HomeMy WebLinkAbout2599 Amending Zoning CodeOrdinance No. ~ £ ~'~'
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND AMENDING TITLE 17
ZONING CODE SECTION 17.20, COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS, TABLE
17.20.020 OF THE PORT TOWNSEND MUNICIPAL CODE, REVISING THE
TABLE, DELETING "OFFICES, GOVERNMENT" FROM "OFFICE USES", TO
CLARIFY THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICES ARE PERMITTED "PUBLIC
FACILITY" USES IN CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ZONES, AND ADDING TO
"SERVICE USES, MISCELLANEOUS," "COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES" AS "C~
(CONDITIONAL USE) IN C-I, C-H, AND C-IH ZONING DISTRICTS, TO CORRECT
AN INADVERTENT OMISSION OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
WITHIN CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ZONES
SECTION 1. FINDINGS
A. GENERAL
1. On July 15, 1996, by Ordinance No. 2539, the City of Port Townsend adopted
the Port Townsend Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan was adopted to guide and
direct City policy and legislative decisions pertaining to land use planning and development
within the City of Port Townsend. Additionally, while the Growth Management Act (Chapter
36.70A. RCW) does not require the inclusion of an economic development component of the
Comprehensive Plan, the City of Port Townsend's Comprehensive Plan includes an Economic
Development Element to provide an overall direction to the Comprehensive Plan to promote
economic opportunities for all citizens of Port Townsend, and to encourage growth to occur
pursuant to the vision set forth in the Comprehensive Plan.
2. The Economic Development Element, page VIII-1, states the following:
"... good growth management planning should factor economic
considerations. Future land uses should be closely tied to a city's economic
strategy. Accordingly, this Comprehensive Plan must be closely linked and
integrated with an economic strategy to guide, promote, and attract economic
development appropriate for Port Townsend .... "
3. The Comprehensive Plan was fundamentally based upon a Community Direction
Statement, included as Chapter III of the Comprehensive Plan. The Community Direction
Statement was the result of over 1,400 hours of citizen participation and discussion between
March and May, 1993, and included more than 600 citizen responses to a questionnaire that
sought information about the concerns and values of Port Townsend residents. As Ordinance
No. 2539 states, "Throughout the planning process, the City Council, Planning Commission,
citizen workgroups, and staff referred to the Community Direction Statement to ensure that the
basic values it embodies are reflected in the new Comprehensive Plan." (Finding No. 14.)
4. On April 7, 1997, the Port Townsend City Council adopted Ordinance
No. 2571. Ordinance 2571 adopted a new Title 17 PTMC, replacing the pre-Comprehensive
Plan Zoning Code with a new Zoning Code which was intended to wholly implement and
effectuate the Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, pursuant to Ordinance 2571, the City
adopted an Official Zoning Map, which mirrored the Comprehensive Plan's Land Use Map
and wholly implemented the direction of the Comprehensive Plan.
5. An overarching intent of both the Comprehensive Plan and Ordinance 2571 was
the stabilization, protection, and continuation of uses that had developed over time and had
been permitted within the city's commercial districts. Chapter 17.12 PTMC, adopted pursuant
to Ordinance 2571, provides that it is the intent of Title 17 PTMC to "stabilize and protect the
uses contained within these districts by excluding mutually interfering uses and to allow a
maximum degree of latitude within the regulations to promote residential harmony, conduct
profitable business, or contribute to the economy of the community." (FrMC 17.12.010.)
6. Within the C-III Historic Commercial District, the overarching intent of the
Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code is "to accommodate the mix of uses that have occurred
over time in the city's Downtown and Uptown historic districts. The designation makes
provision for general retail uses on the ground floor of structures, and promotes a mix of uses
on the upper floors of historic buildings, including: residences, artist and craft studios, and
professional offices." (Comprehensive Plan, page IV-10.)
7. In order to implement the direction of the Comprehensive Plan, it was the intent
of City staff in drafting Title 17 PTMC, as well as the intent of the Planning Commission and
the Port Townsend City Council, to advance the Economic Development Element's strategy of
promoting and stabilizing opportunities for economic development in Port Townsend; to allow
the continuation of permitted uses within all commercial districts of the city; to avoid (to the
extent possible) the creation of non-conforming uses which will be required to expire over
time; and to promote and cream a stable business and land use climate in order to encourage
the growth and development of Port Townsend, pursuant to the City's Community Direction
Statement.
B. GOVERNMENT OFFICES
1. In drafting, reviewing, and adopting the Port Townsend Zoning Code (Title 17
PTMC), the City inadvertently created an obvious conflict and ambiguity by inconsistently
listing "Offices, government" in "OFFICE USES" and "PUBLIC FACILITY USES"
subsections of the use table, Table 17.20.020 PTMC.
2 Ord.o,O 3-~' ~
2. In the "OFFICE USES" subsection, "Offices, government" is listed as
"Conditional uses" allowed within C-II, C-II(H), and C-III districts. In the "PUBLIC
FACILITY USES" table, "Offices, government" is listed as "Permitted uses" allowed within
C-II, C-II(H), and C-III districts.
3. It has long been the direction of the Port Townsend City Council to retain all
governmental offices as permitted uses within the Downtown Historic District (c-m).
Further, government offices are currently permitted in C-II (General Commercial) districts.
Within the C-II(H) (Hospital Commercial) district, the City Council's intention was to allow
such uses as well, as permitted uses. Government offices currently exist as permitted uses in
all such zones. Pursuant to the overarching intention of the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning
Code, it has been the City Council's intention to continue to recognize such uses as permitted
uses. At no time during the adoption of the Title 17 PTMC did the Council deliberately
choose to depart from the Comprehensive Plan's direction to continue allowing these uses in
the city's commercial districts as permitted uses.
4. The City Council, through this ordinance, intends to correct the obvious
ambiguity and inadvertent error in the Zoning Code, by striking the category of "Offices,
government" from the "OFFICE USES" section of the table, allowing the "Offices,
government" use to continue as a permitted use, as set forth in the "PUBLIC FACILITY
USES" subsection of Table 17.20.020.
C. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
1. Table 17.20.020 PTMC, adopted pursuant to Ordinance 2571, allows "Schools,
Commercial" as permitted uses within the C-II (General Commercial) and C-III (Historic
Commercial) districts of the city. However, private and public colleges and universities were
omitted from the use table, which would lead to a construction of the table that such uses are
not permitted uses within any of these zoning districts.
2. The Port Townsend Comprehensive Plan abounds with references to the need to
promote, encourage, stabilize, and facilitate opportunities for college-level training and
education within Port Townsend. The Community Direction Statement states the following:
"In the future, the Direction Statement will be referred to when the Plan is interpreted or
amended to ensure that the basic values it embodies are not lost." The Community Direction
Statement provides that Port Townsend will be a "regional center of culture and learning,"
providing its citizens with "quality elementary and secondary education, as well as career
training and college education needed for success and personal enrichment." (Page III-l,
Comprehensive Plan.)
3 Ord. ~X-~'~'
3. The Economic Development Element of the Comprehensive Plan sets forth as a
fundamental goal, the "training and education" opportunities within the Port Townsend
community. Goal No. 2 states the following: "To recognize the value of education as an
important economic development tool and to train the workforce to develop skills for new
technologies and family-wage jobs." (Page vm-3.)
polices:
The Comprehensive Plan's Economic Development Element states the following
Policy 2.1: Seek to expand programs of Peninsula College, Magnet Career
Center, Western Washington University Long Distance I.earning, Washington
State University Cooperative Extension, and attract or found new institutions
sufficient to provide local access to comprehensive vocational training and
certification programs.
Policy 2.3: Actively work to establish a four-year college or other educational
institution in Port Townsend:
2.3.1 Ensure that decisions regarding capital facilities improvements
(e.g., transportation network improvements) factor consideration of
potential college campus sites.
2.3.2 Consider providing tax incentives to attract a private four-year
college.
2.3.3 Communicate and coordinate with the Port Townsend School
District and other relevant public entities when identifying potential
campus sites for acquisition.
(Comprehensive Plan, pages VIII-3 through VIII-4.)
5. The Economic Development Element establishes a strategy for the economic
development of Port Townsend. This strategy sets forth as a key, priority goal, that the City
will participate in helping to "improve the job skills available in the workforce,' with Umajor
areas of emphasis within the strategy" to include "training~education.' (VIII-9.) The first and
overarching component of the City's economic development strategy includes a "training/
education" component, defining as a "unifying principle" of the City's economic development
strategy, the need to improve the skills available in the city's labor force. The economic
development strategy requires the City to work with Peninsula Community College Uto develop
a local engineering/manufacturing capability." The strategy requires that the City "promote
vocational training and educational opportunities which strengthen and increase the skills
available in the workforce," and work with Main Street, the Chamber of Commerce, the
Economic Development Council, and "other local entities to ensure that informational and
recruitment publications emphasize Port Townsend as the 'City that supports culture and
education on the Olympic Peninsula.'" (Pages VIII-10, 11.)
4 Ord. Qj'q'q
6. Peninsula College was established within the C-III Historic Commercial District on
July 7, 1988, pursuant to a Conditional Use permit. The previous zoning code, Table
17.16.010, allowed "colleges, business colleges, trade schools, music conservatories, dancing
schools and similar organizations, all without students in residence, offering training in
specific fields," as conditional uses within the C-I, C-II, and C-III commercial districts. In
granting the Conditional Use permit to Peninsula College, the City made a policy and legal
decision that this use was permitted in these districts, as a conditional use.
7. Both the Comprehensive Plan and the City's new Zoning Code (Title 17 PTMC)
require that the City "encourage the retention of existing businesses in the Commercial Historic
District" (Economic Development Element, page VIII-6), and that the City take all reasonable
measures to stabilize and promote existing uses established over time in all commercial
districts. Peninsula College is such a use. Further, advanced educational institutions are key
land uses, important to the implementation of policies within the Comprehensive Plan.
8. In drafting, reviewing, and adopting the new Port Townsend Zoning Code, Section
17.20.020 PTMC, the City inadvertently omitted public and private colleges and universities
from the commercial use table. However, "Schools, commercial" were included as permitted
uses within the C-II and C-III districts. The City Council finds that there is no logical or
rational reason to allow commercial schools in these districts while prohibiting public and
private colleges and universities. The Council further finds that a failure to include public and
private colleges and universities in the Commercial District section of the use table was an
inadvertent drafting error. The Council had no intention of rendering this permitted use a
nonconforming use. Further, the Council had no intention of precluding opportunities in the
future for public or private educational institutions to locate within the City's commercial
districts, pursuant to the Conditional lJse permit process. At no time during the adoption of
Title 17 PTMC did the Council deliberately choose to depart from the Comprehensive Plan's
direction to continue allowing these uses in the city's commercial districts.
9. The City Council finds that the inadvertent prohibition of public and private
colleges and universities within the city's commercial districts is hostile to the Economic
Development Element of the Comprehensive Plan and is inconsistent with the community's
direction, evolving from PT-2020 process, and as defined within the Community Direction
Statement. The City Council hereby corrects this inadvertent omission by adding "Colleges
and universities (public or private) without students in residence" as a conditional use, allowed
within the C-I, C-II, and C-III districts, in accordance with the previous Zoning Code, as
construed through the permitting of Peninsula College in 1988.
NOW, TI-IEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Port Townsend ordains as
follows:
5 O d. 25'?g
SECTION 2. CODE AMENDMENT
Chapter 17.20, Commercial Zoning Districts, Table 17.20.020, of the Port Townsend
Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Table 17.20.020
Commercial Zoning Districts - Permitted, Conditional and Prohibited Uses
Key to table: P = Permitted outright; C = Subject to a conditional use permit;
H = Sub to conditional use ; X -- Prohibited
FOOD SERVICE USES
Bakeries, retail
Confectionaries
Drinking establishments (bars, cocktail
lounges, night clubs, and taverns)
Micro breweries
Other food service establishments including
coffee houses, delicatessens, ice cream
parlors, juice bars etc.
Restaurants with drive-in or chive-through
service
Restaurants without drive-in or drive-
through
MANUFACTURING USES
Apparel and other related products
manufacture and assembly
Electrical and electronic goods manufacture
and assembly
Fuel storage facilities
Furniture and fixtures manufacture and
assembly
' X C
X
X
X
X
P
X
X
X
X
X
X
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Same as above.
Same as above.
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements." The
m_anufaeturing component within any micro brewery
located within a mixed use zoning district must be
subordinate and accessory to a primary retail use.
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements." A
manufacturing component may be permitted within an~
such use, provided that it is subordinate and accessory
to a primary retail use (e.g., coffee roasting, meat
curing, etc.). Within the C-II(Iq) zoning district, food
service uses must be subordinate and accessory to a
medical services establishment.
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Section 17.20,030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements"; Section
17.84.060 PTMC, "Additional approval criteria-
Conditional uses in historic commercial structures."
H X
X' X
H X
Salne as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
6 Ord.o,95'~'~'
DISTRICT
Computer equipment manufacture and
assembly
Custom, art and craft work
Medical and optic goods manufacture and
assembly
Printing, noncommercial
Mini-storages and mini-warehouses
Welding and fabrication
Wholesaling
OFFICE USES
Banks
Business services
Financial institutions
X P
X P
X P
P P
P P
C P
Offices, business and professional
Offices, medical
Veterinary hospitals
RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL USES
Amusement activities
Amusement parks or centers
Arcade, game/video
Art galleries
Bowling alleys
X C
X C
X P
P P
X P
'X P
X C
X C
X P
X P
X P
Health clubs, dance studios, martial arts
studios
Libraries
Museums
Recreation, commercial
Stadiums, arenas and assembly halls
Theaters, not including drive-ins
RESIDENTIAL USES
Apartment houses
Boarding houses (4 or fewer roomers) and
lodging and rooming houses (5 or more
room~P3)
Multi-family dwellings
X X
X X
X X
C-II(H)
X
X
C
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
P
P
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS/NOTES
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
San,; as abo-,'~.
Same as above.
Same as above.
X X
X X
X X
P X
X X
P X
C X
P X
X X
C X
P X
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk, density
and dimensional requirements"; and Chapter 17.36
FI'MC, "Multifamily Development Standards."
Same as above.
Same as above.
P X
P X
P X
7 Ord.
DISTRICT C-I C-II C-II(H) C-HI C-IV APPLICABLE REGULATIONS/NOTES
Owner/operator residences P P P P X Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements"; such uses shal
only be allowed if clearly subordinate and accessory to
a primaW commercial use.
Residential Treatment Facility X X P X X Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
COMMERCIAL RETAIL USES
Antique and gift sales X P C P X Same as above.
Apparel and accessory stores X P X P X Same as above.
Automobile sales and service X P X C X Same as above.
establishments, new or used I
Boat sales and rentals C P X C X Same as above.
Building materials, garden and farm X P X C X Same as above.
supplies stores
Convenience stores C P X C X Same as above.
Plant nurseries, landscaping materials, X P X X X Same as above.
greenhouses (commercial)
Farmer's markets X P X P X Same as above.
Fica markets X P X P X Same as above.
Food stores and grocery stores P P X P X Same as above.
Furrdture, home furnishings, and appliance X P X P X Same as above.
stores
General merchandise stores P P X P X Same as above.
Mobile, manufactured and modular housing X P X X X Same as above.
sales
Motor vehicle sales X P X C X Same as above.
Motor vehicle supply stores X P X X X Same as above.
Office supplies and equipment X P X P X Same as above.
Pharmacies and medical supply stores P P P P X Same as above.
Regional retail establishments X X X X P All uses permitted in the C-H district are permitted so
long as the structure and use meet the definition for
"regional retail."
Specialty stores P P C P X § 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk, dimensional
and density requirements"
SERVICE USES, HEALTH
Hospitals X X P X X § 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk, dimensional
and density requirements." Preferred uses in this
district are medical related.
Massage clinic or center X P P P X Same as above.
Nursing, rest or convalescent homes X X P X X Same as above.
Offices, medieal X P P P X Same as above.
8 Ord.o~9
DISTRICT
SERVICE USES, LODGING
Apartment hotels
Bed and breakfast inns
Hotels/Motels
Lodging Houses
Tourist Homes
PERSONAL SERVICE USES
Child day care centers, child day care
facilities, and preschools
Funeral parlors and mortuaries
Laundromats
Laundry s~nd~s
Other personal services
SERVICE USES, MISCELLANEOUS
Automobile rental agencies
Automobile towing services
Automotive repair establishment, minor
repa/r
Car washes
Catering establishments
Colleges and universities (public or private)
without students in residence
Equipment rental services, commercial
Mini-storages aad mini-warehouses
Printing, commercial
Radio and television studios (including
recording studios)
Schools, commercial
Service stations, automotive and marine
Servicing of personal apparel and equipment
Small appliance repair shops
Truck, trailer and recreational vehicle rental
PUBLIC FACILITY USES
Electrical distribution substations
Municipal improvements
Offices, government
Recycling facilities, minor
X X
X P
X X
X X
X P
X P
P P
X P
C P
P P
X P
P
C-II(H)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
P
P
P
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS/NOTES
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
P X
P X
P X
P X
X X
X X
P X
P X
P X
Chapter 17.52 PTMC, "Day Care Facilities; and
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Section 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk,
dimensional and density requirements."
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Sallie as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
Same as above.
X [ X [Sameasabove.
P [ P { Same as above.
P [ X [ Same as above.
P [ P [ Same as above.
9 Ord.
DISTRICT C-I C-II C-II(H) C-III C-IV APPLICABLE REGULATIONS/NOTES
Stormwater retention, detention, and P P P P P Same as above.
treatment facilities
TEMPORARY USES
Contractor offices P P P P P Chapter 17.60 PTMC, "Temporary Uses"; and Section
17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk, dimensional ani
density requirements."
Christmas tree sales P P P P P Same as above.
Camivals/circnses P P P P P Same as above.
Outdoor art and croft sales P P P P P Same as above.
Parking lot/sidewalk sales P P P P P Same as above.
Rummage sales P P P P P Same as above.
Swap meets X P X P X Same as above.
Retail or service activities conducted out of P P P P P Same as above.
temporary structures and/or trailers
OTHER USES
Accessory buildings and structures P P P P P Same as above.
Churches X P X X X Same as above.
Conference Centers X P X C X Same as above.
Docks and piers for pleasure eratt X P X P X Same as above.
Feny landings X P X P X Same as above.
Fraternal organizations X P X P X Same as above.
Garage, public parking X P C C X Same as above.
Radio, television and other C C C C C Such facilities are allowed in all zoning districts
telecommunications towers subject to the conditional use permit requirements of
Chapter 17.84 PTMC; however, such facilities are
prohibited within the limits of the Port Townsend
National Register Historic District; and Section
17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial bulk, dimensional and
density requirements," except as provided in
applicable Federal Communications Commission roles
and regulations; see Ch. 17.78 tq3VIC.
Satellite dishes and antennae P P P P P Satellite dishes and antennae shall meet the
requirements of § 17.20.030 PTMC, "Commercial
bulk, dimension and density requirements," except as
provided in applicable Federal Communications
Commission rules and regulations; see Ch. 17.78
SECTION 3. ~te. Kexahil~. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this
Ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid or
unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such order or judgment shall not
affect the validity or constitutionality of the remainder of any part of this Ordinance.
To this end, the provisions of each clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this
law are declared severable.
This ordinance shall take effect and be in force five days after the date of its
publication in the manner provided by law.
Read for the first, second, and third times and passed by the City Council of the
City of Port Townsend, Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, held this 23rd day of
June, 1997, continued from June 16, 1997.
Attest:
/
y~, City~l~rk /
Julie/McCulloch, Mayor
to Form:
Attom~y
06/19/97 [Title 17/17.20.020] OrdXT_.oning{1720020.doe}
11 Ord.