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Staff considers easing setbacks for small pre‑1973 lake lots to reduce frequent variances
Summary
County staff proposed applying reduced setback standards to parcels created before 1973 in the restricted-residential zone (Hayden Lake/Bayview) to address frequent variance requests on small lots; staff said the change could lower costs and staff workload.
Ben Tarleton described a proposed change to the restricted-residential zone that would reduce front, rear and side setbacks for parcels created before 1973. Staff said the county receives frequent variance requests from very small lake lots that cannot meet current setbacks and that creating codified relief for those lots would reduce repetitive variance applications.
Tarleton explained that the restricted-residential minimum lot size is 8,250 square feet and that many lake parcels are much smaller—some under 4,000 square feet—leading to routine variance approvals. Under the proposal, parcels created before 1973 (the date the county first implemented land-use regulations) would get distinct setback standards tailored to those small lots, while parcels created after 1973 would remain subject to standard rules or a separate column of reduced flexibility.
Why it matters: staff said the change would reduce applicants' costs and staff time and better reflect historic lot patterns around lakes, but commissioners asked for examples and cautioned against unintended impacts elsewhere in the county.
Next steps: staff said it will prepare a draft code amendment for the commission to review and indicated the change would be coordinated with the comprehensive-plan update.
