A. “Accessory dwelling unit” or “ADU” means a second, subordinate housing unit that is accessory to a single-family residence, and meets the definition and requirements of BMC 20.10.036 for accessory dwellings.

B. “Building” means a structure having a roof supported by columns or walls used for supporting or sheltering a use of any kind.

C. “Building code” means all code provisions adopted in and throughout Chapter 17.10 BMC.

D. “Carriage house unit” means a second dwelling unit located above a parking garage.

E. “Certificate of inspection” means the document signed and dated by a qualified rental housing inspector and submitted to the city as the result of an inspection conducted by a qualified rental housing inspector that certifies that the residential housing units that were inspected comply with the requirements and standards of BMC 6.15.050 or such a document signed and dated by a city building code enforcement officer.

F. “City building code enforcement officer” means the city building official and those city employees he or she designates to perform the inspections and related duties under this chapter. For purposes of completing a certificate of inspection, this term may also refer to a person who performs an inspection and submits inspection results under this chapter and under a contract with the city.

H. “Department” means the city of Bellingham department of planning and community development.

I. “Director” means the director of the department of planning and community development or the director’s designee.

J. “Fire code” means all code provisions adopted in and throughout Chapter 17.20 BMC.

K. “Landlord” means the owner, lessor, or sublessor of the rental unit or the rental property of which it is a part, and in addition means any person designated as representative of the owner, lessor, or sublessor including, but not limited to, an agent, a resident manager, or a designated property manager.

L. “Mobile home” means a mobile home or a manufactured home as defined in Chapter 59.20 RCW.

M. “Owner” has the meaning as defined in RCW 59.18.030(19).

N. “Qualified rental housing inspector” and “RHI” mean a private inspector who possesses at least one of the following credentials and who has been approved by the director as an RHI based on a process developed by the director consistent with the intent of this chapter:

O. “Rental unit” means a residential housing unit occupied or rented by a tenant or available for rent by a tenant.

P. “Rental property” means all residential dwelling units rented or leased on a single parcel of land managed by the same landlord.

Q. “Rental property complex” means all residential dwelling units rented or leased on a contiguous parcel or parcels of land managed by the same landlord as a single rental complex.

R. “Residential housing unit” means any building or part of a building in the city of Bellingham that is used or may be used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one or more persons, including but not limited to single-family residences, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, townhouses, multifamily dwellings, apartment buildings, condominiums, and similar living accommodations.

S. “Residential rental housing registration” means a registration issued under this chapter.

T. “Shelter” means a facility with overnight sleeping accommodations, owned, operated, or managed by a nonprofit agency or governmental entity, the primary purpose of which is to provide temporary shelter for the homeless in general or for specific populations of the homeless.

U. “Single-family residence” means a single detached building containing only one residential housing unit that is completely separated by open space on all sides from any other structure, except its own garage or shed, and which provides complete independent living facilities as specified for a dwelling unit in BMC 20.08.020. The phrase “single-family residence” may also refer to such a building when it contains an ADU or a carriage house or is a common wall attached single-family unit per BMC 20.32.045.

V. “Tenant” means a person occupying or holding possession of a building or premises pursuant to a rental agreement or who pays rent for occupancy or possession.

W. “Transient” means any guest, resident, or other occupant to whom lodging and other services are furnished under a license to use real property for less than one month, or less than 30 continuous days if the rental period does not begin on the first day of the month. The furnishing of lodging for a continuous period of one month or more to a guest, resident, or other occupant is a rental or lease of real property. It is presumed that when lodging is furnished for a continuous period of one month or more, or 30 continuous days or more if the rental period does not begin on the first day of the month, the guest, resident, or other occupant purchasing the lodging is a nontransient upon the thirtieth day without regard to a specific lodging unit occupied throughout the continuous 30-day period. An occupant who contracts in advance and does remain in continuous occupancy for the initial 30 days will be considered a nontransient from the first day of occupancy provided in the contract.

X. “Transitional housing” means residential housing units owned, operated, or managed by a nonprofit agency or governmental entity in which supportive services are provided to individuals or families that were formerly homeless, with the intent to stabilize them and move them to permanent housing within a period of not more than 24 months.

Y. “Unit unavailable for rent” means a residential housing unit that is not offered or available for rent as a rental unit, and that prior to offering or making the unit available as a rental unit, the owner is required to obtain a residential rental registration for the rental property in which the unit is located and comply with applicable regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. [Ord. 2024-02-008 § 1; Ord. 2015-03-005 § 1].