Dear Yarrow Point Residents,

Two bills are under consideration at the Washington State Legislature that have the potential to significantly impact the character of our Town.

House Bill 1110 and its companion, Senate Bill 5190, seek to give Washington State the power to overturn local control of our zoning laws and allow the construction of up to six housing units per lot. Neither bill considers our Town’s historic preservation of its trees, green spaces, privacy, peaceful streets, contribution to Eastside communities, and eclectic mix of housing. Nor does either bill provide any financial assistance to augment or improve infrastructure to accommodate the additional housing and occupants. Furthermore, neither bill allows the Town to thoughtfully determine how/where to scale density. All lots in Yarrow Point will be subject to this new zoning.

We urge all residents to review these bills using these links: HB 1110.pdf (wa.gov) and SB 5190.pdf (wa.gov) and then offer feedback to all three legislators (Kuderer, Slatter, Walen) using these links:

https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1110

https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5190

These bills appear to be moving forward for consideration by both the House and Senate in the very near future despite opposition from small towns like ours. Time is of the essence as there are coalitions forming to push this proposed legislation as a path to more affordable housing without considering the preferences and concerns of our residents, the unintended consequences of this blanket approach (one-size-fits-all communities), the destruction of local planning autonomy, and without regard to the real costs small towns must incur to support the dramatic increase in neighborhood density.

Mayor Harris has communicated to State Senator Patty Kuderer and State Representatives Van Slatter and Amy Walen to express the Town’s concerns about this proposed legislation. You may find the information in Mayor Harris’ letter useful in guiding the comments you submit. Letter to Representatives on HB 1110-SB 5190_3-2-2023

Thank you for taking the time to support the Town’s efforts to protect our neighborhood’s character and our local autonomy.