The intent of the Residential Infill Pilot Program is to promote innovative residential infill while ensuring that such infill demonstrates high quality building and site design that is responsive to and harmonious with neighborhood patterns and character. The City hopes to see successful and well-regarded examples of these housing types built, as a way to inform future Council decisions on Tacoma’s regulatory approach to these housing types, including Home In Tacoma.

The RIPP permits four different housing types: Two-Family, Small Multi-Family, Cottage, and Planned Infill. A maximum of six developments for each of the housing types are permitted within each of the City’s five Council Districts for a maximum 120 developments possible citywide.

Development proposals require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application and approval.

In addition to satisfying general CUP criteria, developments must demonstrate the following specific RIPP criteria:

• Responsiveness to existing neighborhood patterns
• Pedestrian-friendly design
• De-emphasized parking
• Sensitivity to changes in scale
• Provision of usable outdoor space
• Sustainability features (Multi-Family and Cottage only)

Below are overviews of the four different types of housing permitted through the RIPP along with some notable development standards for each. See the RIPP Handbook (linked below) for more detailed information.

Two-Family Housing

Two-family Housing allows the development of either a duplex (two dwelling units in a single building) or two townhouses (attached one dwelling buildings) on a single development site – though townhouses are ultimately divided into separate lots.

Development standards include:

• Eligible Zones: R-2
• Minimum Lot Size: 6,000 sq. ft.
• Each unit is directly accessed from the street
• Allowance to convert an existing single-family home

Small Multi-Family Housing

Small Multi-Family Housing allows up to six dwellings to be developed on a single development site. These typically consist of a single building but could be arranged to include multiple buildings so long as the development criteria are met. Development within the R-2 zone are limited to conversions of existing structures.

Development standards include:

• Eligible Zones: R-2, R-3
• Minimum Lot Size: 7,000 sq. ft.
• Buildings are designed to minimize bulk and scale to fit with established neighborhood patterns
• Access to dwellings is provided through a shared primary entrance
• Parking is located at the rear of the site and view from the street is obscured

Cottage Housing

Cottage Housing consists of a grouping of small dwellings clustered around a common open space area. This type of housing provides a number of benefits including: expanded housing choice that responds to changing needs and lifestyles of Tacoma residents, introduces additional density in a manner that is highly compatible with single-family housing neighborhoods, better utilizes existing infrastructure, and supports nearby community and commercial services.

Development standards include:

• Eligible Zones: All Residential Zones (except HMR-SRD)
• Minimum Lot Size: 7,000 sq. ft.
• Maximum number of units is double the base zone’s density (max. 24 units)
• Allows for a variety of housing types from single to three-unit buildings
• Common open space size based on the number of units

Planned Infill Housing

Planned Infill Housing is a flexible, density-based type of development. It allows a wide range of housing types and arrangements so long as it conforms to the site’s One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan land use designation density range. It is the most flexible of the housing types and promotes creative approaches to housing development while ensuring the project is responsive to specific site conditions and compatible with the surrounding area.

Development standards include:

• Eligible Zones: All Residential Zones (except HMR-SRD)
• Minimum Lot Size: R-3 - 3,500 sq. ft.; Other Residential Zones – 7,000 sq. ft.
• Determining the maximum number of units uses a weighted calculation that encourages more affordable housing types such as attached units and ADUs
• Allows for a variety of housing types including single unit detached, duplex, townhouses, small multifamily, and ADUs
• Buildings are oriented to the street
• Parking is located at the rear of the site and view from the street is obscured

Map of Council Districts

Project Resources

• Tacoma Infill Pilot Program Handbook

• Infill Pilot Program Application

• Affordable Housing (project web page) 

Infill Pilot Program Handbook 2.0

Staff Contacts

Carl Metz

(253) 290-3946

Email

Larry Harala

(253) 591-5640

Email