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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCI-129 Department of Community and Economic Development Planning Division ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY/CODE INTERPRETATION ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY/CODE INTERPRETATION #: CI-129 MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS: RMC 4-5-130, International Property Maintenance Code REFERENCE: SUBJECT: Residential Outdoor Storage BACKGROUND: The Residential-6 (R-6) zone was adopted and codified as a new residential zone in 2015. An appropriate reference, however, was not codified within RMC 4-5-130.B.4, which amended Section 308, Residential Outdoor Storage, of the International Property Maintenance Code. RMC 4-5-130.B.4 qualifies residential zones as the RC, R-1, R-4 or R-8, and places limitations on outdoor storage for residential property. Among other limitations, the subsection sets the maximum area allowed for outdoor storage in the RC and R-1 zones at 400 square feet, and allows no more than 200 square feet in the R-4 and R-8 zones; the R-6, R-10 and R-14 zones are not cited. DECISION: Residential zones, for the purposes of RMC 4-5-130, International Property Maintenance Code, shall be determined by Chapter 4-2 RMC. Properties zoned R-6 shall have a maximum outdoor storage area of 200 square feet. Properties zoned R-10 or R-14 shall have a maximum outdoor storage area of 100 square feet. JUSTIFICATION: Residential zones include the RC, R-1, R-4, R-6, R-8, R-10, R-14, RMH, and RMF. These zones and their respective development regulations are intended to provide a range of development that typically results in larger lots with greater setbacks in the RC and R-1 zones at one end, and smaller lots with lesser setbacks as the range progresses towards the opposite end with the R-10 and R-14 zones (this theme does not hold true for the RMH and RMF zones, which are specifically for the creation of manufactured home developments and multifamily developments respectively). Therefore, based on the limitation upon R-4 and R-8 zoned properties, it’s appropriate to also limit the area dedicated to outdoor storage in the R-6 zone to 200 square feet. Because RMC 4-5-130.B.4 qualifies residential zones to be the RC, R-1, R-4 and R-8, which are almost exclusively for single-family dwellings, and single-family residential development is permitted in the R-10 and R-14 zones, these zones should also allow some outdoor storage; however, the code will need to specify that the allowed storage area is for properties developed with a single- family dwelling as the primary use. Given the explanation above regarding the range of residential zones, and noting that the amount of land area dedicated to outdoor storage is reduced by half from 400 square feet to 200 square feet as the range progresses from the RC and R-1 zones to the R-4, R-6, and R-8 zones, it is appropriate to also reduce the maximum allowed area for outdoor storage by half (to 100 square feet) for the R-10 and R-14 zones. ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL: _______________________________________ C. E. “Chip” Vincent EFFECTIVE DATE: January 5, 2018 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, 425-430-6515) 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. CODE AMENDMENTS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT DETERMINATION(S): 4-5-130 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE: B. AMENDMENTS: 4. Section 308 is deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Section 308 Residential Outdoor Storage, which shall read as follows: 308 Residential Outdoor Storage: 308.1 Purpose: The purpose of this section is to define and regulate the outdoor storage of materials on residential property while maintaining the character and use intended for single family residential neighborhoods. For purposes of this section, residentially zoned property is any property zoned RC, R1, R4 or R8. 308.2 Allowed residential outdoor storage: For RC and R-1 zoned properties, a maximum of four hundred (400) square feet of area may be used for outdoor storage. For R-4, R-6 and R-8 zoned properties, a maximum of two hundred (200) square feet of area may be used for outdoor storage. For R-10 and R-14 zoned properties with a single-family dwelling as the primary use, a maximum of one hundred (100) square feet of area may be used for outdoor storage. STAFF CONTACT: Paul Hintz, x7436