Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Raymond, Washington

Raymond’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Buildings and other structures inside Raymond city limits.

  • A permit may be issued only in conformity with the code.
  • Plans in duplicate are required when the building inspector requires them.
  • A permit expires if work has not begun within 180 days after issuance.

  permit expiration if work has not begun: 180 days (From the date of permit issuance.)

  “No building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered without a permit issued by the building inspector. No building permit may be issued except in conformity with the provisions of this code.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Improvements installed as a code requirement or permit condition inside Raymond city limits.

  • The inspection is required before the building inspector signs off the final inspection.

  “Before signing off the final inspection, the building inspector will inspect all improvements installed as a requirement of this code or as a condition of permit on or adjacent to the site.”

• Certificate of occupancyLimited

  Manufactured homes placed on a lot inside Raymond city limits.

  • No occupancy is allowed without a certificate of occupancy from the building inspector.

  “There shall be no occupancy without certificate of occupancy from building inspector,”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Raymond city limits.

  • Uses are governed by district and review requirements in the Unified Development Code.

  “The land use table below determines whether a specific use is allowed in a zone district. The zone district is located on the column and the specific use is located on the row of the table.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Manufactured homes placed on lots inside Raymond city limits.

  • The size rule excludes expandos and tongue and also requires a minimum width of 18 feet.

  minimum dwelling size: >= 950 square feet (Manufactured homes; exclusive of expandos and tongue.) · minimum dwelling width: >= 18 feet (Manufactured homes.)

  “No manufactured home smaller in size than 950 square feet exclusive of expandos and tongue, and not less than 18 feet wide, shall be allowed,”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Single-family dwellings in the RS Medium Density Residential District.

  • New construction on an existing lot smaller than 6,000 square feet may occur if setback and all other chapter requirements can be met.

  minimum lot size: >= 6000 square feet (Single-family dwellings in RS; existing undersized-lot exception in § 15.26.040(E).) · minimum lot width: >= 45 feet (RS district.)

  “For single-family dwellings, lot size is minimum of 6,000 square feet, except as in subsection (E) of this section.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Buildings in the RS Medium Density Residential District.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet (RS district.)

  “No building in the RS district may exceed 35 feet in height.”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Recreational equipment, including motorized dwellings, parked or stored on a residential lot in the RS Medium Density Residential District.

  • Use for living, sleeping, or other occupancy is barred unless temporary occupancy does not exceed 30 days in a calendar year.
  • The rule also covers locations not approved for that use.

  temporary occupancy: <= 30 days per calendar year (Applies to parked or stored recreational equipment and nonpermanent structures in the RS district.)

  “Parking of small cargo trailers and recreational equipment in the RS district, including but not limited to boats, trailers, motorized dwellings, houseboats, horse vans, and the erection of other nonpermanent structures such as tents, are subject to the following limitations: such equipment may not be used for living, sleeping, or other occupancy when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any other location not approved for such use, except for temporary occupancy not to exceed 30 days in any calendar year.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tents and other nonpermanent structures in the RS Medium Density Residential District.

  • Living, sleeping, or other occupancy is barred unless temporary occupancy does not exceed 30 days in a calendar year.
  • The rule applies to a residential lot or another location not approved for that use.

  temporary occupancy: <= 30 days per calendar year (Tents and other nonpermanent structures in the RS district.)

  “Parking of small cargo trailers and recreational equipment in the RS district, including but not limited to boats, trailers, motorized dwellings, houseboats, horse vans, and the erection of other nonpermanent structures such as tents, are subject to the following limitations: such equipment may not be used for living, sleeping, or other occupancy when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any other location not approved for such use, except for temporary occupancy not to exceed 30 days in any calendar year.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Auxiliary dwelling units in the RS Medium Density Residential District.

  • The use-table designation C means the use is allowed subject to conditional-use review procedures and general code requirements.

  “Auxiliary dwelling units | C | X | X | X | X | X”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development or construction within a special flood-hazard area inside Raymond city limits.

  • A building permit is required for all structures, including manufactured homes; a development permit is required for other development, including fill and other activities.
  • Development-permit applications use city forms and require the listed plans and information.
  • The director of public works grants or denies development-permit applications.

  “A development or building permit shall be obtained before development or construction begins within any area of special flood hazard established in RMC § 15.16.070.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permits inside Raymond city limits.

  • Fees are established by resolution; the operative fee-resolution amount was not obtained in this research pass.

  “Building permit fees are set by resolution.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Raymond city limits.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Raymond city limits.
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes used as dwellings inside Raymond city limits.
• Who permits septic — On-site sewage systems inside Raymond city limits.
• Septic permit — On-site sewage systems inside Raymond 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 Raymond 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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