Builders tell Senate committee: 'Everything starts with land' as code conflicts block projects

Andrea Smiley, legislative director of the Building Industry Association of Washington, told the committee that "everything starts with land" and said much apparent vacant land is not buildable because of utilities, critical‑area constraints and other impediments. She urged policies to expand access to permit‑ready lots, pause residential energy‑code updates for a period to create stability, cap unpredictable local fees and clarify when state agencies or special purpose districts have permitting authority.

Dylan Sluder of the Master Builders Association gave a detailed case study from South King County showing how fire‑access rules, frontage and stormwater requirements can sequentially reduce a site from a feasible 20‑unit middle‑housing project to a non‑starter. "Do the rules work together to produce the housing they collectively supposedly allow?" he asked, arguing for short‑term fixes (raise short‑plat thresholds to 30 units, stabilize codes, create permitting certainty and standardize technical rules) and longer‑term system redesign to plan for production.

Why it matters: The testimony linked statewide production shortfalls to local implementation details. Committee members said they would explore how local discretion and interagency interpretation affect outcomes and noted existing bills and unfunded programs that could alter the economics of building.