Chapter 14.36
ZONING DISTRICTS AND ZONING MAP
Sections:
Part I. Zoning Districts
14.36.010 Residential Districts Established
14.36.020 Commercial Districts Established
14.36.030 Industrial Districts Established
14.36.034 Public/Semi-Public District Established
14.36.050 Floodplain and Floodway Districts
14.36.060 Shoreline Environment Designation
Part II. Zoning Map
14.36.110 Amendments to Official Zoning Map
14.36.120 Lots Divided by District Lines
Part III. Compatibility of Zoning Districts with Land Use Plan
14.36.200 Compatibility of Zoning Districts with Land Use Plan Defined
Part I. Zoning Districts
14.36.010 Residential Districts Established.
(a) The following residential districts are hereby established: R4, WR, R6, R8-12, MFR. Each of these districts is designed and intended to secure for the persons who reside there a comfortable, healthy, safe, and pleasant environment in which to live, sheltered from incompatible and disruptive activities that properly belong in nonresidential districts. Other objectives of some of these districts are explained in the remainder of this section.
(1) R4 - Four Dwellings per Acre. The R4 Single-Family district is designed primarily to accommodate single-family detached residential uses and at medium densities of four to five dwelling units per net buildable acre with the potential of some density bonuses. Some types of attached and accessory residences may be allowed.
(2) The Waterfront Residential district (WR-4) is designed primarily to accommodate single-family detached residential uses at medium densities in areas adjacent to Lake Stevens and served by public water and sewer facilities.
(3) R6 - Six Dwellings per Acre. The R6 Single-Family district is designed primarily to accommodate single-family detached residential uses at medium densities of six to seven dwelling units per net buildable acre with the potential of some density bonuses. Some types of attached and accessory residences may be allowed.
(4) R8-12 - Eight to 12 Dwellings per Acre. The R8-12 Residential zone is intended to achieve development densities of eight to 12 dwelling units per net buildable acre with the potential of some density bonuses. This zone allows for the development of single-family detached dwellings and attached townhomes.
(5) Multi-Family Residential district is designed to accommodate attached residential uses at a minimum of 15 units per net buildable acre or more in areas served by public water and sewer facilities. (Ord. 1080, Sec. 4, 2020; Ord. 811, Sec. 25, 2010; Ord. 590, 1998; Ord. 468, 1995)
14.36.020 Commercial Districts Established.
(a) The following commercial districts are hereby established: Business district, Commercial district, Central Business district, Local Business zone, and Planned Business district. These districts are created to accomplish the purposes and serve the objectives set forth in the remainder of this section.
(b) The Central Business district (CBD) is designed to accommodate a wide variety of commercial activities (particularly those that are pedestrian-oriented) that will result in the most intensive and attractive use of the City’s Central Business district.
(c) The Local Business (LB) zone is designed to accommodate commercial development along arterials to cater to commuters, or as a transition in some areas between a higher intensity zone (e.g., commercial, industrial, etc.) and a lower intensity zone (e.g., residential, park, etc.), or may provide for a smaller scale shopping center that primarily serves one neighborhood or area of the City.
(d) The Planned Business district (PBD) is designed to accommodate commercial or mixed use development, including supporting residential structures, generally similar to the types permissible in a Central Business district or Mixed Use zone. It is intended that this zone be used on sites containing sensitive resources or other sites where, due to property-specific circumstances, detailed planning would benefit all property owners involved as well as the public by, among other things, allowing for comprehensive site planning and a transfer of densities among parcels in order to avoid impacts to sensitive resources.
(e) The Business district (BD) is designed to promote community and regional employment and accommodate land uses such as corporate offices, general offices, research and development, medical clinics, public and civic uses, technology, and light manufacturing and assembly. This district should be located in areas with direct access to highways and arterials in addition to transit facilities, adequate public services and traffic capacity.
(f) The Commercial district (CD) is designed to accommodate the high intensity retail needs of the community and regional market by attracting a mix of large to small format retail stores and restaurants to create a vibrant and unified regional shopping center. Transportation accessibility, exposure to highways and arterials with adequate public services and traffic capacity characterize this district. (Ord. 1080, Sec. 4, 2020; Ord. 876, Sec. 16, 2012; Ord. 811, Sec. 26, 2010; Ord. 744, Sec. 2, 2007)
14.36.025 Mixed Use Districts.
(a) The following Mixed Use districts are hereby established: Mixed Use (MU) and Mixed Use Neighborhood (MUN), to accommodate a mix of commercial and residential units at different intensities in transitional areas between commercial and residential areas.
(b) The Mixed Use (MU) zone is designed to primarily accommodate a horizontally stratified mixture of residential and commercial uses. It is intended that this zoning classification be applied primarily as a transition or buffer zone between Commercial or Multi-Family zones and Residential districts.
(c) The Mixed Use Neighborhood (MUN) zone is designed to accommodate higher density residential development in proximity to employment and retail centers and provide basic convenience goods and services in areas with available public services and adequate traffic capacities. This district would have a minimum density of 15 dwelling units per acre and create a transition between higher and lower intensity land uses. (Ord. 1080, Sec. 4, 2020)
14.36.030 Industrial Districts Established.
The following districts are hereby established primarily to accommodate enterprises engaged in the manufacturing, processing, creating, repairing, renovating, painting, cleaning, or assembling of goods, merchandise, or equipment: Light Industrial and General Industrial. The performance standards set forth in Part 1 of Chapter 14.44 place limitations on the characteristics of uses located in these districts. The limitations in the Light Industrial district are more restrictive than those in the General Industrial district. (Ord. 1080, Sec. 4, 2020; Ord. 468, 1995)
14.36.034 Public/Semi-Public District Established.
A Public/Semi-Public district is hereby established to accommodate public and semi-public uses, such as schools, government services and facilities, public utilities, community facilities, parks, etc., on publicly owned land. (Ord. 501, Sec. 6, 1995)
14.36.040 Planned Neighborhood Development Districts Established.
Repealed by Ord. 1080. (Ord. 811, Sec. 27, 2010; Ord. 737, Sec. 3, 2006; Ord. 676, Sec. 22, 2003; Ord. 468, 1995)
14.36.050 Floodplain and Floodway Districts.
The floodplain and floodway districts are hereby established as “overlay” districts, meaning that these districts are overlaid upon other districts and the land so encumbered may be used in a manner permitted in the underlying district only if and to the extent such use is also permitted in the applicable overlay district. The floodplain and floodway districts are further described in Chapter 14.64.
14.36.060 Shoreline Environment Designation.
The shoreline environment designation is hereby established as an “overlay” district, meaning that these districts are overlaid upon other districts and the land so encumbered may be used in a manner permitted in the underlying district only if and to the extent such use is also permitted in the applicable overlay district and a shoreline development permit has been granted, if necessary, pursuant to the Shoreline Master Program, where this district is further described. (Ord. 898, Sec. 5, 2013; Ord. 855, Sec. 20, 2011)
Part II. Zoning Map
14.36.100 Official Zoning Map.
(a) There shall be a map known and designated as the Official Zoning Map, which shall show the boundaries of all zoning districts within the City’s planning jurisdiction.
(b) The Official Zoning Map dated May 11, 2009, is adopted and incorporated herein by reference. Amendments to this map shall be made and posted in accordance with Section 14.16C.090.
(c) Should the Official Zoning Map be lost, destroyed, or damaged, the Planning Director may have a new map created. No further Council authorization or action is required so long as no district boundaries are changed in this process. (Ord. 903, Sec. 25, 2013; Ord. 811, Sec. 28, 2010; Ord. 805, Sec. 1, 2009; Ord. 700, Sec. 2, 2004; Ord. 662, Sec. 7, 2002; Ord. 578, 1998; Ord. 540, 1997; Ord. 468, 1995)
14.36.110 Amendments to Official Zoning Map.
(a) Amendments to the Official Zoning Map are accomplished using the procedures set forth in Section 14.16C.090.
(b) The Planning Director shall update the Official Zoning Map as soon as possible after amendments to it are adopted by the Council. Upon entering any such amendment on the map, the Planning Director shall change the date of the map to indicate its latest revision. New prints of the updated map may then be issued.
(c) No unauthorized person may alter or modify the Official Zoning Map.
(d) The Planning Department shall keep copies of superseded prints of the zoning map for historical reference. (Ord. 811, Sec. 29, 2010)
14.36.120 Lots Divided by District Lines.
(a) Whenever a single lot one acre or less in size is located within two or more different zoning districts, the district regulations applicable to the district within which the larger portion of the lot lies shall apply to the entire lot.
(b) Whenever a single lot greater than one acre in size is located within two or more different zoning districts, each portion of that lot shall be subject to all the regulations applicable to the district in which it is located. (Ord. 903, Sec. 6, 2013; Ord. 468, 1995. Formerly 14.08.020)
Part III. Compatibility of Zoning Districts with Land Use Plan
14.36.200 Compatibility of Zoning Districts with Land Use Plan Defined.
Table 14.36-I defines which zoning districts are compatible with which land use designations of the Land Use Plan of the Comprehensive Plan. Only those zones defined as compatible with a given land use designation may be applied to that land use designation when a rezone is considered.
|
Zone |
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designation* |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MDR |
HDR |
WR |
D/LC |
COM |
MU |
PBD |
LI |
GI |
GIDA |
P/SP |
|
|
R4 |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waterfront Residential |
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R6 |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
R8-12 |
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Multi-Family Residential |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Local Business |
|
|
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central Business District |
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mixed Use |
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Planned Business District |
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
Light Industrial |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
General Industrial |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
General Industrial with Development Agreement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
Public/Semi-Public |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Subarea Zones |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Business District |
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Commercial District |
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mixed Use Neighborhood |
|
|
|
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Miscellaneous Designations |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Floodplain and Floodway District |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Shoreline Environment Designation |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
MDR |
= |
Medium Density Residential |
PBD |
= |
Planned Business District |
|
HDR |
= |
High Density Residential |
LI |
= |
Light Industrial |
|
WR |
= |
Waterfront Residential |
GI |
= |
General Industrial |
|
D/LC |
= |
Downtown/Local Commercial |
P/SP |
= |
Public/Semi-Public |
|
GIDA |
= |
General Industrial w/Development Agreement |
COM |
= |
Commercial (Subareas) |
|
MU |
= |
Mixed Use |
|
|
|
(Ord. 1080, Sec. 4, 2020; Ord. 876, Sec. 17, 2012; Ord. 855, Sec. 21, 2011; Ord. 811, Sec. 30, 2010; Ord. 468, 1995)