This title shall be known and may be cited as the Redmond Zoning Code (RZC).

The RZC is enacted under the authority granted to the City of Redmond by the Constitution of the State of Washington, the Optional Municipal Code (RCW Title 35A), and other sections of the Revised Code of Washington.

The intent of the RZC is to provide regulations by which the citizens of the City can guide the development of their community in a logical and orderly manner, maintain a quality environment and provide for the conservation, protection and enhancement of the public health, safety and general welfare. The RZC provides for the implementation of the goals and policies of the Redmond Comprehensive Plan through the adoption, administration and enforcement of zoning maps, regulations, procedures, and programs.

The RZC provides the basis for designating land use zones, applying development and shoreline requirements, and regulating development in all areas of the City and provides pre-annexation zoning for areas presently outside the City but that may be annexed to the City in the future.

The provisions of the RZC are declared to be severable. If any provision of the RZC or any code or document adopted by reference herein is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining provisions of the RZC. If any provision of the RZC is adjudged invalid or unconstitutional as applied to a particular property, use, building or other structure, the application of such portion of the RZC to other properties, uses, buildings, or structures shall not be affected.

The Redmond Municipal Code (RMC) grants the Technical Committee authority to adopt and amend technical regulations and standards in order to implement the provisions of the RZC and to govern construction details and the operation and maintenance of infrastructure required for development. These technical regulations and standards are found in the appendices to the RZC. Upon adoption by the Technical Committee, the appendices have the force of law and shall be complied with by all developers and property owners. In the event of any conflict between the appendices and the provisions of the RZC, the RZC shall control.

The RZC is part of a comprehensive program of regulation related to land use and development within the City. The Redmond Municipal Code (RMC) contains other regulations that relate, directly or indirectly, to land use and development, including but not limited to, RMC Chapter 1.16, Annexation Procedures, RMC Title 15, Buildings and Construction, RMC Chapter 3.10, Impact Fees, and RMC 6.36, Noise Standards. In order to understand all of the regulations that may relate to land use and development, readers are advised to consult both the RZC and the RMC.

A series of user guides have been developed to help users apply and understand various sections of the RZC. These guides may be obtained by contacting the Development Services Center. The user guides are created on an administrative basis and may be modified as such. Such user guides shall not be considered as part of the RZC.