1. Nothing in this Section and SMC 21.09.070 shall prevent interpretations related to the applicability of specific regulatory requirements contained within the Sammamish Municipal Code to individual projects.

2. Further, nothing in this Section or SMC 21.09.070 shall preclude the Director or Hearing Examiner from interpreting a regulatory requirement during the course of a public hearing.

1. In case of inconsistency or conflict, regulations, conditions, or procedural requirements that are specific to an individual land use shall supersede regulations, conditions, or procedural requirements of general application.

2. A land use includes the necessary structures to support the use, unless specifically prohibited or the context clearly indicates otherwise.

3. In case of any ambiguity, difference of meaning, or implication between the text and any heading, caption, or illustration, the text and the permitted use tables in Chapter 21.05 SMC shall control. All applicable requirements shall govern a use whether or not they are cross-referenced in a text section or land use table.

4. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, words in the present tense shall include past and future tense, and words in the singular shall include the plural, or vice versa. Except for words and terms defined in this Title, all words and terms used in this Title shall have their customary meanings.

5. A written interpretation by the Director of the provisions of the Sammamish Municipal Code clarifies conflicting or ambiguous wording, or the scope or intent of the provisions of the code. The written interpretation shall control application of the code sections discussed in it to any specific land use application.

6. Written interpretations issued for regulatory requirements that have been legislatively modified, repealed, or otherwise substantially changed, shall be considered null and void.

7. Any written interpretation shall not be applied retroactively, unless specifically required by the terms of the interpretation.

8. Whenever a reference is made to the Sammamish Municipal Code or to any portion of that code, the reference applies to all amendments, corrections and additions adopted by the City Council, regardless of whether such amendments, corrections and additions have been incorporated into the text of the Sammamish Municipal Code by means of codification.

1. All references to the standard industrial classification (SIC) are to the titles and descriptions found in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1987 Edition, prepared by the United States Office of Management and Budget that is hereby adopted by reference. The SIC is used, with modifications to suit the purposes of this Title, to list and define land uses authorized to be located in the various zones, consistent with the Comprehensive Plan land use map.

2. The SIC categorizes each land use under a general two-digit major group number, or under a more specific three- or four-digit industry group or industry number. A use shown on a land use table with a two-digit number includes all uses listed in the SIC for that major group. A use shown with a three-digit or four-digit number includes only the uses listed in the SIC for that industry group or industry.

3. An asterisk (*) in the SIC number column of a land use table means that the SIC definition for the specific land use identified has been modified by this Title. The definition may include one or more SIC sub-classification numbers, or may define the use without reference to the SIC.

4. The Director shall determine whether a proposed land use not specifically listed in a land use table or specifically included within a SIC classification is allowed in a zone. The Director’s determination shall be based on whether or not permitting the proposed use in a particular zone is consistent with the purposes of this Title and the zone’s purpose as set forth in SMC 21.04.020, by considering the following factors:

1. Where boundaries are indicated as paralleling the approximate centerline of the street right-of-way, the zone shall extend to each adjacent boundary of the right-of-way. Non-road-related uses by adjacent property owners, if allowed in the right-of-way, shall meet the same zoning requirements regulating the property owner’s lot;

2. Where boundaries are indicated as approximately following lot lines, the actual lot lines shall be considered the boundaries;

3. Where boundaries are indicated as following lines of ordinary high water, or government meander line, the lines shall be considered to be the actual boundaries. If these lines should change the boundaries shall be considered to move with them; and

4. If none of the rules of interpretation described in subsections 1. through 3. of this section apply, then the zoning boundary shall be determined by map scaling. (Ord. O2021-540 § 2 (Att. A))

1. The purpose and intent statements of the Chapters in question;

2. Consistency with other regulatory requirements governing the same or a similar situation;

3. The legislative direction of the City Council, if any, provided with the adoption the code sections in question;

4. The policy direction provided by the Sammamish Comprehensive Plan, or other adopted policy documents;

5. Relevant judicial actions related to the interpretation;

6. Expected result or effect of the interpretation; and

7. Previous implementation of the regulatory requirements governing the situation.

1. A brief summary of the issue that requires an interpretation by the Director;

2. The context of the interpretation, if not included or implied from the summary;

3. Citation of the decision basis from subsection A of this section; and

4. The interpretation, signature, and date.

1. Land contained in rights-of-way for streets or alleys, or railroads shall be considered unclassified, except when such areas are specifically designated on the zoning map as being classified in one of the zones provided in this Title.

2. Uses within street or alley rights-of-way shall be limited to street purposes as defined by law.

3. Within railroad rights-of-way, allowed uses shall be limited to tracks, signals, or other operating devices, movement of rolling stock, utility lines and equipment, and facilities accessory to and used directly for the delivery and distribution of services to abutting property.

4. Where such right-of-way is vacated, the vacated area shall have the zone classification of the adjoining property with which it is first merged. (Ord. O2021-540 § 2 (Att. A))