Olympia City Zoning Code
Complete index of all zoning chapters, sections, and subsections
ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sections
- 18.02 Basic Provisions
- 18.02.020 Title
- 18.02.040 Purpose
- 18.02.060 Scope
- 18.02.080 Interpretations
- 18.02.100 Authority and comprehensive plan consistency
- 18.02.120 General requirements
- 18.02.130 Vesting of applications
- 18.02.140 Severability
- 18.02.160 Establishment of zoning districts
- 18.02.170 Interpretations of terms
- 18.02.180 Definitions Revised 10/25
ARTICLE II
LAND USE DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.04 Residential Districts
- 18.04.020 Purposes
- 18.04.040 TABLES: Permitted and Conditional Uses
- 18.04.040 Permitted, conditional and prohibited uses
- 18.04.060 Residential districts’ use standards
- 18.04.080 TABLES: Residential Development Standards
- 18.04.080 Residential districts development standards
- 18.04.090 Additional regulations
- 18.05 Villages and Centers
- 18.05.020 Purposes
- 18.05.040 TABLES: Permitted, Conditional and Required Uses
- 18.05.040 Permitted, conditional, required and prohibited uses
- 18.05.050 General standards
- 18.05.060 Use standards
- 18.05.080 TABLES: Commercial Development Standards
- 18.05.080 Development standards
- 18.05.080 TABLES: Residential Development Standards
- 18.05.100 Additional regulations
- 18.05.120 Briggs Village
- 18.05.140 Woodbury Crossing Village
- 18.05.170 Village at Mill Pond
- 18.05A Urban Village, Neighborhood Village, Neighborhood Center and Community Oriented Shopping Center Design Guidelines
- 18.05A.010 How to use design criteria
- 18.05A.020 Site design –Streets, trails and open space
- 18.05A.030 Site design –Location and use of centers and common open spaces
- 18.05A.040 Site design –Gateways and focal points
- 18.05A.050 Site design –Pedestrian/sidewalk orientation
- 18.05A.060 Site design –Fences and walls adjacent to pedestrian scale streets
- 18.05A.070 Building design –Commercial and mixed use
- 18.05A.080 Building design –Creation of human scale
- 18.05A.090 Building design –Building wall finishes for stand alone and corner site buildings
- 18.05A.095 Building design –Drive-through facilities
- 18.05A.100 Landscape design for villages, commercial and mixed use areas
- 18.05A.110 Landscape design –Screening
- 18.05A.120 Landscape design –Existing trees
- 18.05A.130 Signs –Attached to the building
- 18.05A.140 Signs –Freestanding
- 18.05A.150 Site design –Orientation
- 18.05A.160 Site design –Parking location and design
- 18.05A.170 Site design –Mailboxes, site lighting and bus stops
- 18.05A.180 Site Design –Screening
- 18.05A.190 Building design –Neighborhood scale
- 18.05A.200 Building design –Privacy
- 18.05A.210 Building design –Facade, footprint and roof articulation
- 18.05A.220 Building design –Entries
- 18.05A.225 Building design - Windows
- 18.05A.230 Building design –Materials and colors
- 18.05A.240 Signs
- 18.05A.250 Duplex, triplex, etc.-Applicability
- 18.05A.260 Building design –Roof form and architectural detail
- 18.05A.270 Building design –Entries
- 18.05A.280 Building design –Garage design
- 18.05A.290 Building design –Materials and colors
- 18.05A.300 Site and building design –Privacy
- 18.05A.310 Building design –Entry features
- 18.05A.320 Building design –Materials and colors
- 18.05A.330 Site design –Cottage housing
- 18.06 Commercial Districts Revised 7/25
- 18.06.020 Purposes
- 18.06.040 TABLES: Permitted and Conditional Uses
- 18.06.040 Permitted, conditional and prohibited uses
- 18.06.060 Commercial districts’ use standards
- 18.06.080 Commercial districts’ development standards (General)
- 18.06.080 TABLES: Commercial Districts’ Development Standards Revised 7/25
- 18.06.100 Commercial districts’ development standards--Specific Revised 7/25
- 18.06.120 Additional regulations
- 18.08 Industrial Districts
ARTICLE III
OVERLAY DISTRICTS
Sections
- 18.10 Height Overlay Districts
- 18.12 Historic Preservation
- 18.12.020 General Purpose and Intent
- 18.12.040 Heritage Commission Creation and Size
- 18.12.045 Heritage Commission Composition
- 18.12.050 Heritage Commission Term of Appointment
- 18.12.055 Heritage Commission Powers and Duties
- 18.12.065 Heritage Commission Compensation
- 18.12.070 Heritage Commission Rules and Officers
- 18.12.075 Heritage Commission Staff
- 18.12.080 Heritage Register - Criteria to Designate Property
- 18.12.085 Heritage Register - Process to Designate Property to the Heritage Register or Historic District
- 18.12.090 Heritage Register - Alteration and Construction
- 18.12.100 Demolition of a Historic Building or a Contributing Historic District Property
- 18.12.110 Removal of Designation
- 18.12.120 Cultural Resources
- 18.12.130 Tribal and Agency Consultation on Development Review
- 18.12.140 Cultural Resource Protection
- 18.16 Pedestrian Street Overlay District
- 18.20 Shoreline Master Program Regulations
- 18.20.100 Applicability
- 18.20.110 Relationship to Other Plans and Regulations
- 18.20.120 Interpretation and Definitions
- 18.20.200 General Permit and Authorization Provisions
- 18.20.210 Shoreline Substantial Development Permits
- 18.20.215 Exceptions to Local Review
- 18.20.220 Exemptions from Shoreline Substantial Development Permit
- 18.20.230 Shoreline Conditional Use Permits
- 18.20.240 Shoreline Variances
- 18.20.250 Unclassified Uses
- 18.20.260 Submittal Requirements
- 18.20.270 Inspections
- 18.20.280 Shoreline Permit Procedures
- 18.20.285 Amendments
- 18.20.290 Appeals of Administrative Decisions
- 18.20.295 Fees
- 18.20.300 Shoreline Jurisdiction
- 18.20.310 Official Shoreline Map
- 18.20.320 Shoreline Environment Designations
- 18.20.330 Shoreline Environment Purposes
- 18.20.400 General Regulations – Intent
- 18.20.410 No-Net-Loss and Mitigation
- 18.20.420 Critical Areas
- 18.20.430 Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources
- 18.20.440 Parking
- 18.20.450 Public Access
- 18.20.460 Design of Public Access
- 18.20.470 Scientific and Educational Activities
- 18.20.480 Signage Regulations
- 18.20.490 Vegetation Conservation Areas - Intent
- 18.20.492 General Vegetation Conservation Regulations
- 18.20.493 Permitted Uses and Activities within Vegetation Conservation Areas
- 18.20.494 Alterations to Existing Development
- 18.20.495 Vegetation Conservation Area Standards
- 18.20.496 Vegetation Management Plan
- 18.20.500 View Protection - Intent
- 18.20.504 View Protection Regulations
- 18.20.507 Visual Impact Assessment
- 18.20.510 Water Quality
- 18.20.600 Shoreline Use and Development – Intent
- 18.20.610 General Use and Development Provisions
- 18.20.620 Use and Development Standards Tables
- 18.20.630 Agriculture
- 18.20.640 Aquaculture
- 18.20.650 Boating Facilities - General Regulations
- 18.20.652 Boat Launch Ramps
- 18.20.654 Marinas
- 18.20.656 Boat Storage
- 18.20.658 Covered Moorage
- 18.20.660 Commercial Use and Development – General
- 18.20.663 Water-Oriented Commercial Use and Development
- 18.20.667 Non-Water-Oriented Commercial Use and Development
- 18.20.670 Industrial Development
- 18.20.680 Recreation
- 18.20.690 Residential Use and Development
- 18.20.700 Transportation and Trail Facilities
- 18.20.710 Utilities
- 18.20.800 Shoreline Modifications – General Provisions
- 18.20.810 Permitted Shoreline Modifications
- 18.20.820 Dredging
- 18.20.830 Fill
- 18.20.833 Shoreland Fill
- 18.20.837 Fill Water-ward of Ordinary High Water Mark
- 18.20.840 General Moorage (Piers, Docks, Floats, and Buoys) Provisions
- 18.20.842 Moorage Buoys
- 18.20.844 Residential Docks, Piers or Floats
- 18.20.846 Marine Docks and Piers
- 18.20.847 Fresh Water Docks and Piers
- 18.20.848 Float Standards
- 18.20.850 Shoreline Restoration and Enhancement – Intent
- 18.20.855 Shoreline Restoration and Enhancement - General Provisions
- 18.20.857 Instream Structures
- 18.20.860 Shoreline Stabilization - Intent
- 18.20.862 Shoreline Stabilization - New Development
- 18.20.864 New or Expanded Shoreline Stabilization Measures
- 18.20.866 Shoreline Stabilization - Replacement and Repair
- 18.20.868 Design of Shoreline Stabilization Measures
- 18.20.870 Shoreline Stabilization Reports
- 18.20.872 Breakwaters, Jetties, Groins, and Weirs – General Provisions
- 18.20.874 Breakwaters, Jetties, Groins, and Weirs - Environment Designations
- 18.20.900 Existing Buildings and Uses within Shorelines
- 18.20.910 Alteration of Nonconforming Structures in Shoreline Jurisdiction
- 18.20.920 Existing Nonconforming Shoreline Uses
- 18.20.930 Existing Nonconforming Shoreline Lots
ARTICLE IV
GENERAL REGULATIONS
Sections
- 18.32 Critical Areas
- 18.32.100 General Provisions – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.105 General Provisions – Critical Area Development Regulations
- 18.32.110 General Provisions – Application of Critical Area Regulations
- 18.32.111 General Provisions – Exemptions
- 18.32.112 General Provisions – Public Agency and Utility Exception
- 18.32.115 General Provisions – Applicant Requirements
- 18.32.120 General Provisions – Application Form for Critical Areas Review
- 18.32.125 General Provisions – Department Requirements
- 18.32.130 General Provisions – Hearing Examiner Role
- 18.32.135 General Provisions – Mitigation Sequencing and General Measures
- 18.32.136 General Provisions – Mitigation Plan Requirements
- 18.32.140 General Provisions – Critical Area Tracts
- 18.32.145 General Provisions – Signs and Fencing
- 18.32.150 General Provisions – Notice on Title
- 18.32.155 General Provisions – Authorized Activity Time Period
- 18.32.160 General Provisions – Application of Multiple Development Regulations
- 18.32.165 General Provisions – Emergency Actions
- 18.32.170 General Provisions – Critical Area Maps
- 18.32.175 General Provisions – Unauthorized Alterations and Enforcement
- 18.32.200 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.205 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Applicability and Designation
- 18.32.210 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Exempt Uses and Activities
- 18.32.215 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Prohibited Uses and Activities
- 18.32.220 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Administratively Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.225 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Minimum Mitigation Standards
- 18.32.230 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Hydrogeological Report
- 18.32.235 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Existing Uses
- 18.32.240 Drinking Water (Wellhead) Protection Areas – Farm Conservation Plan
- 18.32.300 Important Habitats and Species – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.305 Important Habitats and Species – Applicability and Definition
- 18.32.315 Important Habitats and Species – Authority
- 18.32.320 Important Habitats and Species – Buffers
- 18.32.327 Process to Identify Additional Locally Important Habitat and Species1
- 18.32.328 Locally Important Habitat and Species – Definitions and Performance Standards
- 18.32.330 Important Habitats and Species – Management Plan
- 18.32.400 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.405 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Applicability and Definition
- 18.32.410 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Typing System
- 18.32.420 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Exempt Uses and Activities
- 18.32.425 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Administratively Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.430 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Hearing Examiner Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.435 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Buffers
- 18.32.440 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Special Reports
- 18.32.445 Streams and Priority Riparian Areas – Biological Assessment
- 18.32.500 Wetlands – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.505 Wetlands – Definition
- 18.32.510 Wetlands – Rating System
- 18.32.515 Wetlands – Small Wetlands
- 18.32.520 Wetlands – Exempt Uses and Activities
- 18.32.525 Wetlands – Administratively Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.530 Wetlands – Hearing Examiner Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.535 Wetlands – Wetland Buffers
- 18.32.540 Wetlands – Preference of Mitigation Actions
- 18.32.545 Wetlands – Wetland Mitigation Requirements
- 18.32.550 Wetlands – Replacement Ratios
- 18.32.555 Wetlands – Increase and Reduction to Replacement Ratios
- 18.32.565 Wetlands – Mitigation Timing
- 18.32.570 Wetlands – Mitigation Banks and In-lieu Fee
- 18.32.575 Wetlands – Special Reports
- 18.32.580 Wetlands – Wetland Boundary Delineation
- 18.32.590 Wetlands – Wetland Mitigation Report
- 18.32.595 Wetlands – Wetland Compensation Mitigation Plan
- 18.32.600 Geological Hazard Areas – Purpose and Intent
- 18.32.603 Geological Hazard Areas – Mapping
- 18.32.605 Geological Hazard Areas – Alterations
- 18.32.610 Landslide Hazard Areas – Applicability and Definition
- 18.32.615 Landslide Hazard Areas – Exempt Uses and Activities
- 18.32.620 Landslide Hazard Areas – Administratively Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.625 Landslide Hazard Areas – Hearing Examiner Authorized Uses and Activities
- 18.32.630 Landslide Hazard Areas – Buffers
- 18.32.635 Landslide Hazard Areas – Special Reports
- 18.32.640 Landslide Hazard Areas – Geotechnical Report
- 18.32.645 Landslide Hazard Areas – Covenant
- 18.32.650 Erosion Hazard Areas – Description
- 18.32.655 Erosion Hazard Areas – Protection Measures
- 18.32.660 Seismic Hazard Areas – Description
- 18.32.665 Seismic Hazard Areas – Alterations
- 18.36 Landscaping and Screening
- 18.36.020 Purpose
- 18.36.040 Applicability
- 18.36.060 General requirements
- 18.36.080 Landscape plan requirements
- 18.36.100 Alternative landscape plans
- 18.36.120 Conflicting requirements
- 18.36.140 Residential landscape requirements
- 18.36.160 Commercial landscape requirements
- 18.36.180 Parking lot landscape and screening
- 18.36.190 Landscape Requirements for Antennas and Wireless Communications Facilities
- 18.36.200 Performance assurance
- 18.36.220 Maintenance
- 18.37 Nonconforming and Conforming Buildings and Uses
- 18.38 Parking and Loading Revised 7/25
- 18.38.020 Purpose
- 18.38.040 Applicability
- 18.38.060 Parking and loading general regulations
- 18.38.080 Administrative modifications1
- 18.38.100 Vehicular and bicycle parking standards Revised 7/25
- 18.38.140 Loading berths required
- 18.38.160 Specific zone district requirements2
- 18.38.180 Shared Parking Facility
- 18.38.200 Parking facility location
- 18.38.220 Design standards-General
- 18.38.240 District design standards
- 18.40 Property Development and Protection Standards
- 18.41 Latecomer Agreements
- 18.43 Signs
- 18.43.010 Purpose
- 18.43.020 Applicability
- 18.43.030 Permits and Authorization
- 18.43.040 Exemptions
- 18.43.050 Prohibited Signs
- 18.43.060 General Sign Standards
- 18.43.070 Permanent Sign Types and Standards
- 18.43.080 Commercial Message Temporary Sign Types and Standards
- 18.43.085 Noncommercial Message Temporary Sign Types and Standards
- 18.43.090 Sign Zones
- 18.43.100 Downtown Sign Zone
- 18.43.110 Auto Mall Sign Zone
- 18.43.120 Business and Corridor Sign Zone
- 18.43.130 Residential Sign Zone
- 18.43.140 Master Sign Plans
- 18.43.150 Nonconforming Signs
- 18.43.160 Violations
- 18.44 Antennas and Wireless Communications Facilities
- 18.44.020 Purpose and Intent
- 18.44.040 Applicability - Types of Facilities and Actions
- 18.44.060 Exempt Installations
- 18.44.080 Siting Alternatives Hierarchy
- 18.44.090 Permitted Wireless Communication Facilities by Zoning District
- 18.44.100 Development Standards
- 18.44.110 Approval Process
- 18.44.120 Interference with Public Safety Communications
- 18.46 Eligible Wireless Communication Facilities Modifications
ARTICLE V
DISCRETIONARY APPROVALS
Sections
- 18.50 Emergency Housing Facilities
- 18.51 State-Licensed Marijuana Producers, Processors, and Retailers
- 18.53 Development Agreements
- 18.54 Planned Unit Development (PUD)
- 18.56 Planned Residential Development (PRD)
- 18.57 Master Planned Development (MPD)
- 18.59 Olympia Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process
- 18.59.010 Plan amendment procedures
- 18.59.020 Preliminary review and evaluation criteria
- 18.59.030 Council approval of final docket
- 18.59.040 Final review and evaluation
- 18.59.050 Decision criteria for rezone requests
- 18.59.055 Consistency between the zoning map and the future land use map
- 18.59.060 Planning Commission and City Council review and adoption process
- 18.59.070 Timing and exemptions
- 18.64 Townhouses
- 18.66 Variances and Unusual Uses
ARTICLE VI
ADMINISTRATION
Sections
- 18.70 Administration – Procedures for Land Use Permits and Decisions
- 18.70.010 Purpose and intent
- 18.70.020 Applicability
- 18.70.030 General provisions Revised 3/25
- 18.70.040 Permit application procedures and types Revised 3/25
- 18.70.050 Decision and appeal authorities Revised 3/25
- 18.70.060 Permit review time periods Revised 3/25
- 18.70.070 Expiration of approvals Revised 3/25
- 18.70.100 Vesting
- 18.70.110 Optional consolidated permitting process
- 18.70.120 Determination of completeness
- 18.70.130 Notice of application
- 18.70.140 Notice of hearing
- 18.70.150 Joint public hearing
- 18.70.160 Notice of decision
- 18.70.170 Appeals
- 18.70.180 Conditional uses
- 18.70.190 Rezones and text amendments
- 18.73 Civil and Criminal Penalty
- 18.76 Design Review Board
- 18.82 Hearing Examiner
- 18.82.020 Purpose
- 18.82.040 Hearing examiner selection
- 18.82.060 Qualification and removal
- 18.82.080 Improper influence, conflict of interest and appearance of fairness
- 18.82.100 Organization, rules
- 18.82.120 Authority
- 18.82.140 Applications
- 18.82.160 Effect of decision
- 18.82.180 Report of department
- 18.82.200 Public hearing
- 18.82.210 Hearing postponement
- 18.82.220 Hearing examiner’s decision
- 18.82.225 Reconsideration of hearing examiner decision
- 18.82.230 Clarification of hearing examiner decision
- 18.82.235 Standard of Review
- 18.82.240 Rezones – Recommendations
- 18.86 Neighborhood Association Recognition and Notification
- 18.90 Transfer of Development Rights
- 18.100 Design Review
- 18.105 Historic Structures and Buildings Within Historic Districts
- 18.110 Basic Commercial Design
- 18.110.020 Frontage
- 18.110.030 Connections
- 18.110.040 Fences and walls
- 18.110.050 Pedestrian amenities
- 18.110.060 View preservation
- 18.110.070 Building location and design
- 18.110.080 Maintaining human scale
- 18.110.090 Street walls
- 18.110.100 Windows
- 18.110.110 Projections into the right-of-way
- 18.110.120 Roofs
- 18.110.130 Corners
- 18.110.140 Consistency
- 18.110.150 Colors and materials
- 18.110.160 Lighting
- 18.110.170 Parking structures
- 18.110.180 Plant selection
- 18.110.190 Screening site services
- 18.110.200 Screening blank walls
- 18.120 Downtown Design Criteria
- 18.120.100 Introduction
- 18.120.110 Purpose
- 18.120.120 Applicability and procedures
- 18.120.130 Downtown design sub-districts
- 18.120.140 Designated street types
- 18.120.200 Site planning
- 18.120.210 INTRODUCTION
- 18.120.220 STREET FRONTS
- 18.120.230 Pedestrian circulation
- 18.120.240 Buildings with ground-related residential units
- 18.120.250 Multi-building and multi-block sites
- 18.120.260 Solid waste facilities, service areas, and mechanical equipment
- 18.120.270 Multifamily open space
- 18.120.280 Security
- 18.120.300 Site elements and design
- 18.120.310 Introduction
- 18.120.320 Parking areas
- 18.120.330 Pedestrian oriented open space
- 18.120.340 Landscaping
- 18.120.350 Walkways and circulation elements
- 18.120.360 Lighting
- 18.120.370 Other site features
- 18.120.400 Building design
- 18.120.410 Intent and exemptions
- 18.120.420 Building character
- 18.120.430 Registered historic district and sites
- 18.120.440 Architectural composition, massing, and articulation
- 18.120.450 Human scale building elements and details
- 18.120.460 Pedestrian oriented façades and weather protection
- 18.120.470 Materials and colors
- 18.120.480 Blank wall treatments
- 18.120.490 Above grade structured parking
- 18.130 Commercial Design Criteria High Density Corridor (HDC)
- 18.135 Commercial Design Criteria Residential Scale District
- 18.140 Commercial Design Review Auto Oriented District
- 18.145 Commercial Design Review Freeway Corridor District
- 18.155 West Bay Drive District
- 18.170 Multi-Family Residential
- 18.170.010 Grading and tree retention
- 18.170.020 Pedestrian and vehicular circulation
- 18.170.030 Parking location and design
- 18.170.040 Usable open space
- 18.170.050 Fences and walls
- 18.170.060 Landscape plant selection
- 18.170.070 Screening mechanical equipment
- 18.170.080 Site lighting
- 18.170.090 Screening blank walls and fences
- 18.170.100 Building orientation and entries
- 18.170.110 Neighborhood scale and character
- 18.170.120 Building modulation
- 18.170.130 Building windows
- 18.170.140 Materials and colors
- 18.175 Infill and Other Residential
- 18.175.020 Neighborhood Scale and Character
- 18.175.030 Building Orientation and Entries
- 18.175.040 Building Modulation and Articulation
- 18.175.050 Windows
- 18.175.060 Garage Design
- 18.175.070 Material and Colors
- 18.175.080 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU); Building Design
- 18.175.090 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU); Entry Features
- 18.175.100 Site Design; Cottage Housing
- 18.180 Manufactured Home Parks