Gig Harbor City Zoning Code
17.50 Waterfront
Commercial WC
17.50.010 Intent.
It is the intent of the waterfront commercial district to provide a wide range of uses and activities on the shorelines of Gig Harbor located within the area proximate to the downtown business district. Development should be water-oriented and maintain the scale of existing structures. Highest priority will be accorded to those uses that are water-dependent. Other uses that provide a high degree of physical access to the waterfront have the next priority. Those activities that are not water-dependent but maintain or enhance views and the character of the area may also be permitted. (Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.020 Permitted uses.
Refer to Chapter 17.14 GHMC for uses permitted in the WC district. (Ord. 1045 § 68, 2006).
17.50.030 Conditional uses.
Refer to Chapter 17.14 GHMC for uses conditionally permitted in the WC district. (Ord. 1045 § 70, 2006).
17.50.040 Development standards.
In a waterfront commercial district, the minimum development requirements are as follows:
Single-Family Dwelling | Attached Up to 4 Units | Nonresidential | |
|---|---|---|---|
A. Minimum lot area (sq. ft.)1 | 6,000 | 6,000/unit | 15,000 |
B. Minimum lot width | 50' | 100' | 100' |
C. Minimum front yard2 | |||
D. Minimum side yard2 | |||
E. Minimum rear yard2 | |||
F. Minimum yard abutting tidelands | 0' | 0' | 0' |
G. Maximum hard surface coverage | 50% | 55% | 70% |
H. Minimum density | No minimum density | ||
I. Maximum density | 4 dwelling units per acre | ||
3,000 square feet max. gross floor area per structure | 3,000 square feet max. footprint/6,000 square feet gross floor area per structure | 3,000 square feet max. footprint/6,000 square feet gross floor area per structure | |
K. Separation between structures3 | 20' | 20' | 20' |
L. | |||
1. Maximum hard surface coverage may be increased up to a maximum of 80 percent upon execution of a written agreement with the city and the property owner; and provided further, that the agreement is filed with the county auditor as a covenant with the land, when the development provides for waterview opportunities and/or waterfront access opportunities in conjunction with nonresidential uses, as follows: | |||
Maximum Hard Surface Coverage | Number of Waterview/ Access Opportunities | ||
a. | 50/55/70 | 0 | |
b. | +10% | 1 | |
c. | +10% | 2 | |
d. | +10% | 3 | |
2. Waterview/Harbor Access Opportunities | |||
a. Waterview opportunity, by means of public view corridors measuring 20 frontage feet along the street or 20 percent of the total waterfront frontage of the parcel, whichever is greater. View corridors shall be from public rights-of-way. Parking shall not be allowed in view corridors. Fences or railings shall not be allowed in view corridors except where required by the city building code. Shrubbery in view corridors shall not exceed a height of three feet and trees shall have no branches lower than 10 feet above the level of the frontage sidewalk. A waiver on tree branch height may be granted by the city council for a defined growth period. | |||
b. Waterview opportunity, by means of a five-foot-wide public pathway along the property perimeter down one side line of the property to mean higher high water or a bulkhead or to the waterside face of structure, whichever is further waterward, then across the waterside face of the property or structure and back to the street along the other side line. | |||
c. Waterview opportunity, by means of a public viewing platform at the highest level of any structure on the property. Minimum area of the platform shall be 50 square feet. Railings around the platform may exceed the maximum height permitted for the structure. The platform shall be open to the public. | |||
d. Harbor access opportunity, by means of a public fishing pier extending out to the mean lower low water and connected by a minimum five-foot-wide public pathway to the frontage street. A minimum of 10 feet of open water shall surround the fishing pier. | |||
e. Harbor access opportunity, by means of a public small boat landing available for transient use by rowboats, canoes, dinghies, etc., extending out to mean lower low water and connected by a five-foot-wide public pathway to the frontage street. A minimum of 10 feet of open water shall surround the small boat landing. | |||
f. Harbor access opportunity, by means of a public transient moorage for up to two 30-foot boats and which must have a minimum water depth of eight feet and which must be easily accessible to visiting boats and posted with signage which can be read at a distance of 100 feet. | |||
1An undersized lot or parcel shall qualify as a building site if such lot is a lot of record at the time this chapter became effective.
3Separation between structures is not required upon lots or parcels within the Finholm Market portion of the WC district which contain multiple structures and/or which abut the DB (downtown business) district.
4Historic net sheds as defined in GHMC 17.04.615 shall be excluded from the maximum gross floor area requirements.
5For structures existing as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section and located in the portion of the WC district which abuts the DB district, additional gross floor area may be added to a structure and the total gross floor area may exceed the maximum allowed; provided, that the additional gross floor area to be added is interior to the building and does not enlarge or expand the existing building footprint. Roof modifications to accommodate the increase in interior gross floor area are allowed provided the roof modifications do not exceed the building height allowed in GHMC 17.99.510. No additional parking spaces are required to accommodate the increase in gross floor area.
(Ord. 1551 § 18, 2025; Ord. 1393 § 7, 2018; Ord. 1347 § 40, 2016; Ord. 1307 § 47, 2014; Ord. 1275 § 1, 2013; Ord. 1070 § 6, 2007; Ord. 1008 § 4, 2005; Ord. 982 § 1, 2005; Ord. 975 § 60, 2004; Ord. 725 § 5, 1996; Ord. 710 § 56, 1996; Ord. 598 § 3, 1991; Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.045 Maximum building size.
Repealed by Ord. 1008. (Ord. 995 § 9, 2005).
17.50.050 Site plans.
The site plan review process established under Chapter 17.96 GHMC shall apply to all uses and development within this district. (Ord. 1197 § 28, 2010; Ord. 1197 § 28, 2010; Ord. 710 § 57, 1996; Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.060 Maximum height of structures.
In the WC district, all buildings and structures shall not exceed the height limits defined in GHMC 17.99.510(A)(2) and 17.99.510(B). (Ord. 1194 § 38, 2010; Ord. 975 § 61, 2004; Ord. 710 § 58, 1996; Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.070 Parking and loading facilities.
In a waterfront commercial district, parking and loading facilities on private property shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 17.72 GHMC. Although historic net sheds are excluded from the maximum gross floor area requirements in GHMC 17.50.040, this exclusion shall not affect the calculation of the parking requirements. (Ord. 1070 § 7, 2007; Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.080 Signs.
In a waterfront commercial district, all signs shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 17.80 GHMC. (Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).
17.50.090 Performance standards.
In a waterfront commercial district, performance standards are as follows:
A. Exterior Mechanical Devices. Air conditioners, heating, cooling and ventilating equipment, pumps and heaters and all other mechanical devices shall be screened.
B. Landscaping. Landscaping is required and shall be installed in conformance with Chapter 17.78 GHMC and/or by conditions of approval of discretionary applications required by this title; such landscaping shall be maintained in a neat manner. In no event shall such landscaped areas be used for storage of materials or parking of vehicles.
C. Outdoor Storage of Materials. The outdoor storage of materials, including but not limited to lumber, auto parts, household appliances, pipes, drums, machinery or furniture, is permitted as an incidental or accessory activity of a permitted use or the principal feature of a conditional use. Such storage shall be screened by a wall, fence, landscaping or structure from surrounding properties and streets.
D. Outdoor Lighting. Outdoor lighting shall conform to the standards of GHMC 17.99.350 and 17.99.460. Said lighting shall be shielded so that the direct illumination shall be confined to the property boundaries of the light source. Ground-mounted floodlighting and light projection above the horizontal plane are prohibited between midnight and sunrise. Temporary outdoor lighting intended to advertise a temporary promotional event shall be exempt from this requirement.
E. Design. All development in the WC district shall conform to the design and development standards contained in Chapter 17.99 GHMC.
F. Trash Receptacles. Trash receptacles shall be screened from view. Screening shall be complementary to the building design and materials. (Ord. 1307 § 48, 2014; Ord. 1194 § 39, 2010; Ord. 1086 § 24, 2007; Ord. 975 § 62, 2004; Ord. 573 § 2, 1990).