Christian and Laurie Kazimir wanted to build tiny beach cabins on their Olympic Peninsula lot in Washington State, but they were told that each structure had to meet the building code’s minimum square footage in order to be built.
With persistence, the couple was able to achieve a tiny house zoning workaround by politely educating the local officials and slowly reviewing the rules and legal language with them. By placing four tiny homes on the single multi-family lot, the total square footage surpassed the square footage requirement for construction.
Beach Cabin Compounds
Tiny House Zoning Challenge Pays Off in Washington State
Trend Themes
1. Tiny House Zoning Workaround - Exploring creative ways to bypass minimum square footage requirements for tiny houses to be built on residential lots.
2. Multi-family Tiny House Lots - Utilizing the concept of multi-family lots to create communities of tiny houses that meet building code requirements.
3. Educating Local Officials on Tiny House Regulations - Building partnerships with local officials to enhance their understanding and interpretation of building codes for tiny homes.
Industry Implications
1. Real Estate - Opportunities within the real estate industry to develop and sell multi-family properties designed specifically for tiny house living.
2. Construction - Innovative construction techniques and materials needed to efficiently build small-scale, yet fully functional tiny houses that meet building codes.
3. Community Development - Creating intentional communities and neighborhoods dedicated to tiny house living, requiring collaborations among planners, developers, and local governments.