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Department of Community and Economic Development
Planning Division
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE INTERPRETATION
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE INTERPRETATION #:
178-Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Siting
MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS: RMC 4-2-110.C, Development Standards for Residential Development
(Accessory Dwelling Units)
REFERENCE: N/A
SUBJECT: ADU Siting – Distance from Residential Structures
BACKGROUND: As part of Docket Item 199 (“D-199”), Residential Accessory Structures, staff
proposed code amendments to reduce the required separation between
residential structures from six feet (6’) to four feet (4’), including detached
accessory structures and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
In the same docket cycle, staff proposed unrelated ADU code amendments via
Docket Item 191 (“D-191”), ADUs as Accessory Uses to Religious Institutions.
Ordinance 6049 adopted amendments related to D-199, including
amendments to RMC 4-2-110.B, Development Standards for Residential
Development (Detached Accessory Buildings), which reduced the required
separation between residential structures from 6 feet to 4 feet. Ordinance
6046 adopted amendments related to D-191 and was intended to include the
proposed amendments to RMC 4-2-110.C, Development Standards for
Residential Development (Accessory Dwelling Units), as proposed via D-199,
but this amendment was erroneously omitted.
DECISION: RMC RMC 4-2-110.C shall be interpreted to reduce the required separation between ADUs and other residential structures at 4 feet (4') instead of 6 feet (6').
CI-178 Page 2 of 3
JUSTIFICATION: The reduced separation between residential structures is intended to facilitate construction of ADUs and accessory structures. A public hearing for D-199 was held on August 18, 2021, and Deliberation and Recommendation on September 1, 2021, and staff presented a summary of proposed code amendments, which included the reduced separation between ADUs and other residential structures. The omission of this provision in Ordinance 6046 is an error that conflicts with Planning Commission’s recommendation.
ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL:
_______________________________________ C. E. “Chip” Vincent
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.
SPECIFIED CODE
SECTIONS SHALL BE READ AS FOLLOWS:
LOCATION
GENERAL
RC, R-1, R-4, R-6, R-8,
R-10 and R-14
ADUs shall be located at least 4 ft. from any residential structure.
STAFF CONTACT:
Katie Buchl-Morales, x. 6578
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.
July 1, 2022