Klicker’s neighborhood café and market bill stalls in Washington Senate
By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Washington residents will wait at least another year for neighborhood corner stores after a bipartisan proposal stalled in the state Senate.
House Bill 1175, sponsored by Rep. Mark Klicker (R-Walla Walla) died after the Senate Local Government Committee declined to hold a public hearing. The bill, which passed the House nearly unanimously in January, would have required cities to allow small cafés and markets in residential zones.
The proposal aimed to create “third places” for community gathering while prohibiting nightclubs and big-box stores. Under the bill, local governments would have maintained control over parking, hours, and signage.
“I am dismayed that some in the Legislature have again stopped the people from getting what they want,” Klicker said, noting that the bill offered more local control than previous versions.
Klicker argued the measure would have fostered small business growth and increased neighborhood safety by putting more “eyes on the ground.”
File photo of Rep. Klicker
