FAQs
| PLANNING & ZONING |
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| What's my zoning? |
| The City has an interactive map that allows you to search by address to find your zoning. You can access the map HERE! |
| I know my zoning, now what? |
| Once you have determined the zoning of your property, you can determine the following: Allowed uses (AMC 19.41) and Form & Intensity Standards, including setbacks, maximum building height or lot coverage, and structure requirements (AMC 19.42) |
| What are setbacks and how do I find them? |
| “Setback” means the minimum required distance between a property line and a line parallel to that property line. Setbacks are lot and zoning specific. To determine your setbacks, you must first know your zoning. Once you know your zoning, you can determine your residential setback by checking the code HERE. |
| Can I use my house as an AirBNB or VRBO? |
| Currently, the City only allows short term rentals in certain zones or with Conditional Use Permits. To learn more, you can view the handout HERE. |
| I want to cut down a tree or two in my yard, can I do that? |
| It depends. Please review the below questions: 1) Do you live within 200 ft. of a shoreline? 2) Do you live within or near a protected Critical Area? (If unsure, use the Critical Area Identification Form found HERE) 3) Is your property within a newer (established after 2000) subdivision? 4) Is the tree in or near the road or sidewalk? If you can answer YES to any of the above questions, you should speak with City Staff prior to removing any trees. |
| I want to build a mother-in-law unit, can I do that? |
| In the City, we call these mother-in-law type units, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). To learn more about ADUs, check out the handout HERE! |
| I want to know where my property lines are. How to I find that information? |
| The only way to know for sure where your property lines are, would be through a survey. Surveys are preformed by licensed professional surveyors. The City has GIS maps that give you an idea of the location of your property lines, but they should not be used to determine setbacks as they may not be completely accurate. If a survey has already been conducted for your property or you are part of a subdivision, you can search on the Skagit County Auditor's records HERE. |
| BUILDING PERMITS |
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| Do I need a permit to build a fence? |
| Yes! New or replacement fences do require permits. To learn more, you can view the Fence Permit and Information Sheet HERE. |
| I want to build a shed on my property, do I need a building permit? |
| One-story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses and similar uses, provided the floor area does not exceed 144 square feet are exempt from needing a building permit. But you do still have to meet your setbacks-- check HERE to see what would apply. |
| I am building a new house, how much will it cost to hook up to utilities? |
| General Facility Charges (GFC) and Development Impact Fees can be found HERE. |
| How long will it take to get a building permit? |
| Well, this depends on a variety of things - staff work load, the completeness of your submittal, length of review queue, etc. Our goal in the building department is to get your permit issued as soon as we can and in the order it is received. The most typical permit review time can vary from 2 to 4 weeks. |
| Do I need a full set of plans? How do I get those? |
| While PCED now does all digital permit and plan review, it is still required to have a full size set of approved plans on your job site. Plans need to be printed out with a minimum scale of 1/4" per 1' for building plans. Most local copy shops can print out full size plan sets for you. |
| My building permit has been issued, what papers do I need to keep at my job site? |
| Be sure to keep all the documents that were sent with your issued building permit on site. These include: the building permit, inspection card, approved building plans, associated land use decision, or any other associated documents or plans that were reviewed/stamped during review. |
| Where can I find records of building permits? |
| THIS online portal allows you to search for permits or files that have been issued.
NOTE: Permits existing prior to 2000 may not be viewable online. If you have questions, please call PCED at 360-299-1984. |
| LAND USE & PROPERTY INFORMATION |
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| How do I know what and where the utilities are on my property? |
| By using the interactive GIS map, the utilities can be depicted by turning on the applicable layers. Watch the tutorial video HERE. |