search icon

Skamania County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

CHAPTER 21

67 WEST END SUBAREA FINAL ZONING

[1]
Editor's note—Ord. 2012-02, adopted May 1, 2012, amended Chapter 21.67 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Chapter 21.67, §§ 21.67.010—21.67.110, pertained to West End Interim Zoning and derived from Ord. 2010-08, Att. A, adopted Dec. 28, 2010.

§ 21.67.010 Applicability.

This chapter applies to all lands in that portion of unincorporated Skamania County located within Township 1 North, Range 5 East; Township 2 North, Range 5 East; Township 3 North, Range 5 East; Township 1 North, Range 6 East; Township 2 North, Range 6 East; Township 3 North, Range 6 East, Willamette Meridian, lying northerly of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Boundary and southerly of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Boundary, commonly known as the "West End" of the County and depicted on the Final West End Community Comprehensive Subarea Plan Map.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012)

§ 21.67.020 Effective date.

This chapter shall become effective upon adoption hereof by the board of county commissioners.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012)

§ 21.67.030 Zoning map.

A zoning map will be made a part of this chapter and shall be know as the "West End Zoning Map". The zoning map shall show the zone classifications assigned to specific parcels of property.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012)

§ 21.67.040 Relationship to balance of SCC Title 21.

Except to the extent that the provisions of this chapter are in conflict with or contradict the provisions of the balance of SCC Title 21, the provisions set out in SCC Title 21 shall remain in full force and effect in the West End Community Planning Area. When conflict arises, the provision of this chapter are controlling.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012)

§ 21.67.050 Zone classifications.

Zones shall be shown on the West End Zoning Map and its revisions. Where the abbreviated designation is used it has the same meaning as the entire zone classification title.
Abbreviated Designation/Zone Classification Title
Mapping Symbol
Rural Lands 2
RL2
Rural Lands 5
RL5
Rural Lands 10
RL10
West End Forest Lands 20
WE-FL20
West End Commercial Resource Lands 40
WE-CRL40
Neighborhood Commercial
NC
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012)

§ 21.67.060 Rural lands 2 zone classification (RL2).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The rural lands 2 (RL2) zone classification is intended to provide areas of lower residential density to preserve the rural character of the community. Typically rural lands are used to accommodate demands for rural living and to provide buffers between urban, agricultural, and forestry uses. These lands are proposed to be dividable into a minimum of two acres.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Single-family dwellings;
2. 
Public facilities and/or utility systems;
3. 
Residential care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.85);
4. 
Child care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.86);
5. 
Public or private schools (K-12);
6. 
Safe homes and/or shelter homes;
7. 
Cottage occupations (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
8. 
Light home industries (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
9. 
Professional services;
10. 
Religious facilities;
11. 
Commercial and domestic agriculture;
12. 
Forest practices and associated management activities of any forest crop, including but not limited to timber harvesting of forest resources (mushrooms, bear grass, boughs, berries, etc.), Christmas trees, and nursery stock;
13. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
14. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
15. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area);
16. 
Libraries;
17. 
Parks and/or public water access facilities;
18. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
19. 
Accessory uses normally associated with allowable uses.
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160).
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Meeting halls (such as civic, social, and fraternal organizations);
3. 
Commercial kennel facilities;
4. 
Auto repair yards, vehicle storage yards, and/or the sale of new and/or used automobiles, motorcycles, marine, recreational vehicles, and/or off-road vehicles. Provided the outdoor storage of nonfunctioning vehicles and parts thereof is fully screened from view from a roadway (public or private) and from adjacent properties under different ownership than the subject property;
5. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
6. 
Multifamily dwellings (up to two units);
7. 
Expansion of existing legally established mineral resource extraction and/or processing sites;
8. 
Expansion of existing legally established group camps.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012; Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)

§ 21.67.070 Rural lands 5 zone classification (RL5).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The rural lands 5 (RL5) zone classification is intended to provide areas of lower residential density to preserve the rural character of the community. Typically rural lands are used to accommodate demands for rural living and to provide buffers between urban, agricultural, and forestry uses. These lands are proposed to be dividable into a minimum of five acres.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Single-family dwellings;
2. 
Public facilities and/or utility systems;
3. 
Residential care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.85);
4. 
Child care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.86);
5. 
Public or private schools (K-12);
6. 
Safe homes and/or shelter homes;
7. 
Cottage occupations (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
8. 
Light home industries (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
9. 
Professional services;
10. 
Religious facilities;
11. 
Commercial and domestic agriculture;
12. 
Forest practices and associated management activities of any forest crop, including but not limited to timber harvest, harvesting of forest resources (mushrooms, bear grass, boughs, berries, etc.), Christmas trees, and nursery stock;
13. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
14. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
15. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area);
16. 
Libraries;
17. 
Parks and/or public water access facilities;
18. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
19. 
Accessory uses normally associated with an allowable use.
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160).
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Meeting halls (such as civic, social and fraternal organizations);
3. 
Commercial kennel facilities;
4. 
Auto repair yards, vehicle storage yards, and/or the sale of new and/or used automobiles, motorcycles, marine, recreational vehicles, and/or off-road vehicles. Provided the outdoor storage of nonfunctioning vehicles and parts thereof is fully screened from view from a roadway (public or private) and from adjacent properties under different ownership than the subject property;
5. 
Small- and large-scale recreational vehicle parks;
6. 
Multifamily dwellings (up to two units);
7. 
Expansion of existing legally established mineral resource extraction and/or processing sites;
8. 
Group camps.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012; Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2021-04, 11-30-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)

§ 21.67.080 Rural lands 10 zone classification (RL10).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The rural lands 10 (RL10) zone classification is intended to provide areas of lower residential density to preserve the rural character of the community. Typically rural lands are used to accommodate demands for rural living and to provide buffers between urban, agricultural, and forestry uses. These lands are proposed to be dividable into a minimum of ten acres.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Single-family dwellings;
2. 
Public facilities and/or utility systems;
3. 
Residential care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.85);
4. 
Child care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.86);
5. 
Public or private schools (K-12);
6. 
Safe homes and/or shelter homes;
7. 
Cottage occupations (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
8. 
Light home industries (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
9. 
Professional services;
10. 
Religious facilities;
11. 
Commercial and domestic agriculture;
12. 
Forest practices and associated management activities of any forest crop, including but not limited to timber harvest, harvesting of forest resources (mushrooms, bear grass, boughs, berries, etc.), Christmas trees, and nursery stock;
13. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
14. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
15. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area);
16. 
Libraries;
17. 
Parks and/or public water access facilities;
18. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
19. 
Accessory uses normally associated with an allowable use.
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160).
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Meeting halls (such as civic, social and fraternal organizations);
3. 
Commercial kennel facilities;
4. 
Auto repair yards, vehicle storage yards, and/or the sale of new and/or used automobiles, motorcycles, marine, recreational vehicles, and/or off-road vehicles. Provided the outdoor storage of nonfunctioning vehicles and parts thereof is fully screened from view from a roadway (public or private) and from adjacent properties under different ownership than the subject property;
5. 
Small- and large-scale recreational vehicle parks;
6. 
Multifamily dwellings (up to two units);
7. 
Expansion of existing legally established mineral resource extraction and/or processing sites;
8. 
Group camps.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2021-04, 11-30-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)

§ 21.67.090 West End Forest Lands 20 (WE-FL20).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The West End Forest Lands 20 (WE-FL20) zone classification is intended to provide land for present and future non-industrial forestry operations. A secondary purpose is to provide buffers between commercial resource lands and rural lands designations.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Forest practices and associated management activities of any forest crop, including but not limited to timber harvest, harvesting of forest resources (mushrooms, bear grass, boughs, berries, etc.), Christmas trees, and nursery stock;
2. 
Log sorting and storage areas, scaling stations, and forest industry storage and maintenance facilities, provided the intent of the processing is initial reduction in bulk and/or to facilitate transport of products to a secondary processing center. These uses shall not include commercial and manufacturing uses such as but not limited to: manufacture of finished wood products, such as furniture, lumber, or plywood, nor the retail sales of products from the site;
3. 
Commercial and domestic agriculture;
4. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
5. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
6. 
Storage of explosives, fuels and chemicals allowed by state and federal laws;
7. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
8. 
Public facilities and/or utility systems;
9. 
Group camps;
10. 
One single-family dwelling per legal lot of record;
11. 
Cottage occupations (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
12. 
Light home industries (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
13. 
Professional services;
14. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area);
15. 
Accessory uses normally associated with an allowable use.
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Temporary crew quarters and/or farm labor housing in conjunction with forest or agricultural activities.
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Extraction and processing of gravel and rock for construction and maintenance of roads and trails within the forest owner's property, provided:
a. 
Ownership is a minimum of twenty contiguous acres;
b. 
Land is in a forest tax classification;
c. 
There is a forest management plan for the property;
2. 
Outdoor recreational facilities;
3. 
Indoor recreational facilities;
4. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
5. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
6. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
7. 
Commercial kennel facilities;
8. 
Semi-public facilities and utilities;
9. 
Sawmills, shake and shingle mills, and chipper facilities;
10. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
11. 
Expansion of existing legally established commercial mineral resource extraction and/or processing sites.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012; Ord. 2018-03, 4-17-2018; Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)

§ 21.67.100 West End Commercial Resource Lands 40 (WE-CRL40).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The West End Commercial Resource Lands 40 (WE-CRL40) zone classification is intended to designate and protect forest, agricultural, and mineral resource lands of long-term significance. This designation shall take into account the proximity to human settlement, the size of the parcel, and the long-term economic conditions for the commercial production of timber and agriculture, and the commercial extraction of minerals.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Forest practices and associated management activities of any forest crop, including but not limited to timber harvest, harvesting of forest resources (mushrooms, bear grass, boughs, berries, etc.), Christmas trees, and nursery stock;
2. 
Log sorting and storage area, scaling stations, forest industry storage and maintenance facilities, sawmills, shake and shingle mills, and chipper facilities;
3. 
Commercial and domestic agriculture;
4. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
5. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
6. 
Storage of explosives, fuels, and chemicals allowed by state and federal laws;
7. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
8. 
Public and/or semi-public facilities and utility systems;
9. 
Historic sites open to the public that do not interfere with resource land management;
10. 
Extraction of gravel and rock for road and trail construction and maintenance purposes, and the operation of portable rock crushers, provided the material is used within the WE-CRL40 designation, WE-FL20 designations, or on the forest owner's property;
11. 
Accessory uses normally associated with an allowable use;
12. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area).
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Temporary crew quarters and/or farm labor housing in conjunction with forest and agricultural activities.
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Outdoor recreational facilities;
3. 
Indoor recreational facilities;
4. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
5. 
Group camps;
6. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
7. 
Repealed by Ord. 2024-02.
8. 
Sand and/or gravel pit, stone quarry, mining, crushing, stockpiling of mineral resources and similar uses for the development of natural resources extracted on site, and not otherwise outright permitted above;
9. 
Private aircraft landing field as an accessory use to forest management or a legal nonconforming use;
10. 
Natural resource training/research facilities.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012; Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)

§ 21.67.110 Neighborhood commercial zone classification (NC).

A. 
Purpose—Intent. The neighborhood commercial (NC) zone classification is intended to enable businesses to conveniently provide residents with the variety of immediate day-to-day goods and services typically sought outside of the context of weekly shopping trips to the city.
B. 
Allowable Uses.
1. 
Public and/or semi-public facilities and/or utility systems;
2. 
Professional services;
3. 
Retail stores with all merchandise within an enclosed building;
4. 
Service establishments with all services provided within an enclosed building;
5. 
Single-family dwellings;
6. 
Cottage occupations (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
7. 
Light home industries (in accordance with Chapter 21.70);
8. 
Bed and breakfast establishments, lodging facilities, and/or retreat centers with up to twelve rooms for rent, and are owner occupied;
9. 
Meeting halls (such as civic, social and fraternal);
10. 
Domestic agriculture;
11. 
Residential care facilities (in accordance with Chapter 21.85);
12. 
Management and enhancement of unique biological areas, propagation of fish and wildlife, and water resource management facilities;
13. 
Scientific monitoring or research devices;
14. 
Landscaping features (not located within a critical area);
15. 
Attached communication facilities located on BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
16. 
Accessory uses normally associated with an allowable use.
C. 
Administrative Review Uses.
1. 
Attached communication facilities located on non-BPA towers (in accordance with Section 21.70.160).
D. 
Conditional Uses.
1. 
Communication tower(s) (in accordance with Section 21.70.160);
2. 
Commercial buildings requesting a footprint of over two thousand five hundred square feet and/or over five thousand square feet in total floor area;
3. 
Small- and large-scale recreational vehicle parks.
E. 
Temporary Uses Permitted.
1. 
Temporary uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 21.70.120.
F. 
Prohibited Uses.
1. 
Any uses not listed above are prohibited.
(Ord. 2012-02, 5-1-2012; Ord. 2021-02, 6-22-2021; Ord. 2024-02, 7-18-2024)