It is a goal of the city to provide or permit for adequate school facilities and public lands for its residents, thereby enhancing the quality of life and community in the city. In recognition of this fact, there is hereby established a schools and public lands zone to ensure that adequate land is available for these facilities.

(Ord. 876 §78, 1999).

The essential function of the schools and public lands zone is to provide areas used or intended to be used for schools and/or publicly owned facilities and to regulate development in accordance with the Medical Lake comprehensive plan. Public facilities are defined in RCW 36.70A.030(12) as streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, street and road lighting systems, traffic signals, domestic water systems, storm and sanitary sewer systems, parks and recreational facilities and schools.

(Ord. 876 §79, 1999).

The following uses are permitted in the schools and public lands zone:

(1)

Government administrative facilities;

(2)

Maintenance facilities and storage areas associated with permitted schools and/or public lands;

(3)

Parochial, public and private elementary, middle, high schools, junior colleges, colleges and/or universities and related lands;

(4)

Fire stations and related training facilities;

(5)

Community centers and community recreation halls;

(6)

Parks and open spaces for active or passive recreation or enjoyment;

(7)

Signs in accordance with MLMC Chapter 17.39, Signs;

(8)

Fences and hedges in accordance to Chapter 17.40, Fences and Hedges;

(9)

Wireless communication service facilities in accordance to Chapter 17.52, Wireless Communications Facilities.

(Ord. 876 §80, 1999).

Unless otherwise stipulated in this chapter, all property uses permitted in the schools and public lands district, at a minimum, shall conform to the following development standards:

(1)

Lot Size and Coverage.

(A)

Minimum lot size is six thousand square feet.

(B)

Minimum lot width is sixty feet at the building line, and having not less than fifty feet of street frontage.

(C)

Maximum lot coverage is thirty-five percent.

(2)

Minimum Setback Requirements.

(A)

Front Yard. Minimum front yard setback is fifteen feet.

(B)

Interior Side Yard. Minimum interior side yard setback is five feet.

(C)

Corner Side Yard. Minimum corner side yard setback is ten feet.

(D)

Rear Yard. Minimum rear yard setback is fifteen feet.

(3)

Maximum building height of thirty-five feet. The following types of structures or structural parts are not subject to the maximum building height limitation: aerials, chimneys, church spires, cupolas, domes, fire and hose towers, flagpoles, monuments, radio or television antennas, communication towers and associated antennas, water towers and other similar projections.

(4)

Off-street parking in accordance with Chapter 17.36, Off-Street Parking.

(5)

Landscaping in accordance with Chapter 17.37. Landscaping.

(Ord. 876 §81, 1999).

(a)

The following development standards may be modified by the Medical Lake hearing examiner pursuant to the provisions of MLMC Chapter 2.80.

(1)

Building setbacks;

(2)

Height of building or structure;

(3)

Lot size;

(4)

Lot width.

(b)

Standards which may not be modified or altered by this process are:

(1)

Shoreline regulations when the property is located in an area under the jurisdiction of the city shoreline management program;

(2)

Standards pertaining to development in environmentally sensitive areas;

(3)

Regulations pertaining to nonconforming uses.

(c)

Basis for Approval of Alternative Development Standards. Approval of alternative development standards in school and public lands zone differs from the variance procedure described in Chapter 17.48 of the Medical Lake Municipal Code in that rather than being based upon a hardship or unusual circumstance related to a specific property, the approval of alternative development standards proposed shall be based upon the criteria listed in this paragraph. In evaluating a request which proposes to modify the development standards of the proposal, the hearing examiner shall consider and base the decision upon the ability of the proposal to satisfy the following criteria:

(1)

The proposals compatibility with surrounding properties, especially related to:

(A)

Landscaping and buffering of buildings, parking, loading and storage areas,

(B)

Public safety,

(C)

Site access, on-site circulation and off-street parking,

(D)

Light and shadow impacts,

(E)

Generation of nuisance irritants such as noise, smoke, dust, odor, glare, vibration or other undesirable impacts,

(F)

Architectural design of buildings and harmonious use of materials;

(2)

The unique characteristics of the subject property;

(3)

The unique characteristics of the proposed use(s);

(4)

The arrangement of buildings and open spaces as they relate to various uses within or adjacent to the planned development;

(5)

Visual impact of the development upon the surrounding area;

(6)

Public improvements proposed in connection with the proposal;

(7)

Preservation of unique natural features of the property;

(8)

The public benefit derived by allowing the proposed alteration of development standards.

(d)

This request for alternative development standards is processed as a Type III review with the hearing examiner holding the hearing and making the final decision. The Type III review process is found in MLMC Section 19.270.040, Type III reviews.

(e)

For an alternative development standards application to be deemed complete, the following must be submitted:

(1)

An appropriate city application form;

(2)

A written description of the proposal;

(3)

A site plan;

(4)

Any studies, reports, or documentation to support the request;

(5)

A written response to the approval criteria of MLMC Section 17.27.050(c) above;

(6)

A SEPA checklist unless the proposal is exempt from SEPA; and

(7)

The applicable fee.

(Ord. 876 §82, 1999).

(Ord. No. 1130, § 43, 11-19-2024)

Editor's note— Sec. 44 of Ord. No. 1130, adopted November 19, 2024, deleted § 17.27.070, which pertained to appeal process, and derived from Ord. 873, 1999.