Chapter 18.10
ZONING DISTRICTS¹

Sections:

18.10.010    Zoning districts – Established.

18.10.020    Zoning districts – Purposes.

18.10.025    Planned neighborhood district – Overlay districts.

18.10.030    Table of permitted and conditional uses.

18.10.040    Table of bulk and dimensional standards.

18.10.041    Bulk and dimensional standards for residential accessory units, structures and uses.

18.10.050    Table of performance standards.

18.10.010 Zoning districts – Established.

There are hereby established the following zoning districts. Zoning district locations are delineated on the official zoning map.

District:	Abbreviation:
Low-Density Residential	(LDR)
High-Density Residential	(HDR)
Cottage Residential	(CR)
Neighborhood Business	(NB)
Downtown Commercial	(DC)
Interchange Commercial	(IC)
Interchange Mixed Use	(IMU)
Employment Park-1	(EP-1)
Employment Park-2	(EP-2)
Parks, Open Space and Public Facilities	(POSPF)

(Ord. 1325 § 1 (part), 2008: Ord. 1256 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 1020 (part), 1997).

18.10.020 Zoning districts – Purposes.

In addition to general purposes of the zoning title outlined in NBMC 18.02.020, zoning districts have the following respective purposes in subsections A, B, C, D, E and F of this section. NBMC 18.10.025(A) describes the planned neighborhood development (PND) process that applies to certain types of developments and zoning districts and NBMC 18.10.025(B) describes overlay districts that apply to specific areas.

A. Purposes – LDR District.

1. Provide for neighborhoods of predominately single-family structures at a gross density of four (LDR-4) dwelling units per acre as designated on the zoning map;

2. Accommodate other uses compatible with single-family residences and other types of innovative styles of residential units including accessory dwelling units and up to 15 percent of cottage housing with planned neighborhood district (PND) approval;

3. Maintain the integrity and character of existing neighborhood areas, including requiring that all units be held in fee simple ownership status;

4. Create attractive and satisfying neighborhood environments for family life;

5. Ensure that adequate sewer, water, and other utilities and services are provided;

6. Provide for public amenities such as passive and active recreation areas, open space, and trails and promote the opportunity for area-wide coordination and continuity of pedestrian, bicycle, and greenbelt corridors;

7. Assure development gives due consideration to existing development or that which can be reasonably anticipated on adjacent lands, with respect to common infrastructure requirements and compatibility of uses;

8. Promote a traditional neighborhood development pattern and scale which serves to maintain and enhance existing small-city character and pedestrian orientation;

9. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan, including the vision plan, related to residential areas.

B. Purposes – HDR District.

1. Provide for neighborhoods and/or areas of predominantly multifamily structures, but with a mix of housing types including affordable housing units;

2. Accommodate other uses compatible with multifamily residences;

3. Create attractive and satisfying environments for family and household life;

4. Ensure that adequate sewer, water, and other utilities and services are provided;

5. Provide for public amenities such as passive and active recreation areas, open space, and trails, and promote the opportunity for area-wide coordination and continuity of pedestrian, bicycle, and greenbelt corridors;

6. Assure development which gives due consideration to existing development or that which can be reasonably anticipated on adjacent lands, with respect to common infrastructure requirements and compatibility of uses;

7. Promote a traditional neighborhood development pattern and scale which serves to maintain and enhance existing small-city character and pedestrian orientation;

8. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan, including the vision plan, related to residential development.

C. Purpose – Cottage Residential District (CR).

1. Approval of a planned neighborhood district (PND) is required for any development in the CR district;

2. Encourage innovative housing types of predominantly single-family smaller detached housing (i.e., cottage housing), but allow a maximum of 15 percent attached housing;

3. Allow smaller lot sizes and increased densities from six to 10 DU/acre gross to create greater economic choices for homebuyers in North Bend;

4. Accommodate other uses compatible with residential life;

5. Create attractive and satisfying environments for family and household life;

6. Ensure that adequate sewer, water, and other utilities and services are provided;

7. Provide for public amenities such as passive and active recreation areas, open space, and trails, and promote the opportunity for area-wide coordination and continuity of pedestrian, bicycle, and greenbelt corridors;

8. Assure development which gives due consideration to existing development or that which can reasonably be anticipated on adjacent lands, with respect to common infrastructure requirements and compatibility of uses;

9. Promote a traditional neighborhood development pattern and scale which serves to maintain and enhance existing small-city character and pedestrian orientation;

10. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan, including the vision plan, related to residential development.

D. Purpose – Commercial Districts (NB, DC, IC, IMU). The NB, DC, IC, and IMU zoning districts have the following general and specific purposes (general purposes include subsections (D)(1) through (4) of this section; specific purposes include subsections (D)(5) through (8) of this section at densities established by a floor area ratio):

1. Provide land for different intensities and types of residential, retail, service, business, office, and entertainment uses that complement, enhance, and support residential and other land uses within North Bend.

2. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan related to commercial land uses, including but not limited to providing economic and employment opportunities, property tax bases, necessary goods and services, and in some cases, mixed use (commercial first floor/residential upper floor) dwelling opportunities.

3. Promote high-quality commercial development that incorporates traditional development patterns and elements, including but not limited to building locations, architectural designs, construction materials, and site features that are harmonious with North Bend’s small-city character.

4. Ensure that proper site needs and amenities, including but not limited to vehicular circulation and parking, pedestrian, bicycle, and greenbelt networks (where applicable), landscaping, lighting, public areas (e.g., greenspace, plazas), services, and utilities, and other necessary and desirable elements are integral parts of all commercial projects.

5. Neighborhood business (NB) districts are intended to be general commercial areas, however, buildings are expected to be smaller in scale, and applicable businesses to operate on less than a 24-hour basis. The NB district will accommodate a variety of residential and other land uses, including limited fabrication and light manufacturing when conducted in locations isolated from residential zoning districts. Residential is limited to the second story or to rear of the parcels zoned NB that front North Bend Way and Mount Si Road at the intersection of North Bend Way and Mount Si Road.

6. The downtown commercial (DC) district is intended to provide specialty retail goods, as well as a range of business, professional, and other services consistent with historic uses and scale of the downtown area. Buildings in the DC district are also expected to be smaller in scale; however, there is a provision for commercial buildings up to 10,000 square feet if they are “anchors.” Building sizes and floor area ratios may be increased in certain portions of the DC zone by use of transferred development rights. The DC district will also incorporate residential development, as well as encouraging upper floor dwelling units above commercial uses. New first floor residential is prohibited in the DC zone along the entire length of North Bend Way and along Bendigo Boulevard North, from West Park Street to West Third Street. See performance standards in NBMC 18.10.050(1.00(c)). Pedestrian orientation and amenities will also be emphasized.

7. The interchange commercial (IC) district is intended to accommodate businesses that typically serve passerby travelers and tourists, while also supplying goods for Upper Valley residents typical of larger-scale commercial development. Primary access to the IC is anticipated to be vehicular; however, pedestrian amenities and circulation, including linkage to the historic downtown area, will be promoted. Buildings are permitted to be larger in scale relative to other commercial districts, and select businesses are permitted to operate on a 24-hour basis.

8. The interchange mixed use (IMU) zoning district is intended to provide a transitional area between interchange commercial (IC) zoning and residential (LDR, HDR) zoning. The zoning accommodates permitted residential, interchange commercial and other commercial development to minimize adverse impacts on and maximize compatibility with adjacent land uses. Buildings in the IMU district are expected to be smaller in scale than buildings in the IC district, with select businesses permitted to operate on a 16-hour basis or less, closed between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

E. Purpose – Employment Park Districts (EP-1 and EP-2). The EP-1 and EP-2 zoning districts have the following general and specific purposes (general purposes include subsections (E)(1) through (5) of this section; specific purposes include subsections (E)(6) and (7) of this section at densities established by a floor area ratio):

1. Provide appropriate areas for various commercial land uses, including office, warehouse, distribution, manufacturing enterprises, industrial uses, and research and development facilities which complement, enhance, and support the mix of land uses within the city of North Bend. Retail sales or related services are limited to a few select uses, or allowed only as incidental to underlying permitted uses.

2. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan related to employment park district land uses, including but not limited to providing economic and employment opportunities, as well as balanced property tax bases and possible mixed land use opportunities.

3. Promote high-quality and well-designed business and industrial developments that are harmonious with North Bend’s small-city character, and create an environment free from adverse noise, odors, dust, smoke, air pollution, water pollution, and inappropriate truck traffic or related traffic congestion.

4. Ensure that proper site needs and amenities, including but not limited to vehicular circulation and parking, services and utilities, landscaping, lighting, pedestrian, bicycle, and greenbelt networks and linkages, and other necessary and desirable elements are integral parts of all employment park district projects.

5. Ensure sensitivity to adjacent land uses and the environment, including avoidance of incompatible uses, and that new development is integrated with physical and social linkages to the community.

6. The EP-1 district is intended to provide areas for light industrial and limited commercial uses that are compatible with, and not detrimental to, adjoining land use districts. Permitted uses in the EP-1 district include offices (professional, business, corporate), light manufacturing, warehouse and distribution, and research and development. A wider variety of manufacturing and assembly uses are permitted on a conditional use basis. Smaller-scale business enterprises are permitted to the extent they are needed to serve employees within the EP-1 district. Uses that capitalize on North Bend’s setting and geographic location are encouraged. Second-story residential uses will be permitted when mixed with compatible first-floor uses.

7. The EP-2 district is intended to provide areas for a variety of industrial land uses, including manufacturing, fabrication, and processing of natural and manmade materials. Large-scale and/or specialized industrial and commercial operations, including those having greater potential impacts to surrounding areas, will be permitted in this district. Business uses which support activities occurring in outlying rural areas, including support services for forestry or resource-based industries, are encouraged.

F. Purpose – Park, Open Space, and Public Facilities District (POSPF).

1. Recognize and designate areas for public and quasi-public parks, open space, trail, and recreation areas, as well as public facilities including but not limited to schools, community buildings, government offices, and public facilities and utilities.

2. Implement provisions of the comprehensive plan related to park, open space, and public facility land uses.

3. Ensure that adequate areas are set aside for park, open space, trail, recreation areas, and public facility land uses. (Ord. 1325 § 1 (part), 2008: Ord. 1256 § 1 (part), 2006: Ord. 1165 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1164 § 1, 2002; Ord. 1020 (part), 1997).

18.10.025 Planned neighborhood district – Overlay districts.

A. Planned Neighborhood District – Process. The planned neighborhood district (PND) process provides for flexible bulk and dimensional standards, subject to additional criteria in Chapter 18.12 NBMC. A mix of single-family detached residential and other innovative residential including cottages are allowed within areas designated as low-density residential (LDR). A mix of single-family, cottage and multifamily up to fourplex is allowed within areas designated as high-density residential (HDR) and cottage residential (CR).

B. Overlay Districts – Purpose.

1. Transitional landscape area (TLA) as identified in the North Bend Comprehensive Plan Figure 1-5, includes specific locations along I-90 and North Bend Way within North Bend and the UGA, which require appropriate landscape transitions to help foster the existing small town character of North Bend, buffer incompatible uses, sustain the city’s natural assets for continued economic prosperity and quality of life, and support the regional efforts along the Interstate 90 (I-90) corridor, a designated national scenic byway that gets international tourism promotion from the Federal Scenic Byways Program. North Bend is considered the “Gateway to the Puget Sound” from westbound I-90, therefore careful consideration should be taken with regard to landscaping and buffering intensive uses near and adjacent to the I-90 corridor in order to support the goals of the national scenic byway designation along the scenic I-90 corridor. Where a TLA affects more than 20 percent of the total gross area of any parcel, the TLA may be reduced such that not more than 20 percent of the total gross area of the parcel is affected by the TLA, subject to performance standards found in NBMC 18.10.050 and landscape criteria found in Chapter 18.18 NBMC. Regional trail linkages are allowed within the TLA. The TLA applies to new commercial or industrial development applications, residential building permits, short plats, subdivisions and multifamily site plans, binding site plans, and/or clearing and grading permits associated with said applications. The TLA shall be measured from the edge of the applicable right-of-way and should either be placed in a tract to be dedicated to the applicable owners association, placed within an easement for transitional landscape area purposes, or subject to city approval, dedicated to the city for TLA and trail purposes.

2. Critical areas overlay district (CAOD) is intended to identify those areas within the North Bend urban growth area that include: (a) floodways, (b) channel migratory areas, (c) streams and associated buffers, and (d) wetlands and associated buffers where there are special regulations on the use and development of property in order to protect environmentally critical areas. The applicable development regulations are contained in Chapters 14.05 through 14.12 NBMC.

3. Urban Separator Overlay District (USOD). The urban separator is an area of North Bend which is located in, among and around significant natural features that help to define the community’s identity. The USOD, as identified in the North Bend Comprehensive Plan as Figure 1-6, includes land located predominately north of the Snoqualmie River, east of SR 202, and south of the boundary with the city of Snoqualmie. This area includes both Meadowbrook and Tollgate Farms. The intent of the USOD is to ensure that development occurs consistent with the goals and policies of the comprehensive plan requiring the minimum build-out of the zoning district in which the parcel is located. Property owners in the USOD may also take advantage of the transfer of development rights program to enable development rights to be transferred out of the USOD. NBMC 18.10.030, Table of permitted and conditional uses, identifies the permitted uses within the USOD. The permitted uses within the USOD must also satisfy the criteria stipulated in NBMC 18.10.040 in relation to bulk and dimensional standards, NBMC 18.10.050 in relation to performance standards and Chapter 18.34 NBMC, Design Standards and Guidelines. (Ord. 1325 § 1 (part), 2008).

18.10.030 Table of permitted and conditional uses.

To implement purposes of the zoning title, and to implement purposes of the respective zoning districts, permitted and conditional uses allowed within the various districts are identified in Table 18.10.030, Permitted and Conditional Land Uses. Permitted and conditional uses are categorized under the following major use categories: (1) residential; (2) commercial; (3) industrial; (4) public and quasi-public; (5) utilities; and (6) resource uses. No land, building, or structure may be used, and no building or structure erected unless listed as a permitted (“P”), planned neighborhood development (“PND”), or conditional use (“CUP”) in Table 18.10.030, Permitted and Conditional Land Uses, provided:

A. Unlisted uses may only be permitted subject to administrative interpretation by the director per NBMC 18.04.030;

B. Uses that are specifically prohibited are listed in endnotes to Table 18.10.030;

C. All conditional uses shall meet standards and procedures outlined in Chapter 18.24 NBMC;

D. All PND uses shall meet the standards and procedures outlined in Chapter 18.12 NBMC;

E. Said land, building, or structure meets nonconforming use provisions in Chapter 18.30 NBMC.

 

Table 18.10.030 – Permitted and Conditional Land Uses 

P = Permitted use PND = Planned neighborhood development review required CUP = Conditional use permit required

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

INDUSTRIAL

PUBLIC FACILITIES

LAND USES:

LDR

CR

HDR

NB

DC

IC

IMU

USOD

EP-1

EP-2

POSPF

1.00 RESIDENTIAL:

1.10

Single-Family Dwellings

*

1.11

Single-Family Detached Dwellings

P

PND

P

P

P

P (LDR)

*

1.12

Designated Manufactured Homes

P

PND

P

P

P

P (LDR)

*

1.13

Manufactured Home Parks

P

*

1.14

Mobile Homes

P

*

1.15

Mobile Home Parks

P

*

1.16

Cottages

PND

P

PND

PND

P

P

P (6 DU/Acre max)

1.20

Multifamily Structures

*

1.21

Duplexes

PND

P

P

P

P

*

1.22

Triplexes

PND

P

P

P

P

*

1.23

Fourplexes

PND

P

P

P

P

1.24

Cohousing

P

P

P

P

*

1.25

Other Multifamily Dwellings over Four Units

P

P

P

P

1.26

Second-Story Residential (Mixed-Use Commercial/Residential)

P

P

P

P

P

1.27

Mixed Housing Types

PND

PND

PND

PND

PND

PND

PND

1.30

Special Service Housing

P

*

1.31

Adult Family Homes

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.32

Childcare

P

*

1.32a

Family Day Care Provider

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.32b

Child Day Care Center

CUP

CUP

CUP

P

P

P

P

*

1.33

Homes for the Elderly and Related

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.34

Secure Community Transition Facilities

CUP

1.40

Miscellaneous Rooms for Rent

*

1.41

Bed and Breakfast Establishments

P

P

PND

P

P

P

P

PND

*

1.42

Boarding Houses

P

P

PND

P

P

P

P

1.50

Other Residential

*

1.51

Accessory Residential Uses

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.52

Accessory Dwelling Units

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.53

Home Occupations

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.54

Upper Floor Dwelling Units

PND

P

P

P

P

P

*

1.55

Interim Housing Facilities

P

PND

P

P

P

P

P

1.60

Unlisted Residential Use

See Procedure for Unlisted Uses

2.00 COMMERCIAL:

*

2.01

Adult Entertainment Facilities

CUP

2.02

Art Gallery

P

P

P

P

2.03

Automotive/Vehicular

2.03a

Boat and Watercraft Sales and Service

P

P

2.03b

Car Wash

P

P

P

P

2.03c

Gasoline Sales/Service Stations

P

P

2.03d

Motorcycle Sales/Service

P

P

P

2.03e

Paint and Body Shop

CUP

P

2.03f

Parts Store

P

P

P

2.03g

Rentals and Leasing

P

P

P

P

2.03h

Repair and Service Shop

P

P

P

P

2.03i

RV/Commercial Truck Sales/Service

P

2.03j

Sales (New and Used Auto/Passenger Truck)

P

P

2.03k

Snowmobile Sales/Service

P

2.03l

Tire Shop (Sales/Service)

P

P

P

*

2.03m

Towing and Impound Yard

P

P

2.03n

Wrecking/Salvage Yard

CUP

*

2.04

Banks and Financial Institutions

P

P

P

P

P

2.04a

Check Cashing/Quick Loans

P

*

2.05

Bars and Taverns (Including Microbreweries)

P

P

P

*

2.06

Business Offices

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

2.07

Business Services

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

2.08

Conference Centers

P

P

P

P

P

P

2.09

Convenience Store – Open 24 Hours

P

P

P

P

2.10

Convenience Store – Open 16 Hours or Less

P

P

P

P

P

2.11

Equipment Rental – Large Scale

P

*

2.11a

Equipment Rental – Small Scale

P

P

P

P

P