The Washington State Court of Appeals has sided with homeowners in the Warm Beach area who challenged Snohomish County for permitting duplexes on lots where single-family homes weren’t allowed.
The planning department decided in 2008 that an apparent loophole would allow developers to build 27 duplexes, even though they were planned for lots that were considered too small for single-family houses. The 7-Lakes nonprofit group and neighbors sued to stop the duplexes, arguing that planners incorrectly interpreted county code.
While specific exceptions exist for building single-family homes on small lots with R-5 zoning, there is no exception for duplexes, the appeals court ruled.
The appellate ruling filed Monday affirmed the original decision Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Michael Downes reached last year. The ruling applies countywide, not just to the Warm Beach area.
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