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SUBJECTS › PLANNING › Local Land Use & Environmental Codes Checklist
 
Local Land Use & Environmental Codes Checklist

Local Land Use & Environmental Codes Checklist

Prepared by Susan C. Enger, MRSC Planning Consultant
June 1996

The following is a list of land use and environmental codes which your community may have and which should likely be included in your list of (briefly explained) regulations, as required by SHB 2386. This list is prepared as a reminder of many common types of land use and environmental regulations, but may not include every type of regulation that you have which would be subject to SHB 2386 requirements. Some of the regulations listed may not be applicable in your situation. It also may be possible to combine some of these regulations together under one explanation rather than describing each listed regulation separately.

I. Land Use & Environmental Policies

  1. Comprehensive plan policies (including urban growth boundaries, official map)
  2. County-wide planning policies (for jurisdictions planning under GMA)
  3. Subarea plan or neighborhood plan
  4. Functional plan (e.g. general sewer plan or park & recreation plan)
  5. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) policies

II. Zoning Regulations

  1. Regulations for permitted uses (for each type land use district, including setback, height & bulk standards)
  2. Site plan approval
  3. Conditional use regulations (for each type land use district)
  4. Accessory uses
  5. Special use permit
  6. Unclassified use permit
  7. Non-conforming use standards and review (change, extension...)
  8. Temporary use permit
  9. Design review standards
  10. Overlay district regulations (e.g. historic preservation, airport vicinity, central business district, planned unit development...)
  11. General regulations (e.g. off-street parking & loading, landscaping/vegetation protection, fences & hedges, solar access, environmental performance standards)
  12. Supplemental standards for special uses (e.g. home occupation, mobile home or recreational vehicle parks, drive-through facilities, transit-oriented development, cluster development, infill development, mixed use development, day care, group homes, vendors)
  13. Landmarks regulations
  14. Transfer of development rights program
  15. Zoning variance
  16. Rezone (individual properties)
  17. Zoning amendment (area-wide map amendment or text amendment)

III. Environmental Regulations

  1. Critical Areas Regulations
    • Wetlands (and streams)
    • Aquifer recharge area (or groundwater/wellfield protection)
    • Frequently flooded area (floodplain regulations)
    • Geologically hazardous area (and hillside development)
    • Fish & wildlife conservation area
  2. Shoreline Management program/permit
    • Shoreline substantial development permit
    • Shoreline variance
  3. SEPA checklist/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
  4. Resource lands protection/buffers (right-to-farm, mine, forestry; agricultural zoning; transfer development rights; purchase of development rights; buffer zones; conservation easements)

IV. Subdivision Regulations

  1. Short Subdivision regulations
  2. Subdivision preliminary & final plat approval/requirements
  3. Binding Site Plan for mobile home parks, industrial/business parks, condominiums
  4. Resubdivision
  5. Boundary lot line adjustment/segregation
  6. Subdivision design standards (lot/block design, street layout, parks/open space standards, public facility level-of-service standards)
  7. Concurrency/adequate public facilities requirements
  8. Impact fees

V. Building Codes

  1. Building Code
  2. Plumbing Code
  3. Electrical Code
  4. Mechanical Code
  5. Fire Code
  6. Energy Code
  7. Housing Code
  8. Historic Conservation Code
  9. Dangerous Buildings
  10. Moving buildings permit
  11. Barrier Free Design Standards
  12. Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality Standards
  13. Swimming pools
  14. Building permits - earth subsidence and landslide
  15. Demolition permit

VI. Other Property Development Codes/Standards

  1. Street names & numbering regulations
  2. Road access permit
  3. Authorization from sewer purveyor for sanitary sewer (or sewage permit for use of septic tank)
  4. Water availability certification
  5. Clearing & grading permit (also tree cutting, retaining walls...)
  6. Storm water management/drainage/erosion control
  7. Utility easements and requirements
  8. Parking lot construction
  9. Fuel tank removal/installation

VII. Regulation of Activities within the Street Right-of-Way

  1. Right-of-way construction permits
  2. Street access permit
  3. Street use permit
  4. Streets and driveways design standards
  5. Street trees
  6. Sidewalk design standards
  7. Street vacation

VIII. Other Miscellaneous Requirements

  1. Commute trip reduction requirements
  2. Sign code
  3. Annexation