Middle Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units

In 2025, the Camas City Council adopted Ordinance No. 25-025, implementing new Washington State regulations intended to increase housing options and affordability. This ordinance includes new provisions for middle housing, relaxed standards for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and a new type of land division called a unit lot subdivision (ULS).

Middle Housing

Middle Housing includes the housing types that fall in between detached single-family homes and midrise apartment buildings . This includes duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, courtyard apartments, cottage housing, and so on – housing types that are compatible with the character of the single-family housing that already exists in Camas. Developing middle housing increases the housing stock and its diversity , creating more opportunities for various groups, including young people, multigenerational households, etc. Camas now allows two middle housing units per residential lot, or four units per residential lot if at least one unit is affordable. Refer to the documents linked below for full requirements.

Accessory Dwelling Units

An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a small housing unit not exceeding 1,000 square feet . An ADU can be attached to the primary housing unit (such as a garage, attic, or basement), or its own detached structure, or a combination of both.

Like Middle Housing more broadly, ADUs help provide range of housing choices for Camas, including opportunities for renting as well as owning housing, living in multigenerational households with maintaining privacy, supporting smaller households living in larger residences, and more. ADUs do this by increasing density at minimal cost with minimal disruption to existing neighborhood character.

Camas now allows up to two ADUs per lot . ADUs may be attached (within or added to a home) or detached (in one or two structures). ADUs count towards the allowed number of middle housing units per lot, so ADUs are allowed only if a lot only has one primary dwelling unit and not when a lot already has two middle housing units. Refer to the documents linked below for full requirements.

Unit Lot Subdivisions

A Unit Lot Subdivision (ULS) creates new lots like a typical subdivision except that a ULS allows more flexible application of zoning dimensional standards . The subdivision allows the parent lot to be divided up into unit lots (also called “child lots”) which can be separately owned and sold. While the parent lot as a whole must conform to zoning dimensional standards (such as minimum lot size, minimum width, setback standards), the child lots are not required to. This process for flexible lot subdivision creates more opportunity for affordable construction of middle housing options, like ADUs, townhouses, and so on. ULSs are not intended to circumvent subdivision requirements and do not permit any additional density or development beyond what is allowed on the parent lot.