Thurston County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

1.

To provide adequate and convenient electric vehicle charging stations to serve the needs of the traveling public;

2.

To provide opportunities for county residents to have safe and efficient personal electric charging stations located at their place of residence;

3.

To provide the opportunity for commercial and industrial projects to supply electrical vehicle charging station services to their customers and employees;

4.

To create standard criteria to encourage and promote safe, efficient and cost effective electric vehicle charging opportunities in a full range of zones and settings for convenience of service to those that use electric vehicles.

(Ord. No. 16575, § 2(Att. A.XXXIX), 12-16-2025)

1.

Use of Specially Designated Charging Stalls. Electric vehicle charging stations should be reserved for parking and charging electric vehicles only.

2.

Electric Vehicles Allowed Where. Electric vehicles may be parked in any space designated for public parking, subject to the restrictions that would apply to any other vehicle that would park in that space.

(Ord. No. 16575, § 2(Att. A.XXXIX), 12-16-2025)

1.

Allowed Where. "Electric vehicle charging stations" shall be considered an allowed use in association with a primary permitted use in every zoning designation.

2.

Compatibility. For land use compatibility purposes, the charging activity should be proportionate to the associated permitted use; "Electric vehicle charging station(s)" shall be permitted in a single-family garage designed to serve the occupants of the home or a multi-family parking lot designed to serve the occupants, with a level 1 or 2 charging level. Whereas, charging station(s) installed in a parking lot at a commercial destination, or located in a vehicle service station in close proximity to Interstate 5, is expected to have intensive use and will be permitted to have multiple "direct current fast chargers (DCFCs)" to serve expected demand.

3.

Battery Exchange Stations. "Battery exchange stations" are permitted in any commercial, industrial or mixed use zone (that is, LI, RRI, PID, NC, RCC, AC, HC, MEI), provided all other requirements for the building or space the use occupies can be satisfied, such as design review, fire code and building code requirements. This use is specifically prohibited in zones where residential use is the primary use, exclusively long-term forestry (LTF) or long-term agriculture (LTA) lands, or within critical areas.

(Ord. No. 16575, § 2(Att. A.XXXIX), 12-16-2025)

1.

New Residential or Commercial Construction. If associated with new residential construction, installation of a charging station shall be processed in association with the underlying permit(s).

2.

Retrofitting Single- or Multi-Family Residential. If retrofitting a single-family home for a charging station, an electrical permit shall be required through Washington State Labor and Industries (L&I).

3.

Retrofitting a Commercial Site. If retrofitting an existing commercial site for a changing station(s), this activity shall be permitted through the county administrative site plan review (SPR) process.

4.

Battery Exchange. If the facility includes a battery exchange station, or is associated with a new commercial activity requiring SPR approval, the application shall be reviewed and approved through SPR.

1.

Design Criteria for Commercial and Multifamily Development or Common/Community Owned Areas of a Residential Development. The following criteria shall be applied to electric charging facilities.

a.

Number Required. The minimum number of EVSE-Installed, EV-Ready, and EV-Capable spaces required for certain types of developments are outlined under WAC 51-50-0429. When electric vehicle stalls are reserved for electric vehicles, care should be taken to ensure enough spots are available for all of a site's parking needs.

Table 20.55-01¹

b.

Generally. Location and provision of electric vehicle parking will vary based on the design and use of the primary parking lot, keeping in mind flexibility will be needed in various parking lot layouts.

c.

Signage to Identify. Each charging station space should be posted with signage indicating the space is only for electric vehicle charging purposes. Days and hours of operations should be included if time limits or tow away provisions are to be enforced by the owner.

d.

Signage to Find. Installation of way finding signs at the parking lot entrance shall be installed at appropriate decision points to effectively guide motorists to the charging station space(s).

e.

Maintenance. Charging station equipment should be maintained in all respects, including the functioning of the charging equipment.

f.

Accessibility. Where charging station equipment is provided within an adjacent pedestrian circulation area, such as a sidewalk or accessible route to the building entrance, charging equipment should be located so as to not interfere with accessibility requirements of WAC 51-50-005.

g.

Lighting. Where charging station equipment is installed, adequate site lighting should also be provided unless charging is for daytime purposes only.

h.

Notification of Station Specifics. Information on the charging station shall identify voltage and amperage levels, fees, and all safety information.

i.

Avoid Conflict with Handicap Spots. Stalls should generally not be located adjacent to handicap spots unless designed for handicap use.

j.

Design for Compatibility. Design should be appropriate to the location and use. Facilities should be able to be readily identified by electric cars users, but blended into the surrounding landscape/architecture for compatibility with the character and use of the site.

k.

Size. Where provided, spaces should be standard size parking stalls, but designed in a way that will discourage non-electric car vehicles from using them.

2.

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Design Standards for Single-Family Residential Sites. Installation of vehicle charging stations shall meet manufacturing requirements and applicable sections of the international building code.

(Ord. No. 16575, § 2(Att. A.XXXIX), 12-16-2025)