Kelso City Zoning Code

The West Kelso subarea plan is a resource document that may be a helpful reference source when reviewing these standards. In the event of a conflict between these provisions and the subarea plan, these provisions shall prevail unless otherwise determined by the city.

The city may approve alternative methods that meet or exceed these standards that are consistent with the provisions of the West Kelso subarea plan.

Project sponsors are encouraged to schedule a preapplication meeting with department of community development staff to discuss the applicability of these standards.

The construction of any new building, the substantial alteration of the exterior appearance of any structure, or the installation of any sign in the West Main pedestrian overlay must comply with the standards of this section.

Minor alterations, emergency repairs, ordinary maintenance and repairs, interior remodeling or decorations, as determined by the city, are exempt from the requirements of this pedestrian overlay.

Civic Spaces.

Buildings. New construction shall preserve and continue the traditional block development pattern of the city by creating buildings that follow in scale and proportion the traditional modularity of existing block faces with buildings constructed to street property lines and main pedestrian access to the building is from the street. New development and redevelopment shall be designed with the same scale and proportions as would be found within the traditional block pattern with buildings constructed to the property line and with pedestrian access from the street.

Architectural Elements and Materials.

Parking and Access.

The West Kelso subarea plan is a resource document that may be a helpful reference source when reviewing these standards. In the event of a conflict between these provisions and the subarea plan, these provisions shall prevail unless otherwise determined by the city.

The city may approve alternative methods that meet or exceed these standards that are consistent with the provisions of the West Kelso subarea plan.

Project sponsors are encouraged to schedule a preapplication meeting with department of community development staff to discuss the applicability of these standards.

Orient the building to the street or an internal courtyard that has direct physical access to the street.

Place parking to the side or rear of the building (no more than fifty percent of street/block frontage to be parking or vehicular access).

Provide landscaping (shrubs and trees) to screen foundation walls, soften the view of the building, and provide a transition between the street and building.

Provide at least one hundred fifty square feet per residential unit of usable open space for residents, including some or all of the following features:

Locate and design service elements, utility meters, and mechanical equipment to minimize negative visual, noise, odor, and physical impacts to the street environment, adjacent (on- and off-site) residents or other uses, and pedestrian areas.

Facade Articulation. Include articulation features at intervals that relate to the location/size of individual units within the building (or no more than every thirty feet) to break up the massing of the building and add visual interest and compatibility to the surrounding context. At least three of the following features shall be employed at intervals no greater than the unit interval or thirty feet (whichever is less).

Window Design. Buildings shall employ techniques to recess or project individual windows on the facade at least two inches from the facade or incorporate window trim at least four inches in width that features color that contrasts with the base building color.

The Southwest Washington Regional Airport master plan, as adopted by the city, is a resource document that may be a helpful reference source when reviewing these standards. In the event of a conflict between these provisions and the master plan, these provisions shall prevail unless otherwise determined by the city.

The city may approve alternative methods that meet or exceed these standards that are consistent with the provisions of the Southwest Washington Regional Airport master plan, as adopted by the city.

Horizontal Surface. A horizontal plane one hundred sixty-seven feet above mean sea level, the perimeter of which is constructed by swinging arcs of ten thousand feet radii from the center of each end of the ultimate primary surface (five hundred feet by five thousand seven hundred thirty feet) and connecting the adjacent arcs by lines tangent to those arcs.

Conical Surface. A horizontal plane extending from one hundred sixty-seven feet above mean sea level at a slope of twenty to one a distance of four thousand feet from the outer perimeter of the horizontal surface to an elevation of three hundred sixty-seven feet above mean sea level, the perimeter of which is constructed by swinging arcs of fourteen thousand feet radii from the center of each end of the ultimate primary surface (five hundred feet by five thousand seven hundred thirty feet) and connecting the adjacent arcs by lines tangent to those arcs.

Approach Surfaces. A horizontal plane longitudinally centered on the extended runway centerline commencing at the end of the primary surface of Runway End 11, and extending for a horizontal distance of five thousand one hundred feet at a slope of thirty-four to one to a final width of two thousand thirty feet at the interception of the horizontal surface; and a horizontal plane longitudinally centered on the extended runway centerline commencing at the end of the primary surface of Runway End 29, and extending for a horizontal distance of three thousand feet at a slope of twenty to one to a final width of one thousand feet at the interception of the horizontal surface.

Transitional Surfaces. These surfaces extend outward and upward at right angles to the runway centerline and the runway centerline extended at a slope of twenty to one from the sides of the primary surface and from the sides of the approach surfaces until intersecting the horizontal surface.

The height of structures and objects of natural growth;

Conditions or activities that may cause electronic interference with air navigation communication systems;

Lights that may interfere with the airport lighting system;

Conditions or activities that produce levels of smoke, dust or glare that would interfere with the safety of airport operations;

Conditions or activities that would create congregations of birds, which would create a hazard for operating aircraft.

No building, pipe, chimney, steeple, stand, platform, pole, wire or erected manmade structures or object of natural growth, or obstruction of any kind or nature whatsoever, shall be built, placed, hung or permitted to grow or allowed to be built, placed or hung which shall at any point or part thereof exceed the height limits as determined by applying the geometry as set forth in the horizontal and conical approach and transitional surfaces as stated in this section.

No searchlights, beacon lights or other glaring lights that can be seen from overhead shall be used, maintained or operated within one-half mile of the airport as measured in all compass directions from the respective outer edge of airport property.

No use shall locate within the airport zone that will generate electromagnetic radiation that will cause interference between overhead aircraft and the ground control tower.

Any land use or activity that produces smoke or haze to a degree that would interfere with normal air-craft operations shall not locate within the airport zone.

Any land use or activity that may produce bird strike hazards in the air spaces identified in this section is prohibited.

No structure or obstruction shall be rebuilt, repaired or replaced where such repairing, rebuilding or replacement constitutes a major or extensive alteration of any structure or obstruction, except in compliance with the provisions of this title.

For the reasons stated in the recitals in the ordinance codified in this chapter, a person shall not use any property or premises for a sexually oriented business within the city except and only subject to all regulations, conditions, and within such geographical locations as are enumerated in the ordinance codified in this chapter.

No sexually oriented business shall locate within a distance of six hundred feet of an existing youth oriented business or activity. Such distance shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest property line of the existing youth-oriented business to the nearest property line of the site upon which the proposed sexually oriented business proposes to locate.

Regulated Uses. The following sexually oriented businesses and marijuana retail businesses as defined in this title are subject to the provisions and regulations contained in this chapter:

Adult Bookstores Not Incorporating Arcade Uses—Requirements. Adult bookstores, adult novelty stores or adult video stores not including or incorporating into the business conduct those activities described in the definition of adult arcade may locate or continue to operate within commercial zones of the city, as well as the adult oriented business overlay; provided, however, such businesses locating within a commercial zone shall be subject to the following additional requirements: No building or structure used for an adult bookstore, adult novelty store or adult video store as defined in this title shall locate closer than one thousand two hundred feet from any other building or structure used for such purpose, nor shall such a business locate within six hundred feet of an existing church or school building, as measured in all compass directions from the exterior wall of the existing building to the closest property line of the subject building.

Building Facades. All sexually oriented business building facades, exteriors, and exits must be indistinguishable from surrounding buildings; illustrations depicting partially or totally nude males and/ or females shall not be posted or painted on any exterior wall of a building used for a sexually oriented business, or on any door or apparatus attached to such building.

Parking and Lighting Regulations for Sexually Oriented Businesses. On-site parking shall be required and regulated in accordance with the general requirements of this title, and in addition shall meet the following requirements: