20C.20.25 Special Use Regulations.

20C.20.25-010 Special Use Standards for Recreational Uses.

Within the Urban Recreation zone, recreation uses which require a general development permit or special development permit and accessory restaurants shall comply with the following requirements:

(1)    No greater than 10 percent of the site shall be covered with buildings, parking, and other impervious surfaces.

(2)    Requirements for locating buildings away from the Sammamish River.

(a)    For properties west of the Sammamish River, all buildings shall be located within 200 feet of the property line adjoining the railroad right-of-way along Willows Road.

(b)    For properties east of the Sammamish River, all buildings shall be located within 200 feet of the east edge of the Urban Recreation zone.

(c)    For properties which do not front on Willows Road or which are not located within 100 feet of the east edge of the Urban Recreation zone on the east side of the Sammamish River, this requirement may be modified through review of the general development permit or special development permit.

(3)    No structure or impervious surface shall be located within 400 feet of the ordinary high water mark of the closest bank of the Sammamish River. If an ownership or lot, whichever is the larger, does not extend more than 500 feet from the river, this setback may be modified through review of the general development permit or special development permit. This provision is intended to allow an appropriate intensity of development provided the structures and impervious surfaces are located as far as possible from the Sammamish River.

(4)    The buildings and parking areas shall be sited in locations least likely to block or interrupt scenic vistas from public areas and to minimize impacts on uses on adjacent properties.

(5)    Parking and storage areas shall be screened from the Sammamish River trail which is located on both the east and west sides of the Sammamish River.

(6)    No sign shall be higher than four feet from the finished ground surface.

(7)    No uses shall be externally illuminated by artificial light except for parking lot lighting, safety lighting near buildings, and outdoor recreational uses. Outdoor recreational uses shall not be illuminated by artificial light from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Lighting shall be designed and constructed to minimize glare and prevent glare and light from intruding on neighboring properties.

(8)    Amusement parks, water slides, miniature golf courses, motorized or nonmotorized race tracks, and uses similar to any of these uses shall be prohibited within the Urban Recreation zone.

(9)    Publicly owned buildings of less than 1,000 square feet gross floor area that serve trails and trail parking lots may be located closer to the river than allowed by subsections (2) and (3) of this section provided they are at least 70 feet away from the ordinary high water mark of the Sammamish River. (Ord. 2105; Ord. 1917)

20C.20.25-020 Agricultural Practices Notice.

To protect agricultural uses from nuisance lawsuits and reduce potential land use conflicts, a statement describing the nature of the agricultural uses shall be recorded with the property. All approved plats, development permits, and building permits within 500 feet of land within the Agriculture zone or land used for agricultural uses or vacant land within the Urban Recreation zone shall include the following notice:

The property covered by this approval is located in or near an area where agricultural uses are allowed. A variety of commercial and agricultural activities may occur which are not compatible with some development.

(Ord. 2105; Ord. 1917)

20C.20.25-030 Livestock Restrictions.

The following regulations shall apply to raising or boarding livestock and small farm animals:

(1)    All livestock and equestrian facilities and operations shall comply with the standards in RCDG 20D.170.15-030, General Development Standards for Equestrian Facilities.

(2)    Stream Setbacks. At least 100 feet of natural or planted ground cover shall be provided between confinement lots and the ordinary high water mark of streams.

(3)    Practices. Where applicable, operational guidelines for livestock management will follow best management practices set by King County and State of Washington regulations. (Ord. 2486; Ord. 2105)

20C.20.25-040 Standards for Wildlife Shelters, Refuges, and Wetland, Stream, and Wildlife Mitigation Sites.

(1)    These requirements shall only apply within the Agriculture (A) zone.

(2)    Purpose. The primary use within the Agriculture zone is farming. The purpose of these requirements is to avoid reductions in farming on a very limited resource, U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Prime Farmland.

(3)    Wildlife shelters, wildlife refuges, and wildlife mitigation sites that would allow continued commercial agriculture on the same land as the shelter or refuge shall be allowed anywhere within the Agriculture zone.

(4)    Wildlife shelters, wildlife refuges, and wildlife mitigation sites that would not allow continued commercial agriculture and stream and wetland mitigation sites shall only be allowed on land that meets one of the following conditions:

(a)    The site is a Class I, II, or III wetland, regardless as to whether its soils are classified as Prime Farmland.

(b)    The site’s soils are not classified as Prime Farmland.

(c)    The stream mitigation site must be located in the Agriculture zone because the part of the stream (including the Sammamish River) being restored is within the Agriculture zone.

(5)    Mitigation projects shall not cause flooding outside the property on which the mitigation is located. (Ord. 2105)