The city council finds that orderliness, beauty, architectural harmony, and design with nature in mind bear a substantial relationship to community welfare. The regulations in this chapter promote the maintenance of existing natural areas and the reestablishment of vegetation for aesthetic and health reasons, establish a pleasant visual character by softening the effects of built and paved areas, promote compatibility between land uses by reducing impacts of development on abutting uses, and enhance the livability of residential lands. The city council intends to upgrade the aesthetic character, and ensure the compatibility of institutional, multiple-family residential, commercial, industrial and other developments through the application of screening requirements for outdoor storage uses, maintenance and replanting of natural buffers between incompatible uses, the reservation of sufficient open space, and the installation of landscape strips along street rights-of-way, within parking lots and along side property lines, as more fully set forth in this chapter and other chapters of this title.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
Outdoor storage areas shall meet the following requirements:
(1) 
Outdoor storage must be screened from view of public rights-of-way, private streets, and residential uses on abutting lots, by a B3 buffer or equivalent. Gates for vehicle access shall also provide sight-obscuring screening.
(2) 
Outdoor vehicle storage areas containing six or more spaces shall be located on paved surfaces only. Nonvehicular outdoor storage may be on a paved or graveled surface. All outdoor storage areas shall be maintained in an orderly manner at all times.
(3) 
Storage shall not be permitted in front yards or side yards abutting a residential district.
(4) 
Outdoor storage materials shall not be piled higher than the top of the fence or screening materials.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
Any loading bays or berths required by this title or provided to serve development shall not face public streets and shall be located to the side or the rear of buildings. Such loading bays or berths must be screened from abutting residential lots by a B3 buffer or equivalent.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
Mechanical equipment located on the ground, such as heating or cooling equipment, pumps, or generators must be screened from the street and any abutting residential lots. Mechanical equipment on roofs must be screened from the ground level of any abutting residential lots.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
New development or additions and expansion of existing development shall provide landscaping consistent with Table 18.48-1 and for parking lots as required by WMC § 18.52.070.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
New development or additions and expansions of existing development shall provide buffers along property lines consistent with the screening and buffering requirements as specified in Table 18.48-1. If a new development or addition and expansion of existing developments occur that are abutting a lower intensity use a B3 buffer is required, even if both uses are within the same zone district.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1793 § 1 (Exh. A), 2016)
Landscaping is to be maintained in a healthy and neat manner and may be subject to periodic inspection by the city.
(1) 
Assurances for General Landscaping. When installation of landscaping is required by this title, to assure survivorship of new plantings, the owner shall be responsible for the monitoring, maintenance and replacement, if necessary, of new landscaping to assure 100 percent survivorship for trees and 90 percent survivorship for shrubs and ground cover. This subsection does not apply to bioretention facilities installed as part of required landscaping. The mandatory maintenance of landscaping for a one-year period shall be assured by the developer prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy by requiring one of the following options, subject to approval of the city as to legal form prior to acceptance:
(a) 
The posting of a performance bond 50 percent of the estimated cost of maintenance as approved by the community development director.
(b) 
The depositing with the city clerk of a certified or cashier's check for 150 percent of the estimated cost of landscaping, as approved by the community development director.
(c) 
Filing with the city clerk of a copy of a service contract for maintenance of landscaping.
(d) 
Such other written commitments that will assure satisfactory maintenance of landscaping.
(2) 
Assurances for Bioretention within Landscaping. Where a bioretention facility is used to meet the landscaping requirements of this title, the owner shall be responsible for the monitoring, maintenance and replacement, if necessary, of plant materials in accordance with requirements of the Washougal Engineering Standards for Public Works Construction.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1193 § 1 (Exh. E), 1996; Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1613 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008; Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)
(1) 
B1 – Low Screen Buffer. This buffer is intended to provide a minimal amount of transitional screening between potentially incompatible zones. This buffer consists of live ground cover or bioretention facilities and trees planted every 30 lineal feet on center. Where bioretention facility design interferes with tree spacing requirements, spacing may be modified to accommodate the bioretention facility so long as the total number of trees planted in the buffer is equal to the number otherwise required by the standard. Bioretention plants shall be selected from the city's bioretention plant list.
(2) 
B2 – Medium Screen Buffer. This buffer is intended to provide a moderate degree of transitional screening between potentially incompatible zones and uses. This buffer consists of live ground cover or bioretention facilities and trees planted every 30 lineal feet on center, filled between with evergreen shrubs which reach a minimum height of four to six feet within three years of planting. Bioretention facilities within this buffer shall meet the intent of the screen. Where bioretention facility placement interferes with tree and shrub spacing requirements, spacing may be modified to accommodate the bioretention facility so long as the total number of trees planted in the buffer is equal to the number otherwise required by the standard. Bioretention plants shall be selected from the city's bioretention plant list.
(3) 
B3 – High Screen Buffer. This buffer is intended to provide a high degree of visual screening between potentially incompatible zones and uses. This buffer consists of six-foot-high wooden, brick or stone fully sight-obscuring fence with a landscape strip along the perimeter of the side and rear yards. The landscape area shall be planted with live ground cover and trees planted every 30 lineal feet on center, filled between with evergreen shrubs which reach a minimum height of six feet within three years of planting. Bioretention facilities which meet the intent of the screen may be used in this buffer with approval of the community development director.
(4) 
Chain link, barbed wire, razor wire, and field fencing are prohibited.
(5) 
Incompatible zones are commercial or industrial abutting residential zones. Incompatible uses are commercial or industrial abutting residential uses and multifamily abutting single-family uses.
(Ord. 1264 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1496 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016; Ord. 1849 § 1 (Exh. A), 2018)
No person shall operate or cause to be operated any source of sound in such a manner as to create a sound level that could be considered a public disturbance noise as provided in Chapter 9.73 WMC.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
Glare may not directly or indirectly from reflection cause illumination on other properties in excess of a measurement of one foot candle of illumination. Strobe lights visible from another property are not allowed.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004)
Measurements for compliance with the standards specified in this chapter are to be made from the property line or within the property of the affected site. If the city does not have the equipment or expertise to measure and evaluate a specific complaint, it may request assistance from another agency or may contract with an independent expert to perform such measurements. The city may accept measurements made by an independent expert hired by the controller or operator of the off-site impact source. If the city contracts to have measurements made and no violation is found, the city will bear the expense. If a violation is found, city expenses will be charged to the violator.
Table 18.48-1
Landscaping and Buffer Requirements
District
Minimum Depth Front Landscape Strip
(feet)(A)
Minimum Landscape Coverage % of site(B)
Minimum Buffer Requirements, Side and Rear Yards
R1-15
R1-10
R1-7.5
R1-5
AR-16
AR-22
CC
CV
CH
AR-16+
10
20
20/B2
10/B2
5/B2
N/A
N/A
N/A
B2
B1
B2
AR-22+
10
20
25/B2
15/B2
10/B2
5/B1
N/A
N/A
B2
B1
B2
CC+
5*
10**
20/B2
10/B2
5/B2
5/B1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
CV+
10
10
25/B2
15/B2
10/B2
B1
5/B1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
CH+
10
15
25/B3
15/B3
10/B3
5/B2
5/B1
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
LI
15
–
30/B3
20/B3
10/B3
10/B3
5/B3
5/B3
B2
B2
B1
HI
15
–
40/B3
30/B3
20/B3
10/B3
10/B3
10/B3
B3
B3
B2
Example: When an HI district is adjacent to an R1-7.5 district to the side or rear, a 20-foot-wide buffer shall be provided, as defined by this title.
(A) This landscape strip applies to all public street rights-of-way.
(B) Pedestrian plazas which utilize permeable pavements and other LID techniques may count toward this requirement.
* If no parking or maneuvering is between building right-of-way.
** May be modified or waived by the director to accommodate unique or pedestrian-friendly design.
+ If a higher intensity use is abutting or adjacent to a lower intensity use, such as an apartment complex abutting or adjacent to a single-family residence, a B3 buffer is required.
(Ord. 1167 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1421 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1474 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1821 § 1 (Att. A), 2016)