Middle Housing in Milwaukie

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Photo of a Cottage Cluster

NEW! Middle Housing Discussion at City Council: At the October 20th City Council Work Session, Council discussed city code and state law regarding middle housing. Here is a link to the agenda packet and video recording of the meeting. Council provided direction to staff regarding code amendments related to minimum lot size, Type II variances, and the common courtyard in cottage clusters. These code amendments have been bundled into a larger package of code amendments related to implementation of recent state legislation related to residential development. The package was discussed at the Planning Commission's October 27 work session and will be discussed with City Council on December 1.

Is there construction happening near you? Do you have questions about it? We have posted a document under Community Questions (right hand side or below if are using a phone) to help residents and neighbors understand the regulations and requirements that apply to residential construction projects. Check it out!

At the City Council meeting on September 15, 2026, the City Manager provided a response to public comments submitted to City Council regarding middle housing. The full text of the response is available under Community Questions and Staff Responses.


Proposed Amendments to the City Code (November 2026 Update)

The City proposed a limited set of amendments to several sections of the City Code this fall. The proposed amendments are primarily housekeeping, clarification, and other light policy changes intended to improve the clarity, consistency, and administration of existing code provisions.

Some of the proposed amendments relate to middle housing. While these amendments may be of particular interest to community members who are following middle housing issues, they do not represent a substantive change to the City's middle housing policies or development standards.

The City is sharing information about these proposed amendments as part of its commitment to transparency and to ensure that community members have an opportunity to review changes that may be of interest to them.

Housekeeping housing-related code amendments - Adopted on October 20

  • Reorder previously grouped definitions (including various housing types) to enable easier locating for users.
  • Clarify the exception to lot size requirements for single dwelling and middle housing development after June 3, 2022.
  • Correct the number of units considered for multi-unit development and the minimum number of cottage cluster units to match state law.
  • Remove the minimum slope requirement for accessory dwelling units.

Policy-Lite housing-related code amendments related to Middle Housing:

  • Plex Housing
    • Expand flexibility for converting existing accessory structures into detached plex units.
    • Clarify design standard applicability for conversions, additions, garages, and carports associated with plex development.
  • Cottage Cluster Housing
    • Streamline and clarify cottage cluster parking, site layout, and orientation standards without changing core requirements.
    • Remove outdated parking provisions and align standards with the number of spaces provided.
    • Reduce bicycle parking requirements and eliminate long-term bicycle parking requirements for cottages.

NEW! These proposed changes will be combined into a larger package of code amendments related to both middle housing and implementation of recent state legislation. Staff presented this package of amendments to the Planning Commission at a work session on October 27. A work session with City Council is tentatively scheduled for December 1.

Public review and participation
Community members are encouraged to review the proposed amendments and provide comments through the City's public process.



Middle Housing Discussion - 2025

On Monday, July 28, 2025 City Council and staff hosted an educational town hall at City Hall to share information about how we got to the middle housing policies of today and what the development process for middle housing looks like.

You can watch the town hall here and view the questions people asked at the event along with responses from staff here.

Questions were also submitted on Engage Milwaukie prior to the town hall. Those questions and staff responses can be viewed here.

You can also learn more by reading through the Middle Housing FAQs posted in the column to the right or by visiting the Middle Housing page on the city website.

Thanks so much to all of you who engaged in this important conversation!

NEW! Middle Housing Discussion at City Council: At the October 20th City Council Work Session, Council discussed city code and state law regarding middle housing. Here is a link to the agenda packet and video recording of the meeting. Council provided direction to staff regarding code amendments related to minimum lot size, Type II variances, and the common courtyard in cottage clusters. These code amendments have been bundled into a larger package of code amendments related to implementation of recent state legislation related to residential development. The package was discussed at the Planning Commission's October 27 work session and will be discussed with City Council on December 1.

Is there construction happening near you? Do you have questions about it? We have posted a document under Community Questions (right hand side or below if are using a phone) to help residents and neighbors understand the regulations and requirements that apply to residential construction projects. Check it out!

At the City Council meeting on September 15, 2026, the City Manager provided a response to public comments submitted to City Council regarding middle housing. The full text of the response is available under Community Questions and Staff Responses.


Proposed Amendments to the City Code (November 2026 Update)

The City proposed a limited set of amendments to several sections of the City Code this fall. The proposed amendments are primarily housekeeping, clarification, and other light policy changes intended to improve the clarity, consistency, and administration of existing code provisions.

Some of the proposed amendments relate to middle housing. While these amendments may be of particular interest to community members who are following middle housing issues, they do not represent a substantive change to the City's middle housing policies or development standards.

The City is sharing information about these proposed amendments as part of its commitment to transparency and to ensure that community members have an opportunity to review changes that may be of interest to them.

Housekeeping housing-related code amendments - Adopted on October 20

  • Reorder previously grouped definitions (including various housing types) to enable easier locating for users.
  • Clarify the exception to lot size requirements for single dwelling and middle housing development after June 3, 2022.
  • Correct the number of units considered for multi-unit development and the minimum number of cottage cluster units to match state law.
  • Remove the minimum slope requirement for accessory dwelling units.

Policy-Lite housing-related code amendments related to Middle Housing:

  • Plex Housing
    • Expand flexibility for converting existing accessory structures into detached plex units.
    • Clarify design standard applicability for conversions, additions, garages, and carports associated with plex development.
  • Cottage Cluster Housing
    • Streamline and clarify cottage cluster parking, site layout, and orientation standards without changing core requirements.
    • Remove outdated parking provisions and align standards with the number of spaces provided.
    • Reduce bicycle parking requirements and eliminate long-term bicycle parking requirements for cottages.

NEW! These proposed changes will be combined into a larger package of code amendments related to both middle housing and implementation of recent state legislation. Staff presented this package of amendments to the Planning Commission at a work session on October 27. A work session with City Council is tentatively scheduled for December 1.

Public review and participation
Community members are encouraged to review the proposed amendments and provide comments through the City's public process.



Middle Housing Discussion - 2025

On Monday, July 28, 2025 City Council and staff hosted an educational town hall at City Hall to share information about how we got to the middle housing policies of today and what the development process for middle housing looks like.

You can watch the town hall here and view the questions people asked at the event along with responses from staff here.

Questions were also submitted on Engage Milwaukie prior to the town hall. Those questions and staff responses can be viewed here.

You can also learn more by reading through the Middle Housing FAQs posted in the column to the right or by visiting the Middle Housing page on the city website.

Thanks so much to all of you who engaged in this important conversation!

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
Page last updated: 29 Oct 2026, 02:02 PM