The intent of the Residential Infill Pilot Program (RIPP) 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.

RIPP and Home in Tacoma

The Home in Tacoma project consists of a package of zoning code amendments that will allow a range of middle housing development types to be built citywide without special review processes. The project is currently in the public review process and is expected to be completed sometime in 2024. The Home in Tacoma amendments will largely render the RIPP unnecessary, and the program is expected to be retired once they go into effect. However, the date at which applications will no longer be accepted remains to be determined at this time. For more information about the Home in Tacoma project and its current status, please visit the project webpage here.

Program Overview

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. A table indicating how many slots remain for each housing type and Council District is provided below.

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

RIPP applications also require input from an Advisory Review Board, which provides advisory comments to the Director prior to the final decision.

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)

More information about these criteria is provided in the RIPP Handbook.

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

For questions regarding the RIPP program and the Conditional Use Permit process, please email Land Use Planning staff or call (253) 591-5030 (option 6).

Carl Metz

Senior Planner, Urban Design Studio

(253) 290-3946

Email