12.56.130 Motor Vehicle Sales Overlay.
Exterior motor vehicle sales and display are permitted on properties containing Community Business (CB) zoning and a Motor Vehicle Sales Overlay (MVSO) designation subject to the following special regulations:
A. Illumination for motor vehicle sale properties shall be consistent with the following:
1. A lighting plan prepared by a qualified lighting engineer shall be submitted with any motor vehicle sales building permit application. The plan shall demonstrate consistency with these provisions.
2. All light fixtures shall be shielded to prevent off-site glare and shall direct light downward onto the sales lot. Shielding shall be installed to prevent the light bulb, filament or light source within the fixture from being directly visible from all residential zones.
3. Lighting fixtures shall be designed and installed in such a manner that no more than one footcandle of power of light at five feet above grade crosses a residential zoning boundary in accordance with BMC 8.64.030.
B. Landscaping within motor vehicle sales areas shall be consistent with the following:
1. A minimum 25-foot-wide Type I landscape buffer shall be installed along the common property line between any motor vehicle sales use and any existing residential use. All other property lines shall have the landscape perimeter installed in accordance with Chapter 12.18 BMC.
a. Trees within the 25-foot-wide perimeter buffer shall consist of 100 percent coniferous species;
b. Coniferous trees within the 25-foot-wide perimeter buffer shall have a minimum height of 12 feet at time of installation.
2. Street right-of-way, front lot line, interior parking lot landscaping and all other required landscaping shall be installed pursuant to Chapter 12.18 BMC and BMC 12.56.100.
C. Paging systems for employees of motor vehicle sales operations shall be wireless pagers, cellular phones, or other devices that do not allow voice or sound transmittal through the air, except that external employee paging systems that allow voice or sound transmittal through the air may be permitted subject to the following requirements:
1. An external paging system plan with specifications designed and prepared by a licensed acoustical engineer shall be submitted to the department of community development for review and approval.
2. The paging system shall be designed consistent with the following:
a. All external speakers installed for the paging system shall be oriented away from existing residential uses and all residential zones.
b. The paging system shall be designed to be consistent with the maximum noise levels established under WAC 173-60-040.
3. Prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy, or, in cases where the system is installed in an existing motor vehicle sales lot, use of the paging system, the acoustical engineer shall provide written verification to the city that the paging system is consistent with these standards.
(Ord. 2025 § 2 (Exh. C), 2009; Ord. 1946 § 2, 2005; Ord. 1853 § 1, 2001. Formerly 12.56.190).