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Shelton staff proposes simplifying permitted‑uses matrix; council sends ordinance to March 18 for review
Summary
City staff presented an ordinance to replace the city’s long list of specific permitted uses with broader occupancy‑based categories. Council members asked about traffic‑impact fees and Commerce review; the ordinance will go to the March 18 action agenda after a 60‑day Commerce review.
City staff presented a proposed rewrite of Shelton’s permitted‑uses table on Jan. 7 aimed at simplifying a list of roughly 100 enumerated uses into about 20 broader categories tied to building occupancy classifications.
“[W]e were trying to figure out a way to simplify this, in a way that is very business friendly,” the presenter said, describing a process that maps existing uses to occupancy categories and consolidates table notes and references into the appropriate code chapters.
Staff said the approach is intended to reduce ambiguity at the counter and make it easier for prospective business owners to determine whether a use is allowed in a particular zone. The presenter cautioned, however, that broad categories could unintentionally omit unusual uses and that staff would revisit the code if issues arise.
A council member asked whether the change would affect traffic‑impact fees when a use changes — for example, converting a barbershop to a restaurant. Staff responded that the traffic‑impact fee schedule is separate and more granular; the zoning table would identify uses by occupancy category while the master fee schedule applies detailed trip‑generation calculations (for example, drive‑through versus non‑drive‑through restaurants or number of gas pumps).
The council voted to place Ordinance No. 2025‑0924 on the March 18, 2025 action agenda to allow the required 60‑day review by the Washington State Department of Commerce and to permit staff to make adjustments before final adoption.
Nut graf: The proposed rewrite is intended to modernize and streamline Shelton’s zoning code by using building occupancy classifications rather than an exhaustive list of specific uses; staff and council highlighted the need to ensure the city’s traffic‑impact fee program remains clear for applicants.
Ending: Staff indicated they will submit the ordinance and associated materials to Commerce for review and return to the council before March 18 with any recommended edits.
