Chapter 19.23
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – USES

Sections:

19.23.010    Establishment of uses.

19.23.020    Interpretation of land use tables.

19.23.030    Residential land uses.

19.23.040    General services.

19.23.050    Recreation and transportation land uses.

19.23.060    Commercial service land uses.

19.23.070    Commercial retail land uses.

19.23.080    Eating/drinking establishment land uses.

19.23.090    Industrial and manufacturing land uses.

19.23.100    Electric vehicle infrastructure.

19.23.010 Establishment of uses.

The use of a property is defined by the activity for which the building or lot is intended, designed, arranged, occupied, or maintained. The use is considered established when that use will or has been in continuous operation for a period exceeding 60 days. A use that will operate for less than 60 days is considered a temporary use, and subject to the requirements of this title. All applicable requirements of Mountlake Terrace Municipal Code, or other applicable state or federal requirements, shall govern a use located in the City of Mountlake Terrace. (Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.020 Interpretation of land use tables.

A. The land use tables in this chapter determine whether a specific use is allowed in a zoning district. In the land use tables, the zoning district is represented in the vertical column and the specific use is represented in the horizontal row.

B. If no symbol appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is not allowed in that district, except for certain temporary uses.

C. If the letter “P” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed in that district subject to the review procedures specified in MTMC Title 18, Land Use Planning and Development, and the general requirements of the code.

D. If the letter “C” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed subject to the conditional use review procedures specified in MTMC Title 18, Land Use Planning and Development, and the general requirements of the code.

E. If the letter “A” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed if the use is incidental and subordinate to the principal use of the lot, subject to the general requirements of the code.

F. If the letters “HO” appear in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed subject to provisions for home occupations, pursuant to MTMC 19.120.230.

G. If the letters “SF” appear in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed, subject to requirements for secure community transition facilities, pursuant to MTMC Title 18.

H. If a number appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use may be allowed subject to the appropriate review process indicated above, the general requirements of the code and the specific conditions indicated in the development condition with the corresponding number immediately following the land use table.

I. If more than one letter-number combination appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed in that zone subject to different sets of limitations or conditions depending on the review process indicated by the letter, the general requirements of the code and the specific conditions indicated in the development condition with the corresponding number immediately following the table.

J. Additional requirements pursuant to this code, including but not exclusive to specific zoning districts, shall apply. Such requirements shall govern a use, whether or not such requirements are cross-referenced in this section.

K. The uses shown in this table shall not be allowed to develop or expand in an affected zoning district while a moratorium adopted by the City Council is in effect for those uses. (Amended by City request, 1/11; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.030 Residential land uses.*

Key

 

 

P – Permitted Use

A – Accessory Use

C – Conditional Use

HO – Home Occupation Use

RS 8400

RS 7200

RS 4800

RS-T

RML/RMM

Specific Land Use

 

 

Residential

 

 

Accessory dwellings

A

A1

Accessory structures, nonresidential

A

A

Adult care household

P

P

Bed and breakfast inns/boarding and rooming houses

 

P

Day care homes

HO

HO

Greenhouses, noncommercial

A

A

Group home institutions

C

C

Group homes

C

C

Halfway houses

 

C

Home occupations

HO

HO

Juvenile foster homes

P

P

Multi-household dwellings

P2

P

Nursing homes

 

P

Residential care facilities

C

P

Retirement centers, congregate care facilities

 

P

Single-household residential

P

P

Storage buildings

A

A

Swimming pools/hot tubs

A

A

Townhomes

P3

P

Youth shelters4

C

C

*Any specific requirements pursuant to other regulations for such uses shall apply.

1Only when associated with single-household dwellings.

2Duplexes are allowed in the RS 8400 zone when 1.5 times the minimum lot size is provided.

3Townhomes in RS districts are allowed only in the RS-T district, subject to MTMC 19.30.065.

4Class II youth shelters shall be separated from senior housing by 500 feet. Both Class I and II youth shelters require a conditional use permit.

(Ord. 2721 § 5, 2018; Ord. 2699 § 2, 2016; Ord. 2667 § 3, 2015; Ord. 2547 § 7, 2010; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.040 General services.*

Key

 

 

P – Permitted Use

A – Accessory Use

C – Conditional Use

SF – Secure Facilities Use

RS 8400

RS 7200

RS 4800

RS-T

RML/RMM

Specific Land Use

 

 

School/Day Care

 

 

Adult or child day care (with religious facility, school, recreation facility or library)

A

A

Day care centers

C

C/A

Higher education facilities

C

C2

Preschool through 12th grade

C2

C2

Essential Public Facilities and Public Service Facilities

 

 

Disaster emergency facilities

P/C4

P/C4

Fire/aid car stations

C

C

Libraries

P

P

Municipal office buildings

 

C

Parking lots

P6

A

Police stations

C

C

Public utility facilities

P/C1

P/C1

Public Works Facilities

 

 

Recycling collection stations

C

C

Membership Organizations

 

 

Private clubs and lodges

C3

C3

Religious facilities

C3

C3

Medical/Health Care

 

 

Health care offices/clinics

 

P/C5

Hospitals/emergency clinics

 

C

Veterinarian clinics/hospitals

 

P/C5

*Any specific requirements pursuant to other regulations for such uses shall apply.

1If development contains more than 25,000 square feet of gross area, a conditional use permit is required.

2Side and rear yards shall each be a minimum of 30 feet. All outdoor lights shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from any adjacent properties.

3All structures shall be set back 20 feet from property lines. On interior and through lots, the required side yards may be used to provide off-street parking areas and, on corner lots, the rear yard may be used. The required front yard may not be used for off-street parking. All lights provided to illuminate parking areas or buildings shall be so arranged as to direct the light away from any adjoining properties.

4Temporary facilities are a permitted use; permanent facilities are a conditional use.

5Allowed as a permitted use up to 5,000 square feet in any single building. Within this category, any use of 5,000 square feet or greater in any single building shall be allowed up to 10,000 square feet only under a conditional use permit. A “single building” for the purpose of the identified land use category in this subsection shall include any buildings located on the same lot and connected by a walkway or driveway outside of a public right-of-way or by a building element.

6Permitted only in the RS-T district, subject to MTMC 19.30.065.

(Ord. 2721 § 6, 2018; Ord. 2699 § 3, 2016; Ord. 2542 § 4, 2010; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.050 Recreation and transportation land uses.*

Key

 

 

P – Permitted Use

A – Accessory Use

C – Conditional Use

RS 8400

RS 7200

RS 4800

RS-T

RML/RMM

Bus/transit stops and shelters

P

P

Golf course

C1

C1

Gym, dance/fitness studio

 

A

Health/exercise clubs

 

 

Parks, public

P

P

Performing arts centers

 

P

Rapid transit stations

 

C

Public recreational facilities

P

P

Private recreational facilities

C2

 

*Any specific requirements pursuant to other regulations for such uses shall apply.

1Access to at least a minor arterial street is required. Commercial use or development accessory to the golf course is limited to a pro shop for the sale and rental of golf equipment, a driving range, eating/drinking establishment, meeting/assembly rooms and administrative office.

2Located within 500 feet of a collector, minor arterial, or principal arterial right-of-way as designated on the current adopted City of Mountlake Terrace Transportation Master Plan.

(Ord. 2840 § 3, 2024; Ord. 2721 § 7, 2018; Ord. 2699 § 4, 2016; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.060 Commercial service land uses.*

Key

 

P – Permitted Use

A – Accessory Use

C – Conditional Use

RML/RMM

Neighborhood commercial services

P/C1

*Any specific requirements pursuant to other regulations for such uses shall apply.

1Per MTMC 19.35.100.

(Ord. 2542 § 3, 2010; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.070 Commercial retail land uses.

Reserved. (Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.080 Eating/drinking establishment land uses.

Reserved. (Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.090 Industrial and manufacturing land uses.

Reserved. (Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).

19.23.100 Electric vehicle infrastructure.

Electric vehicle infrastructure facilities are permitted in zoning districts of the City as identified in Table 1. The table identifies in the first column the abbreviated name of each zoning district. The second, third, and fourth columns indicate a type of electric vehicle infrastructure. For each zoning district, the table identifies the type of electric vehicle infrastructure that is permitted and the process under which it is permitted. “P” indicates that the infrastructure corresponding to that column is a permitted use in the corresponding zoning district. “C” indicates that the infrastructure corresponding to that column is a conditional use in the corresponding zoning district. A column that is blank for a particular zoning district indicates that the infrastructure is not permitted in that zone.

Table 1

Zone

Charging Level 1 and Level 2 Station

Charging Level 3 Station

Battery Exchange Station

RS

P

 

 

RM

P

 

 

BC

P

P

P

TC

P

P

P

CG

P

P

P

F/T

P

P

P

LI/OP

P

P

P

REC

P

C

C

SSD/R

P

 

 

SSD C/R

P

P

 

PFS

P

P

P

(Ord. 2755 § 21, 2019; Ord. 2553 § 3, 2010; Ord. 2447 § 3, 2007).