Chelan County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

Allow some flexibility in design and development that will result in a more desirable and efficient use of land by reviewing developments on a project level rather than on a building-by-building or lot-by-lot basis typical of the rest of the zoning resolution.

Permit some flexibility of design, placement of improvements, use of open spaces, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, parking areas and other design elements to better utilize unique site characteristics.

Produce an integrated and balanced development of mutually supportive uses that might otherwise be inharmonious.

Provide a guide for the development community and county representatives who review and approve developments to ensure the standards and purposes of this chapter are met.

Provide a variety of environments for living, and/or working, and/or recreational activities for the interest of the general public.

This chapter is applicable in all zoning districts in the unincorporated portions of Chelan County. The procedural provisions for the unincorporated urban growth area boundaries for the cities of Leavenworth, Cashmere, Wenatchee, Entiat, Manson and Chelan shall follow this chapter’s process. The provisions of this chapter can be utilized for any residential, commercial and/or industrial project. The planned unit development (PUD) district provides an alternative form of development through flexibility and creativity in site layout and design. Therefore this chapter is applicable only to design and site layout. The density and primary use limitations of the underlying district still apply. Planned unit densities may be allocated across adjoining lots and the various zoning districts when allowed within the district. The placement of allocated residential/commercial units derived from the planned unit subdivision process may be located within the best development sites of combined properties.

This chapter is not intended to abrogate any performance or use restrictions or conditions set forth in the underlying zone for uses listed as permitted, accessory, conditional or administrative uses as set forth in this title.

The owner of any property in Chelan County or his/her authorized agent may initiate planned development projects. All property owners in the proposed planned development district may initiate joint applications involving multiple ownerships. Such applications shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 14.06.010 of Title 14, Development Permit Procedures and Administration, of the Chelan County Code, as amended; on forms provided by the Chelan County department of building, fire safety and planning together with the established filing fee. The applicant(s) for a PUD shall file a preliminary plan with the department of building, fire safety and planning, a planned unit development application, required SEPA documents per Chapter 197-11 WAC, and a plan for the area within the boundary of the project which shall be drawn to a scale of at least one hundred feet to one inch, showing at least, but not limited to, the following features:

Preliminary Plan. The hearing examiner shall review the preliminary plan at a duly publicized public hearing. The hearing examiner shall determine that the preliminary plan complies with the development policies of the comprehensive plan, and the provisions of this chapter. Such preliminary approval or subsequent revision shall be binding as to the general intent and apportionment of land and building, stipulated use, and circulation patterns and shall not be construed to render inflexible the final design of the project. The hearing examiner may attach any reasonable conditions to its preliminary approval to mitigate adverse impacts on the project’s neighbors, the neighborhood, or the county as a whole that might result from this development as originally proposed.

Final Plan. Following hearing examiner approval of the preliminary development plans at a closed record hearing, the developer may submit final plans incorporating any changes required in the preliminary approval. In addition to the required elements of the preliminary plan set forth above, the final plan shall contain the following:

Preliminary and Final Plans Combined. The foregoing procedure shall not preclude the developer, at his option, from obtaining final disposition of both preliminary and final development plans at one public hearing. The developer must request this combined consideration at the time of initial application and supply all the information required by subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

Time Limitation. Within five years from the date of approval of a preliminary development plan by the hearing examiner (seven years for any PUD approved between December 2007 and December 2014), unless phased approval provides otherwise and is not in conflict with Chapter 58.17 RCW or Title 12 of the Chelan County Code, the applicant shall submit a final development plan for the PUD or a stage thereof for approval. If, at the date of expiration of the five-year time period, a final development plan has not been filed for approval with the hearing examiner, or at any time after a final plan has been approved it appears that the project is not progressing in a reasonable and consistent manner or the project has been abandoned, the project will be considered abandoned and the permit for the PUD will be revoked by the hearing examiner. When revocation has been enacted upon a PUD, the zoning designation shall revert to the land use designation for that location in the Chelan County comprehensive plan and the land and structures thereon may be used only for a lawful purpose permissible within the zone in which the PUD is located.

Time extension shall be filed consistent with the provisions of Section 14.12.010.

Any time after the approval of a planned unit development and prior to the developer making improvements that would not be allowed outright in the underlying zoning district, the developer may improve the property in a manner conforming to the requirements of the underlying zone and abandon the PUD development option. The ability to revert to the underlying zone provisions is available without the need to amend or vacate the previously approved PUD.

Building Spacing and Setbacks.

Minimum Lot Size. The minimum lot size requirements for other chapters of this title may be altered for a planned unit development, except that the lot size requirements of the underlying zone shall be used as the basis for determining the overall dwelling unit density for the entire development. When these calculations result in fractional numbers or decimal numbers, the decimal result shall be rounded to the next higher number of allowed units.

Maximum Lot Coverage. For individual lots or parcels, the maximum lot coverage requirement may be altered; provided, that the coverage percentage for the total development does not exceed the requirements of the underlying zone.

Building Height. Building height maximums of the underlying zone may be waived on an individual building, through the preliminary public hearing process (major modification), to allow greater flexibility within the development. Considerations shall be given to adjacent uses and building heights as well as building relationships within the development.

Density. The underlying zone densities shall be used as the basis for determining the overall density for the development.

Planned developments allow for a residential project density bonus. Residential densities may be increased up to one hundred fifty percent of that allowed in the underlying zoning district; provided, that all other Chelan County Code requirements are met.

A total residential project density bonus not to exceed two hundred percent of that allowed in the underlying zoning district is available for any planned development that commits itself to make available ten percent of the residential units to households earning eighty percent or less of the median household income for Chelan County. To qualify for this bonus the annual rent or payment, for the ten percent of the residential units, may not exceed twenty-eight percent of the median household income for Chelan County, adjusted for family size. The availability of these units shall be guaranteed by covenant, deed restriction or other legally binding mechanism for twenty years from the time of issuing the certificate of occupancy.

Landscaping and/or Native Vegetation. It is the intent of this section to maintain and encourage landscaping design, innovation, and flexibility. The arrangement of plantings in conjunction with other landscape elements will vary according to the requirements of each project. Less formal grouping of materials, especially in rural areas, is encouraged to accomplish a more naturalized appearance and to avoid linear and visually rigid design. Such groupings must still accomplish the intended required buffering between incompatible uses. Native drought tolerant vegetation, in lieu of lawns, and other water conserving design techniques (xeriscape) are greatly encouraged.

(Note: All common open space within the development shall be appropriately landscaped and/or vegetated using native vegetation according to the landscaping plan submitted by the applicant and approved by the hearing examiner/administrator unless otherwise allowed by the authorizing resolution. Natural features that are to be preserved such as indigenous plant life, natural rock formations and riparian areas shall be shown on the landscaping plan.)

Open Space.

Level of Service Standards. Planned development applications shall not be approved if the increased demand for public facilities and services would have the effect of reducing service capacities below locally adopted levels of service.

A substantial modification to the approved preliminary or final planned unit development plan shall only be approved by the hearing examiner through an amendment (change of condition) application to the preliminary approval. All modifications which are not minor shall be considered substantial.

A minor modification to the preliminary or final planned unit development plan may be approved administratively. Minor modifications shall be consistent with the following requirements:

That the applicant has adequately demonstrated that the proposal will achieve a public benefit as a result of deviations from the underlying zoning district, per the standards contained in Section 11.76.030;

That all the requirements of the planned unit development overlay district have been met;

That the application has demonstrated consistency with the comprehensive plan.