What Seattle could do – Middle Housing using Land Division like Oregon allows to have less scattering of housing units, more space for trees
Posted on by Steve Zemke
One Seattle Comprehensive Plan needs to include Middle Housing Land Division on shared common walls like Oregon does. It would mean less scattering of housing units on lots being developed, allowing more space for retaining and planting trees and nature in Seattle. We need our trees and urban forests for healthy neighborhoods where we live.
Here seems to be an option for housing construction alternatives that current city documents have not considered that Oregon allows. Oregon has allowed 4 housing units per city lot since 2020. The concept of “expedited lot splitting” with 4 attached units on a large lot being split into smaller lots based on the common walls seems like a way to free up more land on the site to retain and plant more trees. Also would reduce building costs and heating/cooling costs with a common wall between units.
References below on a couple of ways to open up more space for tree retention and planting.
| Middle Housing Land Divisions | Portland.gov What is a Middle Housing Land Division (MHLD)? An MHLD is an expedited land division of a lot or parcel to develop middle housing. “Middle housing” is a housing type that includes duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters, and townhouses. MHLD provides an opportunity to increase housing supply in developed neighborhoods and can blend in well with detached single-family dwellings.www.portland.gov |
Oregon bill on middle housing land division:
ORS 92.031 – Middle housing land division – Oregon Laws 92.010 Definitions for ORS 92.010 to 92.192 92.012 Compliance with ORS 92.010 to 92.192 required 92.014 Approval of city or county required for specified divisions of land 92.016 Sale or negotiation to sell lot or parcel prior to approval of tentative plan 92.017 Lawfully created units of land 92.018 Buyer’s remedies for purchase of improperly created unit of land 92.025oregon.public.law
Middle housing land division – Oregon City, Oregon:
| Middle Housing Land Division | Oregon City, OR Oregon City City Hall 625 Center Street Oregon City, OR 97045. Phone: 503-657-0891 Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pmwww.orcity.org |
Courtyard housing was previously presented as a Seattle option in draft Seattle documents but not in the examples of most recent plans. This could involve the joining of several larger lots and positioning housing units such that a common area could be shared as open space – one way to plant trees or preserve a space for a grove of trees and areas where neighbors and kids can get together other than public streets.
See Oregon City article below – “Cluster housing formerly known as cottage housing, includes group(s) of 4 to 12 smaller dwellings clustered together around a common green space; more than one such group can be developed on the same site. The dwellings themselves can be individual detached structures-often called cottages; attached structures such as townhouses, duplexes, and 3- to 4-plexes. The dwellings are clustered together facing each other across a courtyard, rather than arranged in a traditional grid along public streets. Dwellings share common amenities such as green space, parking areas, and community buildings.” See picture in article below.
| Cluster Housing | Oregon City, OR Oregon City City Hall 625 Center Street Oregon City, OR 97045. Phone: 503-657-0891 Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:00pmwww.orcity.org |