Clallam County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
33.50 Accessory
Housing
SOURCE: | ADOPTED: |
Ord. 581 | 12/19/95 |
AMENDED SOURCE: | ADOPTED: |
Ord. 601 | 07/23/96 |
Ord. 725 | 08/06/02 |
Ord. 982 | 03/29/22 |
(Ord. 581, 12/19/95; Ord. 601, 07/23/96; Ord. 725, 08/06/02; Ord. 982, 03/29/22)
In addition to the general requirements of CCC 33.50.030, accessory apartments and caretaker apartments shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) The gross floor area of an accessory or caretaker apartment shall not exceed 1,250 square feet.
33.50.010 Purpose and intent.
Clallam County recognizes the benefits that accessory housing can provide as a housing alternative where such benefits consider and are balanced with other community goals. The purpose and intent of this chapter is to:
(1) Ensure that accessory housing remains clearly an incidental and subordinate use to the existing single-family dwelling or business.
(2) Protect the rural and neighborhood character in areas where accessory housing is allowed.
(3) Accommodate unique or special housing needs and circumstances such as caretaker housing.
(4) Increase and diversify available low-income rental housing stock inside the County.
(5) Provide for the general convenience of area land owners to accommodate family and guests with independent living quarters.
(6) Allow for accessory apartments above commercial and industrial buildings without consuming valuable commercial and industrial property with residential uses.
(7) Create alternative housing opportunities that promote more efficient use of existing or planned public and private transportation facilities and utilities.
(8) Encourage accessory housing where public and private utilities, transportation facilities, and other facilities already exist.
33.50.020 Applicability.
Accessory housing units are allowed land uses in all zones where otherwise consistent with the standards of this chapter and the Clallam County Code. Accessory housing includes accessory dwelling units (ADUs), accessory apartments, and caretaker apartments. Accessory housing which conforms to the standards in this chapter shall not be considered to exceed the allowable density for the lot upon which it is located and shall be considered a residential use which is consistent with the comprehensive plan and zoning designation for the lot.
33.50.030 General requirements.
The requirements listed below apply to all accessory housing:
(1) Certificate of Occupancy. A certificate of occupancy is required to be obtained from the Building Official and posted within the accessory housing unit. The code inspection required to obtain a certificate of occupancy in an existing structure shall be restricted to the portion of the structure to be occupied by the accessory housing unit and shall apply only to new construction, and not the existing components of the primary dwelling.
(2) Structure Type. Accessory housing units shall not be travel trailers, recreational vehicles, buses, truck storage containers, or similar manufactured units which are not originally intended to be used for permanent residences. Structures described under WAC 296-150R-0020 as “temporary living quarters” shall not be permitted or placed under the provisions of this section. If such structures are occupied for a period of 90 or more consecutive calendar days in the same location, such occupation shall be considered a violation of this chapter and subject to enforcement under Clallam County Code.
(3) Water and Wastewater Disposal.
(a) Accessory housing shall be required to utilize the same potable water source as the associated primary residential dwelling, commercial or industrial use.
(b) Accessory housing shall not be permitted unless the Environmental Health Division certifies that the water supply and sewage disposal facilities are adequate for the projected number of bedrooms.
(4) Recording. To ensure continued compliance with owner-occupancy and other ordinance requirements by current, as well as any subsequent owners, a registration of the accessory housing unit in the form of a notice to title shall be filed and recorded with the Clallam County Auditor. The notice to title shall be on a form provided by the Administrator and filled out completely by the applicant prior to filing. The notice to title shall run with the land and serve as notice to all future purchasers/owners of the subject property of the presence of the accessory housing unit and applicable restrictions regarding accessory housing units contained in the Clallam County Code. Proof of registration, in the form of a copy of the filed document, shall be submitted to the Department of Community Development prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Said registration may only be removed upon a demonstration to the Department of Community Development that the accessory housing unit has been lawfully removed from the subject property, or the portion of the subject property containing the accessory housing unit is legally subdivided from the remainder of the property pursuant to CCC Title 29.
(5) Sale or Transfer of Accessory Housing Units. Accessory housing units shall not be sold as separate dwelling lots from the subject property, unless the portion of the subject property containing the accessory housing unit is legally subdivided from the remainder of the property pursuant to CCC Title 29.
(6) Density. There shall be no more than one accessory housing unit allowed per lot.
33.50.040 Additional standards for accessory dwelling units.
In addition to the general requirements of CCC 33.50.030, accessory dwelling units shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) Size.
(a) Size of Detached ADU. Detached ADUs shall not exceed 50 percent of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit, nor exceed 1,250 square feet in gross floor area. This requirement shall not apply to any detached ADU 400 square feet or less.
(b) Size of Attached ADU. Attached ADUs shall not exceed 35 percent of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit.
(2) Density.
(a) The property on which an ADU is to be located must be a legally created parcel.
(b) Outside of designated urban growth areas, the property on which a detached ADU is to be located shall be at least 1.5 acres in size. This standard may be waived by the Administrator where it can be demonstrated that the detached ADU will be served by a community water supply and an adequate sewage disposal system.
(c) Inside areas zoned Agricultural Retention (AR), detached ADUs are prohibited except on lots that are subject to the agricultural retention development standards of CCC 33.07.010(4) to 33.07.010(10), or where the existing parcel is 30 acres or larger is size.
(d) Inside areas zoned Commercial Forest (CF), detached ADUs are prohibited.
(3) Occupancy.
(a) The owner of the parcel shall live either in the primary dwelling or ADU as their primary residence. For the purpose of this standard, “primary residence” shall mean occupancy by the underlying property owner for no less than 120 days during a calendar year.
(b) ADUs may be used for occupation by family members, guests, renters, lessees, and estate caretakers/groundskeepers.
(c) Either the primary dwelling or the ADU may be used as a vacation rental, as defined in Chapter 33.51 CCC, but not both.
(4) Design. ADUs shall be designed so that the appearance of the lot remains that of a single-family residential development through the following standards:
(a) When development abuts or is accessed by a county road, all building entrances shall be located so that only one entrance faces the road frontage of the development.
(b) On-site parking area shall be provided.
(c) Access for vehicle ingress and egress shall share the same legal access onto a public or private road as the primary dwelling unit and no new access shall be established for the ADU.
(d) The primary dwelling and the ADU may be no more than 300 linear feet from each other.
33.50.050 Additional standards for accessory apartments and caretaker apartments in commercial and industrial zones.
In addition to the general requirements of CCC 33.50.030, accessory apartments and caretaker apartments shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) The gross floor area of an accessory or caretaker apartment shall not exceed 1,250 square feet.
(2) In order to ensure accessory apartments do not constitute an encroachment into commercial areas or otherwise compete with commercial or industrial developments for limited commercial or industrially zoned land, accessory apartments shall only be allowed to locate above the first floor of multi-storied commercial or industrial buildings.
(3) Caretaker apartments shall be permitted in commercial or industrial zones.
33.50.060 Additional standards for temporary medical hardship dwellings.
Repealed by Ord. 982.
33.50.010 Purpose and intent.
Clallam County recognizes the benefits that accessory housing can provide as a housing alternative where such benefits consider and are balanced with other community goals. The purpose and intent of this chapter is to:
(1) Ensure that accessory housing remains clearly an incidental and subordinate use to the existing single-family dwelling or business.
(2) Protect the rural and neighborhood character in areas where accessory housing is allowed.
(3) Accommodate unique or special housing needs and circumstances such as caretaker housing.
(4) Increase and diversify available low-income rental housing stock inside the County.
(5) Provide for the general convenience of area land owners to accommodate family and guests with independent living quarters.
(6) Allow for accessory apartments above commercial and industrial buildings without consuming valuable commercial and industrial property with residential uses.
(7) Create alternative housing opportunities that promote more efficient use of existing or planned public and private transportation facilities and utilities.
(8) Encourage accessory housing where public and private utilities, transportation facilities, and other facilities already exist.
33.50.020 Applicability.
Accessory housing units are allowed land uses in all zones where otherwise consistent with the standards of this chapter and the Clallam County Code. Accessory housing includes accessory dwelling units (ADUs), accessory apartments, and caretaker apartments. Accessory housing which conforms to the standards in this chapter shall not be considered to exceed the allowable density for the lot upon which it is located and shall be considered a residential use which is consistent with the comprehensive plan and zoning designation for the lot.
33.50.030 General requirements.
The requirements listed below apply to all accessory housing:
(1) Certificate of Occupancy. A certificate of occupancy is required to be obtained from the Building Official and posted within the accessory housing unit. The code inspection required to obtain a certificate of occupancy in an existing structure shall be restricted to the portion of the structure to be occupied by the accessory housing unit and shall apply only to new construction, and not the existing components of the primary dwelling.
(2) Structure Type. Accessory housing units shall not be travel trailers, recreational vehicles, buses, truck storage containers, or similar manufactured units which are not originally intended to be used for permanent residences. Structures described under WAC 296-150R-0020 as “temporary living quarters” shall not be permitted or placed under the provisions of this section. If such structures are occupied for a period of 90 or more consecutive calendar days in the same location, such occupation shall be considered a violation of this chapter and subject to enforcement under Clallam County Code.
(3) Water and Wastewater Disposal.
(a) Accessory housing shall be required to utilize the same potable water source as the associated primary residential dwelling, commercial or industrial use.
(b) Accessory housing shall not be permitted unless the Environmental Health Division certifies that the water supply and sewage disposal facilities are adequate for the projected number of bedrooms.
(4) Recording. To ensure continued compliance with owner-occupancy and other ordinance requirements by current, as well as any subsequent owners, a registration of the accessory housing unit in the form of a notice to title shall be filed and recorded with the Clallam County Auditor. The notice to title shall be on a form provided by the Administrator and filled out completely by the applicant prior to filing. The notice to title shall run with the land and serve as notice to all future purchasers/owners of the subject property of the presence of the accessory housing unit and applicable restrictions regarding accessory housing units contained in the Clallam County Code. Proof of registration, in the form of a copy of the filed document, shall be submitted to the Department of Community Development prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Said registration may only be removed upon a demonstration to the Department of Community Development that the accessory housing unit has been lawfully removed from the subject property, or the portion of the subject property containing the accessory housing unit is legally subdivided from the remainder of the property pursuant to CCC Title 29.
(5) Sale or Transfer of Accessory Housing Units. Accessory housing units shall not be sold as separate dwelling lots from the subject property, unless the portion of the subject property containing the accessory housing unit is legally subdivided from the remainder of the property pursuant to CCC Title 29.
(6) Density. There shall be no more than one accessory housing unit allowed per lot.
33.50.040 Additional standards for accessory dwelling units.
In addition to the general requirements of CCC 33.50.030, accessory dwelling units shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) Size.
(a) Size of Detached ADU. Detached ADUs shall not exceed 50 percent of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit, nor exceed 1,250 square feet in gross floor area. This requirement shall not apply to any detached ADU 400 square feet or less.
(b) Size of Attached ADU. Attached ADUs shall not exceed 35 percent of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit.
(2) Density.
(a) The property on which an ADU is to be located must be a legally created parcel.
(b) Outside of designated urban growth areas, the property on which a detached ADU is to be located shall be at least 1.5 acres in size. This standard may be waived by the Administrator where it can be demonstrated that the detached ADU will be served by a community water supply and an adequate sewage disposal system.
(c) Inside areas zoned Agricultural Retention (AR), detached ADUs are prohibited except on lots that are subject to the agricultural retention development standards of CCC 33.07.010(4) to 33.07.010(10), or where the existing parcel is 30 acres or larger is size.
(d) Inside areas zoned Commercial Forest (CF), detached ADUs are prohibited.
(3) Occupancy.
(a) The owner of the parcel shall live either in the primary dwelling or ADU as their primary residence. For the purpose of this standard, “primary residence” shall mean occupancy by the underlying property owner for no less than 120 days during a calendar year.
(b) ADUs may be used for occupation by family members, guests, renters, lessees, and estate caretakers/groundskeepers.
(c) Either the primary dwelling or the ADU may be used as a vacation rental, as defined in Chapter 33.51 CCC, but not both.
(4) Design. ADUs shall be designed so that the appearance of the lot remains that of a single-family residential development through the following standards:
(a) When development abuts or is accessed by a county road, all building entrances shall be located so that only one entrance faces the road frontage of the development.
(b) On-site parking area shall be provided.
(c) Access for vehicle ingress and egress shall share the same legal access onto a public or private road as the primary dwelling unit and no new access shall be established for the ADU.
(d) The primary dwelling and the ADU may be no more than 300 linear feet from each other.
33.50.050 Additional standards for accessory apartments and caretaker apartments in commercial and industrial zones.
In addition to the general requirements of CCC 33.50.030, accessory apartments and caretaker apartments shall be subject to the following requirements.
(1) The gross floor area of an accessory or caretaker apartment shall not exceed 1,250 square feet.
(2) In order to ensure accessory apartments do not constitute an encroachment into commercial areas or otherwise compete with commercial or industrial developments for limited commercial or industrially zoned land, accessory apartments shall only be allowed to locate above the first floor of multi-storied commercial or industrial buildings.
(3) Caretaker apartments shall be permitted in commercial or industrial zones.
33.50.060 Additional standards for temporary medical hardship dwellings.
Repealed by Ord. 982.