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Fife City Zoning Code

19.34 City

Center North CCN District

19.34.010 Purpose.

This district is intended to implement the city center element and foster transit-oriented development around the future Sound Transit station, and accommodate a range of retail, service, civic, entertainment, recreation, and higher density residential uses throughout the district. The core area of this district, around the new station area, is further intended to create a new neighborhood focal point of community activity and to integrate living, working, shopping and recreation activities. The uses are intended to exist in a compatible and complementary manner with surrounding uses and districts, and the future transit station. Street-based store frontages and plazas are encouraged to provide for a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. Multimodal transportation improvements connecting to the station area will provide access to and through the district. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.020 Permitted uses.

Permitted uses in the CCN district are as follows:

A. Multifamily structure except that a multifamily structure or its accessory uses are not permitted at street level if fronting on 15th Street East between 54th Avenue East and 59th Avenue Court East, and along the east side of the future 58th Avenue East alignment between 12th Street East and Pacific Highway East;

B. Mixed use development; provided, that any structure that includes residential use shall provide a minimum of four dwelling units and that residential use or accessory uses are not permitted at street level if fronting 15th Street East between 54th Avenue East and 59th Avenue Court East, and along the east side of the future 58th Avenue East alignment between 12th Street East and Pacific Highway East;

C. Professional office including consulting, insurance, real estate sales, professional organizations, radio station without an on-site transmission tower;

D. Retail sales store including, but not limited to, the sale or rental of the following items: antiques, appliances (new), art, bicycles, books, carpets, clothing, fabrics, flowers, food, furniture, garden supply, gifts, hardware, hobby supplies, jewelry, newspapers, office equipment and supplies, paint, pets and pet supplies, pharmaceuticals, photography supplies, pottery, shoes, sporting goods, stationery, tile, toys, videos and wallpaper, year-round farmer’s market, food/grocery/supermarket;

E. Commercial service including, but not limited to, banking, beauty and hair care, cleaning, copying, dry cleaning, glass studio works, financial, health (club), laundry, locksmithing, paging, pet grooming, printing (small-scale), studio photography, tailoring, telecommunication sales;

F. Entertainment facility, including arcade, indoor miniature golf course, indoor movie or stage theater, museum;

G. Commercial instruction including, but not limited to, airline, art, barber, beauty, business, computer, dance, driving, gaming dealers, language, music, photography, self defense and trade;

H. Public and quasipublic use and facility including, but not limited to, community center, court, fire station, governmental office, museum, parking facility, park, police station, pool, post office, senior center, school, substation, utility and well facility;

I. Civic, labor, social and fraternal organization, except that a labor, social, and fraternal organization is not permitted at street level fronting 15th Street East between 54th Avenue East and 59th Avenue Court East, and along the east side of the future 58th Avenue East alignment between 12th Street East and Pacific Highway East;

J. Restaurant, but excluding dancing, live stage or similar entertainment activities, and drive-through;

K. Espresso stand, excluding drive-through;

L. Attached wireless communication facility (WCF) on a nonresidential attachment structure (see Chapter 19.72 FMC);

M. An off-site parking lot accessory to and located within 500 feet of its associated primary use; provided, that the off-street parking lot is legally encumbered to serve the associated use;

N. Family-oriented dining establishment, where alcoholic beverages may be served as incidental and complementary to the serving of food, such that any area that is primarily intended for dispensing and consumption of alcoholic beverages, including but not limited to a lounge or bar, shall not occupy more than 25 percent of the total floor areas intended for public use;

O. Brewpub, including beer and wine. An eating and drinking establishment having a microbrewery on the premises which produces beer, ale, or other malt beverage, or wine, and where the majority of the beer/wine produced is consumed on the premises. This classification allows a brewpub to sell beer/wine retail and/or act as wholesaler for beer of its own production for off-site consumption, with appropriate state licenses;

P. Transitional housing and permanent supportive housing, subject to the requirements of FMC 19.68.170;

Q. Mobile food units subject to the requirements of FMC 19.68.075;

R. Adult or child day care provider. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.025 Permitted subject to a development agreement.

Uses in the CCN district that are subject to a development agreement are as follows:

A. High-capacity transit (HCT) facilities. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.030 Accessory uses.

Accessory uses in the CCN district are:

A. Home occupation (see Chapter 19.68 FMC);

B. Microcell for residential use. Excluded from front yard;

C. Amateur and citizen band transmitter, support structure and antenna array (see FMC 19.68.020(B));

D. Residential accessory use or structure which is subordinate and incidental to a permitted residential structure. Residential accessory uses and structures may include, but are not limited to, garage, carport, storage shed, noncommercial greenhouse, fence (six feet or less in height) and the accessory uses listed above. Accessory structures shall be less than or equal to 65 percent of gross floor area of the primary residence or 10,000 square feet, whichever is less, and shall not exceed 20 feet in height;

E. Employee indoor recreation facility;

F. Employee cafe or cafeteria operated in conjunction with a principally permitted use;

G. Food and/or espresso carts as an accessory to a permitted use;

H. Temporary accessory structures and uses (see Chapter 19.68 FMC);

I. Co-location on WCF support structure;

J. Other accessory use or structure which is subordinate and incidental to a principally permitted use, as determined by the director;

K. Child day-care center as an accessory use to a permitted mixed use;

L. Electric vehicle infrastructure – support. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.040 Conditional uses.

Uses permitted in the CCN district subject to the granting of a conditional use permit by the hearing examiner are:

A. Outdoor entertainment and recreation, including, but not limited to, amusement park, fairground, horse riding arena, miniature golf course, racquetball court, skating/skateboard facility, sports stadium and tennis court. Excludes shooting range;

B. Commercial parking garage, excluding outside storage of vehicles;

C. Hotel;

D. Bar, tavern and nightclub, located at least 500 feet from the closest property line of any public school, park, and residential zoning district;

E. Restaurant, if including dancing, live stage or similar entertainment activities;

F. Shopping center;

G. Essential public facility (see Chapter 19.68 FMC);

H. Emergency shelter and emergency housing, subject to the requirements of FMC 19.68.160. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.050 Development standards.

A. Minimum Lot Area and Site Requirements for City Center North (CCN). The following requirements are applicable for all development within the CCN district:

Minimum frontage width

20 feet.

Maximum front yard setback

At least 70% of the linear frontage of a primary structure shall be set back no more than 10 feet from the front property line.

Minimum interior setback

None (only as required by the IBC).

Maximum structure height

Primary: 80 feet but in no case to exceed six stories; provided, that no individual floor may exceed 18 feet, floor-to-floor.

Maximum lot coverage for structures

Primary: 100%, subject to site development requirements.

Accessory: 65% of the coverage of primary structure(s).

Green area factor

30%. See section (E) of this section.

Calculations resulting in a fraction shall be rounded to the nearest whole number with 0.50 being rounded up.

B. Zoning District Development Standards.

1. Maximum Block Size. The maximum block size is 350 feet in the short dimension and 600 feet in the long dimension permitted between existing public streets and the planned city center street network. The street shall be constructed to city center north standards. The city may approve modifications to street types (e.g., alleys), street alignments, or waive the maximum block sizes to take advantage of existing travel corridors, the location of utilities, and required improvements.

2. For parcels greater than five acres with a parcel dimension greater than 350 feet, the property shall provide a new street constructed to city center north standards. Where applicable, new streets shall align with existing streets or the planned city center street network.

3. Ground Floor Retail Exemption. If, in the determination of the community development director, based on current economic analysis, that the ground floor retail requirement is not feasible, the director has the authority to waive the ground floor retail requirement provided:

a. The constructed ground floor height is 18 feet to accommodate future conversion to commercial use.

b. The ground floor is designed and constructed to interact with the pedestrian improvements along the frontage, can be converted to a commercial store front, and is not solely accessed from the interior.

c. The development is consistent with the city center planned action ordinance and meets the threshold for a planned action project.

d. There is a date or economic threshold set to determine the appropriate time for the conversion to ground floor retail.

4. Buildings fronting public open space intended for community activities (i.e., City Center Park) shall provide ground floor building frontage consistent with a public street.

C. Additional Zoning District Development Standards. See FMC 19.68.020.

D. Parking and Circulation Regulations. See Chapter 19.56 FMC.

1. In order to meet city goals for high density development near transit stations, each HCT station with more than 100 associated parking spaces shall include a parking structure either on site or on adjacent property with capacity to house all of the parking spaces.

2. Off-street parking is preferred to be accessed from alleys when available.

3. Off-street parking is preferred to not be accessed from principal streets such as Pacific Highway East and 54th Avenue East.

4. Parking lots shall not be located between the street and the building. Parking lots and ground floor parking garages shall be separated from streets by building areas at least 20 feet deep (excluding vehicle access points) which are developed as, and made available for, pedestrian-oriented businesses or residences.

5. Surface parking lots should be located and configured to allow for the surface parking lots to be converted to buildings with structured parking in the future.

E. Landscaping and Buffering Regulations. Chapter 19.64 FMC applies to all development in this zone district; provided, that to accommodate intense, pedestrian-oriented, urban development, some provisions of Chapter 19.64 FMC may be waived during administrative review to achieve the district’s purpose. Perimeter buffer requirements along adjoining properties within the same zone and the site-specific green factor are examples of standards that may be waived to achieve a more urban development character, provided the intent of the landscaping regulations is met, the proposal is consistent with the city center element and planned action ordinance. Alternatives may include off-site improvements and/or connections to public open space, the use of green infrastructure and building principles, and other biophilic approaches to the built environment, that promote tree canopy coverage and access to open space.

F. Administrative Design Review. See Chapter 19.60 FMC.

1. Until such time as design standards are developed for the city center north, the design standard provisions of FMC 19.60.075 will apply to the full city center.

G. Development Agreement. See Chapter 19.68 FMC.

H. Sewer Hookup Requirement. See FMC 19.68.130.

I. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). See Chapter 19.80 FMC.

J. Nonconforming Lots, Structures and Uses. See Chapter 19.84 FMC.

K. Fife Municipal Code (FMC). All applicable development procedures and standards identified in the FMC shall apply.

L. Low Impact Development. See FMC Title 21.

M. City center planned action Ordinance 2141. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).

19.34.060 Performance standards.

See FMC 19.68.030 for performance standards. (Ord. 2140 § 2 (Exh. B), 2025).