Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of La Conner, Washington

Town of La Conner’s own rules

• Building permitLimited

  Building work inside La Conner town limits regulated under the adopted State Building Code.

  • A detached one-story building of 200 square feet or less is exempt only if it is not used for sleeping, is outside defined critical areas or has completed/approved critical-area review, is limited to one per five acres up to four, is not in a designated floodway, meets cited Skagit County setbacks, and contains no plumbing.
  • The Skagit County Planning and Permit Center administers and enforces the State Building Code within town boundaries.

  detached-building exemption maximum area: <= 200 square feet (Subject to all listed exemption conditions.)

  “Section 105.2, Work Exempt from Permit. IBC Section 105.2 exception 1 and IRC Section R105.2 exception 1 are amended as follows:”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Construction inside La Conner town limits.

  • The adopted codes are subject to amendments in Chapter 13.05 and to state amendments.
  • Skagit County administers and enforces the State Building Code under the town's interlocal agreement.

  “Except as amended by this chapter, the following codes, published by the International Code Council, as now and hereafter amended by the state of Washington, are hereby adopted by reference:”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside La Conner town limits, including the Residential (RD) Zone.

  • Residential structures in the Historic Preservation District are also subject to Chapters 15.50 and 15.55 LCMC.

  “The purpose of this zone is to provide for and protect areas for a mix of residential structures and uses, to promote economical and efficient use of the land, stable neighborhoods, and safety, efficiency and convenience for the residents of the town.”

• Living in an RVProhibited

  Recreational vehicles used as residences in any zoning district inside La Conner town limits.

  “Recreational vehicles are not permitted in any zone as a residential use.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of La Conner

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

• SetbacksSpecified

  Single-household dwellings in La Conner's Residential (RD) Zone.

  • Where alley access is available, the rear setback is zero feet.
  • Corner lots have two front yards and two side yards.
  • Any residential structure less than 10 feet from a property line must have a fire sprinkler system.

  front setback: >= 11 feet · side setback: >= 5 feet · rear setback: >= 7 feet (Zero feet when alley access is available.) · agricultural setback: >= 25 feet

  “Minimum building setbacks (from property lines) as follows: Front: 11 feet. Side: five feet. Rear: seven feet. When alley access is available rear setback is zero feet. Agricultural setback: 25 feet.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  Single-household dwellings in La Conner's Residential (RD) Zone.

  • The limit applies to all buildings and impervious surfacing.

  maximum lot coverage: <= 60 percent (Includes all buildings and impervious surfacing.)

  “Maximum lot coverage: 60 percent for all buildings and impervious surfacing.”

• Building heightSpecified

  Single-household dwellings in La Conner's Residential (RD) Zone.

  • Height is measured from average lot grade using the lowest and highest existing elevation points to the roof's highest point.
  • For structures in the 100-year floodplain, height is measured from one foot above base flood elevation.
  • Roof access needs fire-chief approval.

  maximum building height: <= 30 feet (Maximum two stories; floodplain measurement and fire-chief roof-access condition apply.)

  “Maximum building height: 30 feet above the average lot grade, determined by averaging the lowest and highest existing elevation points on the lot to the highest point on the roof, with a maximum of two stories; except, for structures built within the 100-year floodplain, the height shall be measured from one foot above the base flood elevation to the highest point on the building.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Lots or parcels seeking a building permit in La Conner's Residential (RD) Zone.

  • Access must be by street, private road, alley, or shared driveway as set forth in Chapter 15.86 LCMC.

  “Minimum Lot Access. No building permit shall be issued on any lot or parcel which does not have access by either street, private road, alley, or shared driveway as set forth in Chapter 15.86 LCMC.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of La Conner or Skagit County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-performed residential construction inside La Conner town limits.
• Inspections — Residential construction inside La Conner town limits.
• Certificate of occupancy — New or altered buildings inside La Conner town limits.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside La Conner town limits.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside La Conner 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 La Conner 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.

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.