Chapter 17.14B
Low Density Residential District - LDRD

Sections:

17.14B.010 Purpose of Classification

17.14B.020 Permitted Uses

17.14B.030 Conditional Uses

17.14B.040 Accessory Uses

17.14B.050 Prohibited Uses

17.14B.060 Lot Area and Width

17.14B.070 Density

17.14B.080 Required Yard Setbacks

17.14B.090 Height

17.14B.100 Lot Coverage

17.14B.105 Parking

17.14B.110 Special Provisions

17.14B.115 Signs

17.14B.010 Purpose of Classification

District Purpose. The purpose of this district is to implement the Upper Methow Valley Comprehensive Plan (in particular, section 8, Community Image and section 9, Land Use Element) through project review and the imposition of more stringent development standards.

17.14B.020 Permitted Uses - Indicated on the District Use Chart, Chapter 17.21.

17.14B.030 Conditional Uses - Indicated on the District Use Chart, Chapter 17.21.

17.14B.040 Accessory Uses

1. Normal accessory uses customary and incidental to the permitted and/or conditional use of the property.

2. On lots, which meet or exceed the minimum size requirement of the districts, one additional attached or detached accessory dwelling with a floor area of 50% or less of the primary structure is allowed. The dwelling, which must be clustered near the primary structure (see 17.19.037), may be used for guests, relatives, or employees. A site plan shall be submitted to the Office of Planning & Development for review of conformity with maximum lot coverage.

3. On non-conforming lots, additional residential units for extended family members only if a demonstrated family hardship exists. (See 17.33.135)

17.14B.050 Prohibited Uses - Indicated on the District Use Chart, Chapter 17.21.

17.14B.060 Lot Area and Width

1. Minimum lot area is 20 acres

2. Minimum lot width is 100 feet

17.14B.070 Density - Minimum of 20 acres/dwelling unit. Accessory dwelling units may be permitted subject to provisions of 17.14B.040 (2).

17.14B.080 Required Yard Setbacks

1. Front - minimum is 50 feet

2. Side - minimum is 50 feet

3. Rear - minimum is 50 feet

4. Commercial structures: yard setbacks from all property lines shall not be less than two feet horizontal for every one foot vertical height; or, the setback established in this section, whichever is greater.

17.14B.090 Height

  1. Maximum height for all uses in the zone shall be 35 feet, except as noted in sections 2 through 6 below.
  2. Maximum height for the following list of uses shall be 50 feet: appurtenances and decorative non-structural architectural components on roofs of single family dwelling units, multi-family dwelling units, inns, lodges and on roofs of accessory agricultural buildings; crosses and other religious or civic monuments.
  3. Maximum height for the following list of uses shall be 65 feet: barns, silos, hay storage sheds; church steeples, spires, belfries, cupolas, and domes; county administrative and criminal justice buildings; fire towers; fruit and vegetable packing facilities; hose towers; parapet walls; school auditoriums and theaters.
  4. Maximum height for the following list of uses shall be 100 feet: amateur radio poles or antennas; agricultural wind machines; grain elevators; private communication poles or antennas; single family residential wind mills; water tanks.
  5. Maximum height for electric transmission and distribution towers and poles shall be 150 feet.
  6. Maximum height for communication facilities (commercial or public agency radio and TV, microwave or other antennas for transmitting and receiving) shall be 200 feet.

17.14B.100 Lot Coverage

1. Single family uses - Maximum lot coverage is 5%

2. Conditional uses and all other permitted use types exclusive of single-family uses - Maximum lot coverage is 10%

17.14B.105 Parking - As indicated in Chapter 17.25.

17.14B.110 Special Provisions

1. Multifamily dwellings and mobile home parks are allowed only by Planned Development. (See 17.19 for density and other standards.)

2. Short subdivisions shall be subject to Planned Development standards in Section 17.19.060, but not eligible for density bonuses.

3. Inns, lodges or guest ranches as defined in Section 17.04.140, and Campgrounds as defined in Section 17.04.055 and RV Parks as defined in Section 17.04.245 shall be approved by Planned Development and shall incorporate the following additional design standards:

a. The minimum lot size for this use is 35 acres in order to provide for on-site recreation. However, the required lot size may be reduced on the following bonus system basis if such reductions are consistent with comprehensive plan goals. However, in no instance shall the lot size be decreased below 20 acres.
    1. Decrease required lot size by five (5) acres if 90% or more open space will be provided as part of the project.
    2. Decrease required lot size by five (5) acres if located on and participates in maintenance and operation of an organized trail system or other recreational opportunity involving more properties than the subject property;
    3. Decrease required lot size by five (5) acres if project site contains conservation easements granted to a public entity.
    4. Decrease required lot by five (5) acres if the project contains innovative conservation measures, such as, water/energy conservation, recycling or composting.

b. Intensity. Such uses shall be reviewed as commercial uses. For the purposes of this section, one dwelling unit shall equal a unit with or without kitchen facilities, containing four or fewer rental bedrooms, or a maximum of 10 occupants. The number of camping spaces cannot exceed the number allowable by Okanogan County Health district on-site sewage standards.

c. Signage. See 17.17.110 (5).

d. Setback from Public Roads. Setback from property line (right of way line) for structures, campsites, and other areas of intense use shall be 75 feet.

e. Screening by Type II Visual Buffer per 17.27.030 B) shall be required.

4. Construction in Flood Hazard Areas: No structures for human habitation or any sewage disposal facilities shall be constructed or placed in areas inundated by the 100-year flood.

5. Light and Glare: Outdoor lighting, including street and parking lot lighting, shall be directed downward and shielded to minimize potential glare to motorists and off-site residents. No exterior light with a direct source visible from a neighboring property shall be installed. Indirect sources and horizontal cut-off fixtures are recommended to reduce glare and provide general ambient light. Holiday lighting is exempt from these requirements.

6. Not withstanding general provisions of this code to the contrary, in areas of this district platted for residential (non-commercial) airport-related uses, the following uses are allowed outright, and do not require a Conditional Use Permit.

a. Aircraft hangers and non-commercial airport-related service structures in areas platted for residential (non-commercial) airport-related uses. With respect to individual residential lots within such plat, such structures shall be set back no less than 10 feet from the taxiway serving such residential lots, and shall comply in all other respects with lot coverage restrictions pertinent to this district.

b. Aircraft fuel pumps and fuel storage: PROVIDED that any such fuel pumps and/or fuel storage facilities shall comply with all state and federal laws and regulations regarding such facilities.

7. Pre-application consultation with the Mazama Advisory Committee, or other entity established by the County, and Office of Planning and Development is mandatory for all uses requiring a conditional use permit (OCC 17.33) or planned development (OCC 17.19) approval. Within 30 days of receiving a request for pre-application consultation, the Office of Planning and Development will set a meeting date, time and place for the pre-application consultation. The purpose of the meeting is to assist the applicant in identification of site development and design considerations and suggest potential solutions where possible. The local review board or other entity established by the County shall base its comments and recommendations on guidelines established pursuant to the County Comprehensive Plan. These comments and recommendations shall be provided to the applicant and the Office of Planning and Development within 14 days of the pre-application consultation meeting.

17.14B.115 Signs Any sign advertising a business or organization not located on the parcel containing the business or organization is prohibited except those signs erected by the State of Washington or Okanogan County.