The purpose of this chapter and MMC Title 22C is to establish districts wherein compatible uses of land may be located and grouped to create, protect or maintain a living environment for the citizens of Marysville. Three broad categories of uses are established, residential, commercial and industrial, and it is the intent of this chapter and MMC Title 22C to stabilize and protect the uses contained within these districts. An effort will be made to exclude mutually interfering uses and, in particular, to promote residential harmony with surrounding areas of the community.
It is also the purpose of the classifications in this chapter and MMC Title 22C to make it possible to more efficiently and economically design and install all physical public service facilities in terms of size and capacity to adequately and permanently meet needs resulting from a defined intensity of land use and to provide for the health, safety, morals, prosperity and well-being of the community at large.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
To accomplish the purposes of this title, the following zoning designations and zoning map symbols are established:
ZONING DESIGNATIONS
MAP SYMBOL
Residential
NR or R (base density in dwelling units per acre or lots per acre)
Residential mobile home park
R-MHP
Neighborhood business
NB
Community business
CB
General commercial
GC
Downtown commercial
DTC
Mixed use
MU
Light industrial
LI
General industrial
GI
Recreation
REC
Public/institutional zone
P/I
Whiskey Ridge
WR (suffix to zone's map symbol)
Small farms overlay
SF (suffix to zone's map symbol)
Adult facilities
AF (suffix to zone's map symbol)
Property-specific development standards
P (suffix to zone's map symbol)
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011; Ord. 3193 § 8, 2021; Ord. 3260 § 3 (Exh. C), 2023; Ord. 3352 § 40 (Exh. KK), 2025; Ord. 3366 § 37 (Exh. KK), 2025)
The locations and boundaries of the zoning districts shall be as shown on the map entitled "Official Zoning Map, Marysville, Washington." The map shall be prepared by the Marysville planning commission after conducting hearings on zoning of the city to implement the city's comprehensive plan and this title. The official zoning map and all the notations, references, amendments thereto and other information shall, upon completion, be made a part of this title, just as if such information set forth on the map was fully described and set out herein. The official zoning map attested by the signature of the mayor and the city clerk, with the seal of the municipality affixed, shall be kept on file in the office of the city clerk, and shall be available for inspection by the public.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
The purpose statements for each zone and map designation set forth in the following sections shall be used to guide the application of the zones and designations to all lands in the city of Marysville. The purpose statements also shall guide interpretation and application of land use regulations within the zones and designations, and any changes to the range of permitted uses within each zone through amendments to this title.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the residential zones (NR or R) is to implement comprehensive plan goals and policies for housing quality, diversity and affordability, and to efficiently use residential land, public services and energy. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Providing, in the NR-4.5 and NR-6.5 zones, for a mix of predominantly single detached dwelling units, middle housing, townhouses, and other development types, with a variety of densities and sizes in locations appropriate for urban densities;
(b) 
Providing, in the R-12, R-18, R-28, and WR-R-6-18 zones, for a mix of predominantly apartment and townhouses, middle housing, and other development types, with a variety of densities and sizes in locations appropriate for urban densities;
(c) 
Providing and preserving high density, affordable detached single-family and senior housing in the R-MHP zone. This zone is assigned to existing mobile home parks within residential zones which contain rental pads, as opposed to fee simple owned lots, and as such are more susceptible to future development;
(d) 
Allowing only those accessory and complementary nonresidential uses that are compatible with residential communities; and
(e) 
Establishing density designations to facilitate advanced areawide planning for public facilities and services, and to protect environmentally sensitive sites from overdevelopment.
(2) 
Use of these zones is appropriate in residential areas designated by the comprehensive plan as follows:
(a) 
Urban lands that are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services; and
(b) 
The corresponding comprehensive plan designations are as follows:
NR-4.5
=
Neighborhood residential 4.5;
NR-6.5
=
Neighborhood residential 6.5;
R-12
=
Low density multiple-family;
R-18
=
Medium density multiple-family;
R-28
=
High density multiple-family;
WR-R-6-18
=
Whiskey Ridge, medium density multiple-family.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011; Ord. 3352 § 41 (Exh. LL), 2025; Ord. 3366 § 38 (Exh. LL), 2025)
(1) 
The purpose of the neighborhood business zone (NB) is to provide convenient daily retail and personal services for a limited service area and to minimize impacts of commercial activities on nearby properties. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Limiting nonresidential uses to those retail or personal services which can serve the everyday needs of a surrounding residential area;
(b) 
Allowing for a mix of housing and retail/service uses; and
(c) 
Excluding industrial and community/regional business-scaled uses.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in neighborhood centers designated by the comprehensive plan which are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the community business zone (CB) is to provide convenience and comparison retail and personal services for local service areas which exceed the daily convenience needs of adjacent neighborhoods but which cannot be served conveniently by larger activity centers, and to provide retail and personal services in locations within activity centers that are not appropriate for extensive outdoor storage or auto-related and industrial uses. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Providing for limited small-scale offices as well as a wider range of the retail, professional, governmental and personal services than are found in neighborhood business areas;
(b) 
Allowing for a mix of housing and retail/service uses; and
(c) 
Excluding commercial uses with extensive outdoor storage or fabrication and industrial uses.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in community commercial areas that are designated by the comprehensive plan and are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the general commercial zone (GC) is to provide for the broadest mix of commercial, wholesale, service and recreation/cultural uses with compatible storage and fabrication uses, serving regional market areas and offering significant employment. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Encouraging compact development that is supportive of transit and pedestrian travel, through higher nonresidential building heights and floor area ratios than those found in CB-zoned areas;
(b) 
Allowing for outdoor sales and storage, regional shopping areas and limited fabrication uses; and
(c) 
Concentrating large-scale commercial and office uses to facilitate the efficient provision of public facilities and services.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in general commercial areas that are designated by the comprehensive plan and that are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the downtown commercial zone (DTC) is to provide for the broadest mix of comparison retail, service and recreation/cultural uses with higher density residential uses, serving regional market areas and offering significant employment. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Encouraging compact development that is supportive of transit and pedestrian travel, through higher nonresidential building heights and floor area ratios than those found in GC-zoned areas;
(b) 
Allowing for regional shopping areas, and limited fabrication uses; and
(c) 
Concentrating large-scale commercial and office uses to facilitate the efficient provision of public facilities and services.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in downtown commercial areas that are designated by the comprehensive plan and that are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 3260 § 4 (Exh. D), 2023)
(1) 
The purpose of the mixed use zone (MU) is to provide for pedestrian and transit-oriented high-density employment uses together with limited complementary retail and higher density residential development in locations within activity centers where the full range of commercial activities is not desirable. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Allowing for uses that will take advantage of pedestrian-oriented site and street improvement standards;
(b) 
Providing for higher building heights and floor area ratios than those found in the CB zone;
(c) 
Reducing the ratio of required parking to building floor area;
(d) 
Allowing for on-site convenient daily retail and personal services for employees and residents; and
(e) 
Minimizing auto-oriented, outdoor or other retail sales and services which do not provide for the daily convenience needs of on-site and nearby employees or residents.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in areas designated by the comprehensive plan for mixed use, or mixed use overlay, which are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the light industrial zone (LI) is to provide for the location and grouping of non-nuisance-generating industrial enterprises and activities involving manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, processing, bulk handling and storage, research facilities, warehousing and limited retail uses. It is also a purpose of this zone to protect the industrial land base for industrial economic development and employment opportunities. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Allowing for a wide range of industrial and manufacturing uses;
(b) 
Establishing appropriate development standards and public review procedures for industrial activities with the greatest potential for adverse impacts; and
(c) 
Limiting residential, institutional, service, office and other nonindustrial uses to those necessary to directly support industrial activities.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in light industrial areas designated by the comprehensive plan which are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the general industrial zone (GI) is to provide for the location and grouping of industrial enterprises and activities involving manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, processing, bulk handling and storage, research facilities, warehousing and heavy trucking and equipment but also for commercial uses having special impacts and regulated by other chapters of this title. It is also a purpose of this zone to protect the industrial land base for industrial economic development and employment opportunities. These purposes are accomplished by:
(a) 
Allowing for a wide range of industrial and manufacturing uses;
(b) 
Establishing appropriate development standards and public review procedures for industrial activities with the greatest potential for adverse impacts; and
(c) 
Limiting residential, institutional, service, office and other nonindustrial uses to those necessary to directly support industrial activities.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate in general industrial areas designated by the comprehensive plan which are served at the time of development by adequate public sewers, water supply, roads and other needed public facilities and services.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the recreation zone (REC) is to establish areas appropriate for public and private recreational uses. Recreation would permit passive as well as active recreational uses such as sports fields, ball courts, golf courses, and waterfront recreation, but not hunting. This zone would also permit some resource land uses related to agriculture and fish and wildlife management.
(2) 
This recreation zone is applied to all land designated as "recreation" on the comprehensive plan map.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the public/institutional (P/I) land use zone is to establish a zone for governmental buildings, churches and public facilities.
(2) 
This public/institutional zone is applied to all land designated as "public/institutional" on the comprehensive plan map.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
The purpose of the whiskey ridge overlay zone (WR suffix to zone's map symbol) is to create an urban community that provides an attractive gateway into Marysville and becomes a prototype for developing neighborhoods within the city. The WR suffix identifies those areas required to comply with the East Sunnyside/Whiskey Ridge design standards and guidelines, and streetscape design plan.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
(1) 
The purpose of the small farms overlay zone (SF suffix to zone's map symbol) is to provide a process for registering small farms, thereby applying the small farms overlaying zone and recording official recognition of the existence of the small farm, and to provide encouragement for the preservation of such farms, as well as encouraging good neighbor relations between single-family and adjacent development.
(2) 
Use of this zone is appropriate for existing and newly designated small farms.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)
The purpose of establishing the adult facilities overlay zone (AF suffix to zone's map symbol) is to permit the location of adult facilities in an area of the city which will reduce the secondary effects of such an establishment on the community. The performance criteria included in this zone are intended to control external as well as internal impacts of the development and bulk and special limitations in other chapters of the zoning code are superseded by the provisions of this chapter. It is the further purpose of this zone to prevent the location of adult facilities throughout the city by consolidating them in one area. Because of the unique character of this zone, and its potential to disrupt preexisting residential and commercial development in the community, the city will only consider classifying property in this zone if such property is designated on the comprehensive plan as "general industrial" and is suitable for adult facilities.
(Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011)