Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Coulee City, Washington

Town of Coulee City’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building construction inside Coulee City town limits

  • Exempt items under CCC 15.04.030 include animal shelters under 50 sq ft with one open side, patio slabs, residential solar collectors, barbecues/ponds/fountains, non-habitable structures of 100 sq ft or less, and nonstructural emergency repairs; exempt items must stay within legal property lines and meet setbacks

  “building permits are required by chapter 15.04 ccc.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Construction inside Coulee City town limits

  • Codes adopted as amended by the Washington State Building Code Council under RCW 19.27.074
  • Town may contract with a qualified provider to administer and enforce the state building code (CCC 15.04.020)
  • Ord. 726 (2023)

  “the town of coulee city hereby adopts the following codes, as amended by the washington state building code council pursuant to rcw 19.27.074”

• InspectionsLimited

  New construction and additions inside Coulee City town limits

  • Town planner makes 'necessary' field inspections for compliance with CCC titles 14-18; no general inspection schedule found

  “the town planner shall review it and make any necessary field inspections to determine whether the proposed construction or addition complies with ccc titles 14 through 18.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Coulee City town limits (CCC Title 18, Zoning)

  “"zoning map" means the map delineating the boundaries of districts that, along with the zoning text of this title, comprise the zoning ordinance of the town of coulee city.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Coulee City town (residential, mixed use, commercial, industrial)

  • District use chart is CCC ch. 18.36

  “"zoning district" means a section of the town designated in this title in which requirements of the use of land and building and development standards are prescribed.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  Residential dwellings in the district governed by CCC ch. 18.20 (residential district)

  • Excludes decks, porches, patios and attached accessory structures
  • Agricultural/rural district not identified

  minimum livable floor area: >= 720 sq ft

  “all residential dwellings shall contain a minimum 720 square feet of livable floor area, excluding decks, porches, patios or other attached accessory structures.”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential (R) district in Coulee City town; other districts differ

  • R: 5,000 sq ft or 2 lots; duplex 9,000 sq ft, plus 1,000 sq ft for each additional unit over 2 (table text is run together in source; commercial and industrial districts show 0)

  R minimum lot size: >= 5000 sq ft (duplex 9,000 sq ft)

  “minimum lot size minimum (square feet) lot width front 5,000 or 2 lots (sf) 9,000 (duplex) r 1,000 for each additional unit more than 2”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in the district governed by CCC ch. 18.20 (residential district)

  • Exempt: chimneys, antennas, flagpoles, grain elevators, water towers etc. (CCC 18.40.030)
  • Other districts' height limits not read

  maximum height: <= 25 feet (multifamily via planned development 40 ft)

  “the maximum height of all structures shall be 25 feet, except that the maximum height for multifamily structures permitted through a planned development process shall be 40 feet.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs used as residence on private property inside Coulee City town limits (CCC ch. 10.20)

  • Exceptions for RVs legally placed before the ordinance, their replacement within five years' manufacture and 60 days, and sale with the property
  • A conditional use permit may be applied for to place an RV on private property (CCC 10.20.030(d))
  • RVs may be stored or parked on the owner's property without restriction per 10.20.030 (text partly garbled in source)

  max consecutive days as residence: <= 30 days (grandfathered RVs; conditional use permit)

  “to place the same on private property within the corporate limits of the town of coulee city and use the same as a place of permanent or temporary residence for a period exceeding 30 consecutive days, with the following exceptions:”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwellings inside Coulee City town limits

  • Size no greater than the primary structure
  • All district standards (floor area, setbacks, coverage) apply
  • Does not count as a dwelling unit for density
  • Must obtain and maintain a separate water account (text continues beyond excerpt)

  max accessory dwellings per lot: <= 1 dwelling

  “there shall not be more than one accessory dwelling located on a lot in addition to the primary single-family residence”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Properties with septic systems inside Coulee City town limits

  • Connection to the town sewer is required only as corrective action for a failing septic polluting a water of the state; no general mandatory-connection distance rule found
  • Under CCC 18.20.030(d), no hookups to municipal water and sewer may be made to premises not constructed in compliance with Title 18

  “any failing septic that is found polluting a "water of the state" shall be required to take corrective actions, such as hooking up to the town sewer system.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions inside Coulee City town limits (CCC Title 17)

  • Hearing examiner decides preliminary subdivisions

  “the hearing examiner shall review and make decisions on the following applications: a. preliminary subdivisions; b. planned developments;”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Driveways inside Coulee City town limits

  • Driveways are exempt from building permits unless steeply graded or encroaching on town rights-of-way or easements

  “patio slabs, slabs and driveways (unless driveway is steeply graded, and/or encroaches town rights-of-way or easements);”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Building permit fees inside Coulee City town limits

  • Fee amounts not stated in code; calculated by the building official

  “all coulee city fees shall be in accordance with the information contained in the building code and as published in the building standards, calculated by the building official.”

• Permit processPartial

  Building permit applications inside Coulee City town limits

  • Code sets referral to town planner; detailed application steps not found

  “the building official shall refer to the town planner all applications for building permits for new construction and for additions which increase the square footage of usable space.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Coulee City or Grant County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Coulee City town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of new buildings inside Coulee City town limits
• Camping on your land — Camping on private land inside Coulee City town limits
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Coulee City town limits
• Who permits septic — On-site sewage systems inside Coulee City 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.