100 local rules on file · Pop. 8,567 · Clark County
Showing ordinances that apply to Barberton, WA
Barberton is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 8,567 in Clark County, Washington. Because Barberton is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Clark County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Clark County may have different rules.
Washington's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code took effect Oct. 29, 2023, and applies to new construction in mapped wildfire-hazard areas. Defensible space is set by hazard level: 30 feet for moderate, 50 feet for high and 100 feet for extreme. Clark County recommends a 30-foot clear zone around homes.
In unincorporated Clark County, consumer fireworks may be discharged only from 9 a.m. to midnight on July 4, and from 6 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1. All other days are banned. Firecrackers, bottle rockets and M-80s are illegal statewide.
Recreational fires must burn in a metal, stone or masonry-lined pit no larger than 3 feet across and 2 feet high, sit at least 25 feet from any structure with 20 feet of overhead clearance, and be attended at all times by someone 16 or older. Only charcoal or seasoned
Residential and land-clearing burning is permanently banned inside city limits and urban growth areas (Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center, Yacolt) and the Southern Clark County no-burn area. Elsewhere, natural vegetation may be burned with a free permit for piles up to 10x10x6 feet.
Clark County recommends a 30-foot defensible space cleared of flammable vegetation around your house, with firewood and combustible debris moved at least 30 feet uphill. Washington's Wildland-Urban Interface Code sets 30, 50 or 100 feet by hazard level.
Washington law (RCW 43.44.110) requires smoke detection devices in all dwelling units. The owner is responsible for installation; tenants maintain them, including batteries. Alarms are required in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas and on each level. Carbon-monoxide alarms are also required.
Small backyard recreational fires are allowed without a permit if they burn only charcoal or seasoned firewood in a 3-by-2-foot lined pit, at least 25 feet from structures, and are attended by someone 16 or older. All backyard fires are prohibited during a burn ban.
Residential propane storage follows the Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A, Chapter 61 / NFPA 58). Larger tanks must meet setback distances from buildings and lot lines, multiple installations must be 25 feet apart, and any single installation is capped at 2,000 gallons water capacity in congested areas.
Clark County requires screening fences to use permanent materials. Allowed materials include wood, metal, brick, and masonry; chain link with slats is allowed only for the partial (F1) standard, and non-sight-obscuring chain link or wrought iron is permitted atop low retaining walls.
Clark County defines partial (F1) and full (F2) sight-obscuring fence standards, each six feet high. Fences may not obstruct sight distance at intersections, and private fences are prohibited within public rights-of-way without Public Works Director approval.
Clark County's fully sight-obscuring (F2) fence standard permits wood, metal, brick, masonry, or other permanent materials but excludes chain-link fences with slats. The partial (F1) standard allows chain link with slats. No general residential ban on barbed wire is set in this screening chapter.
In unincorporated Clark County, a fence or wall (or a combined berm and fence/wall) may not exceed six feet above finished grade at its base, unless the review authority approves added height. Fences must not obstruct intersection sight distance.
Unincorporated Clark County does not require a building permit for fences seven feet or less in height. Fences over seven feet, and retaining walls over four feet (or any wall carrying a surcharge), do require a permit.
Clark County does not set a cost-sharing rule for boundary fences; that is a private matter under Washington law. County code does let neighbors agree in writing to exceed height limits within setbacks, and lets walls or fences between commonly owned lots exceed those limits.
Clark County allows retaining walls four feet or less (and fences seven feet or less) within easements. Walls over four feet, or fences over seven feet, must meet the underlying zone's setbacks, with specific exceptions. Walls over four feet need a permit and engineering.
In unincorporated Clark County, using lawn mowers, chain saws and other repair or ground-maintenance power equipment is allowed 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; outside those hours, frequent engine noise in a residential area is a public disturbance noise.
Clark County has no leaf-blower-specific ban. Leaf blowers fall under the ground-maintenance power-equipment exemption: allowed 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; frequent use outside those hours in a residential area can be a public disturbance noise.
Frequent horn honking, and frequent engine noise from starting, operating, repairing or testing motor vehicles in a residential area that disturbs neighbors, are public disturbance noises in unincorporated Clark County. Amplified car stereos audible 50 feet away are also prohibited.
Unincorporated Clark County has no single fixed "quiet hours," but yelling, shouting, whistling or singing near a street between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is a public disturbance noise, and state WAC 173-60 limits drop 10 dBA (to 45 dBA at residences) during those same hours.
A dog that barks, bays, cries or howls continuously for 10 minutes, or intermittently for a half hour or more, to the disturbance of any person is a public disturbance noise in unincorporated Clark County, at any time of day or night.
Using a musical instrument, sound amplifier or volume-controlled device that produces loud or raucous sound frequently, repetitively or continuously from a building or property, disturbing neighbors, is a public disturbance noise in unincorporated Clark County.
Clark County applies Washington's WAC 173-60 environmental noise limits. At a residential (Class A) property the maximum is 55 dBA from another residence, 57 dBA from commercial, and 60 dBA from industrial sources, reduced 10 dBA (to 45 dBA) between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Industrial noise reaching a Clark County residence is capped by WAC 173-60-040 at 60 dBA (45 dBA drop does not apply to industrial-zone receivers, but residences get the 10 dBA night cut). Persistent industrial noise disturbing neighbors is also a public disturbance under CCC 9.14.010.
Outdoor music, live bands and PA systems fall under Clark County's public disturbance noise rule: loud or raucous amplified sound from a property that frequently or continuously disturbs neighbors is prohibited, and all sound must stay within WAC 173-60 limits.
The county sets no aircraft-noise rule. Aircraft in flight are exempt from Washington's environmental noise limits and are regulated federally by the FAA. Clark County addresses airport compatibility through Title 40 land-use, not a decibel ordinance.
Unincorporated Clark County does not license whole-home short-term (vacation) rentals; no county STR permit exists. Any rented space must have a valid building permit on file. Owner-occupied bed-and-breakfast use is the only overnight-lodging use with a county land-use permit (CCC 40.260.050).
Hosts renting under 30 days must collect and remit Washington retail sales tax plus lodging and convention/trade-center taxes on the rental charge, reported through the Department of Revenue. Transient rental income tax is deducted from the state sales tax, so it is not an extra charge to guests.
There is no county STR registry for unincorporated Clark County. Hosts must instead register with the Washington Department of Revenue for a business/tax account. A bed-and-breakfast is 'registered' through the CCC 40.260.050 land-use application, not a rental registry.
Unincorporated Clark County sets no whole-home STR occupancy cap. For the county-regulated bed-and-breakfast use, up to six guest bedrooms may be rented within the operator's own residence under CCC 40.260.050. General building- and fire-code occupancy limits still apply to any dwelling.
Unincorporated Clark County sets no dedicated STR parking standard. For a bed-and-breakfast, CCC 40.260.050 requires two off-street parking spaces plus one more for each bedroom rented, with any added parking screened from abutting property by a five-foot solid fence or hedge.
Whole-home short-term rentals are not restricted to a primary residence in unincorporated Clark County. However, a bed-and-breakfast under CCC 40.260.050 must be the operator's owned, primary-residence home that has been used as a residence for at least five years before applying.
Unincorporated Clark County sets no annual cap on the number of nights a short-term rental may operate. There is no rented-nights limit for vacation rentals or for a bed-and-breakfast under CCC 40.260.050; the B&B is a year-round permitted use once approved.
There is no STR-specific noise rule. Guests and hosts must follow Clark County's public-disturbance noise provisions and Washington's maximum environmental noise limits (WAC 173-60), which cap sound crossing property lines and set lower nighttime limits for residential areas.
Unincorporated Clark County does not require a host to be present at a short-term rental. For a bed-and-breakfast, the operator must live on site, since a B&B must be accessory to a household residing at the property and be the operator's primary residence (CCC 40.260.050).
Clark County code sets no specific insurance requirement for short-term rentals or bed-and-breakfasts. There is no county-mandated liability-coverage minimum; hosts should carry commercial or short-term-rental liability coverage voluntarily and meet any platform or lender requirements.
In unincorporated Clark County you may keep an RV or boat on your own property, but only one boat/personal-watercraft trailer may sit in a front or side setback in urban residential districts; a second must go in the rear yard or a fully enclosed building.
Living in a vehicle overnight on a public street or right-of-way in unincorporated Clark County is unlawful without a permit. Residents can buy a $10 permit letting an adjacent RV be used for habitation up to 7 days, renewable once, capped at 14 days per calendar year.
On unincorporated county roads it is unlawful to park an automobile longer than 24 hours, or to park an RV for any length of time (except loading/unloading up to 24 hours) without a permit. Blocking road-maintenance machinery or creating a hazard is also prohibited.
In urban-zoned unincorporated Clark County it is a nuisance to park or store truck tractors and semi-trucks in residential front yards outside the driveway. Required off-street parking spaces also may not be used to store business trucks.
In urban unincorporated Clark County, parking motor and recreational vehicles in front yards on pervious (unpaved) surfaces is a declared nuisance. Required off-street parking areas must be paved and maintained under Title 40, with limited rural exemptions.
Clark County Code does not set a dedicated residential EV-charger parking ordinance; EV chargers are treated as ordinary electrical work needing a state electrical permit. New development parking is governed by Title 40, and Washington's building code (WAC 51-50) sets statewide EV-ready requirements.
In unincorporated Clark County, three or more inoperable vehicles in a rural yard, or any inoperable vehicle in an urban yard, that sit 30+ days visible from the road are a public nuisance. Statewide, a certified junk vehicle can be inspected and disposed of under RCW 46.55.230.
Clark County restricts oversized vehicles chiefly through its nuisance code: semi-trucks and truck tractors in urban residential front yards are prohibited, RVs may not be parked on county roads without a permit, and front-yard RV parking on unpaved surfaces is a nuisance.
Clark County requires off-street truck loading spaces for larger commercial and institutional buildings. Commercial and industrial buildings 5,000+ square feet need one or more berths; loading areas must be separated from parking and may not project into the public right-of-way.
Clark County Code does not authorize residents to paint or mark public curbs; official curb markings and signage are county functions. The code does prohibit re-parking on the same curb face within a block to evade posted time limits, with impoundment as a remedy.
In designated leash-law areas of unincorporated Clark County, dogs off the owner's premises must be controlled by a leash. Any dog running at large (off the owner's property) is declared a public nuisance and may be seized and impounded.
Agricultural and livestock uses, including chickens, are allowed in all zoning districts in unincorporated Clark County. Within Vancouver's urban growth area, turkeys, peacocks, and roosters are prohibited, and new urban livestock must follow best-management practices.
It is unlawful to bring into or keep any "wild animal" in unincorporated Clark County without first obtaining a wild-animal license from animal protection and control, which inspects the enclosure for size and security before issuing.
Clark County's animal-control code (Title 8) sets no rule for keeping honeybees. Beekeeping is treated as an agricultural use allowed across zoning districts. Washington regulates apiaries at the state level, and beekeepers with hives must register with WSDA.
Livestock use is allowed in all zoning districts in unincorporated Clark County. New urban-area livestock structures for large animals must sit 20 feet from all property lines, and urban livestock must follow best-management practices to control odor, noise, and manure.
Washington has no statewide breed ban, and Clark County imposes no breed-specific restriction. Dogs are regulated by behavior: a dog declared "dangerous" faces strict licensing, a proper enclosure, muzzle-and-leash, $250,000 liability coverage, and microchipping.
Clark County has no cat leash law and no fixed limit on the number of cats. Cats are covered by general nuisance, licensing, and cruelty rules, and the county sponsors a community-cat (trap-neuter-return) program for feral colonies.
Clark County reaches hoarding through its cruelty and minimum-care rules: it is unlawful to neglect or fail to provide adequate food, water, shelter, space, and veterinary care to any animal in your custody. Over-limit dog counts also trigger kennel licensing.
Clark County caps dogs through its kennel definition: keeping more than five adult dogs inside the urban growth boundary, or more than nine outside it, makes a property a "kennel" requiring proper licensing and zoning. There is no comparable numeric cap on cats.
Clark County's animal code has no ordinance directly prohibiting feeding wildlife such as deer or birds. It does bar keeping designated dangerous species (skunks, foxes, raccoons) and taking or possessing protected wildlife. Attracting animals that become a nuisance can still be abated.
Clark County lets you prune and maintain trees, but landscaping required by the Unified Development Code must be kept healthy, and pruning must not impair the survival of trees required to be retained or planted. Vegetation must also be trimmed so it does not block utilities, access, or sight distance.
In unincorporated Clark County, grasses and nuisance weeds taller than 12 inches in any front, side, or rear yard, including vacant lots, are a declared public nuisance. Complaints are accepted May 1 through September 30. Agricultural berry vines and cultivated grass are exempt.
Clark County has no general permit for removing a single yard tree, but commercial-scale tree cutting is a forest practice under RCW 76.09 and CCC 40.260.080, and removing trees in or near wetlands, streams, or habitat areas requires review. An approved forest practice can trigger a six-year development moratorium.
Clark County itself imposes no countywide lawn-watering schedule. Water is delivered by local utilities and districts, chiefly Clark Public Utilities, which serves Hazel Dell, Salmon Creek, and unincorporated north county. Check your provider for any conservation measures; CPU charges a higher summer peak rate rather than a mandatory watering ban.
Clark County actively encourages native landscaping. Its development code favors compatibility with existing native vegetation and drought-resistant plantings, and county programs like Naturally Beautiful Backyards, the Backyard Habitat Certification Program, and free tree/reforestation efforts promote native plants for wildlife and stormwater. There is no rule requiring native-only yards.
Washington's RCW 17.10 requires every property owner to eradicate Class A noxious weeds and control designated Class B and listed Class C weeds. The Clark County Noxious Weed Control Board maintains the county weed list and enforces control. Controlling noxious weeds on your property is your legal responsibility.
Rainwater harvesting is legal in Clark County and statewide. Washington's Department of Ecology exempts on-site rooftop rainwater collection from water-right permitting, provided the water is used on the property it is collected from and comes from a roof whose primary purpose is something other than catching rain. Indoor potable use
Clark County has no ordinance banning residential artificial turf, and homeowners may install it in their yards. In development-regulated landscaping, county code specifies that groundcover plants, grass lawn, or approved flowers must cover required landscaped areas, so synthetic turf may not satisfy required plantings without approval from the responsible official.
Clark County encourages backyard composting and runs free workshops, We Compost community food-waste hubs, and a Composter Recycler program. Optional every-other-week curbside yard-debris carts are offered by Waste Connections to single-family homes; curbside food-waste organics collection is limited to Vancouver and Ridgefield city limits.
A residential pool or spa must be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet (48 inches) high with self-closing, self-latching gates, per the IRC adopted by Clark County. Public pools must meet WAC 246-260 barrier rules, which require a 60- or 72-inch barrier.
Above-ground pools that hold water over 24 inches deep need a building permit and the same barrier as in-ground pools under the IRC adopted in Clark County Code 14.01.010. The pool wall can count as the barrier only if it is at least 48 inches high and access ladders are
A building permit is required to build an in-ground or above-ground swimming pool or spa in unincorporated Clark County. Construction follows the state-amended International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and International Residential Code, adopted by reference in Clark County Code Chapter 14.01.
Residential pools must use a compliant barrier, self-latching gates, and (where a house wall serves as a barrier) door alarms. Public swimming pools and spas are regulated by Clark County Public Health under state rule WAC 246-260, covering water quality, safety equipment, and lifeguarding.
Residential hot tubs and spas are regulated under the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and IRC adopted in Clark County Code 14.01.010. Many require electrical and building permits, and spas without a locking safety cover must be enclosed by a compliant pool barrier.
Selling home-baked goods requires a Washington State Department of Agriculture cottage food permit under RCW Chapter 69.22, not a Clark County permit. Only non-hazardous foods (baked goods, candies, jams) sold directly to the consumer are allowed, with gross sales capped at $35,000 per year.
Family home child care in Washington is licensed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families under Chapter 110-300 WAC, not Clark County. The department issues family home licenses for up to 12 children, with capacity set by experience, space, and staffing.
Clark County Code 40.260.100 allows home businesses in residential zones if they stay secondary to living use and preserve neighborhood character. The business must be run by a resident owner or renter, and may use no more than 25% of the dwelling or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less.
Clark County classifies home businesses as Exempt, Minor, or Major. Exempt businesses need no county review; Minor businesses need a Type I permit and Major businesses a Type II permit, based on employees, customers, vehicles, and accessory-structure use.
Clark County Code 40.260.100 allows one home-business sign of 2 square feet or less in urban areas, or 6 square feet or less in rural areas. A separate sign permit is not required if the sign is included with the home business permit application.
Detached garden sheds, gazebos, and play houses may sit in side or rear setbacks in single-family zones. In residential (R1) zones, detached accessory buildings on lots 20,000 sq ft or smaller cannot exceed 18 feet in height; larger lots allow up to 35 feet. Sheds over 200 sq ft generally
Carports and detached garages are accessory buildings under CCC 40.260.010. In R1 residential zones they cannot exceed 18 feet in height on lots of 20,000 sq ft or less, or 35 feet on larger lots, and must meet the zone's setbacks. A freestanding garage can be built before the main
Clark County lets you convert an existing garage into an accessory dwelling unit, including a garage within nonconforming setbacks if the nonconformity predated April 26, 2024 and the conversion does not raise the garage's height. The conversion must meet building code and the ADU standards of CCC 40.260.020.
Washington defines a tiny house as a dwelling that may be built on wheels and is no larger than 400 sq ft, excluding lofts. To be a legal permanent residence in Clark County a tiny home generally must sit on a foundation and comply with the Washington State Building Code
In the urban growth area you may build up to two accessory dwelling units per legal lot, each capped at 1,000 sq ft (up to 1,500 sq ft on lots of 20,000+ sq ft). Rural zones (RADU) allow one, capped at 1,500 sq ft. No parking is required for urban
Clark County sets no ordinance specific to residential meat smokers. A charcoal, pellet or propane smoker used for cooking is treated as an outdoor cooking device, not regulated yard-burning, but it must not become a smoke nuisance and is subject to the same balcony and combustible-clearance safety practices as grills.
Washington did NOT adopt the model fire-code ban (IFC 308.1.4) on grills on balconies, so propane and charcoal grills are not prohibited on decks or balconies by state code. However, local jurisdictions may impose their own restrictions, and grills should stay clear of combustible construction.
Clark County's rural residential districts (R-20, R-10, R-5) set no numeric maximum lot coverage in Table 40.210.020-3 (listed as N/A). Coverage is effectively controlled by large minimum lot sizes and the required setbacks. Urban zones have their own coverage limits.
In Clark County's rural residential districts (R-20, R-10, R-5), the minimum front setback is 50 feet from a road, side setback 25 feet from a street and 20 feet interior, and rear setback 20 feet. Greater setbacks apply near resource or surface-mining land.
In Clark County's rural residential districts (R-20, R-10, R-5), the maximum building height for residential buildings is 35 feet, per Table 40.210.020-3 of the Unified Development Code. Urban zones and scenic-review areas may set different limits.
In unincorporated Clark County, accumulated junk, debris, and abandoned objects visible from adjacent property are a code nuisance. Urban areas allow no more than one cubic yard of debris; rural areas up to two cubic yards in front and side yards.
Clark County requires carts to be set out with clearance for automated pickup: at least 5 feet from obstructions and 3 feet of separation between carts. Overflowing or improperly stored bins can trigger a nuisance complaint under CCC 9.24.
Owners of vacant lots must keep them free of accumulated junk and debris under CCC 9.24.010 and must control noxious weeds under state law RCW 17.10.140. Neglected vacant parcels are abated the same as occupied nuisance properties.
Occasional garage and yard sales in unincorporated Clark County are treated as short temporary uses. Temporary uses of two weeks or less per year per site require registering with the county permit center first; sale signs may not sit in the county right-of-way without a permit.
Washington law RCW 17.10.140 requires every Clark County property owner to eradicate Class A noxious weeds and control designated Class B and C weeds. The county nuisance code also targets vegetation that harbors debris or creates hazards.
Curbside garbage and recycling in unincorporated Clark County is provided by WUTC-certificated haulers. Recycling is collected the same day as garbage on an every-other-week basis. Service levels and rates are state-regulated, not set by the county.
For automated pickup, Clark County directs residents to place carts and bins at least 5 feet from obstructions with 3 feet of separation between carts, away from low branches and other objects. Set-out and retrieval timing follows your hauler's rules.
Curbside recycling is available to all Clark County residents and is mandatory in some cities and urban growth areas, optional elsewhere. Carts take metal cans, paper, cardboard, cartons, and plastic bottles, jugs and tubs; glass, plastic bags, and batteries are excluded.
Bulky items like furniture, mattresses, appliances, and electronics are not put in curbside carts. Clark County residents request bulky-item collection or use the RecycleRight tool to find drop-off and transfer station options for large or special waste.
Dumping trash on public or private land in Clark County is prohibited by CCC Chapter 9.28 littering and state law RCW 70A.200.060. Small litter is a civil infraction; over one cubic foot is a misdemeanor, and violators pay cleanup restitution up to four times the actual cost.
Clark County requires outdoor lights (except holiday lights) to be directed or shielded so glare is minimized as seen from streets and nearby dwellings. Illuminated signs must not be a nuisance to residents within 200 feet, defined as flashing lights or lights of an intensity that interferes with peaceful occupancy
Clark County requires outdoor lights, except seasonal holiday lights, to be directed or shielded to minimize glare visible from streets, nearby dwellings, and above the fixtures. This shielding standard applies across residential and rural zoning districts in the county code. The county has no separate formal dark-sky ordinance.
Portable and temporary signs, flags and banners are prohibited in unincorporated Clark County unless a temporary sign permit is approved by the responsible official. Garage-sale-type portable signs fall under this rule and may not be placed in the county right-of-way. Signs not visible from adjacent property or rights-of-way are not
Clark County's sign code treats political and other noncommercial messages as on-premises signs. Any sign displaying a noncommercial (including political) message is allowed wherever an on-premises sign is permitted. Signs may not be placed in the county right-of-way without a street use permit and cannot exceed 35 feet in height.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Clark County ordinances.