Unless otherwise provided herein, permitted and conditional uses shall be administered pursuant to the applicable provisions of Chapter
20.80 WCC (Supplementary Requirements) and Chapter
22.05 WCC (Project Permit Procedures). In a rural community designation, nonresidential uses listed below are permitted if a use of the same type existed in that same rural community designation on July 1, 1990, per WCC §
20.80.100(1). In a rural business designation all uses are permitted. Residential type uses listed below are permitted in rural community and rural business designations.
.051 Retail and office type uses.
(1) Mobile home and recreational vehicle sales.
(2) Indoor commercial recreation facilities such as bowling alleys, skating rinks, indoor theaters and physical fitness centers.
(3) Service establishment including but not limited to barber and beauty shops, laundries, dry cleaners, furniture repair, frozen food lockers, funeral parlors, animal hospitals, auction houses, financial institutions, fraternal organizations and professional offices.
(4) Retail establishments including but not limited to grocery, liquor, drug, sundries, variety, building supplies, clothing, florist, nurseries, optical, sporting goods, appliance, music, pet stores, and cannabis retail facilities.
(5) Printing and publishing establishments.
(7) Construction contractors' business offices, including outdoor storage of equipment.
.052 Self-service storage facilities.
.053 Restaurant type uses.
(1) Eating and drinking establishments.
.054 Automotive and equipment repair type uses.
(1) Automobile, motorcycle, marine and farm implement sales, rental agencies, repair and service; provided, that all repair services are conducted within an enclosed building.
(2) Automobile service stations, car washes and public garages.
.055 Residential type uses.
One single-family dwelling or duplex per lot of record subject to:
(1) Health department requirements regarding soil type and water supply.
(2) A deed restriction recorded with the Whatcom County auditor is attached to the lot(s) at the time of building permit issuance stating that the dwelling(s) is located in a Rural General Commercial Zone and buyers should be aware that commercial uses will be allowed on surrounding parcels and owners have no grounds for protest.
(3) This permitted use is only allowed on lots created as of May 22, 2011, or lots created according to WCC § 20.59.257.
.056 Public and community type uses.
(1) Public community facilities including police and fire stations, libraries, community centers, recreation facilities, and other similar noncommercial uses.
(2) Public parks and recreation facilities included in an adopted city or county Comprehensive Plan or Park Plan.
(3) Trails, trailheads, restroom facilities and associated parking areas for no more than 30 vehicles.
(5) Adult family homes as defined in Chapter
70.128 RCW.
(6) Boarding homes that are similar in size, facilities and occupancy to other residential structures permitted in the zoning district.
(7) Mental health facilities that provide residential treatment and are similar in size, facilities and occupancy to other residential structures permitted in the zoning district.
(8) Substance abuse facilities that provide residential treatment and are similar in size, facilities and occupancy to other residential structures permitted in the zoning district.
(9) Secure community transition facilities for sex offenders.
(a) A secure community transition facility shall not be located adjacent to, immediately across the street or parking lot from, or within the line of sight of existing risk potential facilities, which are:
(v) Licensed preschool facilities;
(vii) Publicly dedicated trails;
(x) Recreational and community centers;
(xi) Churches, synagogues, temples or mosques;
(xiii) Public and private youth camps; and
(xiv) Other uses identified by the State Department of Social and Health Services pursuant to RCW
71.09.020.
shall mean that it is possible to reasonably visually distinguish and recognize individuals. An unobstructed visual distance of 600 feet shall be considered to be within the line of sight. Line of sight may be considered to be less than 600 feet if the applicant can demonstrate that visual barriers exist or would be created that would visually screen the risk potential facility from the secure community transition facility.
(b) No more than one secure community transition facility, with a maximum of three people (other than staff), shall be located within Whatcom County.
(Ord. 2011-013 § 2 Exh. B, 2011; Ord. 2012-032 § 2 Exh. B, 2012; Ord. 2015-006 Exh. A, 2015; Ord. 2016-043 § 1 Exh. A, 2016; Ord. 2022-012 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 2023-018 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 2023-078 § 1 (Exh. A § 9), 2023)