Committee Chair:
Jonathan Broh | zoning@washwestcivic.org

Committee Meetings

The zoning committee meets on the 4^th Tuesday of every month to hear from property owners and developers who need to present to the WSWCA RCO as part of a zoning approval process.  These applicants are either seeking a zoning variance, working with a councilperson on a zoning ordinance or a or are involved in the Civic Design Review Process.  (Please see our zoning page for information about the processes.).  The applicant will present to the committee per the RCO guidelines and the community will be able to voice concerns or questions about the proposed development or zoning change.

After the applicant has made their presentation and the community has been allowed proper time to voice their opinions, the zoning committee will privately convene to determine non-opposition or opposition to the project.  At our board meeting on the following 2^nd Tuesday of the month, the chair of the zoning committee will briefly describe the projects and make a recommendation to the board of non-opposition or opposition to the variance request. For Civic Design Review, the zoning committee will present a list of recommendations or objections for the proposed development. The board will then take the final, binding vote on whether to be in non-opposition or opposition to the project.  Following the board vote, the zoning committee chairperson will write the ZBA (or CDR), the councilperson’s office and applicant (or their attorney).

Please note that the zoning committee meeting is the preferred time for community comment regarding zoning matters. Comment from the community or applicant will typically not be allowed during the zoning committee discussion at the board meeting.

Committee meetings are currently held via Zoom at the following link:

(zoom link)

Please click here for the current agenda of the monthly zoning meeting.

(Typically posted 2 weeks before the meeting.

 

Informal Reviews

Do you have questions about a possible change to your property or development in Wash West? Please email zoning@washwestcivic.org to schedule an informal meeting about you project.  We will not provide formal positions of non-opposition or opposition at this meeting.  We can advise you of potential neighborhood concerns and if your project may receive considerable objection.

 

Visitor Accommodation (Air BnB’s)

The WSWCA zoning committee and our community are typically opposed to any variance request for visitor accommodations.  To have a chance at non-opposition, the proposed Visitor Accommodation location:

• Can’t be located within an otherwise viable apartment or single-family residence. Our community is concerned with the loss of residences for visitor accommodation uses.
• There can be no opposition from immediate neighbors.
• There can be no record of undesirable or illegal activities having occurred at the proposed Visitor Accommodation. (We recognize that there are several Visitor Accommodations currently operating without the proper use permit)

In the rare instance where we are in non-opposition to a Visitor Accommodation use variance, the follow provisos will be required in out letter to the ZBA:

• The visitor accommodate use is temporary and the applicant must re-apply for the use in 2 years.
• The visitor accommodation site must have a 2 night stay minimum.

 

Interested in joining the committee?  Please contact zoning@washwestcivic.org

Have more questions about the zoning process? Please see our zoning page here.

For a complete list of forms to download, along with detailed information plus tips on flyering, visit our zoning page.