Chapter 18.10
ZONING DISTRICTS

Sections:

18.10.010    Purpose of zoning districts.

18.10.020    Establishment of zoning districts.

18.10.030    Purpose of individual zoning districts.

18.10.040    Use chart – Described.

18.10.050    Interpretation of use chart.

18.10.060    Land use chart.

18.10.010 Purpose of zoning districts.

The city is divided into zoning districts established in this code with the intent to provide for the geographic distribution of land uses as contemplated by the city’s goals and policies; to maintain stability in land use commitments through the provision of harmonious groupings of uses possessing compatible characteristics and levels of activity; to maintain commitments in public service facilities such as transportation systems, parks and utilities; and to provide an efficient and compatible relationship of land uses and land use districts. (Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).

18.10.020 Establishment of zoning districts.

Land use districts in the city are hereby established as follows:

District	Designation
Low Density Multifamily Residential	R-5
High Density Single-Family Residential	R-7.2
Medium Density Single-Family Residential	R-12.5
Low Density Single-Family Residential	R-15
Low Density Single-Family Residential	R-20
High Density Multifamily Residential	RM-1800
Medium Density Multifamily Residential	RM-2400
Neighborhood Center	NC
Mixed Use	MU

(Ord. 984 § 1, 2018; Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).

18.10.030 Purpose of individual zoning districts.

(1) R-20 – Low Density Single-Family. The primary purpose of the R-20 zone is to allow areas for the lowest density of single-family homes meeting the dimensional requirements in NPMC 18.15.020.

(2) R-15 – Low Density Single-Family. The primary purpose of the R-15 zone is to allow areas for a low density of single-family homes meeting the dimensional requirements in NPMC 18.15.020.

(3) R-12.5 – Medium Density Single-Family. The primary purpose of the R-12.5 zone is to allow areas for a medium density of single-family homes meeting the dimensional requirements in NPMC 18.15.020.

(4) R-7.2 – High Density Single-Family. The primary purpose of the R-7.2 zone is to allow areas for a higher density of single-family homes meeting the dimensional requirements in NPMC 18.15.020.

(5) R-5 – Low Density Multifamily. The primary purpose of the R-5 zone is to allow areas for court-type apartments or multiple dwelling units containing no more than four dwelling units meeting the dimensional requirements in NPMC 18.15.020.

(6) RM-2400 – Medium Density Multifamily. The principal objective and purpose to be served by this classification and its application is to allow areas to have greater population density than is allowed in more restrictive classifications, and at the same time to maintain a residential environment consistent with such greater population density. This classification permits accommodations for those who desire to live in a residential atmosphere without the necessity to individually maintain a dwelling unit. This is a medium density multifamily use meeting the dimensional requirements of NPMC 18.15.020.

(7) RM-1800 – High Density Multifamily. The principal objective and purpose to be served by this classification and its application is to allow areas to have greater population density than is allowed in more restrictive classifications, and at the same time to maintain a residential environment consistent with greater population density. This classification permits accommodations for those who desire to live in a residential atmosphere without the necessity to individually maintain a dwelling unit. This is a high density multifamily use meeting the dimensional requirements of NPMC 18.15.020.

(8) MU – Mixed Use. The purpose of the MU zone is to combine professional office, medical clinics, and business office, limited personal services, multiple-family residential, cottage style housing and related uses. Locations should be in proximity to transit use. Development should minimize impacts to adjacent single-family residential areas, where applicable.

(9) NC – Neighborhood Center. The purpose of the NC zone is to combine shopping, business, and personal service activities into cohesive neighborhood focal points that promote pedestrian usage. As secondary uses, professional offices and multiple-family residential uses are encouraged to add vitality to the neighborhood centers. Locations should be in proximity to transit use. Development should provide safe and connected vehicular and pedestrian routes within and to the sites and minimize impacts to adjacent single-family residential areas, where applicable. Uses and buildings existing at the date of adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be allowed to continue with their present use or form until such time as the use or building exterior is changed. (Ord. 888 § 2 (Exh. A), 2012; Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).

18.10.040 Use chart – Described.

In Chart 18.10.060, land use classifications are listed on the vertical axis and zoning districts are shown on the horizontal axis.

(1) If no symbol appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is not allowed in that district.

(2) If the symbol “P” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and row, the use is permitted subject to general requirements for the use and the zoning district.

(3) If the symbol “C” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is permitted subject to the conditional use provisions specified in NPMC 18.22.010 and to general requirements for the use and the zoning district.

(4) If a number appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is permitted through the applicable review process and subject to the special limitation indicated in the corresponding note. (Ord. 888 § 2 (Exh. A), 2012; Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).

18.10.050 Interpretation of use chart.

(1) In the case of a question as to the inclusion or exclusion of a particular proposed use in a particular use category, the planning manager shall have the authority to make the final determination based on the characteristics of the operation of the proposed use and the planning manager’s interpretation of the Standard Land Use Coding Manual and the Standard Industrial Classification Manual.

(2) In the case of a conflict between the general description and the use chart, the chart shall prevail. (Ord. 888 § 2 (Exh. A), 2012; Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).

18.10.060 Land use chart.

 

Chart 18.10.060 

	ZONING DISTRICTS
LAND USE	R-20	R-15	R-12.5	R-7.2	R-5	RM-2400	RM-1800	MU	NC
Accessory building/uses	P2				P1	P3		P5	P4
Beauty and barber shop								P	P
Bed and breakfast	C6
Business office								P	P
Churches and places of assembly	C8				P7	P9
Cocktail lounge									P
Day care center	C10					P11		P	P
Dry cleaning establishment									P
Dwelling unit – cottage style housing	P21							P21
Dwelling unit – multiple, more than four						P		P	P12
Dwelling unit – single-family	P13
Dwelling unit – two to four per structure					P14	P		P	P
Enhanced services facility							C24
Financial institution								P	P
Food store									P
Governmental office building	P13				P14				P
Greenhouse and nursery, commercial									P
Health club/spa									P
Home occupation	P22				P22	P22
Hotel and motel									P
Laboratory and other research facility								P	P
Laundromat									P
Library	P13				P14
Lumber yard									P
Medical or dental clinic								P	P
Microbrewery pub									P
Museum/gallery	P13				P14			P	P
Organization, fraternal/social	C15								P
Outdoor farmers’ market									P
Package liquor store									P
Park, municipal	P13				P14
Permanent supportive housing25	C				C	C		C	C
Personal wireless service facility	P/C16				P/C16	P/C16		P/C16	P/C16
Preschool facility	C17					P11		P
Private club	C15								P
Professional office or studio								P	P
Restaurant/cafe								P18	P
Retail trade shop and store								P18	P
Retirement home, rest home, nursing home, convalescent home, and congregate care facility						P		P
School, private	C17
School, public	C17
Service station									P
Sports facility, private									P
Temporary homeless encampment	P23				P23	P23		P23	P23
Emergency shelter26									C
Emergency housing26									C
Theater, film/play									P
Transitional housing25	P				P	P		P	P
Utility substation	C20
1 See NPMC 18.28.030. 2 See NPMC 18.32.032 through 18.32.040. 3 See NPMC 18.15.040(4). 4 Accessory uses, such as repair service relating to sales in the primary permitted use, and private swimming pools, are permitted. 5 Accessory uses and buildings relating to the primary permitted use, and private swimming pools, are permitted. 6 See NPMC 18.32.050(2). 7 See NPMC 18.28.070. 8 See NPMC 18.32.050(1). 9 See NPMC 18.15.050. 10 See NPMC 18.32.050(4). 11 See NPMC 18.15.040(1)(a). 12 Street level uses fronting directly onto First Avenue South may not be multifamily dwelling units. 13 See NPMC 18.32.020. 14 See NPMC 18.28.020. 15 See NPMC 18.32.050(3). 16 See Chapters 18.42, 4.08 and 4.09 NPMC. Small wireless facilities are permitted outright in every zone unless referred for review as an administrative use pursuant to Chapter 4.09 NPMC. 17 See NPMC 18.32.050(4) through 18.32.050(8). 18 Permitted on the ground floor of multi-story, mixed use buildings. Individual businesses are limited to 2,500 square feet in gross floor area. 19 Repealed by Ord. 815. 20 See NPMC 18.32.050(9). 21 Repealed by Ord. No. 1054. 22 See Chapter 18.200 NPMC, Home Occupations. 23 See Chapter 18.110 NPMC, Temporary Homeless Encampments. 24 See Chapter 18.33 NPMC, Enhanced Services Facilities. 25 See NPMC 18.44.090, Permanent supportive and transitional housing requirements. 26 See NPMC 18.44.100, Emergency shelters and emergency housing requirements.

(Ord. 1055 § 5, 2023; Ord. 1016 § 4, 2021; Ord. 979 § 1, 2019; Ord. 980 § 1, 2018; Ord. 936 § 2, 2016; Ord. 888 § 2 (Exh. A), 2012; amended at city request, August 2011; Ord. 815 § 1, 2008; Ord. 769 § 1, 2005; Ord. 748 § 1, 2005; Ord. 743 § 1, 2004).