HomeMy WebLinkAboutord1985-0701
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INTRODUCED BY: Consent
PROPOSED BY: Planning Commissiot
DATE: August 8, 1985
ORDINANCE NO. 85 -70
ORDINANCE AMENDING BUILDING HEIGHT
DEFINITIONS AND REGULATIONS OF TITLE 20,
THE OFFICIAL WHATCOM COUNTY ZONING
ORDINANCE, AND WHATCOM COUNTY CODE•2.24,
THE INTERIM ZONING ORDINANCE.
WHEREAS, the building height regulations for the UR,
URM, RR and R districts in the Official Whatcom County Zoning
Ordinance, Title 20, and for the SRR district in the Interim
Zoning Ordinance specify heights in terms of "stories "; and
WHEREAS, there is no definition for stories provided in
the zoning ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the definitions for building height in the
Official Whatcom County Zoning Ordinance and in the Interim
Zoning Ordinance specify Method A and Method B for measuring
building height; and
WHEREAS, there is a significant difference between
building height measurements obtained using Method A or Method B
and the measurements obtained using methods prescribed in the
Uniform Building Code, which is the standard reference used by
public service inspectors, who actually perform the measurements
in the field; and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Buildings and Code
Administration, the Planning Commission and the Whatcom County
Council all desire to have a uniform definition and an amendment
was put before the Whatcom County Planning Commission by the
Whatcom County Buildings and Code Administration which has been
recommended to the Whatcom County Council; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Department has evaluated the
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proposed amendment and has prepared a staff report and presented
that to the Planning Commission which has held its required
public hearings on the proposal and puts forward to the Whatcom
County Council its recommendation for adoption; and
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council does deem it
advisable to amend the Whatcom County Code Title 20 and 2.24 in
order to make them consistent and make the Zoning Code easier to
enforce.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that Whatcom County Code
20.97 be amended as follows:
Whatcom County Code 20.97.040 entitled "Building
Height" shall be deleted in its entirety and shall be replaced by
a new section entitled "20.97.040 Building Height" which
shall read as follows:
.040 BUILDING HEIGHT is the vertical
distance above a reference datum measured to
the highest point of the coping of a flat roof
or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to
the average height of the highest gable of a
pitched or hipped roof. The reference datum
shall be selected by either of the following,
whichever yields a greater height of building:
1. The elevation of the highest
adjoining sidewalk or ground surface
within a'five (5) foot horizontal
distance of the exterior wall of the
building when such a sidewalk or
ground surface is not more than ten
(10) feet above lowest grade.
2. An elevation ten (10) feet higher
than the lowest grade when the
sidewalk or ground surface described
in Item 1, above, is more than ten
(10) feet above lowest grade.
The height of a stepped or terraced building
is the maximum height of any segment of the
building.
EXCEPTIONS: Towers, spires, steeples and
cupolas erected as part of a building and not
used for habitation or storage may exceed the
maximum building height in any zoning district
by twenty (20) feet; additional height may be
approved by conditional use permit.
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BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Section 2.24.840 of the
Interim Zoning Ordinance shall be deleted in its entirety and
replaced by a New Code section of 2.24.840 which shall read as
follows:
.840 BUILDING HEIGHT is the vertical
distance above a reference datum measured to
the highest point of the coping of a flat roof
or to the deck line of a mansard roof or to
the average height of the highest gable of a
pitched or hipped roof. The reference datum
shall be selected by either of the following,
whichever yields a greater height of building:
1. The elevation of the highest
adjoining sidewalk or ground surface
within a five (5) foot horizontal
distance of the exterior wall of the
building when such a sidewalk or
ground surface is not more than ten
(10) feet above lowest grade.
2. An elevation ten (10) feet higher
than the lowest grade when the
sidewalk or ground surface described
in Item 1, above, is more than ten
(10) feet above 'lowest grade.
The height of a stepped or terraced building
is the maximum height of any segment of the
building.
EXCEPTIONS: Towers, spires, steeples and
cupolas erected as part of a building and not
used for habitation or storage may exceed the
maximum building height in any zoning district
by twenty (20) feet; additional height may be
approved by conditional use permit.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Interim Zoning
Ordinance 2.24.181.450 "Height Limits" shall be amended as
follows:
.451 When measured by Methed AT Building
height shall not exceed twenty -five (25) feet.
..45-2 . When measured by Methed B= but }ding
height= she }+ net exeeed fifteen f }5} feet. -
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that Whatcom County Interim
Zoning Ordinance 2.24.191.450 "Height Limits" shall be amended to
read as follows:
.451 When measured by Methed AT Building
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height shall not exceed twenty -five (25) feet.
..45-2 When measured by Methed B; bu }ding
height she }} net exeeed fifteen J+" feet -
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Whatcom'County Interim
Zoning Ordinance 2.24.290.450 "Height Limits" shall be amended as
follows:
Building Height: Building height shall not
exceed twenty -five (25) feet. as measured by
Methed AT
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Interim Zoning Ordinance
2.24.295.400 "Height Limitations" shall be amended as follows:
Maximum building height shall be limited to
twe and ene ha }f {-2 }f -2} steries er thirty -
five (35) feet. whiehever is }ess-
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Interim Zoning Ordinance
2.24.360.450 "Height Limits" shall be amended as follows:
When measured by Methed AT Building height
shall not exceed twenty -five (75) feet.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Interim Zoning Ordinance
2.24.361.450 "Height Limits" shall be amended as follows:
.451 When measured by Methed AT Building
height shall not exceed thirty -five (35) feet.
.45-2 When measured by Methed BT bui }ding
height she +4 net exeeed twenty -five {25} feet. -
.453 Under a Conditional Use Permit,
building height may reach seventy -five (75)
feet. measured by Methed A en}y-
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that Interim Zoning Ordinance
20.20.400 "Height Regulations" shall be amended as follows:
Maximum height shall be limited to twe and
ene -ha}f {-2 }f2} steries er thirty -five (35)
feetT. whiehever is }ess: Height of
structures shall also conform, where
applicable, to the general requirements of WCC
20.80.675.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Whatcom County Zoning
Ordinance 20.22.400 "Height Regulations" shall be amended as
follows:
Maximum height shall be limited to three {3}
steries er forty (40) feetT.whieheder is }ebsr
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Height structures shall also conform to, where
applicable, the general requirements of WCC
20.80.675.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Whatcom County Zoning
Code 20.32.400 "Height Regulations" shall be amended as follows:
Maximum height shall be limited to two and
one-ha-If f2 }fg} stories or thirty -five (35)
feet;.ah #ehetler is +ess- Height of structures
shall also conform, where applicable to the
general requirements of WCC 20.80.675.
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the Whatcom County Zoning
Code 20.36.400 "Height Regulations" shall be amended as follows:
Maximum height shall be limited to two and_
one -ha +f f2 }742} stories er thirty -five (35)
feet=.ahiehetler is +ess- Height of structures
shall also conform, where applicable to the
general requirements of WCC 20.80.675.
PASSED this 19th day of September , 1985.
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM, COUNTY WASHINGTON
ATTEST!
CAROL EBERG80N l
Clerk of the Council
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
r � i
ANDALL J fT , ivil
Deputy Pro e uting Attorney
WILLIAM P. ROEHL, Chairman
( APPROVED ( ) VETOED
" da ,,
SHIRLEY VAN ZANTENJ
County Executive
September 20, 1985
Date Signed by Executive
Published on 8 -14 -85 and 9 -25 -85
This Ordinance will become effective on September 30, 1985
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.162 GRADE (Adjacent Ground Elevation) is the lowest point of elevation
of the finished surface of the ground, paving or sidewalk within the
area between the building and the property line, or when the property
line is more than 5 feet from the building, between the building and
a line 5 feet from the building.