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A. General. All new developments and modifications to existing developments shall require site plan review and approval prior to the issuance of any building permits, establishment of any new uses, or commencement of any site work unless otherwise exempted in this title. Developments subject to site plan review shall comply with the Vancouver Municipal Code and all other State statutes and applicable laws and regulations.

B. Exemptions. The following developments and land use categories shall be exempt from Site Plan Review:

1. Land divisions and boundary line adjustments pursuant to Chapter 20.320 VMC.

2. All new developments and buildings that are engaged in agriculture/horticulture as defined in Chapter 20.160 VMC Use Classifications.

3. Other activities including:

a. Landscaping or landscape alterations, unless such landscaping or alterations would modify or violate a condition of approval. In such instance, the activity shall be processed as a modification of the existing land use approval pursuant to Section 20.210.140 VMC, Post Decision Review.

b. Normal or emergency repair or maintenance of public or private buildings, structures, landscaping or utilities.

c. New parking lots having 10 or fewer parking spaces.

d. Any change in commercial or industrial land use to another commercial or industrial land use permitted in the applicable zoning district, provided any site alteration is below the thresholds in subsection D below.

e. Building permits required pursuant to the City’s adopted building code not requiring a development land use permit pursuant to this title, including interior remodeling and tenant improvements.

f. On-site utility permits, e.g., sewer hook-ups, water hook-ups, Fire Department permits.

g. Comprehensive Plan map and text amendments and associated zone changes pursuant to 36.70A.130 RCW or Section 20.210 VMC.

h. New construction of or modification to existing single-family and duplex dwellings not requiring an environmental review.

i. Site-specific rezoning requests not associated with any other land use permit.

j. Projects processed under an approved, detailed Public Facilities Master Plan.

k. Notwithstanding the provisions of 20.270.020 (A), (C) and (D), any development that the Planning Official finds should be exempt because it does not result in an substantive increase in land use activity or intensity or in any adverse off-site impact perceptible to a person of average sensibilities, and because the City can assure the development complies with applicable standards without site plan review.

C. Development subject to Type I Site Plan Review. New development or modifications to an existing permitted development or existing legal nonconforming use shall require a Type I review if the proposal would result in any of the following:

1. New residential developments of between three and 19 dwelling units or, if existing, an increase in dwelling unit density of up to 20 percent, provided the proposed density does not exceed the maximum allowed density in the underlying base zoning district;

2. Nonresidential development of less than 12,000 square feet or, if existing, an increase in the floor area of a nonresidential structure or use by up to 6,000 square feet;

3. For existing developments a reduction in the area reserved for open space, recreational facilities and/or landscaped areas by up to 20 percent;

4. New parking lots of 11 to 39 parking spaces or, if existing, an increase in the number of existing parking spaces by up to 20 percent;

5. Modular school classrooms on an established public or private school site shall be reviewed under a Type I site plan process.

6. A change in the location of access ways to frontage roads where off-site traffic would be affected.

7. Projects which qualify as a planned action shall be processed under a Type I process, subject to any additional requirements, as applicable, of Chapter 20.790 VMC, Planned Action Review.

D. Development subject to Type II Site Plan Review. New development or modifications to an existing permitted development or existing legal nonconforming use shall require a Type II review if the proposal would result in any of the following:

1. New residential development of 20 units or more or, if existing, an increase in dwelling unit density of more than 20 percent, provided the proposed density does not exceed the maximum allowed density in the underlying base zoning district;

2. New nonresidential developments of 12,000 square feet or more of, if existing, an increase in the floor area of a nonresidential structure or use by more than 6,000 square feet;

3. For existing developments, a reduction in the area reserved for open space, recreational facilities and/or landscaped areas by more than 20 percent;

4. New parking lots of 40 or more spaces or, if existing, an increase in the number of existing parking spaces by more than 20 percent or an increase of more than 40 parking spaces, whichever is greater;

5. An increase in vehicular traffic to and from the site of more than 200 average daily trips, based on the latest edition of the International Transportation Engineer’s (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, or substantial evidence by a professional engineer licensed in the state of Washington with expertise in traffic engineering. (Ord. M-3959 § 17, 07/19/2010; Ord. M-3701 § 9, 05/02/2005; Ord. M-3663 § 9, 08/02/2004; Ord. M-3643, 01/26/2004)