Battle Ground City Zoning Code

To promote Battle Ground's Community Vision, which encourages the city to continue to provide for parks and open space, and trail networks.

To implement the 2022 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan ("parks plan"), as amended, said plan which is incorporated by reference.

To manage the challenges of growth to ensure the long-term sustainability and high quality of life for the citizens of Battle Ground, by providing for parks, trails, and open space.

To assure new development provides for their fair share of trails, an equitable distribution of parks, and conservation of open space.

All new developments, which includes residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed use, shall dedicate and construct trails identified on the trail plan (Map 8: Existing and Conceptual Recreational Trail Corridors).

New residential subdivision development (ten or more lots). If a development is proposed outside of a pocket park travelshed (see Map 2 of the parks plan) but within the travelshed of a neighborhood park (see Map 3 of the parks plan), a pocket park is required. If a development is proposed outside of neighborhood travelshed, the developer shall provide for a neighborhood park, or portion thereof based on park acreage set-aside requirements.

Multifamily developments, including those in the city's commercial districts, are exempt from this chapter, except they must set aside a minimum of fifteen percent of the gross site area for recreation use. Recreation use must be designed to serve as a centralized recreational facility, not merely leftover space along the edges of required yards and standard landscaping. This area may include open space areas, play structures, sport courts, plazas, indoor or outdoor recreational facilities, trails and paths, community gardens or other similar facilities. Open space/recreation areas do not include the following: parking lots, driveways, private/public street rights-of-way, required storage areas.

For developments required to provide a park per BGMC § 17.128.020:

All new developments, which includes residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed use, shall provide for trails identified on the trail plan (Map 8: Existing and Conceptual Recreational Trail Corridors).

New development should continue existing trails adjacent to the land proposed for development. Trail connections should meet the standards listed in BGMC § 12.116.070 and provide connections to passive open spaces and park. If no trails are adjacent, but development is located within a conceptual trail corridor as identified in Map 8 of the parks plan, the site shall add trails for future development to connect to, which ultimately will connect to the regional trails identified in Map 8. The total area allocated to new trails shall not be used to meet the parks area requirement unless it is incorporated into a linear park. Such trails shall be overlain with a perpetual public access easement. Refer to BGMC § 12.116.070 for design and construction standards.

Passive open spaces, such as wetlands, stream corridors or other unbuildable lands, shall be combined with active open spaces, either contiguously or via pedestrian facilities, to create interconnectivity between neighborhoods and/or other park and pedestrian facilities. Where possible and feasible, these areas shall be improved with an integrated network of trails within the buffer areas. Where feasible these trails will be connected to existing or planned Battle Ground regional trail systems consistent with the provisions of the parks plan or to the trail system outlined in subsection B of this section. Such unbuildable areas shall either be dedicated to the city or encumbered with public easements for pedestrian facilities.

Developers are encouraged to incorporate into the open spaces other required facilities such as stormwater treatment and detention ponds to provide more open space. However, such areas shall not be used to meet the active park area requirements of 17.128.030(A).

A complete preliminary land use application shall include a preliminary park site plan and landscape plan. The preliminary site plan shall depict the location and number of play structures, bike parking structures, surface materials, how ADA requirements are being met, furnishings, and pedestrian circulation routes. The preliminary landscape plan shall depict the location of plant materials, species, and size at time of planting.

The final site plan and final landscape plan shall provide all information contained in the preliminary plans with additional construction information including but not limited to: irrigation plan, construction details, grading, CC&Rs, utility services, and parking. The land use application for final approval shall provide a mechanism for adequate funding and the continual care and maintenance of the parks and trails as approved by the review authority. The city shall not approve the final plat or final site plan of a land use application in which parks and trails are required unless the review authority has reviewed and approved the final plans and specifications for the park.

Applicant Maintenance. The applicant retains maintenance and liability responsibilities unless these responsibilities are accepted by the city, as indicated on the face of the final plat. Where the applicant retains maintenance and liability responsibilities, the facilities must be maintained at a level at least equal to comparable facilities maintained by the city. Easements, covenants, and/or dedication shall occur prior to or concurrent with final site plan or plat approval.

City Maintenance. The city reserves the right to, but is not obligated to, assume maintenance and liability of park and trail facilities developed pursuant to this chapter.

Park or trail facilities identified in the capital facilities project list of the parks plan are eligible for park impact fee credits, subject to the proportion built and the creditable percentage listed.

Park facilities not listed in subsection A of this section are not eligible for park impact fee credits.