The Carnation City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Feb. 13 to block for six months any residential building or land use applications for over five units.

While progress has been made toward meeting housing goals detailed in the city’s comprehensive plan, the council will spend the next six months prioritizing efforts to ensure consistency in future housing developments.

“The lack of operational framework has created conflicts and concerns regarding aesthetics, lack of desirable density, lack of appropriate heights, lack of green principles, lack of access to city assets and a lack of affordability,” according to a council information sheet.

The council will update design, street and utility standards within its comprehensive plan to minimize those concerns.

Carnation’s moratorium approval aligns the city with a 2023 King County Council vote to adopt an emergency moratorium in Fall City.

In Fall City, the pause in application acceptance for subdivisions for five or more lots has allowed city officials to study residents’ concerns surrounding development and decide if policies to regulate growth are needed.

In Nov. 2023, prior to the expiration of the emergency moratorium, the county council voted to adopt 13-month-long zoning regulations to establish minimum lot size requirements and double street setbacks aimed at mirroring the appearance of existing homes.

Carnation’s six-month moratorium will pause development to allow time for the city to facilitate changes that will better support future growth.

“The moratorium is not a barrier to development, but rather a necessary stepping stone to sustainable growth and character preservation,” according to a council information sheet.

Commercial development is excluded from the moratorium, which is set to expire in Aug. 2024.

A public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. March 5 and March 19 in the Carnation City Council chambers. The council may renew the moratorium for additional six-month periods as long as a public hearing commences before each renewal.