Purpose
This chapter aims to set forth the regulations, procedures, and special development objectives that apply to the rural historic town of Port Gamble. In the event of a conflict between the requirements of these regulations and any other applicable statute, rule, ordinance, or regulation, the more restrictive regulation shall apply. The county has identified Port Gamble as a limited area of more intensive rural development (LAMIRD) and classified the town as a rural historic town (RHT). A fundamental underpinning of this chapter is to comply with the requirements of the State Growth Management Act while preserving and enhancing the unique historic qualities of the town. The intent of these regulations is to provide for visually compatible infill, development, and redevelopment of the existing commercial, industrial, and residential areas in Port Gamble, while also containing such development within logical, permanent town boundaries.
Three land use zones exist within the rural historic town of Port Gamble. The purpose of the three RHT zones is set forth below.
A. Rural Historic Town Residential (RHTR). This zone is intended to recognize and encourage the redevelopment of the historic residential patterns in the town. Residential densities may approximate historic town densities but shall not exceed two and one-half dwelling units per acre. Residential acreage in the RHTR zone totals 69.76 acres, including the town cemetery. Site design and architecture in the RHTR zone may reflect new interpretations of the historical styles and patterns, but must also work to enhance and preserve the defining “company town” characteristics of Port Gamble as described in the Historic American Engineering Record for Port Gamble, Washington, dated August 1997, on file with the department of community development. To ensure that historic platting patterns are acknowledged, maximum lot sizes shall apply, and community open space is required.
B. Rural Historic Town Commercial (RHTC). This zone is intended to meet many of the town's needs for basic shopping and simple services. The zone also recognizes and reflects the historically significant commercial use of the town, as well as the types of uses present in July 1990. The commercial zone may provide for tourist, visitor, and recreation uses. This zone may also support limited new commercial uses, including isolated small-scale businesses and cottage industries not designed to serve the town population, but providing jobs to rural residents.
C. Rural Historic Town Waterfront (RHTW). This zone is intended to allow for maintaining, developing, or redeveloping a range of uses reflecting historical development and 1990 uses while supporting the revitalization of the town as a whole. Forest products manufacturing, natural resource industries, and waterfront shipping are allowed, within the constraints imposed by the county’s Shoreline Management Master Program. Other less intensive industrial and commercial uses similar to those of the commercial zone are also allowed. The areas within two hundred feet of the water are governed by the county’s Shoreline Management Master Program, which expresses a preference for water-dependent or water-related uses.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016)
Special provisions
A. Procedures. To ensure that all development furthers the goal of maintaining and enhancing the town's historic nature, all development shall comply with the town development objectives of Section 17.360C.020. The director of community development shall refer any formal proposal requiring a conditional use permit or PBD approval for review by the architectural and site design committee or consultant as provided by the Comprehensive Plan.
Any proposal for large-scale development or redevelopment, as determined by the director, shall require preparing a town master plan. Examples of large-scale development include subdivisions creating five or more lots, residential development of five or more homes, or new commercial development greater than five thousand square feet. A town master plan that lays out the preferred development scenario and phasing for each of the three zones may be approved by the board of county commissioners using the performance-based development process of Chapter 17.450. (The TDOs and specific requirements of this chapter for density, height, parking, and other development standards shall replace the PBD standards and requirements of Section 17.450.040.) Detailed project-level environmental analysis, including analysis of site-specific alternatives, shall be required as part of a master plan review.
B. Infrastructure Capacity Required. In all zones, no development shall be allowed unless adequate infrastructure, including but not limited to sewer and water service, is available. Allowed densities shall be restricted to reflect the capacity of the sewer and water systems.
C. Parking.
1. The director shall determine parking requirements for all uses through analysis of the proposed use and with reference to the parking requirements of Chapter 17.490. The director may consider the availability of street parking. The director's determination shall be an administrative decision made concurrently with the department’s decision or recommendation on a proposal.
2. Parking associated with an individual use shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be located behind structures or otherwise fully screened from street view.
3. All required parking in the RHTC and RHTW zones may be provided off-site in shared or joint-use parking areas, except that provision must be made to develop or reserve on-site or on-street parking spaces for handicapped parking.
4. Shared or joint-use parking lots shall be screened. The following standards may be modified upon recommendation of the consultant or architectural and site design review committee:
a. From adjacent residential zones by six-foot-high solid wood fencing or by a three-foot-high earthen berm planted densely with native evergreen shrubs and groundcover to form a visual separation and soften the edges of the parking area;
b. From adjacent streets by a combination of solid wood fencing, plantings, public seating, shelters, or public information kiosks. Screening and plantings shall be of a height to shield light from vehicles but shall not interfere with general visibility into the parking area for public safety purposes. The goal is to achieve visual separation and soften the edges of the parking area;
c. From adjacent commercial properties by a four-foot-wide perimeter landscape area, planted to achieve visual separation and soften the edges of the parking area.
5. Shared or joint-use parking lots shall provide internal landscaping as follows:
a. For parking areas providing up to fifty stalls, twelve square feet of landscaping, in addition to the perimeter or street screening, must be provided for each stall, including one tree for every five stalls.
b. For parking in excess of fifty stalls, an additional eighteen square feet of landscaping shall be provided for each stall over fifty, including one tree for every four stalls over fifty.
c. Landscaped areas shall have minimum dimensions of four feet in any direction, exclusive of vehicle overhangs, and a minimum area of thirty-six square feet.
d. Trees shall be a minimum of six feet high, with a minimum two-inch caliper if deciduous.
e. Landscaped areas shall be distributed equally throughout the parking area to create shade and break up large asphalt or other paving expanses.
D. Signs and Lighting.
1. Signs and external lighting shall be designed to reflect historical styling and comply with the town development objectives and shall be reviewed by an architectural and site design review committee.
2. Internal illumination and neon lighting or signage is prohibited, except for window signs not exceeding four square feet; provided, that an applicant may request a review of proposed signs by an architectural and site design review committee if one has been appointed. Following such review and on the committee's recommendation, the director may allow internally illuminated signs or signs with neon lighting.
3. All other requirements of Chapter 17.510, Sign Code, apply in the RHT zones.
(Ord. 534 (2016) § 7(5) (App. E) (part), 2016)