Chapter 18.30
LAND USE DISTRICTS

Sections:

Article I. Activities and Uses

18.30.010    Land use districts.

18.30.020    Land use regulations – Allowable and prohibited uses by designation and allowable residential densities.

18.30.030    Land use table – Activity center land use districts.

18.30.040    Land use table – Rural, resource, and special land use districts.

18.30.050    Land use regulations – General provisions.

18.30.060    Master planned resorts – Special provisions.

18.30.070    Rural, resource, and special districts – Special provisions.

Article II. Overlay Districts

18.30.080    Overlay districts – Purpose.

18.30.090    Overlay districts – Maps.

Article III. Special Overlay District Regulations

18.30.100    Mineral resource lands district (MRL).

18.30.110    Critical areas.

18.30.120    Geologically hazardous areas.

18.30.130    Frequently flooded areas.

18.30.140    Critical aquifer recharge areas.

18.30.150    Wetlands.

18.30.160    Fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas.

18.30.170    Open space conservation overlay district (OSC).

18.30.180    Airport overlay district (AOD).

Article IV. Subarea Plans, Interim Controls and Development Standards

18.30.190    Subarea plans.

18.30.200    Interim controls in village and hamlet activity centers.

18.30.210    Land use controls in Lopez Village urban growth area, the Lopez Village growth reserve area, and the Lopez marine center LAMIRD.

18.30.220    Land use standards in residential activity centers.

18.30.230    Residential development standards in island centers, rural industrial and rural commercial districts.

18.30.240    Village and hamlet activity center plans.

Article V. Deer Harbor Hamlet Plan

18.30.250    Deer Harbor plan review committee.

18.30.260    Commercial zoning requirements.

18.30.270    Deer Harbor community center overlay district.

18.30.280    Community center development standards.

18.30.290    Land use districts.

18.30.300    Residential bonus density district.

18.30.310    Permitted land uses.

18.30.320    Development standards.

18.30.330    Expansion of existing uses.

18.30.340    Parking standards.

18.30.350    Definitions.

18.30.360    Resource land buffer.

18.30.370    Outdoor storage in industrial districts.

Article I. Activities and Uses

18.30.010 Land use districts.

The San Juan County Comprehensive Plan establishes four principal land use classes for the County. Each class permits a different level of activity. The four general classes are growth areas, activity centers (which include areas of more intensive rural development and master planned resorts), rural lands, and resource lands. The individual land use categories within the classes are referred to as “districts.”

This section of the Unified Development Code provides development regulations by identifying uses and activities which may or may not be established in these classes. These classes have been developed based on:

•    Natural systems and land capability;

•    Existing land use patterns;

•    The needs and expressed desires of the community; and

•    Coordination with the Shoreline Management Act and the County Shoreline Master Program in Chapter 18.50 SJCC.

A. Growth areas are urban lands, which provide for compact urban development, urban-level services, and urban levels and intensities of uses and activities. This includes one category or “district”: urban growth area district (UGA).

B. Rural Activity Centers. The purpose of this land use class is to provide centers of activity in rural areas in a concentrated development pattern and allow for infill with a similar intensity of uses. Rural activity centers offer diverse employment opportunities; a variety of residential densities and housing types; and general commercial, general industrial, institutional, recreational, and community uses. This land use class includes five categories or “districts.” Four of these categories (village activity centers, hamlet activity centers, residential activity centers, and island centers) are existing areas of more intensive rural development (AMIRDs) as provided for in RCW 36.70A.070(5) (d). Master planned resorts provide for urban-level recreational development and services in a rural setting and context.

1. Village activity center district (V).

a. Commercial (VC).

b. Industrial (VI).

c. Residential (VR).

2. Hamlet activity center district (H).

a. Commercial (HC).

b. Industrial (HI).

c. Residential (HR).

3. Residential activity center district (RAC).

4. Island center district (IC).

5. Master planned resort district (MPR).

C. Rural Lands. This land use class includes five categories or “districts”:

1. Rural general use (RGU).

2. Rural residential (RR).

3. Rural farm-forest (RFF).

4. Rural industrial (RI).

5. Rural commercial (RC).

D. Resource Lands. This land use class includes three categories or “districts”:

1. Agricultural resource lands (AG).

2. Forest resource lands (FOR).

3. Mineral resource lands (MRL) overlay district (see SJCC 18.30.080).

E. Special Districts. The purpose of this rural land use subclass is to protect, conserve, and manage existing natural conditions, resources, and valuable historic, cultural, educational, or scientific research areas and to preserve indigenous plant and animal species and ecosystems in a natural state for the benefit of existing and future generations without precluding compatible human uses. This land use class includes two categories or “districts”:

1. Conservancy lands (C);

2. Natural lands (N). (Ord. 11-2000 § 4; Ord. 2-1998 Exh. B § 3.1)

18.30.020 Land use regulations – Allowable and prohibited uses by designation and allowable residential densities.

The land use regulations which follow implement the Comprehensive Plan. They are broken down into broad categories which should include almost any type of land use that might be proposed. The use regulations establish standard procedures for all new development.

A. Categories of Allowable Use. Land uses allowed under this code are divided into five categories, as identified in Tables 3.1 and 3.2 in SJCC 18.30.030 and 18.30.040.

1. Uses Allowed Outright. Uses allowed without a project permit, subject to the applicable development standards (Chapter 18.60 SJCC; see also SJCC 18.80.070), are designated by a “YES”;

2. Provisional uses allowed subject to the applicable development standards (Chapter 18.60 SJCC) and performance standards unique to the proposed use (Chapter 18.40 SJCC; see also SJCC 18.80.080), are designated by “Prov”;

3. Discretionary uses allowed subject to the applicable development and performance standards (Chapters 18.40 and 18.60 SJCC) and an administrative review of potential impacts (SJCC 18.80.090) are designated by a “D” (for “discretionary”). On the basis of the administrative review, the administrator may require a conditional use permit for these uses;

4. Conditional uses allowed subject to the applicable development standards (Chapter 18.60 SJCC), performance standards unique to the proposed use (Chapter 18.40 SJCC), and a conditional use permit (SJCC 18.80.100), are designated by a “C”; and

5. New uses, or changes in the locations of uses, in a master planned resort activity center which require an amendment to the master plan (see SJCC 18.30.060, 18.60.190, and 18.90.060) are designated “P.A.” (for “plan amendment”).

B. Prohibited Uses. Uses designated with a “No” are not allowed in the applicable land use district.

C. Multiple Designations. Some properties or developments may be subject to the regulations for two or more applicable land use districts, shoreline environments, or overlay districts.

D. Allowable Residential Density.

1. The maximum allowable residential density for all parcels is shown on the official maps of the San Juan County Comprehensive Plan. In determining the maximum number of allowable parcels or dwelling units, only whole numbers may be used. Fractional density units are not parcels and may not be combined across density designation or parcel boundaries to create a whole density unit.

2. Residential densities shown on the official maps of the Comprehensive Plan apply to both the areas subject to the jurisdiction of the Shoreline Master Program and the upland areas, except where shoreline regulations specify a different density.

3. The maximum allowable density reflects the general intent of the Comprehensive Plan and should be allowed unless maximum density would exceed site capabilities or unless it would thwart other applicable County land use regulations. If specific site considerations dictate a lower density than that shown on the official maps, the County shall have authority to impose a lower density. The approved density shall be determined on a case-by-case basis and shall be based on considerations of topography, protection of natural resources and systems, and the intent and policies of the Shoreline Management Act, the State Environmental Policy Act, the Comprehensive Plan, this code, and this Shoreline Master Program.

The allowed density may be reduced below the maximum if SEPA analysis or other evaluation of the site or area-wide conditions demonstrates that adverse effects of development at the maximum density can be mitigated or avoided by a reduction to the approved density, and no appropriate alternative means of mitigation is available.

4. The residential densities specified on the official maps shall not constitute and shall not be construed as minimum parcel sizes. Minimum parcel sizes may be set forth elsewhere in this code or in a subarea plan.

5. Repealed by Ord. 7-2005.

6. Land division is prohibited in natural districts and in natural shoreline environments.

7. Conservancy Lands (C).

a. Where no numerical density designation is assigned on the official maps a maximum allowable density of one dwelling unit per five acres shall apply.

b. On publicly owned conservancy lands, the maximum allowable residential density is one dwelling unit per parcel, except for housing for employees (not to exceed that necessary for land or park management), or for housing associated with an existing public higher educational facility.

8. For all rural (except activity centers), resource, or conservancy districts, and for all shoreline areas, land division shall be subject to the conservation design provisions in SJCC 18.70.060 (B)(10).

9. Lopez Village Urban Growth Area. The maximum densities for all designations shall be as specified in SJCC 18.30.210.

10. Maximum allowable residential densities for planned unit developments in urban growth areas and residential activity centers shall be determined as provided in SJCC 16.55.240, 18.30.210, 18.30.220 and 18.60.220.

11. Maximum residential densities in master planned resorts are determined as provided in SJCC 18.30.060(B).

12. Maximum residential densities within the unincorporated portion of the Friday Harbor Urban Growth Area.

a. In that portion of the UGA where standards adopted by the town for its single-family residential zone apply (according to Section 7 of the “Friday Harbor Unincorporated Urban Growth Area Management Agreement”), the maximum allowable residential density shall be four dwelling units per acre.

b. In that portion of the UGA where standards adopted by the town for its light industrial, light manufacturing, or public utilities land use designations apply (according to Section 7 of the “Friday Harbor Unincorporated Urban Growth Area Management Agreement”), residential and general commercial development shall be prohibited.

13. Exception for Rural Residential Cluster Development. Land developed under the provisions of SJCC 18.60.230 shall be subject to the density provisions of that section.

E. Development Standards and Use Limitations. All uses are subject to certain bulk and dimensional standards, such as setbacks and off-street parking requirements. These standards are specified in Chapter 18.60 SJCC.

F. Criteria for Site-Specific Redesignations and Master Planned Resort Approval. The criteria for decisionmaking on these actions are specified in SJCC 18.90.030 and 18.90.060.

G. Application, Notice, and Appeal Requirements. The requirements to file an application, the administrative processes for handling the application, and appeal procedures, are specified in Chapter 18.80 SJCC. (Ord. 7-2005 § 3; Ord. 14-2000 § 7(ZZ); Ord. 11-2000 § 4; Ord. 2-1998 Exh. B § 3.2)

18.30.030 Land use table – Activity center land use districts.

How to Use this Table Table 3.1 displays the classification of uses for activity center land use districts, and Table 3.2 the classification of uses for rural, resource, and special land use districts. Use the appropriate table for the land use district of interest. The allowability and classification of uses as represented in the tables are further modified by the following: •    The location may have a multiple designation; this would be true if the Shoreline Master Program, a subarea plan, or an overlay district applied to the location. Note that districts within the shorelines jurisdiction use some of the same names as the uplands land use districts, but allowable uses may differ substantially between the uplands and shorelines districts. The Shoreline Master Program (SMP) should be consulted if the location of interest is subject to the SMP jurisdiction. See also notes 1 – 3 to this table. •    All regulations in this code apply to the uses in these tables. To determine whether a particular use or activity can occur in a particular land use district and location, all relevant regulations must also be consulted in addition to this table.

 

Table 3.1. Allowable and Prohibited Uses in Activity Center Land Use Districts(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Land Uses	Classification of Uses by Land Use District(6)
	Village			Hamlet			Island Center	Master Planned Resort
	VC	VI	VR	HC	HI	HR	IC	MPR(7,8)
Commercial Uses
Animal shelters and kennels	Prov	C	No	C	C	No	C	P.A.
Automotive fuel, service, and repair stations	Prov	Prov	No	Prov	Prov	No	Prov	P.A.
Bed and breakfast inn	Prov	No	C	Prov	No	C	No	D
Bed and breakfast residence	Prov	No	Prov	Prov	No	Prov	Prov	Prov
Camping facilities	Prov	No	No	C	No	No	No	P.A.
Day care with 1 – 6 children	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov
Day care with 7+ children	Prov	C	Prov	Prov	C	Prov	Prov	D
Drinking establishment	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	D
Eating establishment	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	D
Hotel/Motel	Yes	No	No	C	No	No	No	P.A.
Indoor entertainment facility	Yes	D	No	C	C	No	No	D
Nursing homes	Prov	No	No	No	No	No	No	P.A.
Personal and professional services	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	D
Personal wireless communications service facilities at potentially suitable locations(3, 14)	C	C	No	C	C	No	C	P.A. (C where allowed)
Residential care facilities with up to 8 persons	Prov	No	Prov	Prov	No	Prov	Prov	P.A.
Residential care facilities with 9 – 15 persons	Prov	No	C	Prov	No	C	Prov	P.A.
Resorts and camps, new	Prov	No	No	C	No	No	No	See Note 7
Commercial Uses
Existing resorts and camps, expansion of existing uses without increase to scope or scale	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	Prov	See Note 7
Existing resorts and camps, increase in scope or scale of facilities or services	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	See Note 7
Retail sales and services	Prov	D	No	Prov	No	No	Prov	D
Warehouse, mini-storage, and moving storage facilities	No	Prov	No	No	D	No	Prov	P.A.
Unnamed commercial uses(10)	D	D	No	D	D	No	D