Chapter 16.08
UNIT LOT SUBDIVISIONS
Sections:
16.08.040 General requirements.
16.08.070 Revision and expiration.
16.08.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to encourage the supply and affordability of middle housing as an option for homeownership. Unit lot subdivision is intended to allow the creation of unit lots through established subdivision procedures while generally only applying development standards to the parent lot as a whole rather than to individual unit lots. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.020 Applicability.
Only lots developed or to be developed with middle housing or accessory dwelling units, in which no dwelling units are stacked on another dwelling unit or other use, may be subdivided into individual unit lots as provided in this chapter. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.030 Process.
Unit lot subdivisions must follow the application, review, and approval procedures for a short subdivision or subdivision, depending on the number of lots. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.040 General requirements.
A. The overall development on the parent lot proposed for subdivision must maintain consistency with the development standards applicable to the underlying zone. However, unit lots may deviate from the following development standards of the underlying zone:
1. Density;
2. Impervious surface coverage;
3. Lot coverage;
4. Lot size; and
5. Setbacks.
B. Portions of the parent lot not subdivided for individual unit lots must be owned in common by the owners of the individual unit lots, or by a homeowners’ association comprised of the owners of the individual unit lots.
C. Within the parent lot, required parking for a dwelling unit may be provided on a different unit lot than the lot with the dwelling unit if the right to use that parking is formalized by an easement recorded with the Snohomish County auditor.
D. A unit lot subdivision must make adequate provisions for ingress, egress, emergency services, and utilities access to and from each unit lot created by reserving such common areas or other easements over, under, and across the parent site as necessary to comply with all applicable design and development standards. Any such easements created must be recorded with the Snohomish County auditor.
E. Access easements, joint use and maintenance agreements, and covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) identifying the rights and responsibilities of property owners and/or the homeowners’ association must be executed for use and maintenance of common garage, parking, and vehicle access areas; bike parking; solid waste collection areas; underground utilities; common open space; shared interior walls; exterior building facades and roofs; and other similar features must be recorded with the Snohomish County auditor. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.050 Notes on plat.
Notes must be placed on the plat recorded with the Snohomish County auditor to state the following:
A. The title of the plat must include the phrase “unit lot subdivision.”
B. Approval of the development on each unit lot was granted by the review of the development, as a whole, on the parent lot.
C. Subsequent platting actions and additions or modifications to structure(s) must not create a nonconformity of the parent lot.
D. Unit lots are not separate buildable lots independent of the overall development, and additional development of individual unit lots may be limited as a result of the application of development standards to the parent lot. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.060 Timing.
Site development and building construction may commence after preliminary approval but prior to final subdivision and recording when all applicable permits and approvals have been obtained by the applicant. However, no dwelling unit or unit lot may be sold, transferred, or conveyed prior to final subdivision approval and recording. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))
16.08.070 Revision and expiration.
Unit lot subdivisions follow the revision and expiration procedures for a short subdivision. (Ord. 2025-933 § 2 (Exh. A))