§ 21.45.235. Churches.

A.

Applicability. Churches within an R-1, R-1A, R-2A, R-2D, R-2M, R-3, R-5, R-5A, R-6, R-7, R-8, R-9, R-10 or R-11 zoning district shall conform to the requirements of this section. Churches in all other zoning districts shall comply with the requirements of this chapter exclusive of the provisions of this section.

B.

Lot area and width. A church site must have a minimum area of 14,000 square feet and a minimum width of 100 feet at any point.

C.

Maximum height. A church may not exceed the height permitted in the zoning district in which it is located, except that, in districts where the maximum height is 30 feet, the maximum height for a church or a portion of a church may increase to a maximum height of 40 feet so long as the vertical distance between any point on the church and the level of the ground at any reference point on any property line for the church site shall not exceed one-half of the horizontal distance between the two points.

D.

Lot coverage. A church may not exceed the maximum lot coverage allowed in the zoning district in which it is located.

E.

Yard requirements. A church is required to meet the minimum yard requirements in the zoning district in which it is located.

F.

Traffic access. At least one property line of the church site which is at least 50 feet in length must abut a street designated as a class I or greater on the official streets and highways plan unless:

1.

The church site abuts a zoning district in which a church is a permitted use; and

2.

The applicant demonstrates during the agency review process described in subsection G of this section that the traffic to be generated by the church will flow primarily through the zoning district in which a church is a permitted use.

G.

Site plan.

1.

Contents. A site plan must be prepared and approved by the director of community planning and development or his designee which demonstrates that the church will not have a permanent or negative impact on those items listed in this subsection substantially greater than that anticipated from permitted residential development:

a.

Pedestrian and vehicular traffic circulation and safety.

b.

Demand for an availability of public services and facilities.

c.

Noise pollution, air pollution, water pollution and other forms of environmental pollution.

d.

Furtherance of the goals and policies of the comprehensive development plan and conformance to the plan in the manner required by chapter 21.05.

2.

Procedure for approval. At least 30 days before acting on a church site plan application under this section, the director of community planning and development shall publish notice of the application. The notice shall state the names of the applicants and the legal description of the land subject to the application. Such notice, including a map of the vicinity, shall also be provided to any officially recognized community council whose boundary encompasses the church site and to owners of property within 500 feet of the proposed site. The director of community planning and development shall take action on the site plan within 40 days of the site plan application submission date.

3.

Appeals. A decision of the director of community planning and development or his designee under the authority set forth in this subsection G is final unless appealed within 15 days to the planning and zoning commission. An appeal may be filed by the applicant or by a petition of at least one-third of the owners (excluding rights-of-way) of the privately owned land within 500 feet of the outer boundary of the church site. In the event of appeal, the planning and zoning commission shall, in accordance with section 21.15.005, hold a public hearing at its next available meeting and apply the standards of this section. An appeal from a decision of the planning and zoning commission may be brought in accordance with section 21.30.010.B.

H.

Use of church for other purposes. The standards of this section apply to all churches as defined in this title. Compliance with these standards does not authorize the use of a church or an addition to a church for any other purpose.

(AO No. 86-90; AO No. 88-144; AO No. 2001-47(S), § 1, 8-28-01; AO No. 2009-134, § 1, 1-12-10)