Spokane limits residential lot coverage under SMC 17C.110. RSF zones typically allow 45-50% building coverage. HB 1110 middle-housing rules may adjust coverage to accommodate duplex/fourplex development on standard lots.
Spokane Municipal Code 17C.110 caps building coverage (footprint of all roofed structures as a percentage of lot area) at approximately 45-50% in Residential Single-Family zones, rising to 60-75% in multi-family and mixed-use zones. Impervious surface coverage (buildings plus driveways, patios) is regulated separately under stormwater rules (SMC 17D.060) to protect the Spokane-Rathdrum Aquifer and Spokane River. HB 1110 (RCW 36.70A.635) requires cities to adjust bulk standards including coverage so that middle-housing types (duplex, triplex, fourplex) are economically viable on standard single-family lots. Critical-area overlays (steep slope, wetland, floodplain) reduce usable coverage.
Exceeding coverage requires variance, redesign, or removal. Code-enforcement fines up to $500/day for unpermitted structures adding coverage.
Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA
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See how Spokane's lot coverage limits rules stack up against other locations.
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