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Kennewick has not codified a dedicated short-term rental licensing chapter in the Kennewick Municipal Code. STR operators are subject to the statewide Washington Short-Term Rental Operations Act, RCW Chapter 64.37 (enacted 2019), which requires platform-collected operator contact information, posted safety information, and a primary contact reachable during a stay, plus the standard Kennewick business license required of any business operating within city limits. Zoning use must be confirmed under KMC Title 18.
Kennewick has not codified short-term-rental-specific quiet hours or party-house provisions. STR guests are subject to the city's general public-disturbance noise rules in the Kennewick Municipal Code and to the statewide Washington noise standards in RCW Chapter 70.107 and WAC Chapter 173-60. Nighttime maximum environmental noise levels in residential zones drop by 10 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under WAC 173-60-040. Active disturbances are handled by Kennewick Police; pattern complaints by Code Enforcement.
Short-term rentals in Kennewick collect the combined Washington state and local sales tax on lodging under RCW 82.08.0291 (the standard retail sales tax applies to stays of fewer than 30 nights), plus the Benton County hotel/motel tax authorized by RCW 67.28.180. The Washington Department of Revenue administers both the state and local-option components through the Combined Excise Tax Return. Stays of 30 or more continuous nights are exempt as non-transient under WAC 458-20-166.
Kennewick has not codified a short-term-rental-specific parking standard. Off-street parking for a residential dwelling used as an STR is governed by the base-zone parking standards in the Kennewick Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning). On-street parking is subject to the general parking rules in KMC Title 10 (Vehicles and Traffic), including standard restrictions on parking against traffic flow, blocking driveways, and posted time limits in commercial areas. Recreational-vehicle and oversize-vehicle parking limits in KMC Title 10 also apply.
Kennewick has not codified a short-term-rental-specific occupancy cap. Occupancy is governed by the Washington State Building Code, which adopts the International Residential Code (IRC) under WAC Chapter 51-51 and the International Property Maintenance Code provisions through WAC Chapter 51-50. Standard area-per-occupant rules apply: every habitable room must contain at least 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 square feet for each additional occupant. KMC Title 18 base-zone use classifications also apply.
RCW 64.37.040, part of the statewide Washington Short-Term Rental Operations Act enacted in 2019, requires every short-term rental operator in the state, including those operating in Kennewick, to maintain primary liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence covering the short-term rental, or to operate exclusively through a booking platform that provides equivalent coverage. The requirement attaches to every transient rental of fewer than 30 nights. Kennewick has not layered any additional local insurance requirement on top of the statewide minimum.
Kennewick Municipal Code 18.12.040 permits chickens (hens only, no roosters) along with dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, fowl, and pigeons in R, HMU, and UMU zoning districts. The cap is three of any one kind and a combined total of six small animals per residential parcel.
Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 8.02 prohibits dogs from running at large. Off the owner's premises, a dog must be at heel or restrained by a leash not exceeding eight feet, held by the owner or a competent person. Tri-City Animal Services enforces and impounds at-large dogs.
The City of Kennewick repealed its breed-specific legislation in November 2019, removing the automatic potentially-dangerous designation for pit bulls, Staffordshire terriers, and similar breeds. Dogs now qualify as dangerous or potentially dangerous only based on actual behavior under KMC 8.02. Washington State has no statewide BSL preemption.
Washington RCW 16.30 (Dangerous Wild Animals Act, effective July 22, 2007) prohibits ownership, possession, breeding, and import of potentially dangerous wild animals including big cats, bears, wolves, primates, crocodilians, and venomous snakes. Kennewick defers to RCW 16.30 and has no separate local exotic-pet ordinance.
Animal hoarding in Kennewick is prosecuted under Washington RCW 16.52 (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). First-degree cruelty is a Class C felony; second-degree cruelty, which reaches neglect typical of hoarding, is a misdemeanor. KMC 18.12.040 also caps small animals at three per kind and six total per residential parcel.
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife rules effective May 17, 2025 prohibit feeding deer, elk, and moose statewide to slow chronic wasting disease. RCW 77.15.790 and RCW 77.15.160 establish infractions for intentional feeding. Kennewick has no separate wildlife-feeding ordinance and defers to state law and WDFW Region 3 enforcement.
Kennewick Municipal Code 18.12.040 caps small animals at three of any one kind and a combined total of six per residential parcel in R, HMU, and UMU districts. The cap covers dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, fowl, pigeons, and hens. Roosters are prohibited. Additional animals require a Land Use Permit.
Kennewick has no dedicated beekeeping ordinance. Apiculture is generally permissible as an accessory residential use subject to nuisance rules in KMC 18.12.040. Washington RCW 15.60 requires every beekeeper, regardless of hive count, to register annually with the Washington State Department of Agriculture by April 1.
Kennewick has no native-plant mandate or No Mow May exemption. The KMC 9.48.010(4) twelve-inch Weed Hazard rule still applies, but irrigated, living natives generally fall outside the rule because the trigger covers dead or unirrigated vegetation.
Kennewick Municipal Code 9.48.010(4) defines a Weed Hazard as grasses, weeds, or other vegetation that have grown and died or that are not irrigated and exceed twelve inches in length. Maintaining a Weed Hazard is declared a public nuisance.
Kennewick requires adjacent property owners to trim vegetation that obstructs traffic signs, signals, intersections, or the public right-of-way. The city's sight-obstruction guidance places the duty on the abutting owner, backed by KMC 9.48 nuisance authority and RCW 7.48 public-nuisance law.
Most outdoor irrigation in Kennewick runs on Kennewick Irrigation District water, not city potable water. KID activates a mandatory address-based watering schedule during declared droughts under its junior Yakima River water rights, which are governed by RCW 90.03.
Inside the city, weed control sits in KMC 9.48 with the 12-inch Weed Hazard rule. Layered on top, RCW 17.10 (the Washington State Noxious Weed Law) gives the Benton County Noxious Weed Control Board authority to order eradication of state-listed Class A, B, and C weeds.
Kennewick does not require a city permit to remove a tree on private property, with three exceptions: trees in the public right-of-way, trees inside an approved KMC 18.21 landscape plan for development, and trees inside a critical area under KMC 18.58.
Backyard composting for household use is allowed in Kennewick and is not separately permitted in the municipal code. Larger composting facilities are regulated by WAC 173-350 (state solid waste) and WAC 296-301 (workplace safety). Open burning of yard waste is permanently banned citywide.
Washington law expressly permits rooftop rainwater collection for onsite use without a water right permit, preempting any municipal prohibition on basic harvesting.
Residential pool fencing in Kennewick must meet IBC Appendix G and ISPSC Section 305 as adopted into the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-50, and enforced locally through KMC Chapter 15.44. A 48-inch minimum barrier, self-closing/self-latching gates opening away from the pool, no climbable horizontal members on the outside, and house-wall openings protected by an alarm or self-closing device are all required.
All swimming pools in Kennewick - in-ground, above-ground, and storable pools capable of holding water 24 inches or deeper - require a building permit under Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 15.44 and the Washington State Building Code (WAC 51-50). The permit covers electrical bonding under NEC Article 680, barrier compliance under IBC Appendix G, setbacks under KMC Chapter 18.27, and final inspection.
Pool safety in Kennewick is governed by a layered set of standards: the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (15 USC 8003) for anti-entrapment drain covers on public pools and spas; Washington's water recreation facility rules at WAC 246-260 under RCW 70.90 for public/semi-public pools; NEC Article 680 and WAC 296-46B-680 for electrical bonding and GFCI; and IBC Appendix G / ISPSC via WAC 51-50 for residential barriers and door alarms.
Washington WAC 246-260 regulates public spas and hot tubs at hotels, apartments, gyms, and HOAs, requiring permits, water testing, temperature limits, and posted bather safety warnings under RCW 70.90 statewide.
Under Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 (Accessory Buildings, Structures and Uses), fences in residential zones are limited to 36 inches in a required front yard, 30 inches within a sight-distance triangle, and 6 feet above grade elsewhere on the site. Fences over 36 inches must be built with steel or pressure-treated wood posts, and over-height fences require a variance.
Pool barriers in Kennewick are governed by the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and IBC Appendix G, both adopted by reference in the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-50, and implemented locally through Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 15.44 (Swimming Pool Code). A residential pool barrier must be at least 48 inches high, climb-resistant, with self-closing/self-latching gates and openings small enough that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass.
Most residential fences six feet or less in height in Kennewick do not require a separate building permit under WAC 51-50 (the adopted Washington State Building Code, IBC Section 105.2 exemption), but all fences must comply with the zoning, sight-triangle, and material standards in Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27. Pool barriers and over-height fences do require a permit.
Boundary, partition-fence, and 'spite fence' disputes in Kennewick are governed by Washington State common law and statute, not the city zoning code. RCW Chapter 16.60 addresses livestock/partition fence cost-sharing in rural areas, and Washington recognizes the common-law spite-fence doctrine as a private nuisance. Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 sets height and location but does not resolve private boundary disputes.
Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.27 does not prescribe a closed list of permitted fence materials, but requires that all fences over 36 inches use steel or pressure-treated wood posts. Barbed wire, electric, and razor wire are generally prohibited in residential zones. Standard materials - wood, vinyl, aluminum, ornamental iron, chain link - are permitted subject to the height and 'good side out' rules.
Kennewick (Benton County, population approximately 84,000) is a Washington city subject to the state's 2023 ADU preemption statute, House Bill 1337 codified at RCW 36.70A.680 through RCW 36.70A.700. Because Kennewick exceeds the 25,000-population threshold and lies within a fully-planning GMA county (Benton County), it must permit two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) per lot in all areas zoned predominantly for residential use. Local detail is implemented through Title 18 of the Kennewick Municipal Code (Zoning), hosted on Code Publishing at https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Kennewick/.
Sheds in Kennewick are regulated through two layers: (1) Kennewick Municipal Code Title 18 (Zoning) setting accessory-structure dimensional standards by district — typically rear-yard location, district-specific setbacks, and a maximum height around 15 feet; and (2) the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-51, adopting the 2021 International Residential Code, which under IRC R105.2 exempts one-story detached accessory structures of 200 square feet or less from building permit requirements but does not waive zoning compliance. A zoning permit from the Kennewick Planning Division is generally still required even when a building permit is not.
Converting a Kennewick garage into habitable space requires both (1) zoning approval under KMC Title 18 for the change of use, since the converted area no longer functions as accessory parking and may trigger off-street parking minimums or ADU classification under HB 1337; and (2) a building permit under the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-51 (2021 IRC). Conversions must meet IRC Chapter 3 requirements for habitable space including R310 emergency escape and rescue openings, R305 ceiling height, R314 smoke alarms, and R315 carbon monoxide alarms. RCW 19.27.180 governs residential sprinkler requirements; one- and two-family dwellings are generally exempt from automatic sprinkler retrofit on conversion.
An ADU in Kennewick requires permits from two municipal tracks: a zoning clearance confirming the ADU complies with KMC Title 18 as updated for HB 1337 compliance, and a building permit under the Washington State Building Code at WAC 51-51. Because Washington HB 1337 (RCW 36.70A.681) preempts discretionary review for compliant ADUs, Kennewick must process most ADU applications ministerially within the time frames imposed by RCW 36.70B.080 (local project review). The Kennewick Planning Division and Building Division handle the application. The Kennewick Municipal Code is on Code Publishing at https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Kennewick/.
Washington HB 1337 at RCW 36.70A.696 caps impact fees for accessory dwelling units at 50 percent of the impact fee charged for an equivalent single-family residence. The underlying GMA impact-fee authority is at RCW 82.02.050 through 82.02.110, which authorizes counties, cities, and towns planning under the Growth Management Act to impose impact fees for public streets and roads, parks and recreation, schools, and fire protection. Kennewick (subject to the GMA in Benton County) may charge transportation, parks, and school impact fees through KMC and the local fee schedule, but all ADU fees are subject to the 50 percent statutory cap. School impact fees flow to the Kennewick School District under interlocal agreement.
Washington recognizes tiny houses on foundations under IRC Appendix Q and tiny houses on wheels as recreational vehicles under RCW 35.21.686.
Kennewick regulates home occupations through KMC Title 18 (Zoning) under authority of RCW 35A.63 (Planning and Zoning in Code Cities) and the Growth Management Act. Home occupations are typically permitted as accessory uses in residential districts subject to limits on the floor area devoted to the business, exterior changes to the dwelling, non-resident employees, customer traffic, signage, outdoor storage, and noise. Washington has no statewide home-occupation preemption statute, so the precise standards (often distinguishing Type 1 by-right and Type 2 conditional-use home occupations) are set by KMC Title 18. The Kennewick Municipal Code is on Code Publishing.
Signage for home occupations in Kennewick is governed by the sign regulations in KMC Title 18 (Zoning), typically a dedicated sign code chapter. Typical home-occupation rules in Washington cities limit on-premises signs to one non-illuminated wall sign of small area (commonly 1 to 2 square feet) identifying the business. Type 2 home occupations approved by conditional-use permit may receive modest additional signage rights subject to the Sign Code. All sign regulations must be content-neutral under Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 576 U.S. 155 (2015); Kennewick may regulate size, height, location, illumination, and duration but cannot impose different rules based on the message conveyed. The Kennewick Municipal Code is on Code Publishing.
Kennewick limits customer traffic to home occupations through KMC Title 18 to preserve residential character. Typical Washington city home-occupation rules cap daily customer visits (commonly 4 to 8 per day for Type 1 home occupations), restrict client hours (often roughly 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), require off-street parking for clients beyond a low threshold, and prohibit deliveries by tractor-trailer or other heavy commercial vehicles inconsistent with residential use. Type 2 home occupations with significant customer traffic require a conditional-use permit from the Hearing Examiner with attached conditions under RCW 35A.63.170 procedures. The Kennewick Municipal Code is on Code Publishing.
Washington's cottage food law allows home-based production of low-risk foods under a state permit administered by WSDA, with uniform statewide rules that municipalities cannot override.
Washington licenses family home child care providers through DCYF and preempts local zoning that would treat licensed home daycares as commercial uses requiring special permits.
Kennewick has not codified a single posted clock-hour quiet period. Instead, nighttime noise inside the city is controlled by the Washington Department of Ecology's environmental noise rule, WAC 173-60-040, which reduces the maximum permissible noise level at any Class A (residential) receiving property by 10 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The Kennewick Municipal Code's public-disturbance noise provisions, accessible through the Code Publishing portal, supply the local civil-infraction backstop.
Construction noise in Kennewick is exempt from the WAC 173-60 maximum environmental noise levels during daytime hours under WAC 173-60-050(4), but the exemption disappears between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. at any Class A (residential) receiving property. Outside that nighttime window, construction-equipment sound is also bounded by the Kennewick Municipal Code's general public-disturbance provisions and by site-specific conditions Kennewick may impose on a permit.
Persistent or habitual barking, howling, or other animal noise that disturbs the peace is regulated as a public-disturbance noise nuisance under the Kennewick Municipal Code's animal-control and public-peace chapters, accessible through the Code Publishing portal. Frequently repeated or continuous barking audible at the property line is a civil infraction; Kennewick Animal Control and Code Enforcement handle complaints and may require written complaints from multiple neighbors before pursuing a case.
Kennewick has not codified a gas leaf blower ban, a decibel cap specific to leaf blowers, or restricted hours of operation. Use is governed by the general public-disturbance noise provisions of the Kennewick Municipal Code and by the statewide WAC 173-60 environmental noise standards, which lower the maximum permissible noise level at any residential receiving property by 10 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
Amplified music in Kennewick is regulated under the Kennewick Municipal Code's public-disturbance noise provisions, which treat amplified sound that is plainly audible at a neighboring property line, or which exceeds the WAC 173-60-040 maximum environmental noise levels, as a civil infraction. The standard is content-neutral under Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), 576 U.S. 155, and applies equally to live bands, recorded music, public-address systems, and outdoor speakers at the Toyota Center entertainment district.
Tri-Cities Airport (KPSC) is operated by the Port of Pasco and sits across the Columbia River in Franklin County, not Kennewick. Aircraft noise in Kennewick is comprehensively exempt from local and state environmental noise regulation under WAC 173-60-050(2), which excludes sounds originating from aircraft in flight and from flight operations at airports. Federal law (49 U.S.C. 47501 et seq.) and FAA Part 150 (14 C.F.R. Part 150) place noise compatibility planning under federal control, and field operations at PSC are managed by the Port of Pasco.
Motor vehicle noise on Kennewick streets is governed by the statewide motor vehicle noise performance standards in WAC Chapter 173-62, which set in-use sound limits measured at 50 feet (72 dBA for autos/light trucks at 45 mph or less, 78 dBA for motorcycles at the same speed), and by RCW 46.37.390, which requires every motor vehicle to be equipped with a muffler in good working order and bars amplified or modified exhaust systems. The Kennewick Municipal Code's public-disturbance provisions also reach loud vehicle stereos audible at 50 feet.
Industrial-source noise crossing into Kennewick residential neighborhoods is capped by WAC 173-60-040 at 60 dBA during the day and 50 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. at any Class A (residential) receiving property. The cap applies to facilities along Kennewick's industrial corridors and to operations adjacent to residential subdivisions. The Department of Ecology under RCW 70A.20 supplies the enforcement framework; the Benton Clean Air Agency separately handles air emissions but not noise.
Recreational fires in Kennewick, WA (Benton County, population approximately 84,000) are regulated by the Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A, which adopts the 2021 International Fire Code) as enforced locally under Kennewick Municipal Code (KMC) Chapter 15.30 (Fire Prevention Code), together with the Benton Clean Air Agency (BCAA) outdoor-burning rules under WAC 173-425. BCAA limits a recreational fire inside Kennewick city limits to 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet tall, fueled only by dry, seasoned firewood, set back at least 50 feet from any structure, and continuously attended. A recreational fire may not be used to dispose of yard debris.
All consumer fireworks are banned within the City of Kennewick. The Washington State Fireworks Law at Chapter 70.77 RCW (the State Fireworks Act) authorizes cities under RCW 70.77.395 to adopt local ordinances more restrictive than the state baseline, and Kennewick has used that authority to prohibit the sale, possession, and discharge of consumer fireworks city-wide. Aerial and explosive fireworks are illegal throughout Washington under RCW 70.77.136 and RCW 70.77.401 regardless of local opt-in.
Kennewick regulates dried grasses, dead brush, and unmaintained vegetation through Kennewick Municipal Code (KMC) Chapter 9.48 (Weed Hazards), which declares any grass, weed, or vegetation that has grown and died or is unirrigated and exceeds 12 inches in length to be a public nuisance. KMC 9.44 (Substandard / Unfit Buildings) addresses fire-hazard vegetation on developed lots. Code Enforcement may issue a 20-day notice to abate weeds before pursuing civil or criminal infractions. The Eastern Washington shrub-steppe gives Kennewick moderate seasonal fire risk that drives summer enforcement.
Residential yard-debris burning is banned year-round inside Kennewick city limits. The Benton Clean Air Agency (BCAA) administers outdoor-burning rules under the Washington Clean Air Act (Chapter 70A.15 RCW) and WAC 173-425. Inside Kennewick (and the surrounding urban growth area), WAC 173-425-040 prohibits residential burning of leaves, grass, brush, garbage, and similar yard debris. Only recreational fires under IFC Section 307.4, gas barbecues, and approved tumbleweed burns (with a BCAA burn-line call) are allowed.
Kennewick sits in the Columbia Basin shrub-steppe of Eastern Washington, an environment of moderate wildfire risk. Washington has not adopted IFC Chapter 49 (Wildland-Urban Interface Areas) or California-style Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones statewide, and Kennewick has no city-designated WHSZ map. Wildfire policy comes from the Benton County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP, updated 2018 via WA DNR), Benton County Fire District No. 1 (which serves Kennewick), and DNR's statewide Wildfire Hazard and Risk Mapping under RCW 76.04. The annual Eastern Washington Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) and DNR burn restrictions drive the seasonal rules.
Propane (LP-gas) storage in Kennewick is regulated by the Washington State Fire Code (WAC 51-54A, adopting the 2021 IFC) and the Washington State Building Code's Fuel Gas Code (WAC 51-52, adopting the 2021 IFGC), as enforced locally under Kennewick Municipal Code (KMC) Chapter 15.30 (Fire Prevention Code) and KMC 15.08 (Building Code). IFC Chapter 61 references NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) for tank setbacks, and IFC Section 6109.13 caps residential aggregate LP-gas storage on Group R-3 lots at 500 pounds water capacity (approximately 125 gallons of propane).
RV, boat, camper, travel trailer and similar recreational vehicle storage in Kennewick residential districts is regulated by KMC 18.12.260 (Trailers, Boats, Camper Tops, Travel Trailers, Recreational Vehicles), which is referenced as an allowed accessory use only in the residential zones (RMH, RS, RL, RM, RH) per Table 18.12.010 A.1. On-street parking of any vehicle - including a recreational vehicle - is capped at 72 hours under Kennewick's parking rules administered by Kennewick Police; state law backs the on-street framework through RCW 46.61 (Rules of the Road) and RCW 46.55 (Towing and Impoundment).
Driveway construction and design in Kennewick is regulated by Chapter 18.36 KMC (Off-Street Parking). KMC 18.36.100 requires that the driveway to the primary parking structure in any residential zoning district be surfaced with asphalt or Portland cement binder pavement (or an alternative hard surface approved by the Planning Director); accessory-structure driveways may use a minimum three-inch compacted gravel. In C, UMU and I districts, driveways must be at least 28 feet from pedestrian crosswalks and at least 30 feet in width. Curb-cut work in the public right-of-way requires a permit from Kennewick Public Works.
Commercial vehicle on-street parking in Kennewick is subject to the City's 72-hour same-location cap and the Model Traffic Ordinance adopted at KMC Chapter 11.90, which incorporates RCW 46.61 (Rules of the Road) by reference. Off-street parking and on-lot storage of commercial vehicles is regulated by Chapter 18.36 KMC (Off-Street Parking), with use-specific requirements in KMC 18.36.060 - including 1 space per 300 gross square feet plus 2 per service bay for automobile/truck/RV/motorcycle service, painting and repair uses.
Abandoned vehicles in Kennewick are addressed through the City's 72-hour same-location parking cap (enforced by Kennewick Police) plus the statewide impound and junk-vehicle framework at RCW Chapter 46.55 (Towing and Impoundment). RCW 46.55.010 defines an abandoned vehicle and a junk vehicle (broken-down, scrapped or three or more years old with major missing or damaged components); RCW 46.55.230 authorizes cities to abate junk vehicles from private property. Reports go to Kennewick Police at 509-585-4208 or via the City's online reporting form.
On-street parking in Kennewick is regulated by KMC Title 11 (Vehicles and Traffic), with Chapter 11.90 (Model Traffic Ordinance) adopting RCW 46.61 (Rules of the Road) and related statutes by reference. The City of Kennewick caps any vehicle at 72 hours in a single location on a public street, enforced by the Kennewick Police Department. Boats, campers and trailers are subject to the same 72-hour rule. State law at RCW 46.55 (Towing and Impoundment) authorizes tow and impound for vehicles in violation.
Kennewick does not impose a blanket citywide overnight parking ban on passenger vehicles, but on-street overnight parking is subject to the City's 72-hour same-location cap (enforced by Kennewick Police) and the Model Traffic Ordinance at KMC Chapter 11.90, which adopts RCW 46.61 (Rules of the Road) by reference. Boats, campers and trailers are subject to the same 72-hour rule. Signed no-parking and snow / weather-emergency zones are enforced at any hour.
Washington has adopted a statewide EV-Ready / EV Charging Station mandate for new commercial buildings under WAC 51-50-0429 (Section 429, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure) - generally 10% of accessible parking spaces as EV Charging Stations plus an additional 10% as EV Ready, with a 40-amp 208/240-volt dedicated branch circuit per EV-Ready stall. The statewide requirement is authorized by RCW 19.27 / 19.27A and applies in Kennewick through the State Building Code. Local EVSE installations require an electrical permit from the Kennewick Permit Center.
Tobacco and vapor-product retailing in Kennewick is governed by Washington state law, not by a city-specific tobacco retail license. RCW Chapter 70.155 (Tobacco - Access to Minors) and RCW 70.345 (Vapor Products) set the statewide age threshold at 21 years (effective January 1, 2020, by SHB 1074, conforming with federal Tobacco 21) and require every retailer to hold a state-issued tobacco retailer's license through the Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service. Kennewick has not codified a parallel local tobacco retail license.
Pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers operating in Kennewick are regulated by the Washington Pawnbroker Act, codified at RCW Chapter 19.60. The Act requires daily reporting of all secondhand purchases and pledges to a law-enforcement-accessible system, photo identification of every seller, a holding period before resale (typically 30 days for pawned items), and recordkeeping. Kennewick has not codified a separate local secondhand-dealer ordinance; the city relies on the statewide framework, with daily transaction reports filed through Kennewick Police's chosen reporting system.
Food trucks operating in Kennewick must hold a mobile food unit (MFU) permit from the Benton-Franklin Health District under the Washington Retail Food Code, WAC Chapter 246-215, every food worker must hold a Washington State Food Worker Card from a recognized Washington Department of Health-approved course (WAC 246-217), and the operator must hold a Washington Business License covering Kennewick. Zoning and on-street vending location are controlled by KMC Title 18 and Title 5.
Kennewick licenses vehicle-based food businesses through Business Licensing and the Planning Department. A Stationary Vehicle-Based Food Business Permit is required for long-term sites under KMC Title 18. City-managed vending opportunities exist at Columbia Park (east end), Grange Park, Civic Center, Lawrence Scott Park, and Southridge Sports Complex.
Kennewick has no rent-control ordinance and is barred from adopting one. RCW 35.21.830 expressly preempts cities, towns, and counties from regulating the amount of rent charged for the rental of private residential property statewide.
Kennewick has not adopted a Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance like Seattle's RRIO. Landlords still need a Washington UBI business license through the Department of Revenue and a Kennewick business license under KMC Title 5, but no separate per-unit rental registration is required.
Security deposit rules in Kennewick are set by Washington statute. RCW 59.18.260 requires a written rental agreement, a written move-in checklist, and deposit of funds in a trust account at a Washington bank. RCW 59.18.280 requires return or itemized accounting within 30 days of the tenancy ending.
Kennewick has not adopted a periodic rental-inspection program under RCW 59.18.125. Rental conditions are inspected only on complaint through Code Enforcement against the city's adopted building, fire, and property-maintenance codes, and through state habitability duties under RCW 59.18.060.
Kennewick has no separate local just-cause ordinance, but Washington's statewide just-cause statute, RCW 59.18.650 (effective May 2021), already applies. A landlord may end a tenancy only for one of the enumerated causes, with the prescribed written notice, and may not arbitrarily refuse to renew.
For nonpayment of rent, a Washington landlord must serve a 14-day pay-or-vacate notice in the form set by RCW 59.18.057 before filing an unlawful detainer under RCW 59.12.030. Lease-violation terminations require a 10-day cure notice, and waste, nuisance, or unlawful activity requires only 3 days. Most evictions also require just cause under RCW 59.18.650.
RCW 59.18.060 requires Washington landlords to keep rentals 'fit for human habitation' — structurally sound, weathertight, with working plumbing, heat, hot water, electrical systems, pest control, and reasonable locks. After written notice, RCW 59.18.070 sets repair deadlines: 24 hours for lost heat, water, or electricity, 72 hours for major fixtures, 10 days otherwise.
RCW 59.18.150 requires a Washington landlord to give at least two days' written notice before entering to inspect, repair, or maintain the unit, and at least one day's notice to show it to prospective tenants or buyers. Entry must be at reasonable times; no advance notice is required only in a genuine emergency.
Under RCW 59.18.170, a Washington landlord may not charge any late fee on rent paid within five days of its due date; a fee may begin only once rent is more than five days past due. The statute sets no specific dollar cap, though some cities and counties impose stricter local limits.
Under RCW 59.18.200, a Washington tenant may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 20 days' written notice. A landlord, however, cannot end a periodic tenancy at will: RCW 59.18.650 requires 'just cause,' and most landlord-driven reasons (owner move-in, sale, demolition) demand 60 to 120 days' written notice.
Under RCW 59.18.140, a Washington landlord must give at least 90 days' prior written notice before raising rent (30 days for income-based subsidized housing). The 2025 Rent Stabilization Act (HB 1217) also caps annual increases statewide and bars any increase during the first 12 months of a tenancy.
Washington's general adverse possession period is 10 years under RCW 4.16.020, requiring possession that is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous. A shorter 7-year period applies under RCW 7.28.070 when the occupant holds under good-faith color of title and pays all taxes legally assessed on the land for those seven years.
Recreational drones in Kennewick are governed mostly by federal law. The FAA requires registration for drones over 0.55 lb, TRUST test passage, and flight under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 44809. Tri-Cities Airport (KPSC) controlled airspace requires LAANC authorization. Washington State Parks bans drone launch without a permit.
Commercial drone operations in Washington are governed by FAA Part 107, with state law adding criminal liability for invasive uses and limited authority over state-owned land.
Smoking in Kennewick is controlled mainly by the Washington Clean Indoor Air Act (RCW 70.160), which bans smoking in indoor public places and workplaces and within 25 feet of doors, windows, and air intakes. Kennewick park rules and KMC Title 10 add some outdoor restrictions.
Loud parties in Kennewick are addressed through two layers: the Kennewick Municipal Code's public-disturbance noise provisions (audibility-based civil infractions enforced by Kennewick Police) and the statewide disorderly conduct misdemeanor in RCW 9A.84.030. Hosts and tenants are typically responsible; landlords are not strictly liable but may face nuisance-property action on repeat patterns. Kennewick has not adopted a social-host alcohol liability ordinance separate from the statewide framework in RCW 66.44.270.
The City of Kennewick does not require a permit for a private yard or garage sale at a residence. Rummage sales (typically at churches or community organizations) require a $5 permit. Sales are prohibited from storage units, and signs may not be placed on public property.
Kennewick limits yard and garage sales at any single residence to two sales per calendar year, each lasting no more than five consecutive days. Signs are prohibited on public property and must be removed at the end of the sale. Sales from storage units are prohibited entirely.
Kennewick does not have a private-property tree removal permit chapter. Permits and approvals only apply to trees in the public right-of-way (KMC Title 5), trees inside an approved KMC 18.21 landscape plan, and trees in a KMC 18.58 critical area.
Kennewick does not have a heritage, landmark, or specimen tree ordinance. Tri-Cities urban forestry runs through the Mid-Columbia Community Forestry Council with Richland and Pasco, and tree protection in Kennewick comes through KMC 9.48 nuisance authority and KMC 18.21 landscape plans, not a size-based heritage code.
Kennewick has no city-wide replacement ratio for trees removed from private property. Replacement requirements are tied to KMC 18.21 (Landscaping) for new development — including planting density, species, and ongoing maintenance — and to ROW tree replacement coordinated with the city Engineering Division.
The City of Kennewick is a regulated small (Phase II) MS4 operator under the Washington State Department of Ecology's Eastern Washington Municipal Stormwater General Permit, issued under RCW 90.48 and 33 USC 1342 (federal Clean Water Act). Local stormwater and illicit-discharge rules are codified in Kennewick Municipal Code Title 14 (KMC Chapter 14.28) and applied to all discharges to the Columbia River, Yakima River, and irrigation district conveyances.
Kennewick participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforces a local Flood Damage Prevention chapter at Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 18.66, consistent with 44 CFR 60.3 and Washington's Critical Areas requirements under RCW 36.70A.060. FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps identify Special Flood Hazard Areas along the Columbia River, Yakima River, and several local drainages, where development requires a floodplain development permit.
Washington's Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58) requires Shoreline Substantial Development Permits for most construction within 200 feet of marine and freshwater shorelines statewide.
Solar panel installations on Kennewick homes require permits under the Washington State Building Code: a building permit at WAC 51-51 (2021 IRC) for roof-mount structural review and an electrical permit under the state Electrical Code at WAC 296-46B for the photovoltaic system covering NEC Article 690. Net metering for residential customer-generators is governed by RCW 80.60 (the Net Metering of Electricity statute). Washington HOA solar-restriction limits are at RCW 64.38.055 (homeowner associations) and RCW 64.34 / 64.90 (condominium associations); RCW 64.55 governs condo construction warranties separately. Benton PUD provides utility service in most of Kennewick.
Washington RCW 64.38.055 voids homeowner association covenants prohibiting solar panel installation on owner property statewide, while permitting only reasonable placement rules that do not significantly impair efficiency or increase cost.
Door-to-door commercial solicitors in Kennewick are required to register under the Kennewick Municipal Code's business-licensing and peddler/solicitor provisions, accessible through the Code Publishing portal. Noncommercial canvassing by religious, political, and charitable groups receives heightened First Amendment protection under Watchtower Bible & Tract Society v. Village of Stratton, 536 U.S. 150 (2002), which struck down a blanket noncommercial-permit requirement. Posted 'No Soliciting' signs are enforceable against entry under standard Washington trespass law (RCW 9A.52).
Washington's Commercial Telephone Solicitation Act (RCW 19.158) and Consumer Protection Act govern unwanted commercial solicitation. State law preempts certain telephone solicitation rules and provides statewide remedies against deceptive practices.
Kennewick requires every owner or occupant of an occupied premises to subscribe to garbage collection from the city's franchised solid waste collector under Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 9.04. The exclusive residential franchise is held by Waste Management (WM Northwest). Carts must be placed at the curb the night before the service day but no later than the start-of-route time published by WM (5:00 a.m. June-September, 6:00 a.m. October-May), with the cart wheels-toward-the-house and at least three feet of clearance from other objects so the automated truck can service it.
Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 9.48 declares the outdoor accumulation of junk, debris, broken appliances, scrap material, neglected furnishings, and similar unsightly conditions on private property to be a public nuisance. The chapter is enforced by Kennewick Code Enforcement. A Compliance Warning Letter triggers a standard 45-day cure period, after which a Notice and Order may be issued with a minimum civil penalty of $500. Voluntary Correction Agreements are available, but post-VCA violations escalate to $1,000.
Vacant lots and vacant structures in Kennewick remain subject to the same nuisance and property-maintenance rules as occupied parcels. The weed-hazard rule in KMC 9.48 (vegetation over 12 inches that is dead or unmaintained) applies to vacant lots, and the substandard/unfit/vacant structure rules in KMC 9.44 give the Building Official authority to require boarding, securing, or demolition of vacant buildings. Weeds-only violations trigger the accelerated 20-day compliance deadline rather than the standard 45 days.
Kennewick treats sidewalk snow removal as a property owner responsibility through city policy rather than through a mandatory citable code section with a deadline. The city's published guidance asks owners to shovel immediately after a snowfall, place snow in the yard rather than the street, clear sidewalk ramps at corner lots, and dig out fire hydrants. There is no codified hours-after-snowfall deadline and no citywide snow-removal fine schedule, in contrast to cities like Seattle (SMC 15.48.010) and Spokane.
Kennewick residential customers receive weekly curbside garbage and recycling collection from Waste Management (WM Northwest) under the exclusive franchise authorized by KMC 9.04. Carts must be at the curb by 5:00 a.m. (June-September) or 6:00 a.m. (October-May). Holiday rules: WM collects on all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day; when a service day is missed for a holiday, all collections that week shift one day later. Bagged-leaf yard waste collection happens during the first full week of November, December, and January.
Waste Management's published Kennewick cart-placement rules require carts to be placed at the curb with the wheels and handle facing the house, the lid-arrow pointing at the street, and at least three feet of clearance from parked cars, mailboxes, utility poles, fences, low branches, and other carts so the automated truck arm can grab them. Carts must not block the sidewalk. Recycling and garbage carts should be set side-by-side with the required three-foot spacing rather than touching.
Bulky items - mattresses, furniture, large appliances - are not collected on the regular curbside route in Kennewick. Customers schedule a special bulk pickup by appointment with Waste Management (WM Northwest) for a per-item fee. The Benton County alternative is self-haul to the WM Kennewick Transfer Station at 2627 S Ely St (a permitted solid-waste handling facility under WAC Chapter 173-350). White goods containing CFC refrigerants require certified refrigerant recovery before disposal under federal Clean Air Act Section 608.
Kennewick residential single-stream recycling is collected weekly by Waste Management (WM Northwest) and accepts paper, cardboard, plastic bottles/cups/jugs/tubs, and aluminum/steel/tin food and beverage cans. Glass is NOT accepted in curbside recycling. Plastic bags are NOT accepted. Materials must be clean and empty. Mandatory subscription to franchised collection under KMC 9.04 covers both garbage and recycling.
Kennewick does not have a year-round curbside yard-waste cart program. WM Northwest collects bagged leaves on the regular garbage day during the first full week of November, December, and January (three weeks total per season). Outside that window, yard waste goes in the garbage cart (within weight limits), self-haul to the WM Kennewick Transfer Station, or backyard composting. Outdoor burning of yard waste is regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology and the Benton Clean Air Agency; burning is generally prohibited inside urban growth areas where alternatives exist.
Illegal dumping inside Kennewick is enforceable under the Washington statewide statute RCW 70A.205.195, which tiers penalties by volume: a class 3 civil infraction for less than 1 cubic foot, a misdemeanor for 1 cubic foot to less than 1 cubic yard, and a gross misdemeanor (plus mandatory litter-cleanup restitution) for 1 cubic yard or more. Local enforcement is by Kennewick Police and Code Enforcement; on private property the city pursues remediation under KMC 9.48 nuisance authority and may bill cleanup costs via RCW 35A.21.405.
Fire sprinkler requirements in Kennewick are set by the Washington State Building Code Council under Chapter 19.27 RCW: the Washington State Building Code (WAC 51-50, adopting the 2021 IBC), Residential Code (WAC 51-51, adopting the 2021 IRC), and Fire Code (WAC 51-54A, adopting the 2021 IFC). Washington amends IRC Section R313 at WAC 51-51-0313: sprinklers in detached one- and two-family dwellings are NOT required, but new townhouses must be sprinklered. Commercial and multifamily sprinkler triggers come from IFC Section 903.2.
Lead hazards in Kennewick are addressed primarily through the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. Section 4851), EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule at 40 CFR Part 745, and the federal Lead Disclosure Rule at 24 CFR Part 35. Washington has its own lead-based paint program codified at Chapter 70A.420 RCW (formerly RCW 70.95N), administered by the Washington Department of Commerce, which licenses lead abatement workers and supervises certification under EPA authority. Kennewick has no separate municipal lead ordinance.
Pest and rodent control in Kennewick is regulated through Washington's adoption of the International Property Maintenance principles within the State Building Code framework (Chapter 19.27 RCW), Kennewick Municipal Code Chapter 9.44 (Substandard / Unfit Buildings), KMC Chapter 9.48 (Weed Hazards), and the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act at Chapter 59.18 RCW. RCW 59.18.060 requires landlords to keep dwellings reasonably free of insects, rodents, and other pests. Pesticide application is governed by the Washington Pesticide Application Act (Chapter 17.21 RCW) and Chapter 16-228 WAC.
Building setbacks in Kennewick are set by KMC 18.12.010 A.2 (Table of Residential Site Development Standards) in the Title 18 Zoning Code. Front yard / street setback is 15 feet in the RS, RL, RM, RH, RTP zones (20 feet in RMH); garage setback is 20 feet (15 feet for side-entry); side yard is 5 feet (0 feet in UMU); rear yard is 15 feet (5 feet in UMU). Setbacks are measured from the back of the sidewalk (or the right-of-way line where no sidewalk exists, and in the UMU district). State authority is RCW 35A.63 (planning powers).
Building height in Kennewick is set by KMC 18.12.010 A.2 (Table of Residential Site Development Standards). Maximum height is 35 feet or 2.5 stories (whichever is less) in the RS, RL and RMH zones; 35 feet in RM; 45 feet in RH (multi-family); 30 feet in RTP. The RTP cap reflects manufactured-home park scale; the RH cap reflects multi-family scale. Tall structures near the Tri-Cities Airport are also subject to the Crash and Approach overlay in KMC Chapter 18.58 and federal FAA notice under 14 CFR Part 77.
Kennewick's Title 18 Zoning Code regulates lot intensity primarily through minimum lot size, lot width, unit density and setback standards in KMC 18.12.010 A.2 - for example, 4,000 sf minimum lot in RM (3,500 sf in RH), 5,500 sf minimum in RS and RMH (8,000 sf in RL after the middle-housing update), and unit density of up to 6 units per lot in the RS/RL/RM/RH/RMH zones. Building Code coverage limits in WAC 51-50 (2021 IBC) and impervious surface limits in the City's stormwater code (Chapter 4.30 KMC) apply on top.
Washington's Liquor and Cannabis Board licenses cannabis retailers and imposes statewide 1,000-foot buffers from schools and other sensitive uses, which local governments may reduce but not eliminate.
Washington uniquely prohibits recreational home cultivation of cannabis statewide, with cultivation only permitted by licensed producers and qualifying medical patients.
Washington RCW 49.46 establishes a state minimum wage with annual CPI adjustments and permits cities to set higher local minimum wages, unlike many preemption states.
Washington RCW 49.46.200 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees, and RCW 50A.04 provides paid family and medical leave funded by payroll premiums.
Washington has no statewide predictable scheduling law and does not preempt local rules, allowing cities like Seattle to enforce secure scheduling ordinances.
Washington issues concealed pistol licenses under RCW 9.41.070 on a shall-issue basis to qualified applicants, with statewide preemption preventing local concealed carry rules.
Washington RCW 9.41.290 broadly preempts local firearm regulation, reserving authority over firearm laws to the state legislature with very limited exceptions.
Washington allows open carry of firearms by qualified adults without a permit, with limited statutory restrictions and broad preemption barring most local open carry rules.
Washington RCW 9.41.050 governs carrying firearms in vehicles statewide, requiring a concealed pistol license to carry a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle.
Washington has two regimes. Communities created on or after July 1, 2018 fall under WUCIOA (RCW 64.90), whose lien carries a 6-month super-priority over first mortgages and can be foreclosed like a mortgage. Older associations use the Homeowners' Associations Act (RCW 64.38), whose lien may be foreclosed only after strict notice and dollar thresholds.
Washington requires HOA board meetings to be open to owners and gives owners broad record-access rights. WUCIOA communities follow RCW 64.90.445 (open meetings) and RCW 64.90.495 (records); older associations follow RCW 64.38.035 and 64.38.045. As of January 1, 2026, the WUCIOA open-meetings rule (RCW 64.90.445) applies to all Washington community associations.
Washington HOAs may adopt and enforce rules and architectural standards and enforce the recorded declaration. Under WUCIOA, RCW 64.90.405 authorizes rule adoption and enforcement, while RCW 64.90.510 fixes outer limits the rules cannot cross (flags, solar, signs). Older HOAs draw the same rulemaking power from RCW 64.38.020.
Both Washington regimes let HOAs impose reasonable fines, but only after notice and an opportunity to be heard and only under a fine schedule already adopted by the board and furnished to owners. WUCIOA communities use RCW 64.90.405; older associations use RCW 64.38.020. Neither statute sets a dollar cap on fines.
Washington statutes override HOA covenants that ban solar panels, the U.S. or state flag, or political signs. WUCIOA RCW 64.90.510 protects all three for newer communities; older HOAs are covered by RCW 64.38.055 (solar), 64.38.033 (U.S. flag), and 64.38.034 (political yard signs). HOAs may set reasonable time, place, and manner rules but cannot prohibit outright.
Washington has no state E-Verify mandate, and RCW 49.60 prohibits employment discrimination based on national origin or immigration-related characteristics statewide.
Washington's Keep Washington Working Act under RCW 10.93.160 limits state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, establishing statewide sanctuary protections.
Washington's Growth Management Act under RCW 36.70A.170 requires counties and cities to designate and protect agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance through zoning.
Washington RCW 7.48.305 protects established agricultural activities from nuisance lawsuits when operations existed before nearby nonagricultural land uses changed the area.
Washington RCW 70A.530 bans single-use plastic carryout bags statewide and requires retailers to charge a pass-through fee for compliant paper or reusable bags.
Washington RCW 70A.245 bans expanded polystyrene foam food service containers, packing peanuts, and coolers in phases starting June 2024 to combat plastic pollution.
Washington RCW 70A.550 limits single-use food service ware including plastic straws and utensils to upon-request distribution at restaurants and food service businesses.
Washington RCW 26.28.080 sets the minimum age for purchasing tobacco and vapor products at 21, aligning with federal Tobacco 21 standards statewide.
Washington has not enacted a statewide flavored tobacco ban, leaving flavor restrictions to limited Department of Health authority and federal FDA enforcement on flavored vapor cartridges.
Washington RCW 70.345 requires licensing for vapor product retailers, distributors, and delivery sellers, with state Department of Revenue oversight and tax collection.