Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Washougal, Washington

Washougal’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Work inside Washougal city limits for which the adopted code requires a permit, including new residential construction.

  • Building-permit exemptions are governed by IBC and IRC Section 105.2; the city changes the building-work exemption floor area to 120 square feet.

  “Whenever any work for which a permit is required by this code has been commenced without first obtaining said permit, a special investigation shall be made before a permit may be issued for such work.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside Washougal city limits.

  • The city adopts the enumerated codes by reference as amended and adopted by the Washington State Building Code Council and the city.

  “Pursuant to the State Building Code Act, Chapter 19.27 RCW, enacted by the Washington State Legislature, the following codes are adopted by reference, as amended and adopted by the Washington State Building Code Council and the city of Washougal:”

• InspectionsLimited

  Construction work inside Washougal city limits.

  • The building official may make or require inspections to determine code and city-law compliance.

  “The building official may make or require other inspections of any construction work to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this code and other laws which are enforced by the city of Washougal.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Land inside Washougal city limits.

  • The code publishes residential district provisions for R1-5, R1-7.5, R1-10, R1-15, AR-16, and AR-22, as well as commercial, town-center, mixed-use, industrial, and institutional/public district chapters.

  “RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS [...] COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS [...] TOWN CENTER DISTRICTS [...] MIXED USE DISTRICT [...] INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT [...] INSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC DISTRICT”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  New structures in Washougal urban-growth areas seeking an on-site sewage system instead of public sewer.

  • The on-site system must be approved; city sewer-connection exceptions also apply.

  “The new structure lawfully incorporates an approved on-site sewage system.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  New structures inside Washougal's urban-growth areas, including land inside city limits.

  • An exception may apply for an alteration, expansion, or replacement without a material increase in sewage effluent; an approved on-site sewage system; or certain single-family/nonresidential uses producing no more than 700 gallons per day where extension is impractical and a connection covenant is recorded.
  • Available means within 300 feet; the recorded covenant commits connection within 12 months after sewer becomes available.

  sewer extension distance: > 300 feet (One criterion establishing that extension is impractical.) · future connection deadline: <= 12 months (After sewer becomes available under a recorded covenant.)

  “Inside UGAs, connection to public sewer is required as a condition of building permit issuance for any new structure unless the responsible official, utilizing a Type I review process, finds that one of the following exceptions applies:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Land divisions inside Washougal city limits.

  • The code includes regulations for preliminary plats, final plats, short plats and subdivisions, and binding site plans.

  “Chapter 17.44 SHORT PLATS AND SUBDIVISIONS”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Construction subject to the City of Washougal building code, including flood-resistant construction requirements.

  • The city adopts IBC Appendix G by reference as part of its building-code adoption.

  “The International Building Code and Appendices G (Flood Resistant Construction), H (Signs), and J (Grading) as published by the International Code Council:”

• Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

  Construction permits inside Washougal city limits.

  • Construction fees are determined under WMC Chapter 3.97; residential valuation uses the current Building Safety Journal edition, and other occupancy valuation is supplied by the applicant and finally set by the building official.

  building plan review fee: 65 percent of building permit fee (When submittal documents are required.)

  “All construction fees shall be as determined in Chapter 3.97 WMC (Building Fees). Residential building valuations for permit fees are based on the current edition of the Building Safety Journal as published by the International Code Council.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Building permit applications inside Washougal city limits.

  • The building official may grant one extension of up to 180 days when circumstances beyond the applicant's control prevented action; renewal after expiration requires resubmittal and a new plan-review fee.

  application expiration: 180 days (When no permit is issued following application.) · maximum extension: <= 180 days (On applicant request showing circumstances beyond applicant control.)

  “Applications for which no permit is issued within 180 days following the date of application shall expire by limitation, and plans and other data submitted for review may thereafter be returned to the applicant or destroyed by the building official.”

Rules another office applies inside Washougal

Washougal does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R1-5 district inside Washougal city limits.

  • Nonconforming lots of record and planned unit developments are excepted under WMC § 18.50.030.

  minimum lot area: 5000 square feet

  “R1-5 | 5,000 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 50 | 8.70 | 35 | 2.0/unit”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R1-5 district inside Washougal city limits.

  • The table columns are front, rear, side, and street-side yard requirements.

  front setback: 10 feet · rear setback: 10 feet · side setback: 5 feet · street-side setback: 10 feet

  “R1-5 | 5,000 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 50 | 8.70 | 35 | 2.0/unit”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R1-5 district inside Washougal city limits.

  maximum lot coverage: 50 percent

  “R1-5 | 5,000 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 50 | 8.70 | 35 | 2.0/unit”

• Building heightSpecified

  R1-5 district inside Washougal city limits.

  maximum height: 35 feet

  “R1-5 | 5,000 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | 50 | 8.70 | 35 | 2.0/unit”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Residential-district driveways inside Washougal city limits.

  • This table requirement is to prevent a vehicle in the driveway from encroaching into pedestrian or vehicular ways.

  minimum driveway maintained inside curb and sidewalks: >= 18 feet

  “A minimum 18-foot driveway shall be maintained inside of the curb and sidewalks in order to eliminate a vehicle parked in the driveway encroaching into the pedestrian and/or vehicular ways.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Washougal or Clark County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential work inside Washougal city limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — R1-5 and AR-16 residential districts inside Washougal city limits.
• Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Washougal city limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Washougal city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Washougal city limits.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Washougal means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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