The existence of the Cowlitz River immediately adjacent to the city limits of the city of Longview presents a unique opportunity to zone the adjacent property in order to preserve the beauty and utility of the river for the benefit of the general public; to provide uses for said property which will more fully utilize the property for residential, multiple-family and limited commercial uses which are associated with or oriented towards recreational uses which will blend smoothly to promote and maintain a harmonious environment taking full advantage of the presence of the river.
(Ord. 1787, 1976)
In the riverfront district, RF-1, no buildings or premises shall be used nor shall any building or structure be hereafter erected or altered except for one or more of the following uses:
(1) 
Single-family dwellings;
(2) 
Multifamily dwellings;
(3) 
Roominghouses and boardinghouses, institutional lodging, convalescent care, retirement and assisted living facilities;
(4) 
The usual accessory buildings commonly appurtenant to single-family or multifamily dwellings, such as private garages, utility buildings or tool storage sheds, complying with the requirements of residential districts R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 as if in fact located within these residential districts;
(5) 
Clubhouses owned and operated by boating clubs;
(6) 
Fraternal lodges;
(7) 
Fixed or floating docks for pleasurecraft;
(8) 
Launching ramps and lifts for pleasurecraft;
(9) 
Marinas for pleasurecraft, including as a part thereof restaurants and cocktail lounges, and facilities for the display, sale, service and repair of pleasurecraft, sporting goods and other water-oriented or boating supplies. Service of pleasurecraft includes auto detailing as an accessory activity;
(10) 
Restaurants and cocktail lounges, including gambling casinos/card rooms in association with a restaurant/cocktail lounge. The floor area dedicated for gambling operations shall be less than the area dedicated for the restaurant and cocktail lounge and in no case shall the floor area for gambling operations be more than 4,000 square feet;
(11) 
Motel and hotel facilities;
(12) 
Governmental offices;
(13) 
Professional offices and business offices;
(14) 
Public parking lots;
(15) 
Planned unit developments, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 19.66 LMC;
(16) 
Recreational vehicle park per Chapters 19.65 and 19.90 LMC;
(17) 
Recreational parks and playgrounds including private tennis clubs, racquet clubs and swim clubs;
(18) 
Group homes with a maximum number of 20 residents, excluding staff; provided, that no group home shall be allowed within 600 feet of any other group home;
(19) 
Day care facilities for the care of children exceeding 12 in number, subject to state and local building code and fire regulations;
(20) 
Retail stores of all descriptions where the sale of the merchandise is completed within the building, including manufacturing and/or assembly in connection therewith, and only if there is no excessive noise or vibration producing machinery used in the process; and the materials or methods used produce no obnoxious dust, fumes, smoke or odors; provided, however, that no manufacturing occupancies which process highly combustible, flammable or explosive materials shall be permitted;
(21) 
Public or private schools, churches, juvenile and adult justice facilities which include detention facilities, offices and courtrooms, and public utility structures, such as substations, pumping plants, telephone exchanges, may be allowed as special property uses in the manner provided by Chapter 19.12 LMC;
(22) 
Mobile and marine telecommunications and audio equipment accessories, sales, service and installation;
(23) 
Wireless communication facilities as permitted in Chapter 16.75 LMC;
(24) 
Personal service establishments;
(25) 
Transitional housing;
(26) 
Permanent supportive housing, subject to standards set forth in Chapter 19.22 LMC;
(27) 
Emergency shelters, subject to standards set forth in LMC § 19.44.110; and
(28) 
Emergency housing, subject to standards set forth in LMC § 19.44.110.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976; Ord. 1904 § 6, 1978; Ord. 2002 § 4, 1980; Ord. 2337 § 1, 1988; Ord. 2424 § 1, 1990; Ord. 2473 § 1, 1991; Ord. 2632 § 1, 1996; Ord. 2790 § 1, 2000; Ord. 2818 § 1, 2001; Ord. 3333 § 5, 2016; Ord. 3363 § 1, 2017; Ord. 3370 § 1, 2018; Ord. 3395 § 1, 2019; Ord. 3450 § 4, 2021)
In the riverfront district RF-1, no building, structure, facility or other improvement shall be hereafter erected or altered upon any lot or plot having an area of less than 6,000 square feet or width of less than 50 feet; provided, that these regulations shall not prohibit the erection of one structure, facility or other improvement upon any lot or portion of lot of record prior to September 23, 1976, because such lot is less area or width than required in this section.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976)
(1) 
Every building, structure or facility located on a lot in the riverfront district, RF-1, bounded on one side by the Cowlitz River shall be permitted to front on a street dedicated for public use and accepted by the city council as a public street, or, shall be permitted to front upon the Cowlitz River if such building, structure or facility is located easterly of the centerline of the dike, or shall be permitted to front upon both the street and the river, providing that all the provisions established in this title are met.
(2) 
Every building, structure or facility located on any lot in the riverfront district, RF-1, not bounded on any side by the Cowlitz River, shall front upon a street dedicated for public use and accepted by the city council as a public street, without any other building intervening between such building, structure or facility and the street upon which it fronts.
(3) 
Every building, structure or facility fronting on the Cowlitz River shall have direct access of at least 20 feet in width to a public street, providing no parking is allowed on this access.
(4) 
Every building hereafter constructed in the riverfront district, RF-1, shall front on a public street meeting current city street standards.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976; Ord. 2818 § 2, 2001)
(1) 
Every building, structure or facility located on a lot in the riverfront district, RF-1, easterly of the east right-of-way boundary of River Road shall have a front property line setback of not less than 25 feet in depth for those buildings, structures or facilities fronting on a street. For those buildings, structures or facilities fronting on the Cowlitz River, a rear property line setback of not less than 25 feet in depth is required.
(2) 
Every building, structure or facility located on lots in the riverfront district, RF-1, westerly of the west boundary of River Road, shall be required to maintain a front property line setback of not less than 25 feet in depth, and a rear property line setback of not less than 15 feet in depth.
(3) 
Every building, structure or facility located on any lot east of River Road and 1st Avenue in the riverfront district, RF-1, shall be required to have side property line setbacks the combined total of which shall equal not less than 15 percent of the width of the lot as measured along the lot line upon which such building structure or facility fronts, but under no circumstances shall a side property line setback be less than five feet in width. For lots west of River Road and 1st Avenue, the minimum side yard setback is five feet.
(4) 
Where the location line of ordinary high water of the Cowlitz River, as defined by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, or the location of the easement owned by consolidated diking and improvement district No. 1 of Cowlitz County makes compliance with the rear setback requirements as established in this section difficult or impossible, an owner of such property shall have the right to make application to the board of appeals for a variance from the rear setback requirement as provided in LMC § 19.12.140.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976; Ord. 3202 § 13, 2012)
(1) 
Every permitted land use hereafter erected or altered within the riverfront district, RF-1, shall provide off-street automobile parking and truck loading and unloading facilities as required by Chapter 19.78 LMC.
(2) 
In the event of an enlargement of a structure, if space exists on the property for off-street parking at the time of enlargement, space shall continue to be provided for off-street parking after such enlargement.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976)
Allowable signs in the riverfront district, RF-1, shall be as follows:
(1) 
Each single-family dwelling may have not more than one sign, not exceeding one square foot in area, and bearing only the name and occupation of the occupant of a dwelling to which the sign is affixed.
(2) 
Not more than two signs, not exceeding four square feet in area for each sign, advertising for sale or for rent the premises upon which such signs are located are permitted.
(3) 
No sign shall exceed 75 square feet, and no more than two signs shall be permitted for each building, structure or facility.
(4) 
Business Complex Signs. Each business complex may have one freestanding sign available to the businesses within the complex. Each principal business within the complex may have up to two wall, canopy or awning signs. The height of the freestanding sign shall not exceed 16 feet above grade nor shall the allowable sign area be greater than 50 square feet. The total square footage for wall, canopy or awning signs for each principal business shall not exceed 100 square feet; no individual sign shall exceed 75 square feet in area.
(5) 
No signs shall extend upwards beyond the highest point of the building, structure or facility to which it is affixed, and shall not extend more than five feet from the wall thereof.
(6) 
All signs shall be stationary, and the sign and support structure shall be of permanent construction and attractive in appearance.
(7) 
Illuminated signs shall be in keeping with the purpose of the type of zone being created in this chapter and the type of business being advertised, and shall be of constant intensity and color. Complete plans of such signs shall be required to be submitted to the department of community and economic development. The plans shall show:
(a) 
Site location;
(b) 
Dimensions;
(c) 
Type of material;
(d) 
Intensity and color;
(e) 
Structural details; and
(f) 
Design.
No flashing signs shall be permitted.
(8) 
Signs which restrict the view of adjoining properties or create confusion relative to interpretation of traffic signals or traffic signs shall not be permitted.
(9) 
Directional and informational signs in areas normally and customarily found in parks, playgrounds and other recreational areas for the benefit of pedestrians are permitted.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976; Ord. 2774, 2000; Ord. 2993 § 1, 2007)
(1) 
Every multifamily dwelling hereafter erected shall provide a site area equivalent to 1,000 square feet for each family unit in such dwelling, or there shall be maintained upon the same site with the dwelling building a space open and unoccupied, except by trees, shrubs or other natural growth, having an area equivalent to 300 square feet for each family living unit contained in such multifamily dwelling.
(2) 
All motels hereafter erected or altered shall provide dwelling units averaging 320 square feet or more, exclusive of cooking units and any caretakers' units; provided, no unit shall have less than 280 square feet, and no cooking unit shall have less than 400 square feet. All measurements shall be based on inside wall measurements.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976)
Pleasurecraft may be displayed outside at any marina in neat order for purposes of display, sale or while being held for owners after the completion of repairs. Repairs of pleasurecraft, the duration of which shall exceed 90 days, shall not be permitted outside a building.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976)
For purposes of this chapter, the term "pleasurecraft" includes boats, aircraft and water vehicles designed and primarily used for purposes of pleasure and not for commercial purposes, except for excursion boats.
(Ord. 1787 § 1, 1976)
For purposes of this chapter, the term "detailing" means enhancement or restoration of appearance by cleaning, washing and waxing, and/or the application of decals or similar decorative or glare reducing materials.
(Ord. 2473 § 2, 1991)
Caretakers' apartments shall be allowed for any business within the riverfront RF-1 district; provided, the apartment is within the same structure as the business and is occupied by only the owner or his employee whose duty it shall be to care for, watch and guard the property, particularly at such times as the structure may not be open for business. The apartment shall not be rented or occupied by any party not employed in the main business occupying the premises.
(Ord. 2745 § 1, 1999)