MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The city planning commission wants the City Council to consider rules allowing cottage housing.
Commissioners on Monday unanimously endorsed the proposed rules after making one amendment, which permits the cottages to have a maximum of 975-square-feet on the ground floor.
A public hearing before the City Council is tentatively set for 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16, 2006, at City Hall.
Cottages offer another housing option for small families, empty nesters, retired people or young couples before they have children, said Alice Kier, chair of the planning commission. At the same time, cottages by their nature create open space.
“It allows them to be homeowners until they can get into the regular home market because it is difficult for most people to buy a regular home,” Kier said. “Even in Mountlake Terrace, the house prices have gone up.”
Copies of the proposal can be reviewed at the Mountlake Terrace Library, City Hall front counter or on the city’s Web site, www.mlt.wa.us.
For Monday’s hearing before the planning commission, two people testified and a third person submitted a letter.
Mountlake Terrace resident Shirley Malloy said the city should remain the same and that more housing would disturb existing neighborhoods.
Steve Lahti of Mountlake Terrace said the cottages are a good start. The city should be more flexible to make it possible for people to build and redevelop, he said.
Mountlake Terrace resident Doris Cannon opposed any additional population growth in a letter to the planning commission.
Cottage housing is defined as smaller single-family homes – usually about 1,000-square-feet in size – clustered around a common open space.
As proposed, a cottage housing development must encompass at least two regular-size residential lots. Builders could put up to two cottages on each residential lot.
A cottage development must include a common open space of at least 1,000-square-feet. Additional common space will be required depending on the number of cottages in the development.
Each cottage must have at least 250-square-feet of private outdoor space.
For each cottage, the steepest part of the roof can rise up to 25 feet. The height limit for standard houses in Mountlake Terrace is 35 feet.
For more information, call D. Rubatino at 425-744-6266 or visit www.cityofmlt.com/news.htm
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