Chapter 14.32
R-14.5 RESIDENCE ZONE

Sections:

14.32.010    Established.

14.32.020    Purpose.

14.32.030    Permitted secondary uses.

14.32.035    Conditional uses.

14.32.040    Bulk regulations.

14.32.010 Established.

A residential R-14.5 zone is established.  The land uses and standards for this zone are stated in this chapter.  (Ord. 202 § 7.01, 1987)

14.32.020 Purpose.

The primary function of the residential R-14.5 zone is to provide for a one-family dwelling unit, and must be a minimum of one-third acre and adhere to bulk regulations in Section 14.32.040.  (Ord. 202 § 7.02, 1987)

14.32.030 Permitted secondary uses.

The secondary land uses permitted in the R-14.5 zone are as follows:

A.    All uses regularly permitted in the conservation zone;

B.    One swimming pool and related equipment appertaining to its operation is allowed according to the following regulations:

1.    Swimming pools, including any deck around the same, shall conform to established setback regulations for R-14.5 zoning;

2.    Pools shall be enclosed by fencing conforming to Appendix G of the International Residential Code;

3.    Pool lighting shall consist of aboveground lighting to ensure adequate illumination of the pool itself and all adjoining decks and aprons, provided it conforms with subsection D of this section;

4.    The fees for the application for a permit to construct a swimming pool shall be as established by the Town’s fee schedule ordinance (Chapter 3.32 of this code) in effect at the time the application is submitted;

5.    Swimming pools and hot tubs should be drained into the sanitary sewer system where sewers are available according to the standards set forth by the Town.  Where sewers are not available, pools must be drained either as arranged for when obtaining the pool permit or as specified at the time of draining, by the Town.  However, in any case, no pool water shall be drained until first contacting the Town;

C.    One game court shall be allowed provided the area of the court surface does not exceed seven thousand two hundred square feet.  Fences surrounding game courts shall not exceed twelve feet in height.  Game courts, including fencing, shall comply with setback regulations for R-14.5 zoning which consist of thirty-foot front, twenty-foot back and ten-foot side.  No court lighting shall be allowed.  The fees for the application of a permit to construct a game court shall be as established by the Town’s fee schedule ordinance (Chapter 3.32 of this code) in effect at the time the application is submitted;

D.    Outdoor lighting is permitted under the following conditions, except where otherwise prohibited by this title:

1.    Exterior lights are permitted if the light sources are hooded or shielded, so the lamp is not visible from adjacent properties or public rights-of-way;

2.    Lighting installed by Town government is permitted;

3.    No outdoor lighting shall be installed in the Town rights-of-way without permission from the Town;

4.    Automatic lights that are not hooded and shielded are permitted, provided the lights are turned on by movement or sound, and which are turned off automatically within no more than five minutes from when the signal stops;

5.    Lighting permitted by the agreement in the Woodway Highlands plat approval;

E.    Outdoor antennas for radio, television, and other communications for individual homes are permitted but only if in harmony with the surrounding structures and with the residential character of the Town, and are installed such that their visibility from any adjacent public street or adjacent property is minimized.  These standards shall be applied by the Board of Adjustment;

F.    Repealed by Ord. 295;

G.    One detached garage is allowed and must meet the bulk regulations;

H.    One greenhouse is permitted and must meet the bulk regulations;

I.    Fences are permitted subject to the following regulations:

1.    Perimeter, property line, and interior fences shall not exceed six feet in height;

2.    Perimeter and property line walls shall not exceed four feet in height.  A railing or open fencing not exceeding two feet in height is permitted on top of a wall;

3.    In the event that a fence is finished on only one side, the finished side of the fence shall face away from the property being fenced;

4.    The height of the fence as hereinabove described shall be determined by the measurement between the top board, surface, rail or wire to the ground directly below said fence.  A ground level may be built up under said fence level to the nearest elevation of paved pathway or street in the Town right-of-way which fronts said fence.  In this situation the height of the fence shall be measured from the top of that built-up ground level fill.  Otherwise, no ground level shall be built up on which to build a perimeter or property line fence unless the total height of the built-up ground level plus the fence does not exceed the maximum height allowable, excluding any leveling of filled areas of three feet or less in length or width which serve to level the top line of the fence;

5.    No portion of a fence or wall is permitted if it obstructs the traffic line of sight distance at road or street intersections;

6.    No fence shall extend beyond the front, side or rear property lines of any lot or plot of land;

7.    For fences or walls on or near a property line, the determination of the location of property lines shall be the responsibility of the property owner(s) building the fence.  The Town Building Official may require the property owner to provide a certified boundary survey (at the owner’s expense) to verify that the fence or wall is located in accordance with the so approved plans;

8.    Interior Fences.

a.    Swimming Pool Fences.  Swimming pools shall be enclosed by fencing a minimum of five feet in height above finished grade.  Fencing shall have openings not more than four inches wide and gates that are self-closing with self-latching and locking devices that are located four and one-half feet above ground level and on the inside of the fence.  See subsection (B)(2) of this section.  Fences shall comply with setback regulations for R-14.5 which consist of thirty feet in the front, twenty feet rear and ten feet side;

b.    Game Court Fences.  Fences surrounding game courts shall not exceed twelve feet in height.  Such fencing may be solid construction on the lower six feet but must be open weave material for the upper six feet.  Fencing shall comply with setback regulations for R-14.5 zoning which consist of thirty feet in the front, twenty feet rear and ten feet side;

9.    A building permit is required for the construction of any new perimeter and property line fence or wall so described in this subsection;

10.    Repair of existing fence or wall which conforms to this subsection does not require a building permit.  Any modification of an existing fence or wall that changes its location, height, materials, or character will be considered a "new fence" and will require a building permit;

11.    No barbed, concertina or razor wire shall be permitted in construction or repair of a fence or wall, except for perimeter or property line fencing in the industrial product storage, conservation, special study areas zones and public utilities and for reasons of public safety as approved by the Town Building Official;

12.    Gates, gate posts, or gate columns shall be no higher than one and one-half times the adjoining fence or wall height.  There shall be no more than two double gates on any street frontage.  No gate shall swing open into the Town right-of-way.  For R-14.5 zoning, gates, gate posts or columns, including caps, shall not exceed twenty inches in width or thickness;

J.    Dog shelters or runs are allowed, provided they are not installed within the setbacks.  Such fencing shall not exceed six feet in height.  A roof cover may not be more than eight feet above ground level;

K.    Off-street parking areas, private automobile storage, and carports shall be permitted, provided any structure meets the bulk regulations for the zoning area;

L.    A hobby shop shall be permitted as a use in any secondary building, primary residential building or yard, relating thereto; provided, that any such use of the yards shall be so screened as to be obscured from public view;

M.    Care and maintenance of household animals and small domestic animals (not including mink, fox and swine).  Retailing, wholesaling or the commercial feeding and raising of animals is prohibited;

N.    Play structures not exceeding fifteen feet in height, one hundred twenty square feet in area and not lighted are allowed, provided they are at least thirty feet from the front property line, ten feet from the side property line and twenty feet from the rear line.

Exception:  One tree house may be as high as allowed for the primary residence, provided all of the following conditions are met:

1.    It is only a one-story structure; and

2.    The area below the floor of the tree house is open to a height equal to at least one-half the total height of the tree house; and

3.    The tree house is screened from adjoining properties and rights-of-way by landscaping as approved by the Building Official; and

4.    There is not a straight line of sight between the tree house and the interior of a residence on any adjoining property;

O.    One flagpole is permitted; provided, that it is no higher than thirty-five feet;

P.    Hives and houses for beneficial pollinating insects such as, but not necessarily limited to, honeybees (Apis mellifera), orchard mason bees (Osmia lignaria) and bumblebees (Apis bombus) are allowed anywhere in the R-14.5 zoning, including in the setbacks;

Q.    Garden and tool storage sheds;

R.    Arbors, trellises, decks and patios;

S.    Animal pens, enclosures or runs are allowed provided they comply with the following:

1.    The aggregate area of all pens, enclosures and runs shall not exceed four hundred square feet;

2.    They shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition via frequent cleaning and the removal of animal waste from the site and shall at no times be a source of offensive odors transmitted to adjacent properties;

3.    They are not placed in a front, rear or side yard setback;

4.    The structure does not exceed eight feet in height;

5.    The size of a pen, enclosure or run holding an animal shall be large enough for the shelter and for the animal to move about in a normal manner;

T.    Government administrative offices, public safety and public works operation facilities.  (Ord. 12-539 § 1 (Exh. A)(part), 2012; Ord. 11-529 § 6, 2011:  Ord. 10-522 §§ 16--20, 2010; Ord. 08-489 §§ 6, 9, 2008; Ord. 04-439 § 1 (part), 2004; Ord. 01-412 § 1 (Exh. 1 (part)), 2001; Ord. 97-327 § 4, 1997; Ord. 237 § 3, 1990; Ord. 214 §§ 1, 4, 1988; Ord. 202 § 7.03, 1987)

14.32.035 Conditional uses.

Conditional uses permitted within this zone shall be administered consistent with the provisions of Chapter 14.48 of this code.  Conditional uses are:

A.    Public facilities including government administrative offices, public safety and public works operation facilities that exceed the bulk requirements in Section 14.32.040(E), community centers and recreation centers.

B.    Utilities installations (not including sewer, water, and stormwater facilities, and telecommunications and energy distribution lines).

C.    Wireless communications facilities as provided in Section 14.46.110(A)(3).

D.    Family day care provider.  (Ord. 15-564 § 1 (Exh. A (part)), 2015; Ord. 12-539 § 1 (Exh. A)(part), 2012; Ord. 10-520 § 1 (Exh. B (part)), 2010)

14.32.040 Bulk regulations.

Except as allowed in subsection (A)(5) of this section, the permitted uses allowed in the R-14.5 zone shall be in compliance with the following bulk regulations:

A.    Recorded building lots or parcels shall comply with the following:

1.    Setbacks.

a.    Front yard, thirty feet;

b.    Rear yard, twenty feet;

c.    Side yard, ten feet.

2.    Minimum Lot Area.  Fourteen thousand five hundred twenty square feet.

3.    Building Height.  Maximum building height shall not exceed twenty-five feet.

4.    Lot Coverage.  The total footprint of the primary residence and all other structures may not exceed an amount equal to thirty percent of the area of the subject lot, provided there is adequate open space left available to house an on-site sewage disposal system with a one hundred percent reserve area, if sanitary sewers are not available.

5.    Secondary uses permitted under Section 14.32.030(T) shall be limited to no more than seven thousand square feet, a building height of thirty feet and a lot coverage of sixty percent.

B.    As an alternative to the bulk regulations in subsection A of this section, recorded lots or parcels equal to or greater than forty-three thousand five hundred sixty square feet (one acre) may comply with all of the following:

1.    Setbacks.

a.    Front yard, thirty feet;

b.    Rear yard, twenty feet;

c.    Side yard, twenty feet.

2.    Building Height.  Maximum building height shall not exceed thirty feet.

3.    Lot Coverage.  The total footprint of the primary residence and all other structures may not exceed an amount equal to twenty percent of the area of the subject lot, provided there is adequate open space left available to house an on-site sewage disposal system with a one hundred percent reserve area, if sanitary sewers are not available.

4.    Restrictions and Conditions for Further Subdivision.  Proposals to further subdivide a short plat lot that was previously developed pursuant to this subsection B shall comply with the following:

a.    Conformance with the provisions of Section 13.32.090 and RCW 58.17.060 restricting further subdivision within five years; and

b.    Buildings constructed after July 31, 2015, on the lot proposed for further subdivision shall conform with the bulk regulations of subsection A of this section prior to the submission of a subdivision application.  Further, said existing buildings shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 14.52.010 (nonconforming use).  (Ord. 15-568 § 1 (Exh. A), 2015:  Ord. 12-539 § 1 (Exh. A)(part), 2012:  Ord. 01-412 § 1 (Exh. 1 (part)), 2001; Ord. 202 § 7.04, 1987)