Showing ordinances that apply to Ravensdale, WA
Ravensdale is an unincorporated community (population 555) in King County, Washington. Because Ravensdale is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal code. Instead, King County ordinances apply directly to properties here. The artificial turf rules below are the ones that govern your area.
Artificial turf is generally allowed on unincorporated King County residential parcels. Installations in critical areas are restricted because turf acts as impervious surface and can harm salmon streams.
King County Code does not prohibit artificial turf on private residential parcels. In the Puget Sound region, synthetic turf is less common than in California because natural turf thrives in the marine climate, but artificial turf is permitted for landscaping, sport courts, and play areas. The primary regulatory concern is stormwater. Under the 2019 King County Surface Water Design Manual (SWDM) and the NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit issued under RCW 90.48 and the federal Clean Water Act, synthetic turf is typically treated as impervious or partially impervious surface depending on drainage design. If total new impervious surface including turf exceeds 2,000 square feet on a lot, stormwater mitigation such as dispersion, rain gardens, or detention may be required. Critical areas including wetlands, stream buffers, and shoreline setbacks generally prohibit synthetic turf because crumb-rubber infill and microplastics can leach into salmon streams. Public installations at schools and parks are addressed separately by KCC and WAC. Some HOAs restrict or prohibit artificial turf, particularly in front yards. Drainage plans should be reviewed when the turf exceeds modest residential sizes.
Turf in critical-area buffer: restoration order and removal. Exceeded impervious threshold without SWDM review: stop-work plus drainage retrofit. HOA violation: civil enforcement by the HOA.
See how Ravensdale's artificial turf rules stack up against other locations.
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