Is MultiFamily Housing Happening?

No.

And we do not support developing multiplexes in Ken Lake.

There has been a lot of concern lately about the City of Olympia’s new housing ordinance. This concern is driven by members of our neighborhood board who are worried the ordinance could make it easier for developers to build multifamily housing in Ken Lake. We are at the point where we need to make a statement on the issue.

This is a guest post written by board candidate Elle Burger.

Multiplex housing is not an urgency. We already have protection, and the economics right now do not support intense development. I am open to hearing more about where this anxiety may be coming from, but I believe our focus may be misplaced.

The Reality for Developers in Olympia

As both a landlord and a property manager, I’ve seen firsthand what it actually costs to build and maintain rental housing here. The truth? The numbers for this neighborhood don’t make sense. Olympia’s development and permitting process is costly, and the regulations landlords face are among the most restrictive in the state. The return on investment is simply too low to attract large-scale development interest in our area for the foreseeable future.

This is why I’m not convinced the new ordinance poses any real threat to our neighborhood. The fear of a sudden wave of multifamily projects doesn’t align with the economic reality.

How the Shoreline Master Plan Protects Ken Lake

Beyond the economics, there’s also the matter of law. Ken Lake isn’t just another residential subdivision — it’s part of a regulated shoreline environment under Washington’s Shoreline Management Act and the City of Olympia’s Shoreline Master Program (SMP).

That means any property within roughly 200 feet of the lake — or any development that could affect its ecological function — falls under an additional layer of environmental oversight.

For multifamily housing or even multiple new ADUs, that makes large-scale development practically infeasible. Here’s why:

• Buffer and setback requirements restrict how close structures can be built to the lake.
  

• “No net loss” rules require developers to prove their project won’t harm water quality, wildlife habitat, or shoreline stability — an expensive and often impossible standard for multifamily construction.
  

• Public access provisions sometimes apply to large residential projects near water, which further complicates and deters private development.
  

• And since the Ken Lake area is designated as “Shoreline Residential,” the emphasis is on protecting existing low-density, single-family use — not expanding it.
  

In simple terms: the Shoreline Master Plan already does the work many neighbors fear we’ll have to fight for. It limits what can be built near the lake — not through emotion or opinion, but through environmental law.

That’s a good thing. It means the protections we care about most — peace, privacy, ecological health, and single-family character — are written into policy and backed by state oversight.

Good Governance Over Rash Reactions

I often hear landlords complain about Olympia’s tenant laws — but my partner and I don’t. We believe in being honest, transparent, and fair. Because of that, we have strong relationships and consistently rent above market average.

That experience has taught me something important: when you operate responsibly, regulation isn’t something to fear. The same applies to community governance. When we make decisions carefully — based on facts, not fear — we don’t have to react impulsively to every new law or headline. A neighbor suggested we host a townhall on this issue, with speakers for and against. Let's make that happen.

Good governance means taking the time to understand the implications, listening to diverse perspectives, and keeping our long-term goals in sight. It’s how we maintain stability — not just for our neighborhood, but for our shared investments and peace of mind.

Legal Battles Are a Losing Game

Before we consider spending the neighborhood’s funds on lawyers to fight an ordinance that may never affect us, we should pause. Legal battles are not only expensive — they’re risky. They also become a matter of public record, which means any ongoing litigation must be disclosed if someone sells their home. That can spook potential buyers and drive down property values faster than any zoning change ever could.

Our neighborhood deserves a smarter strategy.

The Real Path to Protecting Property Values

If our goal is to preserve this community’s single-family character, we should invest our time and resources in what truly matters: the lake. A healthy, pristine lake ecosystem increases property values, strengthens community pride, and discourages the kind of speculative development that can change a neighborhood’s character.

Neglecting the lake, on the other hand, creates the very conditions investors look for — declining values and disinterested homeowners. That’s when outside buyers move in and start changing things.

Keeping Our Eyes on What Matters

The best defense of our neighborhood’s charm and stability isn’t in city council chambers or courtrooms. We'll go there if we need to. The front line is right here — in our shared backyard. Let’s focus on what matters most to us: maintaining the beauty, safety, and ecological health of our lake and community.

If we take care of the lake, the rest will take care of itself.