject to enforcement to the full extent of the city's
code and state law.
ECDC Chapter 17.125, STEP Housing (Draft Permanent, Rev. 1) Page 3 of 3
2. Evictions of residents for unsafe actions are not precluded by city codes.
Everett Daily Herald
Affidavit of Publication
State of Washington }
County of Snohomish } ss
Michael Gates being first duly sworn, upon
oath deposes and says : that he/she is the legal
representative of the Everett Daily Herald a
daily newspaper. The said newspaper is a legal
newspaper by order of the superior court in the
county in which it is published and is now and
has been for more than six months prior to the
date of the first publication of the Notice
hereinafter referred to, published in the English
language continually as a daily newspaper in
Snohomish County, Washington and is and
always has been printed in whole or part in the
Everett Daily Herald and is of general
circulation in said County, and is a legal
newspaper, in accordance with the Chapter 99
of the Laws of 1921, as amended by Chapter
213, Laws of I 94 I, and approved as a legal
newspaper by order of the Superior Court of
Snohomish County, State of Washington, by
order dated June 16 , 1941, and that the annexed
is a true copy of EDHI0l3310 ORD 4391, 4392,
4393 as it was published in the regular and
entire issue of said paper and not as a
supplement form thereof for a period of 1
issue(s), such publication commencing on
05/09/2025 and ending on 05/09/2025 and that
said newspaper was regularly distributed to its
subscribers during all of said period.
The amount
$48.16.
publication is
Subscribed and sworn before me on this
9'kb day of ~
1.&15
~~~,~P~c== __ D
Notary Public in and for the State of
Washington.
City ofEdmonds -LEGAL ADS j I410 14 16
SCOTT PASSEY
r 11 ·
Classified Proof
%RDINANCE SUMMARY
aft~• lty of Edmonds , w .. liinglon
On lh• 60, Dey cf May, 2025 , lhe City CouncU cl lhe City of
Edfllonds, passoo 1110 ronowlng Ord inances . Ille summary of said
ordinances consiSUhg8~~~•A~~~°':i1~ follows :
AN ORO INANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTQN , AMENOlNG THE CITY'S AUTHORIZED
EMPLOYEE POSITIONS AND PAY
RANGES ANO REPEALING ORDINANCE 4386 AND
ESTABLISHING A SUNSET CLAUSE FOR THIS
ORDINANCE AND g~gh::'..t%~~ ~'ti.'t;~GENCY
AN ORDINANCE OF Tl-IE CI TY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTOI\ AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 4377 AS A
RESUl:T Of UNANTICIPATED
;~Nt~f:: ~'t~M~~J&~:t~:Ev:ft.~Sar~~fe
EFFECTIVE
OROIN A~CE NO, WJ
AN ORDINANCE OFHE Cl OF EDMONDS.
WASHINGTON , AME NDING THE CITY 'S OE\(ELOPM ENT
STANDARDS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS ,
TRA NSITIONAL HOUSING. EMERGENCY HOUSiNG, ANO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSI NG ('STEP" HOU SING).
g~eg&t:.~~~1 t1JsW 6
Published: May 9, 2025 , EOH1013310
Proofed by Pospical, Randie , 05/09/2025 09 :09:48 am
I ••r111 '
Page: 2