Skip to main content
Loading…
This section is included in your selections.

A. Uses in the civic category include:

Places of public assembly that provide ongoing public, educational and cultural services to the general public, as well as meeting areas for religious practice. Civic includes the following uses:

1. Cemetery.

2. College, community college, and university.

3. Community/recreation center.

4. Civic club.

5. Library.

6. Museum.

7. Religious institution.

8. School, public or private (K-12).

NOTE: This category does not include:

1. Government offices, which fall under office use.

2. Trade, vocational, or business school, which falls under office use.

3. Public safety facilities, which fall under general-service use.

4. Municipal service facilities, which fall under general-service use.

B. Civic Use Standards. The permissions for civic uses in Tables 19.41.040 and 19.41.050 are based on size (gross floor area), with thresholds of 10,000 and 20,000 square feet, provided they meet the following standards:

1. Site Planning. Civic uses are subject to site planning standards in AMC Chapter 19.62.

2. Building Design. Civic uses are subject to building design standards in AMC Chapter 19.63.

Departures to the building massing standards and other applicable standards in the chapter will be considered per AMC 19.20.220, provided alternative design treatments meet the purpose of the standards. The Director may exempt buildings not visible from the street.

3. Parking. The use must comply with civic parking regulations in AMC 19.64.040 and other applicable parking regulations in AMC Chapter 19.64, Parking, except that in no event may parking be in excess of one space per three seats in a residential zone.

4. A traffic mitigation plan must be submitted for approval by the city. The plan must address traffic control, parking management (including the mitigation of overflow parking into adjoining residential areas), and traffic movement to the arterial street system. In addition to on-site parking requirements, parking in excess of the maximum may be permitted on existing off-site satellite parking lots, subject to city approval of a joint use agreement. Off-site parking in residential zones must be limited to lots shared with existing institutional uses, such as schools.

5. The storage of buses or vans over 10,000 pounds gross weight is permitted on site only if the following conditions are met:

a. The location of the parking areas for these vehicles is indicated on the site plan at the time of application.

b. Vehicles must be leased or owned by the owner or tenant of the site, must be in operable condition, and must have a current vehicle registration.

c. Vehicles must not intrude into public right-of-way or obstruct sight visibility from any driveway.

6. Landscaping. The use must comply with landscaping standards in AMC Chapter 19.65.

7. Fences, walls, and hedges on site must comply with AMC Chapter 19.66.

8. Signs associated with the use must comply with AMC Chapter 19.67.

C. Special Civic Uses. The following uses fall under the “civic use” category, but, due to their unique attributes, come with their own use permissions and standards unless otherwise noted. These uses are not subject to the gross floor area parameters under the civic use permissions in Tables 19.41.040 and 19.41.050.

1. Cemetery/Columbarium.

a. Defined. A facility used for the permanent interment of humans or animals or their cremated remains. Includes mausoleum, columbarium, memorial, and pet cemetery.

2. College, Community College, or University.

a. Defined. A private or public educational institution where students attend to earn an associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree. A college/university may not be considered a trade or vocational school (see office use category, AMC 19.44.040).

b. Use Standards.

i. Any school that has greater than 100 students must have access onto a collector or arterial street.

ii. Such uses are subject to civic use standards in subsection B of this section.

3. Community Center.

a. Definition. A building or other enclosed structure open to the general public that is owned and operated by a public agency, or a nonprofit organization, and that is used predominantly for cultural, educational, recreational, or social purposes. Not included in the category of community center are those businesses and occupations defined by this title as a medical use, personal service, general-service, office, religious institution, school, private club or fraternal organization.

4. Museums.

a. Definition. A room or building for exhibiting, or an institution in charge of, a collection of books, or artistic, historical, or scientific objects.

5. Private Recreational, Civic, Social and/or Cultural Clubs.

a. Definition. A range of membership-only clubs, including, but not limited to, tennis clubs, civic clubs, yacht clubs, swimming clubs, social, and/or cultural clubs. This definition excludes health clubs.

b. Standards.

i. Such uses are subject to civic use standards in subsection B of this section.

ii. In the CM2 zone, only yacht clubs are allowed.

6.  School, Public or Private (K-12).

a. Definition. An institution of learning for minors, whether public or private, offering regular course of instruction required by the Washington Education Code. This definition includes an elementary school, middle or junior high school, or high school. If said school is located on the grounds of a church or house of worship, it must be considered a separate principal use if it has a student body in excess of 50 students. Students enrolled in a day care center at the church may not be separately counted as a school.

b. Use Standards.

i. Any school that has greater than 100 students must have access onto a collector or arterial street.

ii. Pedestrian connectivity to the surrounding residential areas is required, where feasible. This includes pathways connecting to surrounding streets.

iii. Accessory day cares associated with any school must occupy no more than 50 percent of the school structure(s).

iv. Schools are subject to civic use standards in subsection B of this section. (Ord. 3040 § 2 (Att. A), 2019)