Puyallup, WA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- RM-10 base/bonus density
- 10 -> 14 units/acre
- RM-20 base/bonus density (outside downtown)
- 16 -> 22 units/acre
- Critical-area buffer transfer bonus
- up to 25%
- Open space amenity bonus
- up to 15%
- Accessible-unit bonus
- up to 10%
- Governing sections
- PMC §§ 20.25.022, 20.25.0235
Summary
Puyallup lets multifamily projects in RM zones raise density above the base level, from 10 to 14 units per acre in RM-10, by selecting from a menu of site features. Critical-area buffer transfer alone is worth up to a 25 percent density increase.
RM-10. The base density shall be 10 dwelling units per acre without utilization of density bonus allowed through PMC § 20.25.0235. With utilization of density bonus, the maximum density shall be 14 units per acre. ... In cases where one or more of the following features are provided on the site and the decision criteria for administrative design review are met, residential density allowed in the RM zones outside of the downtown planned action area may be increased on the site of a multiple-family project from the base density to the maximum density specified in PMC § 20.25.022. A combination of multiple selections may be cumulatively added up, but shall not exceed the cap herein imposed. Maximum percentage (%) of additional density per feature 25% (1) Transfer of density from lands containing buffers associated with environmentally critical areas as provided in PMC § 21.06.160;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
0235 sets the bonus-density menu for the city's RM multifamily zones. 022 up to the maximum density in that same section, but only where the site provides one or more qualifying features and meets the decision criteria for administrative design review; multiple qualifying features can be added together, but the combined bonus cannot exceed the overall cap. In the RM-10 zone the base density is 10 dwelling units per acre; using the density bonus menu can raise that to a maximum of 14 units per acre.
In RM-20 outside the downtown planned action area, base density is 16 units per acre, rising to a maximum of 22 with the bonus. 160, is worth up to 25 percent; enhanced active open space with a public amenity such as a view of Mount Rainier or the Olympics is worth up to 15 percent; a qualifying covered transit stop is worth up to 5 percent; and providing handicapped-accessible units with dedicated parking beyond code minimums is worth up to 10 percent. Inside the downtown planned action area, RM-20 and RM-Core allow unlimited units per acre instead, subject to the downtown design guidelines.
Violations & Fines
A developer who builds beyond the base density without qualifying for and documenting the bonus features required by § 20.25.0235 is out of compliance with the RM zone's maximum density standard in § 20.25.022, which the city can enforce through the building permit and certificate of occupancy process rather than after-the-fact citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can density bonuses increase RM-10 development in Puyallup?
What is the largest single density bonus available in Puyallup?
Is there a density cap in downtown Puyallup's RM-Core zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
Compare Puyallup to another location·View the Washington zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle density bonus law.