Bothell Planning Commission was scheduled to weigh affordable housing incentives and a possible mandatory shift

What the records say

In materials for the April 15, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, Bothell staff presented a list of potential incentives for the city's affordable housing code (BMC 12.07) and asked commissioners for direction on a possible shift from a voluntary program to a mandatory one. No action was required at the meeting; staff were seeking feedback ¹. The incentives under consideration include reduced open space and setback requirements, height bonuses, higher impervious surface coverage and density, floor area ratio increases, reduced minimum lot sizes, permit fee reductions, and a possible size-based affordable unit requirement or fee-in-lieu option for larger homes ¹. Under the current voluntary program, developers get extra height or density in exchange for setting aside 10% of units as affordable — meaning homes for households under 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) if owned or under 65% AMI if rented ¹. The push comes from state law: HB 1220 requires Bothell to plan for roughly 9,550 housing units affordable to households below 80% AMI by 2044, and the 2025 Housing Accountability Act (SB 5148) lets the state Department of Commerce audit whether cities are meeting those targets ¹. Staff noted that the existing voluntary and mandatory codes had produced no units with affordability controls toward those targets, which is why a mandatory approach, known as inclusionary zoning, is on the table ¹.

• Staff presented potential incentives for BMC 12.07 and sought Planning Commission feedback; no action was required at the study session.
• Staff asked whether the program should shift from voluntary to mandatory, an inclusionary zoning approach.
• State law (HB 1220) requires Bothell to accommodate about 9,550 units below 80% AMI by 2044; the 2025 Housing Accountability Act allows state audits of compliance.
• The current voluntary program offers height or density bonuses for a 10% affordable set-aside (under 80% AMI ownership, under 65% AMI rental).
• Prior voluntary and mandatory codes had yielded no units with affordability controls toward state targets.
• Potential incentives include open space reductions, setback reductions, height bonuses, impervious surface and FAR increases, reduced minimum lot sizes, fee reductions, and size-based requirements or fees.

Why it matters

If Bothell shifts to mandatory requirements, new residential projects in covered zones could be required to include affordable units rather than choosing to — changing what gets built in areas like Downtown and Canyon Park, and with it the city's housing supply and rents ¹.

What changed / what's next

• The record documents a study session scheduled for April 15, 2026, presenting phase 2 affordable housing code incentives and a potential voluntary-to-mandatory shift for commission feedback ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome. Staff said they would return with more detailed analysis of feasibility, impact, and next steps before any final decisions, so any mandatory shift would require later Planning Commission and City Council approval ¹.