The City is divided into zones established in this Code for the following purpose:
A. 
To provide for the geographic distribution of land uses into zones that reflect the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan.
B. 
To maintain a stability in land use designation with similar characteristics and level of activity through the provisions of harmonious groupings of zones together.
C. 
To provide an efficient and compatible relationship of land uses and zones.
D. 
To facilitate the redevelopment of the light rail station subareas in a manner that encourages a mix of housing, employment and other uses that support the light rail stations.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(A), 2000; Ord. 706 § 1 (Exh. A), 2015)
A. 
The locations and boundaries of the zoning districts shall be shown on the map accompanying the ordinance codified in this section and entitled, “Official Zoning Map, Shoreline, Washington.” The Official Zoning Map and all notations, references, and amendments thereto are hereby adopted by this section.
B. 
The following zoning and map symbols are established as shown in the following table:
ZONING
MAP SYMBOL
RESIDENTIAL
Neighborhood Residential and Mixed-Use Residential
NR1, NR2, and NR3
Mixed-Use Residential 35', 45', and 70' (Numerical designator relating to height in feet)
NONRESIDENTIAL
Neighborhood Business
NB
Community Business
CB
Mixed Business
MB
Campus
CCZ, FCZ, PHZ, SCZ1
Town Center District
TC-1, TC-2, TC-3, TC-4
Planned Area
PA
Notes:
1 CCZ refers to the CRISTA Campus; FCZ refers to the Fircrest Campus; PHZ refers to the Public Health Laboratory Campus; and SCZ refers to the Shoreline Community College Campus.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(B), 2000; Ord. 281 § 4, 2001; Ord. 492 § 3, 2008; Ord. 507 § 4, 2008; Ord. 560 § 3 (Exh. A), 2009; Ord. 598 § 4, 2011; Ord. 609 § 7, 2011; Ord. 654 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2013; Ord. 706 § 1 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 1027 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)
A. 
The purpose of the neighborhood residential-3 (NR3) zone is to provide for a mix of housing types in buildings that are similar in scale to a detached house, many of which are detached, and together form an open feel. Limited neighborhood-scale commercial uses may be permitted where appropriate to serve nearby residents.
B. 
The purpose of the neighborhood residential-2 (NR2) zone is to provide for a mix of housing types in buildings similar in scale to a detached house, many of which are close to each other or attached, and together form a compact feel. Some neighborhood-scale commercial uses are permitted to serve nearby residents. This zone may also serve as a transition between lower intensity residential zones and higher-intensity residential or commercial zones.
C. 
The purpose of the neighborhood residential-1 (NR1) zone is to provide for wide variety of housing types, most of which are attached and/or stacked in buildings greater than three stories in height. Some commercial activities are permitted in this zone. This zone serves as a transition between lower-intensity residential zones and mixed-use, commercial or other higher-intensity zones.
D. 
The purpose of the TC-4 zone is to provide for a mix of predominantly apartment and town-house dwelling units and other compatible uses including commercial uses. This zone serves as a transition between lower-intensity residential zones and mixed-use, commercial or other higher-intensity zones.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(C), 2000; Ord. 462 § 1, 2007; Ord. 850 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 1027 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)
A. 
The purpose of the neighborhood business (NB) zone is to allow for low intensity office, business and service uses located on or with convenient access to arterial streets. In addition, these zones serve to accommodate medium and higher density residential, and mixed-use types of development, while serving as a buffer between higher intensity uses and residential zones.
B. 
The purpose of the community business zone (CB) is to provide location for a wide variety of business activities, such as convenience stores, retail, personal services for the local community, and to allow for apartments and higher intensity mixed-use developments.
C. 
The purpose of the mixed business zone (MB) is to encourage the development of vertical and/or horizontal mixed-use buildings or developments along the Aurora Avenue and Ballinger Way corridors.
D. 
The purpose of the town center zones (TC) is to provide for a central location that connects the major east-west and north-south connections in the City with a district that has the highest intensity of land uses, civic developments, and transportation-oriented design.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(D), 2000; Ord. 560 § 3 (Exh. A), 2009; Ord. 654 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2013; Ord. 1047 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)
A. 
The purpose of the campus zone is to provide for the location of charitable, educational, health, rehabilitative or other institutions and ancillary or compatible uses to the primary institutions located on the same site.
B. 
Specific areas have been established to implement the appropriate objective of each different campus zone as follows:
1. 
CRISTA Campus Zone (CCZ). CRISTA Ministries is an approximately 55-acre campus that provides such services and uses as education, senior care and housing, broadcasting, headquarters for humanitarian missions, relief and aid to those in need and specialized camps.
2. 
Fircrest Campus Zone (FCZ). The Fircrest Campus is an approximately 83-acre site with existing uses that include the Fircrest School, a state-operated residential habilitation center and two not-for-profit tenants.
3. 
Public Health Laboratory Zone (PHZ). The Public Health Laboratory is an approximately seven-acre campus that provides diagnostic and analytical services for the assessment and monitoring of infectious, communicable, genetic and chronic diseases and environmental health concerns for the State of Washington.
4. 
Shoreline Community College Campus Zone (SCZ). Shoreline Community College is an approximately 79-acre state-operated community college. The college provides academic, professional, technical and workforce training programs, continuing education and community involvement programs to meet the lifelong learning needs of the community.
C. 
All development within campus zones shall be governed by a master development plan reviewed pursuant to SMC §§ 20.30.060 and 20.30.353.
(Ord. 507 § 4, 2008)
A. 
The purpose of the mixed-use residential (MUR) zones (MUR-35', MUR-45', and MUR-70') is to provide for a mix of predominantly multifamily development ranging in height from 35 feet to 70 feet in appropriate locations with other nonresidential uses that are compatible and complementary.
B. 
Specific mixed-use residential zones have been established to provide for attached single-family residential, low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise multifamily residential. The mixed-use residential zones also provide for commercial uses, retail, and other compatible uses within the light rail station subareas.
C. 
Affordable housing is required in the MUR-45' and MUR-70' zone and voluntary in the MUR-35' zone. Refer to SMC § 20.40.235 for affordable housing light rail station subarea requirements.
D. 
Construction in MUR zones must achieve green building certification through one of the following protocols: Built Green 4-Star or PHIUS+. If an affordable housing or school project is required to certify through the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard, this protocol shall fulfill the requirement. If a project utilizes a more stringent certification protocol through the Deep Green Incentive Program, this shall fulfill the requirement, and if no departures are requested, then an Administrative Design Review (ADR) is not required.
(Ord. 706 § 1 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 850 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 839 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 968 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1027 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)
A. 
Planned Area (PA). The purpose of the PA is to allow unique zones with regulations tailored to the specific circumstances, public priorities, or opportunities of a particular area that may not be appropriate in a City-wide land use district.
1. 
Planned Area 3: Aldercrest (PA 3). Any development in PA 3 must comply with the standards specified in Chapter 20.93 SMC.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(E), 2000; Ord. 281 § 5, 2001; Ord. 338 § 3, 2003; Ord. 492 § 4, 2008; Ord. 507 § 4, 2008; Ord. 598 § 5, 2011; Ord. 609 § 8, 2011; Ord. 654 § 1 (Exh. 1), 2013; Ord. 706 § 1 (Exh. A) , 2015; Ord. 1027 § 1 (Exh. A), 2025)
A. 
The location and boundaries of zones defined by this chapter shall be shown and delineated on the official zoning map(s) of the City, which shall be maintained as such and which are hereby incorporated by reference as a part of this Code.
B. 
Changes in the boundaries of the zones, shall be made by ordinance adopting or amending a zoning map.
C. 
Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of any zone, the following rules shall apply:
1. 
Where boundaries are indicated as paralleling the approximate centerline of the street right-of-way, the zone shall extend to each adjacent boundary of the right-of-way. Non-road-related uses by adjacent property owners, if allowed in the right-of-way, shall meet the same zoning requirements regulating the property owners’ lots;
2. 
Where boundaries are indicated as approximately following lot lines, the actual lot lines shall be considered the boundaries;
3. 
Where boundaries are indicated as following lines of ordinary high water, or government meander line, the lines shall be considered to be the actual boundaries. If these lines should change the boundaries shall be considered to move with them; and
4. 
If none of the rules of interpretation described in subsections (C)(1) through (3) apply, then the zoning boundary shall be determined by map scaling.
D. 
Classification of Rights-of-Way.
1. 
Except when such areas are specifically designated on the zoning map as being classified in one of the zones provided in this title, land contained in rights-of-way for streets or alleys, or railroads, shall be considered unclassified.
2. 
Within railroad rights-of-way, allowed uses shall be limited to tracks, signals or other operating devices, movement of rolling stock, utility lines and equipment, and facilities accessory to and used directly for the delivery and distribution of services to abutting property.
3. 
Where such right-of-way is vacated, the vacated area shall have the zone classification of the adjoining property with which it is merged.
(Ord. 238 Ch. IV § 1(F), 2000; Ord. 352 § 1, 2004)
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Code reviser’s note: The official Shoreline Zoning Map is on file at the offices of the City. Contact City Hall for more information.