(a)

The following residential districts are hereby established: residential ultra low capacity (RULC) allows for one to four dwelling units per acre - four Du/Ac. Residential low capacity (RLC) allows for five to six dwelling units per acre - six Du/Ac. Residential moderate capacity (RMod) allows for seven to eleven dwelling units per acre - eleven Du/Ac. Residential medium capacity (RMC) allows for twelve to sixteen dwelling units per acre - sixteen Du/Ac. Residential high capacity (RHC) allows for seventeen and greater dwelling units per acre - seventeen > Du/Ac. and Old Town Residential (OTR) which allows for lot sizes established with the original plats to be utilized, but not less than three thousand eight hundred square feet. Each of these districts is designed to provide for residential lands with varying housing capacities and housing types to provide residents with a variety of housing options, 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 these districts are explained in the remainder of this section. All residential districts must be served with public sewer and water facilities in order to utilize the capacities described for each district. Without public utilities servicing the residential district, no increase in the current housing capacity is allowed.

(b)

The residential ultra low capacity district (RULC) is established primarily to accommodate detached single-family residential development in areas not currently served by public sewer and water facilities. Larger lots are required to accommodate a septic system and reserve area as required by the Snohomish Health District.

(c)

The residential low capacity (RLC) district is established primarily to accommodate detached single-family residential uses at lower capacity levels typically on seven-thousand two-hundred to nine-thousand-six-hundred square foot parcels, but also allows for recreational, quasi-public, and public uses that customarily serve residential development. Some types of two-family residences are allowed in this district on larger lots.

(d)

The residential moderate capacity (RMod) district is established primarily to accommodate medium capacity housing types, especially smaller multifamily and single family attached, such as duplex, triplex, fourplex, row houses and garden apartments, typically situated on four-thousand to six-thousand-two-hundred square foot parcels, but also allows for recreational, quasi-public, and public uses that customarily serve residential development.

(e)

The residential medium capacity (RMC) district is established primarily to accommodate higher capacity housing, such as larger multi-family developments, townhomes, condominiums and the use of the unit lot subdivision process to create fee-simple housing. Live/work units may also be allowed in this zone with additional requirements. Typical parcel size range from two-thousand-eight-hundred to three-thousand-six-hundred square feet, but also allows for recreational, quasi-public, and public uses that customarily serve residential development.

(f)

The residential high capacity (RHC) district is established primarily to accommodate the highest capacity residential developments, that are designed to be compatible with their sites and surroundings, building types are typically large scale multifamily buildings, mixed-use buildings and live/work units.

(g)

The Old Town Residential (OTR) district is established primarily for single-family residential development while preserving the historic quality of the traditional town center. Further, this zone is intended to promote residential development that is in character with the older, existing homes in the area. The Old Town Residential district may also allow for duplex, triplex, fourplex and garden style housing units (missing middle housing) that are designed to match the context of the existing neighborhood they are placed within. This is accomplished through strict design elements, orientation and scale of the building.

(Ord. 1393 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2020-019, § 2, 9-21-2020;Ord. No. 2022-016, § 1, 10-17-2022)

(a)

The following commercial districts are hereby established: neighborhood commercial (NC), Old Town business district (OTBD), general commercial (GC), highway commercial (HC), and commercial corridor (CC). These districts are created to accomplish the purposes and serve the objectives set forth in the remainder of this section.

(b)

The neighborhood commercial (NC) zone is established to accommodate commercial activities that would meet the daily convenience needs of people residing or working in the environs.

(c)

The Old Town business district (OTBD) zone is established to accommodate a mix of a wide variety of commercial activities and vertically oriented, high capacity residential uses in a pedestrian oriented environment. The Old Town business district is comprised of three different subdistricts, identified as, central business districts (CBD) 1, 2 and 3), with each one having its own nuances regarding permissible uses, parking and signage.

(d)

The general commercial (GC) zone is established to accommodate commercial uses generally similar, though more intensive, to the types permissible in the Old Town business district. However, it is intended that this zone be placed along arterials to cater to commuters or as a transition in some areas between a highway commercial zone and a residential zone.

(e)

The highway commercial (HC) zone is established to accommodate the widest range of commercial activities. Uses allowed here include those allowed in other commercial districts, but also those that require highway access or that should be separated from residential uses.

(f)

The business park (BP) zone is established to promote and accommodate office, certain manufacturing and light industrial uses, training/educational facilities, high technology research and development, and related uses in a park-like, master-planned setting. The business park also allows for public/semi-public uses within this zone.

(g)

The commercial corridor (CC) zone is established to create pedestrian oriented, urbanized, mixed-use neighborhoods, along designated transit routes. Design elements to include widened sidewalks, drop lanes with on street parking, mid-block pedestrian crossings, planted medians and bike lanes. These zones are established to utilize the stringent use of the mixed-use development regulations/form based code, therefore negating the underlying zoning to accommodate mixed-use as the primary land use.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2020-019, § 2, 9-21-2020;Ord. No. 2022-016, § 2, 10-17-2022)

The general industrial (GI) and light industrial (LI) 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. The performance standards set forth in Chapter 20.44 place limitations on the characteristics of uses located in these districts. The light industrial district is distinguished from the general industrial district in that the light industrial district is intended to be a cleaner, more business park-like area, whereas the general industrial district allows more resource-based manufacturing has a greater tolerance of the nuisances that typically accompany such manufacturing. Furthermore, the limitations in the light industrial district are more restrictive than those in the general industrial district.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2022-016, § 3, 10-17-2022)

The aviation flightline district (AF) zone is hereby established. This district is created to allow only aviation related uses proximate to airport runways and taxiways. Aviation related uses include any uses related to supporting aviation that require direct taxiway access as a necessary part of their business operations, such as aviation services, manufacturing of aviation-related goods, general services whose primary customers would be those engaged in aviation-related activities (e.g., restaurants primarily catering to pilots, employees, or passengers), or other uses that are clearly related to aviation.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017)

The medical services district (MS) zone is hereby established. This district is created to allow hospitals and related medical services uses that have developed around the Cascade Valley Hospital in an otherwise residential neighborhood. Medical services include hospitals, doctors' offices, birthing centers, and other related uses, but not including manufacturing of medical equipment.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017)

A public/semi-public (P/SP) 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. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017)

The master planned neighborhood (MPN) district is hereby established as an "overlay" district, meaning that this district is 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 complies with the requirements of Section 20.44.032 (master planned neighborhood developments). Thereafter, this overlay district shall be removed from the property for which the master plan is approved by the city council.

(Ord. 1393 § 3, 2006)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2020-019, § 2, 9-21-2020)

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 complies with the restrictions found in Chapter 20.64 (floodplain development regulations).

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2020-019, § 2, 9-21-2020)

The shoreline management district is hereby established as an "overlay" district, meaning that this district is 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.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2022-016, § 4, 10-17-2022)

The mixed-use overlay district is hereby established as an "overlay" district, meaning that the underlying zoning applicable within each commercial zone remains as the primary or principal zoning designation. The overlay allows for a mix of diversified residential development to co-exist within a proportionate share of the commercially zoned areas of highway commercial (HC), general commercial (GC), and neighborhood commercial (NC) zones where typical retail and other support services would be located, thus creating a walkable neighborhood concept. The mixed-use overlay will also be applied to the residential moderate capacity (RMod), residential medium capacity (RMC), and residential high capacity (RHC) zones along Smokey Point Boulevard corridor. The overlay will provide for the efficient use of property by requiring the mixed-use of properties in a manner that allows for residential development to co-exist with commercial, retail and specific light manufacturing uses. This promotes the creation of attractive, sustainable neighborhoods which enable walkability and less automobile dependency. The performance standards/design guidelines set forth in Chapter 20.110 place limitations on the characteristics of uses located in these districts.

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017;Ord. No. 2022-016, § 5, 10-17-2022)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, adopted Dec. 18, 2017, set out provisions designated as § 20.36.080. Inasmuch as section so numbered already exists, said provisions have been redesignated as § 20.36.085 at the discretion of the editor.
Subsequently,Ord. No. 2020-019, § 2, adopted Sept. 21, 2020, repealed § 20.36.080 in its entirety and renumbered § 20.36.085 as § 20.36.080. Former § 20.36.085 pertained to TDR overlay zone established, and derived from Ord. No. 1381, adopted April 17, 2006.

(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. This map shall either be drawn on acetate or other durable material from which prints can be made, or kept in electronic format, or both. It shall be dated, and shall be kept in the planning department.

(b)

The official zoning map of the city shall be maintained in the city clerk's office.

Amendments to this map shall be made and posted in accordance with Chapter 20.96 (amendments).

(c)

Should the official zoning map be lost, destroyed, or damaged, the community development director may have a new map drawn on acetate or other durable material from which prints can be made. No further council authorization or action is required so long as no district boundaries are changed in this process.

(Ord. No. 1389, 3-27-2006; Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017)

(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. No. 2022-016, § 6, 10-17-2022)

(a)

Amendments to the official zoning map are accomplished using the same procedures that apply to other amendments to this title, as set forth in Chapter 20.96 (amendments).

(b)

The community development director shall update the official zoning map as soon as possible after the council adopts amendments to it. Upon entering any such amendment on the map, the community development 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 division shall keep copies of superseded prints of the zoning map for historical reference.

(Ord. 1309 § 5(part), 2003)

(Ord. No. 2017-022, § 1, 12-18-2017)