Update 09/05/23:
Your help is urgently needed to stop a proposal to amend the Chelan County zoning code. The proposed change is to the land use category “Small Scale Recreational and Tourist Use” and would allow short term rentals of any size to locate in all residential zones with a Conditional Use Permit.
This change was initiated by the Department of Community Development and approved by the Planning Commission on a split vote. The matter will be before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday September 12th at 10:15 AM.
Here are the details:
Section 11.93.370 Small Scale Recreational and Tourist Use is designated for:
“Facilities and activities that may occur within small-scale recreational or tourist uses include administrative and storage buildings, meeting/conference facilities, recreational facilities including but not limited to trails, equestrian facilities, interpretive and/or educational facilities, ball fields, swimming pools, exercise facilities/gymnasiums, as well as short-term visitor accommodations such as lodges, cabins, tent and RV camp sites, consistent with applicable building codes and the requirements of this code.”
Under the District Use Chart of the zoning code, this category of use is permitted in all residential zones.
CCC 11.93.370(3) currently restricts the total square footage of “buildings and structures” to no more than 6,500 square feet for each ten acres of land associated with the “project site”. During the Planning Commission hearing, it was proposed to increase the square footage number to 7,000 because people tend to build larger structures these days. RC3 is not objecting to this particular change.
However, the Planning Commission is also recommending that the 7,000 square foot limitation now apply to “each parcel meeting the minimum lot size of the zoning” rather than to the 10 acre minimum project site area required by the existing zoning code. If this change is approved, lodges and similar short term visitor accommodations could be sited on parcels as small as 12,000 square feet (1/4 acre). All residential zones would be affected.
The second change approved by the Planning Commission is in Code section 11.93.370(4). The zoning code currently allows one single-family dwelling unit for use by on-site landowners or staff for every twenty acres associated with the “project site”. The Planning Commission has recommended allowing one single-family dwelling unit for use by on-site landowners and/or staff for every parcel of land associated with the project. Again this change would mean that additional single family dwellings associated with the tourist accommodations could be sited on parcels as small as 12,000 square feet (1/4 acre). All residential zones would be affected.
These are significant and harmful reductions in the minimum acreages currently in the code. The changes create a big loophole that would allow short term rentals with unlimited guests to locate on very small parcels of land. These rentals would not be subject to the strict standards of the Short Term Rental Code (section 11.88.290) which we fought so hard to get in place.
Please send an email to: [email protected] by Sunday, September 10th. Please use the Subject “Comment on 2023-260 code amendments”.
Ask the Board of County Commissioners to reject the changes to Sections 11.93.370 subsections 3 and 4. These changes would significantly reduce the minimum land areas for Small Scale Recreational and Tourist uses and allow short term visitor accommodations and associated residences on parcels at small as 12,000 square feet. These changes create a huge loophole that would enable short term rental owners to avoid the strict standards of the Short Term Rental code. The Community Development Department and the Planning Commission have provided no justification for these sweeping and harmful changes. Please retain the requirements for a 10 acre minimum project area for tourist accommodations, and a 20 acre minimum project area for associated residential dwellings.
If you are able to attend the hearing and testify, even better. The hearing is on September 12, 2023 at 10:15 AM. Here is a link to the Board of County Commissioners website where you can get the zoom link. https://www.co.chelan.wa.us/board-of-commissioners/pages/join-the-commissioners-meeting
RC3 will be submitting written comments and testifying at the hearing. Please help us to stop this harmful change to the Chelan County Code.