Friday Harbor City Zoning Code

To establish the land use ordinance in such a manner as to make land use regulation consistent with the comprehensive plan;

To provide for the public health, safety and general welfare;

To implement the vision statement contained in the comprehensive plan;

To secure for the citizens of the town the social and economic advantages from an orderly planned use of the land resources within the town in accordance with a comprehensive plan;

To regulate the location and use of buildings, structures, and land for residence, business, commercial and other uses and purposes; the height, size and construction of buildings and other structures; the size of yards, courts and other open spaces on the tract or lot; the density of population; the setback of buildings along streets, parks or public water frontages;

To provide an official land use plan to guide, control and regulate the general growth of the town and developments on and of public and private property within the town; to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the town; to lessen traffic congestion and accidents; to secure safety from fire; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to promote a coordinated development of unbuilt area; to encourage the formation of neighborhood or community units; to secure an appropriate allotment of land area in new developments for all of the requirements of community life; to conserve and restore natural beauty and other natural resources; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, and other public uses and requirements.

The standards and criteria expressed in this title shall be interpreted as minimum standards and when two requirements of this title conflict, the one imposing the greater restriction shall apply.

Whenever state law precludes local government from prohibiting or regulating certain uses in particular zoning districts, nothing in this title shall be construed to contradict such law. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner or applicant to identify any such state law.

The provisions of this title shall not abrogate easements, covenants, or other restrictions of record imposed on properties in the town.

The general requirements as defined in Chapter 17.56 FHMC shall apply to all areas within the corporate boundary and to all noncontiguous areas annexed into the town.

SEPA Authority. This title may constitute the basis for the exercise of substantive authority under the State Environmental Policy Act (Chapter 43.21C RCW).

The town shall monitor the dwelling unit ratio of parcels zoned single-family residential to parcels zoned multifamily residential.

The town shall, through the biennial plan amendment process, maintain the existing residential land use ratio of 70 percent of residential land zoned single-family residential to 30 percent of residential land zoned multifamily residential.