Chapter 18.07 RESIDENTIAL ZONES

Chapter 18.07
RESIDENTIAL ZONES

Sections:

18.07.030 Development standards.

18.07.010 Intent.

A. General. This section describes the intent for each of the city’s residential zones. These intent statements may be used to guide the interpretation of the regulations associated with each zone.

B. (RC) Residential Conservancy Zone – One Dwelling Unit per Four Acres. The RC residential conservancy zone is intended primarily to provide for low-intensity single-family residential uses with characteristics of an agricultural environment; provided, that the agricultural uses are secondary to the single-family uses. These areas allow for a lifestyle similar to that of rural areas that includes allowance of farm animals and streets without sidewalks. This zone is intended to protect areas with significant environmental constraints or values from impacts typically associated with urban levels of development while allowing low-intensity development designed to minimize impacts on the natural environmental features designated for conservation.

Public improvements required within the R-C zone will be less than is normally required for the higher intensity residential zones within the city.

This zone shall only be applied in areas designated as residential conservancy on the comprehensive plan. This zone shall allow one dwelling unit per four acres minimum lot area.

C. R-1 Residential Zone – One Dwelling Unit per Acre. The intent of the R-1 residential zone is to provide areas for estate-type residential development on large lots. This zone would normally be located in the areas particularly suited for such development.

Appropriate development standards required of other urban areas shall be required to serve this zone.

D. R-5 Residential Zone – Five Dwelling Units per Acre. The R-5 single-family residential zones are intended to create a living environment of optimum standards for single-family dwellings. It is further intended to achieve development densities of four to five dwelling units per net acre. This zone will provide for the development of single-family detached dwellings and for such accessory uses as are related, incidental and not detrimental to the single-family residential environment.

E. R-7 Residential Zone – Seven Dwelling Units per Acre.

The R-7 single-family residential zones are intended to create a living environment of optimum standards for single-family dwellings. It is further intended to achieve development densities of five to seven dwelling units per net acre. This zone will provide for the development of single-family detached dwellings and for such accessory uses as are related, incidental and not detrimental to the residential environment.

F. R-10 Residential Zone – 10 Dwelling Units per Acre. The R-10 residential zones are intended to permit some increase in population density in those areas to which this classification applies by permitting single-family dwellings and duplexes on a minimum size lot while at the same time, by means of the standards and requirements set forth in this chapter, maintaining a desirable family living environment by establishing minimum lot areas, yards and open spaces. A related consideration is to provide a transition between single-family areas and other intensive designations or activities which reduce the suitability for single-family uses.

G. R-16 Residential Zone – 16 Dwelling Units per Acre. The R-16 zone is intended to provide for medium density multiple-family residential development as designated in the comprehensive plan, and is further intended as a residential zone of single, duplex and multiple-family residences, except as specifically provided elsewhere in this chapter.

H. R-20 Residential Zone – 20 Dwelling Units per Acre. The R-20 zone is intended to provide for multiple-family residential development and is further intended as a residential zone primarily of multiple-family residences, except as specifically provided elsewhere in this chapter. A related consideration is to make it possible to more efficiently and economically design and install all physical public service facilities in terms of size and capacity to adequately and permanently meet needs resulting from a defined intensity of land use. (Ord. 6245 § 5, 2009.)

18.07.020 Uses.

Table 18.07.020

Permitted Use Table – Residential Zoning Designations
P = Permitted A = Administrative C = Conditional Use X = Not Permitted
Land Uses	Zoning Designations
	R-C	R-1	R-5	R-7	R-10	R-16	R-20
A. Residential Uses.
Accessory dwelling units	P	P	P	P	X1	X1	X1
Accessory use, residential	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Adult family home	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Bed and breakfast	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Boardinghouses (with three or more boarders)	X	X	X	X	C	C	C
Duplexes; provided, that minimum lot size of zoning designation is met and subject to compliance with Chapter 18.25 ACC (Infill Residential Development Standards)	X	X	A	P	P	P	X
Foster care homes	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Group residence facilities (7 or more residents)	X	X	X	X	C	C	C
Group residence facilities (6 or fewer residents)	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Keeping household pets	P2	P3	P3	P3	P3	P3	P3
Multiple-family dwellings	X	X	X	X	A	P	P
Neighborhood recreational buildings and facilities owned and managed by the neighborhood homeowners’ association	A7	A7	A7	A7	A7	P	P
Renting of rooms, for lodging purposes only, to accommodate not more than two persons in addition to the immediate family	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Residential care facilities including but not limited to assisted living facilities, convalescent homes, continuing care retirement facilities	P	P	X	X	A	P	P
Single-family detached dwellings, new	P	P	P	P	P	P	X
Supportive housing, subject to the provisions of ACC 18.31.160	X	X	X	X	X	P	P
Swimming pools, tennis courts and similar outdoor recreation uses only accessory to residential or park uses	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Townhouses (attached)	X	X	X	X	P	P	P
B. Commercial Uses.
Commercial horse riding and bridle trails	A	X	X	X	X	X	X
Commercial retail, included as part of mixed-use development and not a home occupation in compliance with Chapter 18.60 ACC	X	X	X	X	A	A	A
Daycare, limited to a mini daycare center. Daycare center, preschool or nursery school may also be permitted but must be located on an arterial	X	A	A	A	A	A	A
Home-based daycare as regulated by RCW 35.63.185 and through receipt of approved city business license	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Home occupations subject to compliance with Chapter 18.60 ACC	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Mixed-use development4	X	X	X	X	P	P	P
Nursing homes	X	X	X	X	C	C	C
Private country clubs and golf courses, excluding driving ranges	X	X	C	C	C	X	X
Privately owned and operated parks and playgrounds and not homeowners’ association-owned recreational area	X	A	A	A	A	P	P
Professional offices, included as part of mixed-use development and not a home occupation in compliance with Chapter 18.60 ACC	X	X	X	X	A	A	A
C. Resource Uses.
Agricultural type uses are permitted provided they are incidental and secondary to the single-family use:
Agricultural crops and open field growing (commercial)	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Barns, silos and related structures	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Commercial greenhouses	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Keeping of livestock (excluding goats and swine), fowl and rabbits; provided, that there shall not be more than one horse, cow, donkey or other large animal, or four small animals such as sheep, or 12 poultry, rabbits, or similar size animals per each acre of enclosed usable pasture or roaming area. This acreage requirement is in addition to the minimum lot size requirements of the zone5	P	P	X	X	X	X	X
Pasturing and grazing	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Public and private stables	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Roadside stands, for the sale of agricultural products raised on the premises. The stand cannot exceed 300 square feet in area and must meet the applicable setback requirements	P	X	X	X	X	X	X
Fish hatcheries	C	X	X	X	X	X	X
D. Government, Institutional, and Utility Uses.
Civic, social and fraternal clubs	X	X	X	X	A	A	A
Government facilities	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
Hospitals (except animal hospitals)	X	X	X	X	X	C	C
Municipal parks and playgrounds	A	P	P	P	P	P	P
Museums	X	X	X	X	A	A	A
Religious institutions, less than one acre lot size	A	A	A	A	A	A	A
Religious institutions, one acre or larger lot size	C	C	C	C	C	C	C
Transmitting towers	C	C	C	C	C	C	C
Type 1-D Wireless Communication Facility (see ACC 18.04.912(J))	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
Utility facilities and substations	C6	C6	C6	C6	C6	C6	C6

1. An accessory dwelling unit may be permitted with an existing single-family residence pursuant to ACC 18.31.120.

2. No more than six pets allowed in the RC zone. This limit shall not include birds, fish or suckling young of pets.

3. No more than four pets allowed in the R1 – R20 zones. This limit shall not include birds, fish or suckling young of pets.

4. Individual uses that make up a mixed-use development must be permitted within the zone. If a use making up part of a mixed-use development requires an administrative or conditional use permit, the individual use must apply for and receive the administrative or conditional use approval, as applicable.

5. Proximity of pasture or livestock roaming area to wells, surface waters, and aquifer recharge zones is regulated by the King or Pierce County board of health, and property owners shall comply with the provisions of the King County board of health code.

6. Excludes all public and private utility facilities addressed under ACC 18.02.040(E).

7. Administrative use permit not required when approved as part of a subdivision or binding site plan.

(Ord. 6269 § 3, 2009; Ord. 6245 § 5, 2009.)

18.07.030 Development standards.

Table 18.07.030 Residential Development Standards
	Standard	RC	R-1	R-5	R-7	R-10	R-16	R-20
A	Base density (units per net acre)	0.25	1	5	7	10	16	20
B	Minimum density (units per net acre)1	0.25	1	4	5	8	12	15
C	Minimum average lot area per dwelling unit (square feet)	174,240	35,000	8,000	6,000	4,300	2,700	2,175
D	Minimum lot area per dwelling unit (square feet)	174,240	35,000	6,000	4,300	2,000	2,000	2,000
E	Minimum lot width (feet)2	125	125	50	40	20 for interior lots, 35 for exterior lots	20 for interior lots; 35 for exterior lots	20 for interior lots; 35 for exterior lots
F	Minimum setbacks (feet)2,3
1	Residence front setback3	35	35	10	10	10	10	10
2	Garage (minimum front setback required from street access)3	20	20	20	20	20	20	20 unless alley-loaded then 15 provided there are 20 feet from any garage
3	Setback to any property line for barns, stables, coops, or similar structures for enclosure of animals	75	X	X	X	X	X	X
4	Setback to any property line for any corral, exercise yard, or arena	35	X	X	X	X	X	X
5	Interior side setback	20	10	5	5	5	5	5
6	Street side setback3	35	20	10	10	10	10	10
7	Rear setback3	35	35	20	20	20	20	20
8	Rear setback, detached structure In all zones, 20 ft for structure with vehicular entrance oriented toward street or public alley3	15	15	10	5	5	5	5
G	Maximum lot coverage (%)	25	35	40	50	60	70	70
H	Maximum impervious area (%)	25	50	65	75	N/A	N/A	N/A
I	Maximum building height (feet)	35	35	35	35	45	45	50
J	Maximum height of accessory buildings and structures	354	35	16	16	16	NA	NA
K	Minimum front setback area landscape strip (feet)	N/A	N/A	5	5	10	10	10
L	Minimum side setback area landscape strip (feet)	N/A	N/A	5	5	10	10	10
M	Minimum landscaped open space (%)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	20	20	20

1. For purposes of calculating minimum density, critical area buffers are not included in net site area. See ACC 18.02.065 for calculation of net acreage for minimum density.

2. All minimum lot widths, setbacks, and landscaping strips are subject to demonstration to the satisfaction of the city engineer that all required utility infrastructure, access requirements, and street elements can be accommodated in accordance with the design and construction standards.

3. In addition to meeting setback requirements, all structures must meet sight distance requirements in accordance with city design and construction standards.

4. Barns and other specialized structures used for agricultural purposes may exceed the height limits.

(Ord. 6245 § 5, 2009.)