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A. Compliance Required. All developments must comply with:

1. All of the applicable development standards contained in the underlying zoning district, except where the applicant has obtained a variance(s) in accordance with Chapter 20.290 VMC.

2. All other applicable standards and requirements contained in this title.

B. Development standards. Development standards in low-density residential zoning districts are contained in Table 20.410.050-1. These apply to all primary dwellings and accessory buildings on the site. For additional regulations governing accessory buildings, see Chapter 20.902 VMC.

1. Additional standards within R-6, R-9, and R-17 Zoning Districts. The following standards are in addition to the requirements in Table 20.410.050-1:

a. Garages. The width of the garage door facing the street may be up to 50 percent of the width of the street-facing building façade or 10 feet in length, whichever is greater. Garage limitations do not apply to residential development accessed through rear alleys, or where the garage is located in the rear of the lot.

b. Main Entrances. Main entrances shall be visible from the street and must have a porch or entry, and face the street or be oriented at an angle of not more than 45 degrees from the street-facing façade. Corner lot homes may face either street.

c. Front Façade Variety. Duplicative front façades of detached single-family structures facing the same street are prohibited. Sufficient differences can be achieved through meeting at least three of the following design features:

i. Varied or staggered front setbacks, with variations of at least five feet;

ii. Different building heights, with the two heights varying by at least five feet;

iii. Varied rooflines such as hipped or pitched roofs;

iv. Different window opening locations and designs;

v. Different garage location, configuration, and design.

d. Alleys. Where alleys are present, all garages and on-site parking shall be accessible from the alley. In R-17 zones, single-family residential developments shall utilize rear alley loading as follows:

i. Alleys shall be required for developments on sites of four acres or larger where the proposed average new lot size is less than 3,000 square feet unless the application demonstrates and the planning official agrees that alleys are unfeasible due to significant site constraints such as significant variations in topography, irregular site shape, or presence of natural resource constraints.

ii. Alleys are encouraged in all other cases.

e. Compliance with Narrow Lot Development Standards. Developments within the R-17 zoning district shall be subject to Chapter 20.927 VMC, Narrow Lot Developments, with the exception of VMC 20.927.040(A)(6)(d) garage width standards.

f. Location and configuration of driveways. Driveways shall be located to preserve space for on-street parking by meeting one of the following requirements:

i. For housing units or developments on corner lots, off-street parking areas shall be accessed on the back façade or located in the rear yard. No off-street parking shall be allowed in the front yard or side yard.

ii. Driveways providing access to the front façade must be consolidated for adjacent dwellings.

iii. Consolidated driveways shall be tapered (i.e., narrower where they connect to the street and wider at the back of the driveway) to minimize the width of curb cuts and to enhance pedestrian safety.

iv. Individual driveways must be separated by at least 20 feet as measured from the edge of the driveway apron.

g. Solid Waste Provisions. The development application shall include a plan for access for solid waste and recycling collection service, indicating common or individual unit collection points with demonstrated access and turning space for solid waste vehicles.

Table 20.410.050-1. Development Standards in Lower-Density Residential Zones

STANDARD

R-2

R-4

R-6

R-9

R-17

Minimum Lot Size5

20,000 sf

10,000 sf

7,500 sf

5,000 sf

2,000 sf

Maximum Lot Size

30,000 sf

19,000 sf

10,500 sf

7,400 sf

5,000 sf

Maximum Lot Coverage

50%

50%

50%

50%

65%

Minimum Lot Width5

100'

80'

50'

45'

25'

Minimum Lot Depth5

100'

90'

90'

65'

65'

Minimum Setbacks

Front yard

10'

10'

10' 6

10' 6

10' 6

Rear and through yards4

5'

5'

5'

5'

5'

Side yard

10'

7'

0' 1/5' 2

0' 1/5' 2

0' 1/5' 2

Street side yard

10'

10'

8'

8'

8'

Garage/carport from public/private street right-of-way or sidewalk easement

20'

20'

18'

18'

18'

Garage/carport from alley3

15'

10'

5'

5'

5'

Maximum Height

35'

35'

35'

35'

35'

Minimum Off-Street Parking Spaces

1

1

1

1

1

Minimum Landscaping Requirement (percentage of total net area)

10%

10%

10%

10%

10%

1Subject to VMC 20.910.050.

2For each additional 10 feet of building height, or fraction thereof, over 25 feet, add two feet to the setback to a maximum of 10 feet on each side or rear yard.

3There must be a minimum of 20 feet maneuvering space from entrance edge of the carport or garage to opposite edge of the alley.

4A through lot will be treated as an interior rear yard, especially with respect to placement of principal and accessory structures, location of parking and height of fences only when there is no vehicular access to the abutting street. If access occurs then the through lot yard will be treated in all respects as a front yard.

5Smaller lot sizes and dimensions may be allowed subject to Chapter 20.920 VMC, Infill Development Standards.

6Covered porches, eaves, bay windows, columns, or other structural extensions may extend up to five feet into the front setback or in accordance with VMC 20.910.040(A).

C. Institutional development standards. Institutional uses such as colleges, schools, religious institutions, and emergency services facilities that locate within low-density residential districts shall comply with the following development standards:

1. For portions of an institutional campus abutting residentially zoned property (not separated by a street):

a. Minimum setback: 35 feet.

b. Maximum height: 35 feet at the setback increasing one foot for every one foot of additional setback to a maximum of 75 feet.

c. Minimum landscaped buffering between the institutional use and residential development: 15 feet.

2. The development standards in subsection (C)(1) of this section do not apply to existing buildings.

3. All other development standards on the institutional campus are the same as those in the underlying base zone except as follows:

a. Modified through a variance procedure per the requirements of Chapter 20.290 VMC alone or in conjunction with a conditional use procedure per the requirements of Chapter 20.245 VMC; or

b. Established as part of a public facilities master plan procedure per the requirements of Chapter 20.268 VMC.

D. Criteria for institutions as limited uses. As noted in Table 20.410.030-1 above, a school, religious institution, government building, fire station, child care center or emergency services facility is allowed as a limited use if it meets all of the criteria described below. An institution that does not comply with all of these criteria must be reviewed as a conditional use, except for school modular classrooms, which shall be permitted outright.

1. The site contains no more than 12 acres for a school, not to exceed 75,000 gross square feet.

2. The site contains no more than two acres for a religious institution, not to exceed 30,000 gross square feet.

3. The site contains no more than one acre for a child care center, not to exceed 10,000 gross square feet.

4. The site takes its primary access from no less than a minor arterial.

5. If a religious institution also has a school, the total development shall not exceed 60,000 gross square feet and seven acres.

E. (Reserved for future use)

F. Criteria for Placement of Manufactured Homes.

1. General Provisions.

a. Manufactured homes are permitted on individual lots in the R-2, R-4, R-6, and R-9 residential zones in accordance with the placement standards as set forth in this section and other provisions which apply to conventionally built dwellings.

b. Nothing in these provisions shall be interpreted as superseding deeds, covenants, or restrictions which are generally not enforced by the city.

c. Existing manufactured home developments and manufactured home subdivisions are permitted and are not subject to the provisions of this chapter. An existing manufactured home in a development or subdivision may continue to lawfully exist and be replaced or can be relocated either to an approved manufactured home development or an approved manufactured home subdivision.

d. A new manufactured home placed on an individual lot subsequent to the adoption of this ordinance may be relocated as permitted by this title if within five years of the date of the original placement.

2. Manufactured Home Placement Standards. Except as allowed in subsections (F)(1)(c) and (F)(1)(d) of this section, all manufactured homes placed within the city of Vancouver shall comply with the following standards:

a. Manufactured homes must meet the development standards of the base zone unless otherwise noted.

b. The manufactured home must meet the definition of a “new manufactured home,” unless otherwise noted. A new manufactured home means any manufactured home required to be titled under RCW Title 46, which was not titled to retail purchaser before July 1, 2005, and was not a “used mobile home” as defined in RCW 82.45.032(2).

c. The manufactured home must meet the requirements of a “designated manufactured home”; provided, that manufactured homes built to 42 U.S.C. §§ 5401 through 5403 standards (as amended in 2000) must be regulated in the same manner as site-built homes.

d. The manufactured home must meet the following requirements:

i. For the principal dwelling unit: is comprised of at least two fully enclosed parallel sections each of not less than 12 feet wide by 36 feet long;

ii. Was originally constructed with and now has a composition of wood shake or shingle, coated metal, or similar roof of not less than 3:12 pitch;

iii. Has exterior siding similar in appearance to siding materials commonly used on conventional site-built building code single-family residences.

e. The manufactured home must comply with all local design standards applicable to all other homes within the neighborhood in which the manufactured home is to be located.

f. The manufactured home must be set on a permanent foundation, as specified by the manufacturer, and the space from the bottom of the home to the ground must be enclosed by concrete or an approved concrete product which can be either load bearing or decorative.

g. The manufactured home must be thermally equivalent to the State Energy Code.

3. Review and Inspection.

a. City will review building permit applications and will issue appropriate zoning and building permits and conduct the installation inspection.

b. The Department of Labor and Industries is responsible for inspections including replacement, addition, modification, or removal of any equipment or installation and issuing permits under Chapter 43.22 RCW. (Ord. M-4377 § 2(a), 2022; Ord. M-4289 § 4, 2019; Ord. M-4066 § 5, 2013; Ord. M-3959 § 24, 2010; Ord. M-3931 § 11, 2009; Ord. M-3922 § 20, 2009; Ord. M-3840 § 19, 2007; Ord. M-3709 § 5, 2005; Ord. M-3701 § 14, 2005; Ord. M-3663 § 13, 2004; Ord. M-3643, 2004)