Washington County Unincorporated

Where permitted by this chapter, the location of hotels, motels, manufactured home parks, commercial amusement parks, hospitals, airports, borrow pits, sanitary fill method garbage and refuse sites, and other permitted uses shall require, in addition to the certificate of occupancy, a special exception.

A special exception is required where the proposed use is not a specifically permitted use in a particular zone, but is a use which may be authorized with a special exception after a public hearing before the planning commission and board of supervisors.

a special exception shall be valid for a period of 24 months after the date of its issuance, after which it shall be deemed terminated unless the use allowed by the special exception has been established.

Permittees who anticipate termination of the special exception prior to establishment of the use permitted by such special exception are encouraged to reapply for a new special exception at least 60 days prior to the date of special exception expiration

At the discretion of the zoning administrator or his designee, a site plan shall be submitted by the applicant for any use subject to special exception pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

The county shall not issue a permit for any system if that proposed system would negatively impact the airport by creating an obstruction to the departure 40:1 slopes or the existing or proposed 34:1 non-precision instrument approach slopes.

The installation of small wind energy conversion systems shall be authorized in ... conservation and recreation district (CR)...

Small wind authorized in CR; large wind by special exception; small solar allowed; large solar by special exception.

Small wind systems shall not exceed 150 feet in height; set back 110% of height from property lines, 150% from structures; noise not exceed 60 dB.

Wind turbine height for small system shall not exceed 150 feet.

Large wind energy conversion systems shall be permitted in ... conservation and recreation district (CR), by special exception permit...

Large wind systems shall not exceed 500 feet; set back 125% from roads, 160% or 800 ft from occupied buildings; noise not exceed 60 dB.

the wind turbine height... of a large system shall not exceed 500 feet or the height recommended by the manufacturer...

Has a disturbance zone equal to or less than: i. One acre in the agricultural-limited (A-1)... ii. One thousand square feet in the highland recreation (HR)... iii. Seven hundred square feet in the residential-limited (R-1)...

Small scale solar projects do not require a special exception permit and are allowed in all zoning districts. Large scale solar projects require a special exception permit...

Solar projects shall meet accessory structure height and setback requirements; comply with noise ordinance.

A variance is a relaxation of the terms of this chapter where such variance will not be contrary to the public interest and where, owing to conditions peculiar to the property and not the result of the action of the applicant, a literal enforcement of this chapter would result in unnecessary and undue hardship.

A variance is authorized only for height, area, and size of structure or size of yards and open spaces. Establishment or expansion of a use otherwise prohibited shall not be allowed by variance

If on December 31, 1971, any legal activity is being pursued or any lot or structure legally utilized in a manner or for a purpose which does not conform to the provisions of this chapter, such manner of use or purpose may be continued as provided in this chapter, except that advertising structures that become nonconforming because of rezoning have 24 months within which to relocate in a permitted area.

All nonconforming uses shall obtain a zoning permit and a certificate of occupancy within 60 days after December 31, 1971.