Vancouver City Zoning Code
Complete index of all zoning chapters, sections, and subsections
20.100 Administration
Sections
- 20.110 Intent and Purpose
- 20.120 Legal Provisions
- 20.130 Zoning Map Administration
- 20.140 Enforcement
- 20.150 Definitions
- 20.150.010 Meaning of Words Generally.
- 20.150.020 Meaning of Common Words.
- 20.150.030 Common Acronyms.
- 20.150.040A Meanings of Specific Words and Terms A through D.
- 20.150.040B Meanings of Specific Words and Terms E through H.
- 20.150.040C Meanings of Specific Words and Terms I through L.
- 20.150.040D Meanings of Specific Words and Terms M through P.
- 20.150.040E Meanings of Specific Words and Terms Q through T.
- 20.150.040F Meanings of Specific Words and Terms U through Z.
- 20.160 Use Classifications
- 20.170 Measurements
- 20.170.010 Purpose.
- 20.170.020 Measuring Number of Items Required.
- 20.170.030 Measuring Distances.
- 20.170.040 Measuring Distances on Maps.
- 20.170.050 Measuring Height.
- 20.170.060 Determining the Area of the Facade of a Building.
- 20.170.070 Measuring Lot Widths and Depths.
- 20.170.080 Setback Averaging.
- 20.170.090 Measuring Tree Diameter.
- 20.170.100 Measuring the Root Protection Zone.
- 20.180 Fees
20.200 Land
Use Decisions
Sections
- 20.210 Decision Making Procedures
- 20.210.010 Purpose and Applicability.
- 20.210.020 Types of Development Applications.
- 20.210.030 Exempt Activities.
- 20.210.040 Type I Applications.
- 20.210.050 Type II Applications.
- 20.210.060 Type III Applications.
- 20.210.070 Type IV Applications.
- 20.210.080 Pre-application Conference.
- 20.210.090 Review For Counter-Complete Status.
- 20.210.100 Review For Fully Complete Status.
- 20.210.110 Vesting of Applications.
- 20.210.120 Public Hearing Procedures.
- 20.210.130 Appeals.
- 20.210.140 Post Decision Review.
- 20.220 Review Bodies
- 20.225 Summary of Land Use Permits
- 20.230 Annexations
- 20.245 Conditional Use Permits
- 20.250 Development Agreements
- 20.255 Interpretations and Minor Adjustments
- 20.260 Planned Developments
- 20.260.010 Purpose.
- 20.260.020 Applicability.
- 20.260.030 Approval Process.
- 20.260.040 Time Limits.
- 20.260.050 Approval Criteria.
- 20.260.060 Development Standards.
- 20.260.070 Concept Development Plan Submission Requirements.
- 20.260.080 Detailed Development Plan Submission Requirements.
- 20.260.090 Vesting.
- 20.260.100 Concurrency.
- 20.265 Design Review
- 20.268 Public Facilities Master Plans
- 20.270 Site Plan Review
- 20.285 Text and Map Amendments
- 20.285.010 Purpose.
- 20.285.020 Applicability.
- 20.285.030 Initiation.
- 20.285.040 Review Process.
- 20.285.050 Approval Criteria – Comprehensive Plan and Concurrent Zoning Map Amendments.
- 20.285.060 Approval Criteria – Standalone Zoning Map Amendments.
- 20.285.070 Approval Criteria – Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Code Text Amendments.
- 20.285.080 Notice Provisions.
- 20.285.085 General Rezone Criteria and Required Findings for All Rezones.
- 20.285.090 Appeals of Final Decisions.
- 20.285.100 Amendments within the Unincorporated Vancouver Urban Growth Area.
- 20.285.110 Record of Amendments.
- 20.285.120 Exceptions.
- 20.285.130 Amendments within the Unincorporated Vancouver Urban Growth Area.
- 20.285.140 Record of Amendments.
- 20.290 Variances
20.300 Land
Division
Sections
- 20.310 Boundary Adjustments
- 20.320 Subdivisions
- 20.320.010 Purpose.
- 20.320.015 Applicability.
- 20.320.020 Approval Process.
- 20.320.030 Preliminary Plat Application Requirements.
- 20.320.040 Preliminary Plat Approval Criteria.
- 20.320.050 Final Plat Application.
- 20.320.060 Final Plat Approval.
- 20.320.070 Technical Standards.
- 20.320.080 Other Provisions.
- 20.320.090 Remedies and Penalties.
- 20.330 Binding Site Plans
20.400 Zoning
Districts
Sections
- 20.410 Lower Density Residential Districts
- 20.420 Higher Density Residential Districts
- 20.430 Commercial and Mixed Use Districts
- 20.440 Industrial Districts
- 20.450 Open Space Districts
20.500 Overlay
Districts
Sections
- 20.510 Heritage Overlay District
- 20.515 Hough Neighborhood Overlay District
- 20.520 Noise Impact Overlay District
- 20.525 Office Development Overlay District
- 20.540 Surface Mining Overlay District
- 20.550 Transit Overlay District
- 20.550.010 Purpose.
- 20.550.020 Applicability.
- 20.550.030 Densities/Floor Area Ratios.
- 20.550.040 Development Regulations.
- 20.550.050 Incentives.
- 20.550.060 Development Plan Approval (Reserved).
- 20.550.070 Special Requirements – Master Development Plan Within the Transit Overlay District.
- 20.550.080 Periodic Review.
- 20.560 Vision Overlay District
- 20.570 Airport Height Overlay District
- 20.580 Fourth Plain Corridor Overlay District
- 20.590 Evergreen/Grand Corridor Overlay District
20.600 Plan
Districts
Sections
- 20.610 Plan Districts in General
- 20.620 Columbia River Shoreline Enhancement Plan District
- 20.630 Downtown District
- 20.640 Vancouver Central Park Plan District
- 20.650 Waterfront Mixed Use (WX) Plan District
- 20.660 Auto Dealership Plan District
- 20.670 The Heights (HX) Plan District
- 20.680 Riverview Gateway Plan District
- 20.690 Section 30 Employment Center Plan District
- 20.691 112th Avenue Corridor Plan District
20.700 Environmental
Regulations
Sections
- 20.710 Archaeological Resource Protection
- 20.710.010 Purpose.
- 20.710.020 Applicability.
- 20.710.030 Development Review Applications.
- 20.710.040 DAHP Coordination and Permitting.
- 20.710.050 Documentation and Peer Review.
- 20.710.060 Tribal Notification.
- 20.710.070 Predetermination Process.
- 20.710.080 Archaeological Resource Survey Process.
- 20.710.090 Discovery Principle.
- 20.740 Critical Areas Protection
- 20.740.010 Purpose.
- 20.740.020 General provisions.
- 20.740.030 Applicability and exemptions from requirement to obtain permit.
- 20.740.040 Approval process.
- 20.740.050 Submittal requirements.
- 20.740.060 Approval criteria.
- 20.740.070 Minor exceptions.
- 20.740.080 Reasonable economic use exceptions.
- 20.740.090 Unauthorized critical areas alterations and enforcement.
- 20.740.100 Designation process for habitats of local importance.
- 20.740.110 Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas.
- 20.740.120 Frequently flooded areas.
- 20.740.130 Geologic hazard areas.
- 20.740.140 Wetlands.
- 20.760 Shoreline Management Area
- 20.770 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Conservation
- 20.770.010 Purpose.
- 20.770.020 Applicability.
- 20.770.030 Exemptions.
- 20.770.040 City Tree Account.
- 20.770.050 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Plan Required.
- 20.770.060 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Plan Review Procedure.
- 20.770.070 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Plan Review Standards.
- 20.770.080 Tree Density Requirement.
- 20.770.090 Tree, Vegetation, and Soil Protection During Construction.
- 20.770.100 Maintenance Requirements.
- 20.770.110 Specimen Tree Evaluation.
- 20.770.120 Heritage Trees.
- 20.770.130 Appeals.
- 20.770.140 Enforcement and Penalties.
- 20.770.150 Other Provisions.
- 20.790.010 Authority.
- 20.790.020 Contents.
- 20.790.100 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
- 20.790.200 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTIONS AND THRESHOLD DETERMINATIONS
- 20.790.300 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS (EIS)
- 20.790.400 NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTING
- 20.790.500 USE OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS
- 20.790.600 SEPA AND CITY DECISIONS
- 20.790.700 DEFINITIONS
- 20.790.800 CATEGORICAL EXEMPTIONS
- 20.790.900 AGENCY COMPLIANCE
20.800 Special
Use Standards
Sections
- 20.810 Accessory Dwelling Units
- 20.815 Micro Housing Units
- 20.820 Adult Entertainment
- 20.830 Bed and Breakfast Establishments
- 20.835 Short-Term Rentals
- 20.840 Child Care Centers
- 20.850 Dog Day Care
- 20.855 Essential Public Facilities
- 20.860 Home Occupations
- 20.870 Human Services Facilities (Repealed by Ord. M-4255)
- 20.880 Manufactured Home Parks
- 20.884 Marijuana Businesses
- 20.885 Temporary Uses
- 20.890 Wireless Communication Facilities
- 20.890.010 Purpose.
- 20.890.020 Applicability.
- 20.890.030 Nonconforming Uses and Structures.
- 20.890.040 General Development Standards.
- 20.890.050 Temporary Uses.
- 20.890.060 Additional Development Standards by Zoning District.
- 20.890.070 General Application Requirements and Conditions of Permit Issuance.
- 20.890.080 Conditional Use Approval Criteria.
- 20.890.090 Permit Limitations/Expiration.
- 20.890.100 Federal Requirements.
- 20.890.110 Removal of Antennas and Support Structures.
- 20.890.120 Periodic Review.
- 20.890.130 Summary Table.
- 20.895 Miscellaneous Special Use Standards
- 20.895.010 Purpose.
- 20.895.020 Animal Kennels/Shelters.
- 20.895.030 Cemeteries.
- 20.895.040 Community Recreation and Related Facilities.
- 20.895.050 Domestic Animals and Livestock.
- 20.895.060 Indoor Target Shooting Ranges.
- 20.895.070 Motor Vehicle Fuel Sales and Repair.
- 20.895.080 Private Use Landing Strips for Aircraft and Heliports.
- 20.895.090 Temporary Storage Units.
- 20.895.100 Self-Service Storage.
- 20.895.110 Fossil Fuel or Cleaner Fuel Storage and Handling.
- 20.895.120 Warehouses Larger Than 250,000 Square Feet.
20.900 Additional
Development Standards
Sections
- 20.902 Accessory Structures
- 20.909 Escrow and Assurances
- 20.910 Exceptions and Interpretations
- 20.912 Fences and Walls
- 20.914 Gated Access Standards
- 20.915 Impact Fees
- 20.915.010 Purpose.
- 20.915.020 Applicability.
- 20.915.030 Establishment of Development Service Areas.
- 20.915.040 Traffic Impact Fee.
- 20.915.050 Park Impact Fee.
- 20.915.060 School Impact Fee.
- 20.915.070 Calculation of Impact Fee.
- 20.915.075 Additional Provisions for Deferral of Impact fees for Single-Family Housing.
- 20.915.076 Additional Provisions for Deferral of Impact Fees for Multi-Family Housing.
- 20.915.080 Impact Fee Exemptions, Reductions, and Waivers.
- 20.915.090 Impact Fee Credits.
- 20.915.100 Other provisions.
- 20.920 Infill Development Standards
- 20.925 Landscaping
- 20.925.010 Purpose.
- 20.925.020 Applicability.
- 20.925.030 General Provisions.
- 20.925.040 Protection of Existing Vegetation.
- 20.925.050 Installation Requirements.
- 20.925.060 Street Trees.
- 20.925.070 Buffering, Screening and Open Storage.
- 20.925.080 Interior Parking Areas.
- 20.925.090 Re-vegetation.
- 20.925.100 Water Conservation Standards.
- 20.925.110 Landscape Plan Requirements.
- 20.925.115 Certificate of Landscaping Installation.
- 20.927 Narrow Lot Developments
- 20.930 Nonconforming Situations
- 20.935 Off-Site Impacts
- 20.940 On-Site Density Transfers
- 20.945 Parking and Loading
- 20.945.010 Purpose.
- 20.945.020 Applicability of Provisions.
- 20.945.030 General Provisions.
- 20.945.040 General Design Standards for Surface Parking Areas.
- 20.945.050 Bicycle Parking Design Standards.
- 20.945.060 Parking Structure Design Standards.
- 20.945.070 Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements.
- 20.945.080 Off-Street Loading Requirements.
- 20.950 Cottage Cluster Housing
- 20.960 Signs
- 20.960.010 Purpose.
- 20.960.020 Scope.
- 20.960.030 Prohibited Signs.
- 20.960.040 Lower Density Residential Districts.
- 20.960.050 Higher Density Residential Districts.
- 20.960.060 Commercial District Signs.
- 20.960.070 Industrial District Signs.
- 20.960.080 Open Space District Signs.
- 20.960.090 Portable Signs in the Public Right of Way.
- 20.960.110 Special Sign Districts.
- 20.960.130 Permits Required.
- 20.960.140 Permit Application.
- 20.960.150 Permission to Install.
- 20.960.160 Issuance – Denial.
- 20.960.170 Effect of Issuance.
- 20.960.180 Fees.
- 20.960.190 Commercial Sign Erector’s License.
- 20.960.200 License Non-transferable.
- 20.960.210 Planning Official.
- 20.960.220 Inspection by Planning Official.
- 20.960.230 Violation and Penalties.
- 20.960.240 Assurance of Discontinuance.
- 20.960.250 Legal Nonconforming Sign.
- 20.960.260 Liability.
- 20.960.270 Structural and Material Requirements.
- 20.960.280 Construction or Suitability of Materials.
- 20.960.290 Vision Clearance.
- 20.960.320 Structural and Material Requirements.
- 20.970 Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling
- 20.985 Vision Clearance