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This document, created by the Pugent Sound Regional Council and Department of Commerce of Washington State provides an overview of model ordinance, model development regulations, and guidance with regard to electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations.

Download the pdf here.

Summary:

“Electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations are coming to Washington State. In 2009 the
Washington State Legislature recognized this as both an economic and environmental priority and with the
support of the Governor, enacted a new law designed to encourage electric vehicles.

To create a consistent regulatory framework that would help this industry grow across Washington State, the
legislature required the Puget Sound Regional Council and Department of Commerce to develop guidance
for local governments.

To meet this requirement, the Puget Sound Regional Council and Department of Commerce formed a
broad-based technical advisory committee made up of local governments, charging equipment vendors,
utilities, ports, state agencies, and consumer interests.

The state’s new electric vehicle law requires that all local governments in Washington State allow electric
vehicle charging stations in most of their zoning categories. Allowing charging stations creates the need to
address a number of issues beyond zoning. These include on-street and off-street signage, charging station design standards, parking enforcement, accessibility for all users, SEPA exemptions, and more. These are addressed in this document.

The guidance includes the following:

  • A discussion of the context within which charging stations are provided (Introduction).
  • A model ordinance (Section 1).
  • Model development regulations and, for topicswhere regulations may not be required or standards do not yet exist, information that is provided as guidance (Section 2).
  • A set of resource documents and glossary (Section 3).
  • Under a separate cover, the guidance includes a set of appendices that include templates, checklists, and research findings. “