Yakima's Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles zoning overlays & bonuses a little differently. In Yakima, Washington, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Downtown Design Guide

New buildings and redevelopment in Yakima's downtown business district must break up any blank wall of eight hundred square feet or more facing a street, treating at least half the wall between three and twelve feet high with architecture, art, or landscaping, under Yakima Municipal Code § 15.09.026.

Key details: Blank wall trigger: 800 sq ft of unbroken vertical wall surface. Treatment required: 50% of wall between 3-12 ft above grade. Applies to: new mixed-use, multifamily, commercial downtown buildings. District defined at: YMC § 15.06.040, Figure 6-1 exempt area map. Excluded uses: light industrial zone, § 15.13.025 exempt uses.

Violations of Title 15's development standards, including this design standard, are enforced under YMC Chapter 15.25. A first offense is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $500 fine and up to ninety days in jail, or both, though a first-time single violation draws a fine only, capped at $500. A civil penalty of $50 per day also accrues from the correction deadline set by the administrative official until the wall is brought into compliance, backed by a lien on the property.

Density Bonus Law

Yakima makes subdivisions that contain critical areas, wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes, streams, eligible for density bonuses or other development incentives under the city's subdivision and zoning ordinances, encouraging protective clustering.

Key details: Section: YMC § 15.27.321(B)(1). Applies to: Subdivisions containing critical areas. Bonus mechanics set by: YMC Title 14 subdivision ordinance. Chapter: Critical Areas, YMC 15.27.

This is an incentive-eligibility clause, not a penalty provision; failing to meet the underlying critical-area subdivision standards in YMC 15.27.321(B) can still block plat approval or trigger code enforcement under the subdivision and zoning titles.

Yakima is more permissive than most cities when it comes to density bonus law. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Yakima's zoning overlays & bonuses rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Yakima is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Yakima can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.