Benton County, WA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max lot coverage
- 40 percent of parcel
- Max impervious surface
- 10 percent (non-infiltrating)
- Min vegetative cover
- 45 percent of parcel
- District
- Community Center Residential (CCR)
- Governing section
- BCC 11.06.080(c), (e)
- First violation penalty
- Up to $500 civil infraction
Summary
Parcels in unincorporated Benton County's Community Center Residential (CCR) District are capped at 40 percent lot coverage, with a companion limit of 10 percent for impervious surface that doesn't infiltrate stormwater on-site. BCC 11.06.080(c) and (e) set these dimensional standards, alongside a 45 percent minimum vegetative cover requirement in the same section, adopted through Ord. 611, 615 and 617.
(c) Maximum Lot Coverage. Each parcel shall have a maximum lot coverage of forty (40) percent. ... (e) Impervious Surface. No more than ten (10) percent of any parcel may be covered by impervious surfaces that does not infiltrate all storm-water on that parcel.
Full Breakdown
080, titled "Property Development Standards-General Standards," governs the Community Center Residential (CCR) District and sets the parcel's building envelope alongside its use rules. Subsection (c) caps Maximum Lot Coverage at forty (40) percent of the parcel, and subsection (e) separately limits Impervious Surface to no more than ten (10) percent of the parcel where stormwater does not fully infiltrate on-site. Subsection (d) pairs with those caps by requiring a minimum of forty-five (45) percent vegetative cover, dropping only to the maximum feasible amount if full 45 percent coverage would preclude the proposed development.
The same section sets the parcel's other baseline dimensions: a minimum parcel size of 14,000 square feet (28,000 for a duplex, and 14,000 times the unit count for multi-family), and a minimum average lot width of 90 feet, though the Benton-Franklin Health District can require a larger parcel for on-site well and septic needs. These standards were adopted by Ord. 611 (2018) Section 19 and amended by Ord. 615 (2018) Section 2 and Ord. 617 (2019) Section 2. Because this is Title 11 of the county code, it reaches unincorporated Benton County only; Kennewick, Richland, West Richland and Prosser set their own lot coverage limits under their municipal codes. 14, which cover items like stormwater, floodplain and critical-area development.
Violations & Fines
Covering more than 40 percent of a CCR parcel, or more than 10 percent with non-infiltrating impervious surface, is a Title 11 zoning violation enforced by the Planning Administrator and Building Official (BCC 11.43.010). A first violation is a civil infraction with a penalty up to $500 plus court costs and restitution (BCC 11.43.170(a)); a second violation of the same standard on the same parcel is charged as a misdemeanor (BCC 11.43.170(b)). The county can also seek injunctive relief to force removal of excess coverage (BCC 11.43.030).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum lot coverage in Benton County's CCR District?
Is there a separate impervious surface limit besides lot coverage?
Do I need to keep 45 percent of my lot in vegetation?
Does the 40 percent lot coverage cap apply inside Kennewick or Richland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Benton County
Compare Benton County to another location·View the Washington building setbacks & zoning overview
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