Snohomish County : UDC Update Project : Rural Cluster Subd

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Home > Departments > PDS > PDS Divisions > Code Development > UDC Update Project > Rural Cluster Subd

Rural Cluster Subdivisions

Latest News

The County Council approved Ordinance 08-087 on February 4, 2009 with several amendments. The ordinance will go into effect on April 5, 2009.

View Ordinance 08-087

Background

Subdividing land in rural areas using the clustering standards found in SCC 30.41C has been increasingly popular since the current standards were adopted in late 1996. Clustering is intended to ensure the permanent preservation of open space and environmentally sensitive lands and streams, and developers who choose to use this method receive incentives in the form of additional lots. A minimum of 45% of the rural cluster subdivision site must be set aside as open space.

Using clustering, developers can group housing lots on the most buildable lands of a parcel and create lots that are smaller than the underlying zoning. The number of lots that can be developed on a given piece of property using the rural cluster subdivision is set not by zoning, but rather by the comprehensive plan. The comprehensive plan contains two primary rural plan designations: Rural Residential (1 dwelling unit per 5 acres Basic) and Rural Residential-5 (1 dwelling unit per 5 acres).

Under the Rural Residential plan designation the number of lots in a rural cluster is calculated using 1 dwelling unit per 2.3 acres. There is no additional bonus for open space beyond 45%.
Under the Rural Residential-5 plan designation lot yield is calculated using 1 dwelling unit per five acres. A density bonus is provided for rural clusters developed in Rural Residential-5 to reward projects for setting aside at lease 45% of the site in permanent open space. The amount of the density bonus (number of lots allowed) increases with the amount of open space preserved up to a maximum of 65% open space.

In a rural cluster subdivision the regulations allow lot sizes as small as 7,200 square feet if the project is relying on a community drain field. Generally for projects built and under review, rural cluster lots range from one half to one acre depending on whether the dwelling is served by a well or a public water supply and to allow sufficient land for on-site sewage disposal. As a result of the smaller lots sizes, built and submitted projects have set aside 60 to 70 percent of the original site in open space. This open space, which may contain buildable and unbuildable areas, is permanently protected from future development. The exception to the permanent protection of open space occurs where a rural cluster project is located in a Rural/Urban Transition Area (RUTA). Within the RUTA, the open space could be redeveloped if the project is subsequently added to an urban growth area and tract does not contain unbuildable areas.

The years 2005 and 2006 saw a large jump in the number of applications submitted for rural cluster subdivisions. This has caused rural residents, service providers and the cities to feel the effects of a rapidly growing population in this sector of the county. Some stakeholders have attributed this increase to changes in regulations protecting critical areas. Others have cited a growing demand for larger home sites as lots in urban areas become smaller.

Additional background information about rural clusters and maps of where applications have been accepted can be found in the June 7, 2007, UDC public forum Power Point presentation (part 1 and part 2).

Rural Density and Rural Planning

The Rural Cluster Subdivision (RCS) code revision project is focused on potential improvements to the development regulations for RCS with a goal of aligning Comprehensive Plan and UDC provisions, especially preservation of rural character. Consideration of potential changes to the RCS density bonuses and lot yields will be examined in a separate planning effort intended to: (1) follow up on the findings of the Snohomish County Tomorrow Buildable Lands Report adopted in October 2007 and (2) serve as a component of a broader review and reconsideration of the rural lands policies in the Comprehensive Plan 2006 General Policy Plan. Information about this rural policies review, including its scope and schedule, will be maintained on the County’s Rural Planning web page.

Planning Commission:

On March 25, 2008, the Planning Commission voted to approve the proposed ordinance to replace Chapter 30.41C SCC, Rural Cluster Subdivisions and Short Subdivisions. The ordinance approved by the Commission includes nineteen amendments the commissioners proposed and approved during their deliberations on February 26, March 11, and March 25.

View comparisons between current and proposed provisions. A public information meeting was held on Thursday, February 21; view the Powerpoint presentation here.

The proposed ordinance, developed over several months of staff analysis (view staff report) and public and stakeholder input, includes the following changes:

Added: performance standards; criteria for modifications to certain standards; allowances for greater variety in site design; requirements for visual screening; retention of existing vegetation in open space tracts; landscaping standards; minimum sizes for new plants and groupings; mixture of evergreen and deciduous species

Clarified: application and review process

Revised: site design standards; EDDS (see rural road standards links below) for public and private roads within the cluster

Replaced: Single table that set standards for restricted open space and bulk regulations with three shorter tables specific to: 1) restricted open space, 2) bulk regulation requirements and 3) RUTA bulk regulations and interim open space requirements

New rural road standards were also proposed by Snohomish County's Department of Public Works (Rural Road Standards - handout, drawing 3-040, drawing 3-060)

Summary of Public Input

Over a dozen public forums and stakeholder meetings were held in 2007 to surface public concerns and recommendations for improvements to the rural cluster subdivision provisions in Title 30 of the Snohomish County Unified Development Code. Detailed notes are available below for stakeholder outreach meetings.

Initially, project staff met with stakeholders to surface as many issues and concerns as possible. It’s important to note that the feedback encompasses a wide spectrum - from no changes are necessary to rural cluster subdivisions should not be permitted. On both sides of the issue comments focused around:

changes to rural character
density and rural population growth
effects on water resources and surface water
environment and habitat protection
increased traffic

Later, stakeholders were asked provide feedback on a set of “key questions” intended to captured the features of rural cluster subdivision of greatest concern to public. The themes for these key questions were:

Water
Roads
Rural Character and Quality
Rural/Urban Transition Area (RUTA)
Affordable Housing
Review Process

The specific key questions may be found here (link to come).

In responding to the key questions, stakeholders identified opportunities to improve the standards including:

Changing the maximum and minimum numbers of lots allowed in an individual cluster
changing the minimum lot size
flexible setbacks
improved landscaping and greater emphasis on preservation of native vegetation
reductions in the width of internal rural roads
more public review

At the UDC public forums on November 1st, lists of potential code changes related to the key questions were discussed with participants from a list of options developed by staff. This matrix of potential amendments was based on the feedback collected during meetings with stakeholders on the key questions and reflected a range of ideas. Participants were mixed in their support for the options.

Feedback from the November 1 forum is being used by staff to amend the existing regulations and develop new regulations. Once staff and legal work is complete, a proposed ordinance will be transmitted to the Planning Commission and posted on this web page. Staff is scheduled to brief the Planning Commission on the proposed ordinance at their meeting in January 2008.