This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Cowlitz County Zoning Code."
(Ord. 4107 § 1.01, 4-14-1975; Ord. 5848 § 2, 7-31-1978)
This chapter is adopted as an official land use control for the unincorporated areas of County of Cowlitz, State of Washington, and is established to serve the public, health, safety and general welfare and to provide the economic, social and aesthetic advantages resulting from an orderly planned use of land resources and is a means of carrying out the general purposes set forth and defined in the adopted Comprehensive Plan of Cowlitz County as provided for by Chapter 36.70 RCW. The basic purpose of this chapter is to classify uses and to regulate the location of uses which are mutually compatible, and to protect each such group of uses from the intrusion of incompatible uses. To further accomplish the goal of compatibility, varying degrees of regulations are established for certain uses specified herein. A further purpose of this chapter is to provide a suitable environment for living, business and industry, and to maintain reasonable population densities and reasonable intensities of land use, all for the general purpose of conserving the quality of the environment, public health, safety, convenience and general welfare. Land uses and development located within the unzoned areas (U) of the unincorporated portions of the county shall be governed by the relevant development guidelines and the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan land use category for the parcel on which the use or development is proposed.
(Ord. 4107 § 1.02, 4-14-1975; Ord. 24-042 § 1, 5-14-2024)
This chapter shall consist of the text hereof and in addition thereto land use maps identified by the appropriate signature of the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and marked and designated as the official maps of the Land Use Ordinance of Cowlitz County, which are filed in the office of the Auditor of Cowlitz County, Washington. Said chapter and each and all of its terms are to be read and interpreted in the light of the commitments of said maps. For the purposes of administration and enforcement, the land use maps in the Public Works Department shall be considered as official land use maps. Any and all amendments of the official land use map shall also be made on the land use maps in said Department at the time the amendment is filed with the County Auditor. If any conflict of maps and the text should arise, the maps of the chapter shall prevail.
(Ord. 4107 § 1.03, 4-14-1975)