Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Beaux Arts Village, Washington

Town of Beaux Arts Village’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, or occupancy change of a regulated building or structure inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Applicant must apply to the building official and obtain the required permit before the covered work.

  “Building Permit. Any person, firm, corporation, owner, or authorized agent intending to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, the installation of which is regulated by the codes adopted and amended by the Beaux Arts Village Municipal Code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required building permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Uses are specifically permitted and uses not expressly permitted are prohibited under BAVMC § 18.10.010(3).

  “This chapter shall be known as the zoning code ordinance of the town of Beaux Arts Village, Washington.”

• Zoning districtsPartial

  Land inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • The reviewed zoning chapter expressly classifies identified Western Academy of Beaux Arts land as open space land; the complete district map or schedule was not located in the reviewed material.

  “The council hereby classifies and zones all the land owned by the Western Academy of Beaux Arts being the westerly portion (westerly approximately 100 feet or more) of the town of Beaux Arts Village abutting upon the eastern shore of Lake Washington together with those corridors for access to such land, as "open space land" set aside for preservation as recreational land in accordance with Chapter 84.34 RCW.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Dwelling-house lots and newly created building lots inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • A dwelling house may not be erected on a lot smaller than 10,000 square feet.
  • New short-subdivision lots must be at least 10,000 square feet.

  minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (Applies to dwelling-house lots and newly created building lots.)

  “No dwelling house shall be erected in the town upon a lot having a total horizontal area within the exterior lines of said parcel of less than 10,000 square feet.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Buildings and structures on building lots inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Listed limited structures may be allowed within setbacks under BAVMC § 18.10.080(9).
  • Setbacks are measured from lot line to the outermost structure projection.

  front setback: >= 20 feet · side setback: >= 10 feet · rear setback: >= 25 feet

  “All buildings and structures, including appurtenant devices and structures, shall be set back at least 20 feet from the front property line.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Building lots inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Structural coverage has a separate 30-percent cap.
  • Gross floor area ratio has a separate 35-percent cap.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 50 percent of total building lot area

  “The lot coverage area shall not exceed 50 percent of the total building lot area.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings and structures inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Shed-roof higher side may not exceed 24 feet above the existing grade of the adjacent property line.
  • Finished grade cannot be altered to create a perimeter height exceeding 30 feet above existing grade.
  • Perimeter face cannot exceed 30 feet above finished grade.

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet above existing grade (Additional shed-roof and perimeter-grade limits apply.)

  “The maximum height of any building or structure shall not exceed 30 feet above existing grade.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  House trailers, campers, caravans, and other movable or portable living quarters on public or private property inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Only a household member or a resident's temporary guest may use the living quarters; the resident must consent; use cannot exceed 14 consecutive days.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 14 consecutive days (Only a member of the resident household or a temporary guest, with resident consent.)

  “House trailers, campers, caravans and all other vehicles or structures adapted to serve as movable or portable living quarters may not be used as living quarters within the town of Beaux Arts Village, upon public or private property, except that a member of the household of a resident or temporary guests of a resident of the town may use such living quarters upon the premises and with the consent of such resident for a period not exceeding 14 consecutive days.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  One accessory dwelling unit subordinate to a single-family dwelling on a qualifying building lot inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Only one single-family dwelling unit with one attached or detached ADU may be constructed on a qualifying building lot.
  • ADU floor area must be 400 to 1,250 square feet, exclusive of related garage area.
  • The ADU must contain independent living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation facilities.
  • The ADU must meet BAVMC Title 15 technical-code standards.

  ADU minimum floor area: >= 400 square feet (Related garage area excluded.) · ADU maximum floor area: <= 1250 square feet (Related garage area excluded.)

  “The accessory dwelling unit floor area shall be a minimum of 400 square feet (exclusive of related garage area), a maximum of 1,250 square feet, and it shall include separate living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation facilities which are independent from the primary unit.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Short subdivisions, boundary-line revisions, and lot combinations inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.

  • Council approval must precede transfer or disposition of a part of a lot, tract, or parcel.
  • The approved instrument must be filed with the King County department of records and elections.
  • A short-plat application for a lot under 20,000 square feet requires a variance application.

  short subdivision size: <= 4 lots, tracts, parcels, sites, or subdivisions (Includes boundary-line revisions and lot combinations for sale, lease, and/or building.)

  “No person shall sell or offer to sell, transfer, lease, convey, or otherwise dispose of a part of a lot, tract or parcel without first having received the council's approval of the short subdivision, boundary line revision or lot combination. The approved short plat or boundary line revision or lot combination must then be filed with the King County department of records and elections, as set forth in the provisions of this chapter.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Beaux Arts Village or King County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.
• Inspections — Building work inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of structures inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Primary single-family dwellings inside Beaux Arts Village town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Beaux Arts Village town 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 Town of Beaux Arts Village 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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