20.110.010 Intent and Purpose.
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A. Overall purpose. The purpose of this Development Code is to provide a vehicle to implement the City’s Comprehensive Plan, and by reference, the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA).
B. Community goals. The Development Code contains regulations to manage the community’s growth in a manner that ensures efficient use of land, preserves natural resources, and encourages good design. Specifically, the code is designed to implement adopted policies including:
1. Support the creation of a responsive, open government that operates in partnership with all citizens for the purpose of maximizing participation, as well as with city employees to ensure that they are empowered to effectively meet citizens’ needs.
2. Celebrate the city’s cultural diversity and heritage.
3. Provide diverse employment opportunities within the community, maintaining a healthy business climate that also ensures that the city’s residents will be provided a full range of goods and services.
4. Commit to responsible stewardship of the city’s natural resources including airsheds and watersheds, wildlife habitats and open space, with special attention paid to protecting the Columbia River, with its contribution to the city’s visual character, history, and economic base.
5. Provide the city’s residents with quality urban services while at the same time preserving the character of existing neighborhoods and enhancing the livability of the area.
6. Integrate land use and transportation planning to ensure the efficient use of land, promote use of alternative modes of transportation, and reduce congestion and air pollution.
C. Low Impact Development is the City’s preferred approach to development. The City has incorporated LID principles and LID Best Management Practices into its code. The goal is to minimize impervious surfaces, native vegetation loss, and stormwater runoff in all types of development situations. No requirement of this Title shall be interpreted or applied in such a way as to impose a barrier to Low Impact Development. To the extent any requirements of this Title has an effect on use of Low Impact Development, the requirement may be met by using functionally equivalent Low Impact Development practices a s specified in the Stormwater Permit, the Stormwater Manual, or any Low Impact Development general specifications adopted by the City.
D. Revision of the Development Code. A major revision of the Development Code was completed in January 2004, which accomplished the following:
1. Consolidate into Title 20 all regulations affecting development within the Vancouver Municipal Code (VMC). These include appropriate regulations from: Trees/ Vegetation (Title 12); Planning (Title 18); Land Divisions (Title 19); and Environmental Review (Title 21). The revision also includes Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements by reference.
2. Condense and reorganize Title 20 to improve accessibility of information and reduce redundant and conflicting provisions.
3. Refine permit procedures to ensure certainty, efficiency, and equity of application.
4. Implement the city’s goals for mixed-use and infill development in a manner that protects the character of existing neighborhoods.
5. Add provisions as necessary to improve clarity, comply with state statute and/or incorporate best planning practices. (Ord. M-4179 § 60, 10/17/2016; Ord. M-3643, 01/26/2004)