HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 5884CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
ORDINANCE NO. 5884
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, ESTABLISHING AN
INTERIM CONTROL PROHIBITING THE ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FOR FEE
WAIVERS AND APPLICATIONS FOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR MULTI-
FAMILY HOUSING IN RESIDENTIAL TARGETED AREAS, SETTING FORTH FINDINGS
OF FACT IN SUPPORT OF SAID INTERIM CONTROL, PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND ESTABLISHING AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City has docketed a legislative review of Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-
2-210, Waived Fees, regarding the eligibility and standards for fee waivers; and
WHEREAS, the City has also docketed a legislative review of RMC 4-1-220, Property Tax
Exemption for Multi -Family Housing in Residential Targeted Areas, regarding the applicability of
the tax exemption to residential areas in the City; and
WHEREAS, a primary purpose of RMC 4-1-210 and RMC 4-1-220 has been to encourage
owner -occupied and rental housing in the Center Downtown (CD), Center Village (CV),
Residential-14 (R-14) and Residential Multi -family (RMF) zoning districts located in either the
Downtown or Sunset Area, as represented on the official map of the Eligible Areas for Multi -
Family Housing Incentives; and
WHEREAS, the region is currently experiencing a housing shortage, notably of housing
units affordable to households earning less than the Area Medium Income (AMI); and
WHEREAS, the "owner -occupied housing incentive" provisions of RMC 4-1-210 do not
require that newly created housing units be affordable to households earning less than the AMI
in order to be eligible for a fee waiver; and
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ORDINANCE NO. 5884
WHEREAS, the provisions of RMC 4-1-210 and RMC 4-1-220 were originally designed to
subsidize residential development in two areas of the City with historically low rates of new
residential construction; and
WHEREAS, residential development in these two areas has increased substantially in
recent years thereby warranting a review of the subsidies offered by RMC 4-1-210 and RMC 4-1-
220; and
WHEREAS, the process of reviewing Municipal Code provisions requires public discussions
of potential amendments; and
WHEREAS, establishing an interim control prohibiting the acceptance of fee waiver and
multi -family property tax exemption applications affords the public and City Council
opportunities to advance potential amendments without being preceded by requests for fee
waivers or multi -family property tax exemptions under current Municipal Code provisions; and
WHEREAS, under state law, the City has the authority to establish interim controls on
accepting applications including requests for fee waivers and for multi -family property tax
exemptions; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined there is a need for an interim control on
accepting applications for fee waivers and for multi -family property tax exemptions; and
WHEREAS, the City Council will hold a public hearing within sixty (60) days of the passage
of this ordinance;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
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ORDINANCE NO. 5884
SECTION I. The above recitals as findings are found to be true and correct in all
respects and are hereby adopted as findings of fact in support of the interim control adopted
herein pursuant to RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390.
SECTION II. The City Council hereby declares and imposes an interim control
prohibiting the submission of, acceptance of, processing of, or decision on any applications for
RMC 4-1-210 fee waivers with the exception of the following: (1) complete applications received
prior to the effective date of this ordinance and (2) applications associated with rental housing
developments that will provide one hundred percent (100%) of the housing units as affordable
to households earning no more than sixty percent (60%) of the AMI.
SECTION III. The City Council hereby declares and imposes an interim control
prohibiting the submission of, acceptance of, processing of, or decision on any applications for
RMC 4-1-220 property tax exemptions for multi -family housing in residential targeted areas with
the exception of the following: (1) complete applications received prior to the effective date of
this ordinance and (2) applications associated with rental housing developments that will provide
one hundred percent (100%) of the housing units as affordable to households earning no more
than sixty percent (60%) of the AMI.
SECTION IV. The interim control imposed herein shall be in effect until December 25,
2018, unless subsequently extended by the City Council pursuant to state law.
SECTION V. A public hearing will be held on August 13, 2018, which is within sixty (60)
days of the passage of this ordinance, pursuant to RCW 35A.63.220 and RCW 36.70A.390.
SECTION VI. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or work of this
ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court or competent jurisdiction,
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ORDINANCE NO. 5884
such invalidity or unconstitutionality thereof shall not affect the constitutionality of any other
section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this ordinance.
SECTION VII. The City Council declares an emergency for the protection of the public
welfare and to enable the purpose and intent of this ordinance to be accomplished. This
ordinance shall take effect immediately when approved by the City Council. Publication may be
by summary publication of the ordinance title.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 2511 day of June, 2018.
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this 25th day of June, 20io.
Approved as to form:
Shane Moloney, Cit ttorney
Date of Publication: 6/29/2018 (summary)
ORD:2019:6/25/18:lcc
Denis Law, Mayor
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