City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 17C
Chapter 17C.210
Section 17C.210.020
 

Title 17C Land Use Standards

Chapter 17C.210 Nonconforming Situations

Section 17C.210.020 Policy
  1. This chapter provides methods to determine whether nonconforming situations have legal nonconforming status. This is based on whether they were allowed when established, and if they have been maintained over time. This chapter also provides a method to review and limit nonconforming situations when changes to those situations are proposed. The intent is to protect the character and function of the area by reducing the negative impacts from nonconforming situations. At the same time, the standards assure that the situations may continue and that the zoning standards will not cause unnecessary burdens. Nonconforming situations that have a lesser impact on the immediate area have fewer restrictions than those with greater impacts. Nonconforming situations in residential zones are treated more strictly than those in commercial or industrial zones in order to protect the livability and character of residential neighborhoods. In contrast, a nonconforming situation such as a nonconforming residential density in a residential zone is treated more liberally because they do not usually represent a major disruption to the neighborhood and they provide needed housing opportunities in the City.
     
  2. Because of the practical necessities of administering the provisions of this chapter respecting nonconforming situations, the owner of such use, in order to claim the privilege of continuation, must have established the existence of the nonconforming use situation by a certificate of occupancy as provided in SMC 17G.010.170.

Date Passed: Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Effective Date: Wednesday, July 6, 2005

ORD C33636 Section 5