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Department of Community and Economic Development
Planning Division
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE INTERPRETATION
ADMINISTRATIVE
CODE
INTERPRETATION #:
179
MUNICIPAL CODE
SECTIONS:
RMC 4-2-110A, Development Standards for Residential Zoning Designations
(Primary Structures)
REFERENCE: N/A
SUBJECT: Development Standards for Residential Zoning Designations – Minimum Tree
Density
BACKGROUND: As a result of Renton Municipal Code (RMC) amendments adopted by
Ordinance 6076 and based on Docket Item 197 (“D-197”), Tree Regulations,
the City amended the city’s tree retention and land clearing regulations, which
included eliminating tree density requirements. As proposed by D-197 and
adopted in Ordinance 6076, a tree credit system was implemented as an
alternative to tree density requirements. However, the adopted ordinance did
not eliminate a reference to the previous minimum tree density requirements
within RMC 4-2-110A. Therefore, staff proposes to eliminate the old reference
to minimum tree density requirements and update the table to refer to RMC
4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations, regarding tree
retention.
DECISION: RMC 4-2-110A shall be interpreted to eliminate the inaccurate reference to
minimum tree density requirements and replace with the accurate reference
to RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations, regarding tree
retention.
JUSTIFICATION: The reference to minimum tree density requirements provided in RMC 4-2-
110A presents a conflict with the legislative intent of code revisions for D-197,
as these requirements no longer exist in RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and
Land Clearing Regulations. Therefore, the retainment of this reference is a
result of staff’s error, an error that conflicts with the Planning Commission’s
recommendation and the City Council’s legislative intent.
ADMINISTRATOR
APPROVAL: ____________________________________
C. E. “Chip” Vincent
CI-179 Page 2 of 7
EFFECTIVE DATE:
BINDING: Under principles of judicial finality, administrative code interpretations that
are not timely appealed are binding. This binding decision is a formally
adopted interpretation of existing Renton Municipal Code.
APPEAL PROCESS: To appeal this determination, a written appeal accompanied by the required
filing fee must be filed with the City’s Hearing Examiner (1055 South Grady
Way, Renton, WA 98057, 425-430-6551) no more than 14 days from the date
of this decision. Section 4-8-110 of the Renton Municipal Code provides
further information on the appeal process.
DISCLAIMER: Excerpts from the Renton Municipal Code shown below may not contain the most recently
codified text. In such instances, code amendments implemented through this Administrative Code
Interpretation shall be construed to affect the current code and past/future Administrative Code
Interpretations not yet codified in the same manner as shown below. Should any conflicts result, the
Administrator shall determine the effective code.
SPECIFIED CODE
SECTIONS SHALL BE
READ AS FOLLOWS:
See attached Exhibit A.
STAFF CONTACT: Angelea Weihs, Associate Planner, 425-430-7312
February 17, 2023
CI-179 Page 3 of 7
EXHIBIT A
4-2-110A1 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL ZONING DESIGNATIONS (PRIMARY STRUCTURES)
RC R-1 R-4 R-6 R-8 R-10 R-14 RMF
Minimum Net
Density (per Net Acre)1,
2, 15
None 3 dwelling
units
4 dwelling
units
5 dwelling
units30
7 dwelling units30 10 dwelling units30
Maximum Net
Density (per Net Acre,
Except per Net 10 Acres
in RC)2, 14, 15
1 dwelling
unit
1 dwelling
unit7, 36
4 dwelling
units
6 dwelling
units
8 dwelling
units38
10 dwelling
units29
14 dwelling units29 20 dwelling units29
Maximum Number of
Dwellings (per Legal
Lot)2
1 dwelling
with 1
accessory
dwelling
unit
1 dwelling
with 1
accessory
dwelling
unit7
1 dwelling with 1
accessory dwelling unit
1 dwelling
with 1
accessory
dwelling
unit
Detached dwellings: 1 dwelling
with 1 accessory dwelling unit
Attached dwellings: n/a
Per Maximum Net
Density
Minimum Lot Size2, 28, 31 10 acres 1 acre3, 32 9,000 sq.
ft.32, 34
7,000 sq.
ft.32, 34
5,000 sq.
ft.34
Detached
dwellings:
4,000 sq. ft.
Attached
dwellings: n/a
Detached
dwellings: 3,000
sq. ft.
Attached
dwellings: n/a
n/a
Minimum Lot Width31 150 ft. 100 ft.32 70 ft.32 60 ft.32 50 ft. 40 ft. 30 ft. Townhouses: 25 ft.
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RC R-1 R-4 R-6 R-8 R-10 R-14 RMF
Other Attached
Dwellings: 50 ft.
Minimum Lot
Width31 (Corner Lots)
175 ft. 110 ft. 80 ft. 70 ft. 60 ft. 50 ft. 40 ft. Townhouses: 30 ft.
Other Attached
Dwellings: 60 ft.
Minimum Lot Depth31 300 ft. 200 ft.3, 32 100 ft.32 90 ft.32 80 ft. 70 ft. 60 ft. Townhouses: 50 ft.
Other Attached
Dwellings: 65 ft.
Minimum Front Yard4, 5,
31
30 ft. 30 ft.6 30 ft.6, 33 25 ft.6 20 ft. except when all
vehicle access is taken from
an alley, then 15 ft.39
15 ft.11, except
when all vehicle
access is taken
from an alley, then
10 ft.39
Townhouses: 15
ft.11, except when all
vehicle access is
taken from an alley,
then 10 ft.39
Other Attached
Dwellings: 20 ft.
Minimum Rear Yard4, 22,
31
35 ft. 30 ft. 25 ft.33 25 ft. 25 ft.39 15 ft.21, 39 10 ft.21, 39 Townhouses: 10 ft.13,
39
Other Attached
Dwellings: 15 ft.39
Minimum Side Yard4, 31 25 ft. 15 ft. Combined
20 ft. with
not less than
Combined
15 ft. with
not less
5 ft. Detached
Units: 4 ft.
Detached Units: 4
ft.
5 ft. for unattached
side(s), 0 ft. for the
attached side(s).13
CI-179 Page 5 of 7
RC R-1 R-4 R-6 R-8 R-10 R-14 RMF
7.5 ft. on
either side.
than 5 ft. on
either side.
Attached
Units: 4 ft. for
unattached
side(s), 0 ft.
for the
attached
side(s).23
Attached Units: 4
ft. for unattached
side(s), 0 ft. for the
attached side(s).23
Minimum Secondary
Front Yard4, 5, 31 (applies
to Corner Lots)
30 ft. 30 ft.6 30 ft.6, 33 25 ft.6 15 ft.11 15 ft.11 15 ft.11 Townhouses: 15 ft.11
Other Attached
Dwellings: 20 ft.
Maximum Building
Coverage (including
Primary and Accessory)
10% 20% 35% 40% 50% 55% 65% Townhouses: 70%
Other Attached
Dwellings: 35%
A maximum
coverage of 45%
may be allowed
through the Hearing
Examiner site
development plan
review process.
Maximum Impervious
Surface Area
15% 25% 50% 55% 65% 70% 80% 75%
CI-179 Page 6 of 7
RC R-1 R-4 R-6 R-8 R-10 R-14 RMF
Maximum Number of
Stories
3 2 3
Maximum Wall Plate
Height8, 9, 10, 12, 18, 19
32 ft. 24 ft. 24 ft., increase up
to 32 ft. possible
subject to
administrative
conditional use
permit approval.
Townhouses: 32 ft.
Other Attached
Dwellings: 32 ft.,
increase up to 42 ft.
possible subject to
administrative
conditional use
permit approval.
Maximum Number of
Units per Building2
n/a No more than
4 units per
building.
No more than 6
units per building.
n/a
Minimum Tree Density 2 significant trees per 5,000 sq. ft.
See RMC 4-4-130.
Attached units: 4 significant trees
per 5,000 sq. ft.
See RMC 4-4-130.
n/a
Minimum Freeway
Frontage Setback
10 ft. landscaped setback from the street property line.
Maximum Wireless
Communication
Facilities
Height (including
See RMC 4-4-140, Wireless Communication Facilities. Amateur radio antennas are allowed a maximum height of 6 feet
without a Conditional Use Permit. Larger structures will have a maximum height determined by the Conditional Use Permit
process, RMC 4-9-030, Conditional Use Permits.
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RC R-1 R-4 R-6 R-8 R-10 R-14 RMF
Amateur Radio
Antennas)
Design Standards See RMC 4-2-115, Residential Design and Open Space Standards.
Landscaping See RMC 4-4-070, Landscaping.
Tree Retention See RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations
Exterior Lighting See RMC 4-4-075, Lighting, Exterior On-Site.
Screening See RMC 4-4-095, Screening and Storage Height/Location Limitations.
Exception for Pre-
Existing Legal Lots
See RMC 4-10-010, Nonconforming Lots.