Moving to Sammamish, WA?

Sammamish has no general numeric "quiet hours" curfew in its noise code. SMC Chapter 8.15 bans public-nuisance noise at any time of day rather than between fixed hours. The clearest time limits are on construction (SMC 16.05.030), and Washington's state EDNA rules (WAC 173-60-040) impose a stricter nighttime decibel cap from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Sammamish limits construction by SMC 16.05.030: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and major holidays. No construction is allowed on Sundays. The City Manager may grant exceptions. After-hours work is reported to the King County Sheriff.

Sammamish does not write its own barking-dog rule; SMC Chapter 11.05 adopts King County Code Title 11 (Animal Control) by reference. Under KCC 11.04.230, an animal that howls, yelps, whines, barks, or makes other oral noises to an unreasonable degree so as to disturb a person or neighborhood is an animal nuisance, enforced by King County Regional Animal Services.

Sammamish has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance - no gas-blower ban, no separate decibel cap, and no dedicated time-of-day rule for yard equipment. Leaf blowers are governed only by the general public-nuisance standard in SMC 8.15.020, which bars loud and raucous noise that unreasonably interferes with neighboring residential use.

Sammamish regulates amplified sound through SMC 8.15.020. Audio equipment - radios, speakers, players, whether portable or fixed - operated loud enough to be audible more than 75 feet from the source is a public nuisance. Vehicle public-address and audio systems audible beyond 75 feet are likewise prohibited. Scheduled park/stadium events and permitted festivals and parades are exempt.

Sammamish's SMC 8.15.020 makes frequent, repetitive, or continuous engine noise from starting, operating, repairing, or testing motor vehicles a public nuisance, along with repeated horn or siren sounding and vehicle audio audible beyond 75 feet. On public highways, Washington state law controls: RCW 46.37.390 requires working mufflers and bans amplified exhaust, and WAC 173-62 sets dBA limits.

Sammamish's own noise code sets no decibel limits. SMC 8.15.020 is a nuisance ordinance using "unreasonably disturbs" and a 75-foot audibility test, not dBA readings. Numeric decibel standards come from Washington state: WAC 173-60-040 caps residential (Class A EDNA) noise at 55 dBA, reduced to 45 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Outdoor music in Sammamish is controlled by SMC 8.15.020's 75-foot audibility rule and the loud-and-raucous nuisance standard. Audio equipment audible more than 75 feet from the source is a public nuisance. Regularly scheduled park or stadium events, community festivals, and permitted parades are expressly exempt, so private outdoor parties face the limit while sanctioned events do not.

Sammamish is a largely residential city without heavy industry, and SMC 8.15 sets no industrial decibel standard. Industrial/commercial noise affecting homes is governed primarily by Washington's WAC 173-60-040 EDNA limits: 60 dBA from an industrial source to a residential property, dropping to 50 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The general SMC 8.15.020 nuisance rule also applies.

Sammamish cannot regulate aircraft noise - federal law preempts it. The FAA and the federal Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 control aircraft operations, curfews, and flight paths, leaving cities no authority to set airplane noise rules. Sammamish's own ordinance even excludes airplanes from its engine-noise nuisance provision (SMC 8.15.020.A).

Sammamish has no dedicated short-term rental permit or licensing chapter in its municipal code. Operators are governed by general residential zoning (SMC Titles 21A/21B), a citywide business license, and Washington's statewide short-term rental law, RCW Chapter 64.37, rather than a standalone STR permit.

Sammamish has no STR-specific registration program, but operators generally need a city business license endorsement, and short-term rental platforms must register with the Washington Department of Revenue under RCW 64.37.040. The controlling registration is state and business-license based, not a dedicated STR registry.

Short-term stays under 30 days in Sammamish are taxable transient lodging. Operators owe Washington retail sales tax and retailing B&O tax, plus King County lodging and convention/trade center taxes. The only city fee is the $15.00 annual business license. State law requires operators or platforms to remit all applicable taxes.

Sammamish sets no STR-specific guest cap in its code. Washington State law, RCW 64.37.030, requires every short-term rental to post a maximum occupancy limit inside the unit. Underlying residential building and zoning standards (SMC Titles 21A/21B) determine the practical limit; the posted occupancy must be honored.

Sammamish has no STR-specific parking standard. Guest parking is governed by the city's general residential zoning and parking provisions in SMC Title 21A and by neighborhood street-parking rules. State STR law (RCW 64.37) imposes no parking mandate, so the practical rules come from residential parking and right-of-way standards.

Short-term rental guests in Sammamish are subject to the city's public disturbance noise code (SMC Chapter 8.15). The city does not enforce general noise itself; it directs residents to call the Sammamish Police non-emergency line at (206) 296-3311. There is no STR-specific noise provision.

Sammamish imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. Neither the municipal code nor Washington's RCW 64.37 limits hosting to a host's primary home, so both owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed subject to zoning, business licensing, and state safety and tax duties.

Sammamish does not require a host to be present during stays. Unhosted, whole-home rentals are allowed. Washington's RCW 64.37.030 requires only that the operator provide guest contact information for someone available to respond at the rental during the stay, not that the host physically stay on site.

Sammamish sets no annual night cap on short-term rentals. The only night-based threshold is the state definition: a stay of fewer than 30 consecutive nights is a short-term rental under RCW 64.37.010. There is no published limit on how many nights per year a property may be rented.

Washington law requires every short-term rental operator to maintain primary liability insurance of at least $1,000,000, or to book only through a platform providing equal or greater coverage (RCW 64.37.050). Sammamish adds no separate insurance rule, but the statewide $1 million minimum applies to all Sammamish hosts.

Sammamish bans all consumer fireworks. The sale, discharge, and possession of personal fireworks are prohibited citywide under SMC Chapter 8.10. Only permitted public displays are allowed. Illegal discharge carries escalating fines starting at $1,000 for a first violation.

Recreational fires in pits, rings, or chimineas are allowed in Sammamish but limited to 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet and must be at least 25 feet from structures and combustibles. Only charcoal or seasoned natural wood may be burned, and fires are banned during burn bans.

Burning yard waste and land-clearing debris is prohibited in Sammamish, which lies within the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's urbanized no-burn area. Only small recreational fires using charcoal or dried wood are allowed. Burn barrels and trash burning are always illegal.

Sammamish has no mandatory defensible-space ordinance, but the city and Eastside Fire & Rescue recommend wildfire mitigation: clear flammable material from around the home, keep gutters and roofs free of debris, and screen vents. The city's tree regulations still apply when clearing vegetation.

Backyard recreational fires are allowed in Sammamish but limited to 3 ft by 3 ft by 2 ft, at least 25 feet from structures, burning only charcoal or seasoned wood, and always attended. They are banned during burn bans and during Eastside Fire's June 15-September 30 seasonal moratorium.

Sammamish adopts the 2021 Washington State Residential and Fire Codes (SMC 16.05). Smoke alarms are required in each sleeping room, outside sleeping areas, and on every level, with interconnection and battery backup. Carbon monoxide alarms are required where fuel-fired appliances are present.

Propane storage in Sammamish is governed by the 2021 Washington State Fire Code, adopted under SMC 16.05.130. Small consumer cylinders for grills are allowed, but larger LP-gas containers and commercial storage are regulated, and Eastside Fire & Rescue enforces fire-code limits.

Parts of Sammamish lie within the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), and a large share of King County's WUI is in Eastside Fire & Rescue's service area. There is currently no mandatory state WUI building code in effect; the city provides wildfire-mitigation guidance and home assessments.

Sammamish has no special RV/boat dimensional ban on residential streets; recreational vehicles, boats and trailers are governed by the citywide 72-hour street limit. In city parks, trailers, campers and boat trailers may park only in designated areas, and overnight boat mooring requires the Parks Director's permission.

Sammamish allows on-street parking but caps it at 72 consecutive hours under SMC 46.30.060. Unlicensed vehicles in the right-of-way are banned, bike lanes are off-limits, and state stopping/standing prohibitions in RCW 46.61.570 and 46.61.575 are adopted by reference through SMC 46.30.070.

Sammamish does not have a blanket overnight on-street parking ban. Vehicles may park overnight on residential streets subject only to the 72-hour limit (SMC 46.30.060), the unlicensed-vehicle rule, and posted restrictions. Overnight parking and mooring in city parks is restricted to designated areas with Director permission.

Sammamish has no dedicated commercial-vehicle street ordinance with size or weight thresholds. Commercial trucks and trailers parked on streets are governed by the 72-hour limit, the unlicensed-vehicle rule, and state stopping rules. Off-street truck loading and service areas are regulated by the Sammamish Development Code.

A vehicle left on a Sammamish street more than 72 hours can be classed as abandoned, tagged, and impounded if not removed within 24 hours of marking. The city follows SMC 46.05.010, SMC 46.30.060 and Washington's abandoned-vehicle statute RCW 46.55.085.

Sammamish regulates driveways mainly through its Development Code: driveway lanes are capped at 11 feet per entry/exit lane and must follow public-works standards. On-street, vehicles may not block a driveway, and parking near driveway curb radii is restricted by RCW 46.61.570, adopted through SMC 46.30.070.

Sammamish does not define an 'oversized vehicle' or impose length, height or weight street limits. Large motorhomes and trucks are controlled by the 72-hour rule (SMC 46.30.060), the unlicensed-vehicle ban, and state stopping rules. A resident push for a chronic-RV restriction led to tighter general enforcement, not a size ordinance.

Sammamish has no city-specific EV charging parking ordinance. Charging-station parking is governed by Washington state law: RCW 46.08.185 makes it a $124 parking infraction to occupy a publicly available EV charging space without being connected to the charger, and requires posted signage.

Sammamish has no separate municipal-code chapter creating timed on-street loading zones; loading and service areas are regulated through the Development Code (21.07.080), which requires off-street commercial loading areas at the rear of buildings. On-street loading follows RCW 46.61.570/46.61.575 adopted via SMC 46.30.070.

Sammamish does not have a colored-curb code; parking restrictions rely on signs and the state stopping rules adopted in SMC 46.30.070 (no parking within 15 ft of a hydrant or 20 ft of a crosswalk). A distinctive local rule, SMC 46.30.080, bars parking within five feet of mailboxes during posted hours.

Sammamish caps residential fences at 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with a lower 3.5-foot limit inside the sight-distance triangle at corners. Fences up to 8 feet may be approved with a permit and a recorded neighbor agreement.

Standard fences within Sammamish's height limits (4 feet front, 6 feet side/rear) generally do not need a building permit, but a fence taller than 6 feet, or any fence reaching the 8-foot maximum by exception, requires a Type I Construction Permit and a recorded neighbor agreement.

Sammamish does not set a general shared-cost rule for boundary fences, but its code makes neighbor cooperation mandatory for tall fences: a fence over 6 feet (up to 8 feet) on a shared side or rear lot line requires a recorded agreement, including a maintenance agreement, with the adjoining owner.

In Sammamish, a fence on top of a rockery, retaining wall, or berm is limited so the fence portion does not exceed 6 feet measured from the top of the wall, and the combined fence-plus-wall height is capped (10 feet in lower-density residential zones). Separate engineering and permits apply to the wall itself.

Sammamish defines a fence as a barrier that encloses space or separates lots, made of materials such as stone, brick, concrete block, wood, metal, mesh, or rails. Hedges and vegetation are not fences. Fences must respect height limits, the corner sight-distance triangle, and special shoreline and critical-area rules.

Sammamish prohibits barbed wire and razor wire fences in residential zones (R-4 through R-18) except where needed for security at a non-residential use. Electric fences may be installed only as complete, factory-assembled units certified by an approved testing agency.

Sammamish allows a wide range of fence materials including stone, brick, concrete block, wood, metal, mesh, rails, and composites. There is no general aesthetic material mandate for residential fences, but barbed wire, razor wire, and non-certified electric fences are barred in residential zones.

In Sammamish parks, dogs must be leashed (no longer than 16 feet) except in designated off-leash areas. The city also adopts King County's animal code, which treats a dog 'at large' off the owner's premises as a public nuisance. Beaver Lake Park has an official off-leash dog area.

Sammamish allows backyard hens under its zoning code (SMC 21A.65.020, Animal regulations - Small animals). Reported limits are about 3 hens on lots under half an acre, with density tied to coop size on larger lots, and structures housing animals set back at least 10 feet from property lines. No city permit is reported for small numbers.

No Sammamish-specific breed ban (such as a pit bull ban) was found in the city code or its adopted King County animal code. Washington state law (RCW 16.08.110) limits breed-specific dog laws and requires any breed-based regulation to include a good-behavior exemption. Dangerous-dog rules apply by conduct, not breed.

No Sammamish-specific beekeeping ordinance was found in the city code, and a statewide survey of Washington beekeeping ordinances did not list Sammamish or unincorporated King County. Backyard beekeeping is governed mainly by Washington state law: hives must use movable frames and beekeepers must register apiaries with the state Department of Agriculture under RCW 15.60.

Through its adoption of King County Code Title 11 (SMC 11.05), Sammamish prohibits harboring exotic animals such as dangerous snakes, nonhuman primates, bears, non-domesticated cats and dogs (including wolf hybrids), and crocodilians, unless an exception under RCW 16.30.020 applies. Such animals are subject to impoundment.

Keeping livestock and large animals (horses, cattle, goats) in Sammamish is governed by the city's zoning code (SMC Title 21A) on a lot-size basis, carried over from King County's framework. Letting livestock run at large is prohibited under the adopted King County animal code, which designates the area as a stock-restricted area.

Sammamish has no flat household pet cap of its own. Through its adopted King County code, four or more dogs or cats at a residence triggers a hobby kennel or cattery license, with the total tied to lot size (up to 5 on mid-size lots, capped at 20 on large acreage, no more than 3 unaltered).

Cats in Sammamish are covered by the adopted King County code (SMC 11.05): cats eight weeks and older must be licensed with Regional Animal Services, keeping four or more cats requires a hobby cattery license, and non-juvenile cats must generally be spayed or neutered. There is no citywide cat leash or indoor-only mandate.

No standalone Sammamish ordinance banning the feeding of wildlife was located. The adopted King County animal code prohibits leaving food out in ways that create a public nuisance, and the city's park rules restrict feeding within parks. Black bears and other wildlife occur locally, so attracting wildlife can trigger nuisance enforcement.

Sammamish addresses animal hoarding through the cruelty, neglect, and care provisions of the adopted King County code (SMC 11.05). Owners must provide adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care; serious violations are misdemeanors, and a violator can be barred from owning or residing with animals for up to two years.

Rainwater harvesting is legal in Sammamish and across Washington. Under a 2009 Washington Department of Ecology policy, collecting rooftop rainwater for on-site use does not require a water-right permit. The city actively encourages stormwater reuse and low-impact development. Larger cisterns or systems tied to plumbing may still need a building or plumbing permit.

Sammamish encourages native and drought-tolerant landscaping and requires it in certain contexts. The landscaping code (SDC 21.07.070) calls for drought-tolerant species in bioretention and living-roof landscaping and bars King County noxious-weed-list plants. Tree replacement plantings must be primarily native Washington species. Critical-area restoration also emphasizes native plantings.

Artificial turf is allowed in Sammamish and counts as 'yard area' for landscaping purposes. However, the city's surface water rules (based on the King County Surface Water Design Manual and Sammamish's addendum) classify artificial turf as an impervious, pollution-generating surface for stormwater modeling. Turf without an underdrain is treated as impervious, which can affect drainage review on larger projects.

Sammamish does not prohibit backyard composting, and curbside yard waste/compost collection is available citywide. Curbside garbage, recycling, and yard-waste/compost service is provided by Republic Services, and yard and food waste collected in King County is processed at Cedar Grove. King County offers backyard composting resources. Compost piles must not create a nuisance or rodent harborage.

Sammamish does not publish a specific maximum lawn or grass height in its Municipal Code. The Sammamish Building and Property Maintenance Code (SMC 16.25.200, Exterior property areas) requires all exterior property and premises to be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. Code violations are declared public nuisances under SMC 23.30.010 and enforced through the city's code compliance process.

In Sammamish, heavy pruning of a significant tree is regulated like removal. The tree standards (SDC 21.03.060) treat pruning that removes more than one-third of a tree's branches as equivalent to removal, requiring a tree removal permit. Tree topping is discouraged by the Urban Forest Management Program. Right-of-way street trees need a Right-of-Way permit.

Sammamish has strong tree-retention rules. Removing a 'significant tree' (coniferous 8 inches DBH or larger, deciduous 12 inches DBH or larger) requires a tree removal permit under SDC 21.03.060. Annual and 10-year removal limits scale with lot size. Removed significant trees must be replaced, and unlawful removal carries a civil penalty of $1,500 per inch of trunk diameter (SMC 23.100.010).

Sammamish does not set a numeric weed-height limit, but its landscaping standards (SDC 21.07.070) prohibit any plant on the King County noxious weed list across required landscape types. Overgrown or hazardous vegetation can be addressed as a public nuisance under SMC 23.30.010. King County's Noxious Weed Control Board independently requires control of regulated noxious weeds countywide.

The City of Sammamish runs no water utility and imposes no mandatory citywide watering restrictions. Water comes from special-purpose districts — chiefly Sammamish Plateau Water. Their current guidance is voluntary conservation: water two or three times a week, before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Mandatory limits would come from the water district or a state drought declaration.

Sammamish allows home businesses in residential zones under SMC 21A.65.050. A Type 1 home business (no odors, no visible/audible activity) is permitted outright; a Type 2 business with limited odors or some visible activity requires a Conditional Use Permit. The business area is limited to 50% of the dwelling, with no more than three nonresident employees per property.

Sammamish home businesses may have one sign — freestanding, wall, monument, or A-frame — with a maximum area of 6 square feet, under SMC 21A.45.060. A Sign Permit Application is required. The single-sign, 6-square-foot limit keeps home-business signage consistent with residential neighborhood character.

A Type 1 home business in Sammamish needs no special land use permit but must meet SMC 21A.65.050 standards; a Type 2 business requires a Conditional Use Permit. Separately, every business operating in Sammamish — including home occupations — must hold a City business license obtained through Washington's joint Business License Service.

A home daycare is allowed as a home business in Sammamish, but rules vary by zone (R-4 vs R-12). A Daycare I (up to 12 adults or children in any 24-hour period) is permitted, while a Daycare II (more than 12) requires a Conditional Use Permit. Providers must also obtain a Washington DCYF family home child care license.

Sammamish defers to Washington's cottage food law. To sell homemade food, you need a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Cottage Food Operation Permit (RCW 69.22; WAC 16-149), which allows up to $35,000 in annual sales of approved non-hazardous foods. Larger food operations require a commercial kitchen, a City building permit, and King County Health Department approval.

Building permits are required for most residential pool installations in Sammamish. The City has adopted the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) at SMC 16.05.157 and the 2021 Washington State Residential Code at SMC 16.05.080. Permits are applied for online through MyBuildingPermit.com. Small prefabricated above-ground pools under 24 inches deep and 5,000 gallons are exempt.

Under the Sammamish Building and Property Maintenance Code (SMC Chapter 16.25), private swimming pools, hot tubs and spas containing water more than 36 inches deep must be completely surrounded by a fence or barrier at least 48 inches high, with openings too small to pass a 4-inch sphere and self-closing, self-latching gates. New-construction barriers must also meet the 2021 ISPSC.

Sammamish enforces statewide pool safety rules through the adopted 2021 ISPSC (SMC 16.05.157) and SMC Chapter 16.25. Requirements include perimeter barriers, self-latching gates, door/window alarms or powered safety covers for walls formed by the house, anti-entrapment suction outlets with dual drains, and required handholds and entry/exit means in pools.

Small prefabricated above-ground pools under 24 inches deep, holding 5,000 gallons or less and installed entirely above ground, are exempt from building permits in Sammamish. Larger above-ground pools need permits and must meet the adopted 2021 ISPSC barrier rules. Where the pool wall is the barrier, it must be 48 inches high and the ladder must be removable or lockable.

Hot tubs and spas in Sammamish fall under the adopted 2021 ISPSC (SMC 16.05.157) and SMC Chapter 16.25. A spa or hot tub holding water more than 36 inches deep needs a 48-inch barrier, but a spa or hot tub with an approved locking safety cover (ASTM F1346) is exempt from the fence requirement. Electrical and gas connections require permits.

Sammamish permits up to two ADUs on lots with a detached single-family home. A detached ADU may be up to 1,000 sq ft; an attached ADU up to 50% of the house or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is larger. No extra parking is required if the lot already has four or more spaces.

Sammamish does not require a building permit for a storage shed that is no more than 200 sq ft and no more than 12 ft tall, on a site free of critical areas. Larger sheds need a permit, and all sheds must meet zone-based setbacks (front 10-20 ft, rear and side 5-10 ft).

Converting a garage into living space in Sammamish generally creates an attached ADU, which the city allows. An attached ADU may be up to 50% of the home's size or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is larger. Permits are required, and any new parking demand is evaluated under the ADU parking rules.

Carports are treated as residential accessory structures in Sammamish. A simple storage structure of 200 sq ft or less and 12 ft or less may be permit-exempt, but most carports need a permit and must meet zone-based setbacks (front 10-20 ft, rear and side 5-10 ft) and height limits.

Sammamish has no separate tiny-home ordinance. A permanent tiny house on a foundation is treated as a detached ADU, capped at 1,000 sq ft, and the city allows up to two ADUs per single-family lot. Movable tiny houses on wheels are not recognized as permanent dwellings.

Propane and charcoal barbecue grills are allowed in Sammamish and, as manufactured cooking devices, do not require a burn permit. Grilling is governed by the adopted 2021 Washington State Fire Code, which restricts open-flame grills near combustible multifamily buildings.

Charcoal, propane, pellet, and wood smokers are allowed in Sammamish as manufactured cooking devices and do not require a burn permit. Smokers must use charcoal or seasoned wood, be attended, and not create a smoke nuisance for neighbors. Gas/propane cooking generally continues during air-quality bans.

Sammamish regulates political signs content-neutrally as non-commercial temporary signs. On private property a sign may be up to 32 sq ft and 8 ft tall for up to 180 days. In the right-of-way, a non-A-frame sign may be up to 4 sq ft and 3 ft tall for up to 180 days.

Sammamish does not have a separate garage-sale-sign rule. Directional or event signs are handled under the general temporary-sign provisions. A small A-frame sign in the right-of-way may be up to 6 sq ft and 3.5 ft tall for only 5 consecutive days, and signs may not block sidewalks, travel lanes, or sight distance.

Sammamish controls blighted property through its Building and Property Maintenance Code (SMC Chapter 16.25) and the civil code compliance system in SMC Title 23. Exterior property must be kept clean, safe and sanitary, vacant land must not cause a blighting problem, and all code violations are declared public nuisances under SMC 23.30.010.

Sammamish requires vacant land and vacant structures to be kept clean, safe, secure and sanitary under SMC 16.25.195(3), so they do not cause a blighting problem. Premises must be graded to prevent stagnant water (SMC 16.25.200(2)). The City may order a vacant, unfit structure closed and placarded under SMC 16.25.155.

Garage sales are explicitly allowed in Sammamish without a business license. SMC 5.05.030(4)(c) exempts 'casual and isolated sales, including garage sales conducted on residential premises,' provided no more than four such sales are held per calendar year. No permit fee or city license is required for a compliant residential garage sale.

Under SMC 16.25.225, Sammamish requires every dwelling to have an approved leakproof, covered outside garbage container, and rubbish must be kept in approved covered containers. Property must be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage. Discarded refrigerators and similar appliances are defined as an attractive nuisance and may not be stored outside.

Sammamish's Building and Property Maintenance Code (SMC 16.25.200) requires exterior property to be kept clean, safe and sanitary, but it does NOT set a numeric grass or weed height limit. There is no specific 'mow your lawn' inch threshold in the SMC. King County noxious weeds are regulated separately under state law (Chapter 17.10 RCW).

Sammamish requires outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded and pointed downward, and caps outdoor lighting at 5.0 lumens per square foot of hardscape outside the building. Limited accent and overhang lighting is allowed within stated lumen caps.

Sammamish requires outdoor light fixtures to be fully shielded, pointed downward, and maintained so they cause minimal or no light trespass onto adjacent properties. Outdoor lighting is also capped at 5.0 lumens per square foot of hardscape.

Curbside recycling is provided to all Sammamish customers through the contracted hauler, and recyclables must be 'empty, clean, and dry.' Accepted materials include standard recyclables plus milk cartons. There is no city recycling-mandate ordinance; service follows the hauler contract and King County's Re+ landfill-diversion approach.

Sammamish has no local mandatory-organics ordinance, but weekly food and yard waste (compost) collection is already included in the garbage rate. Washington's 2022 Organics Management Law (HB 1799, codified in Chapter 70A.205 RCW) drives the requirements: large businesses must manage organics now, and residential organics collection must be available by April 1, 2027 and becomes mandatory April 1, 2030.

Sammamish contracts curbside collection to private haulers — Republic Services serves most of the city and WM (Waste Management) serves some annexed neighborhoods. Garbage, recycling and weekly compost/yard-and-food-waste are collected on a set weekly day; compost service is included in the garbage rate. There is no city collection ordinance — service is set by the hauler contract.

Sammamish has no municipal-code rule on where or when to set out collection carts; placement follows the contracted hauler's guidelines. The City's guidance is simply to 'place your carts at the curb at the same time and place you have been.' Off-collection days, the property maintenance code requires approved covered containers and bars rubbish accumulation (SMC 16.25.225).

Sammamish does not regulate bulky-item disposal by ordinance; large items, extra garbage and special materials are handled through the contracted hauler. As of January 1, 2024, residents can schedule free curbside collection of batteries, small appliances, scrap metal, fluorescent tubes/bulbs, household items and rigid plastics by contacting Republic Services at (206) 777-6441.

Sammamish parks, open spaces, trails, and marine areas are open from dawn to 30 minutes after sunset. No one may enter or remain during hours of closure except for authorized events. Parking-lot gates open at 8 a.m. and close 30 minutes after sunset.

Sammamish uses dynamic single-family setbacks that grow with house size. A house under 2,500 square feet needs about a 15-foot front, 5-foot side, and 15-foot average rear setback, while larger homes require deeper setbacks. Lots on arterial streets need a 30-foot front setback.

Sammamish limits residential building height to 35 feet in the R-1 through R-8 zones (with a 24-foot sidewall limit in R-4) and 60 feet in R-12 and R-18. Height is measured from average existing grade, and certain rooftop features may extend above the limit.

Sammamish limits how much of a residential lot can be covered by buildings and hard surfaces. Maximum building lot coverage is about 40% in R-4 and 50% in R-6, and maximum impervious surface ranges from 30% in R-1 up to 85% in R-12 and R-18, with special rules for large lots.

Sammamish requires a tree removal permit to remove any 'significant tree' — a conifer 8 inches DBH or larger or a deciduous tree 12 inches DBH or larger — under SDC 21.03.060. Applications are screened within two business days and reviewed within five. Public right-of-way trees need a Right-of-Way permit. Removing a protected tree without a permit costs $1,500 per inch of trunk diameter.