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A. Departures from Design Standards. The director may approve departures from the design requirements in this section. A departure may only be allowed if the director determines that the applicant has demonstrated that either:

1. In response to difficult physical circumstances relating to the size, shape, topography, existing development, location or surroundings of the subject property, an alternative solution is required that meets the intent of the requirement to the greatest extent practical; or

2. An alternative design will provide an equal or better solution that:

a. Meets the intent of the standard;

b. Enhances the character and livability of the neighborhood or district;

c. Enhances the character and environment for pedestrians;

d. Enhances or protects the character of the neighborhood or vicinity by protecting or providing natural features, historic sites (including both listed and potentially contributing properties), open space, or other resources; and

e. Will not have any substantial detrimental effect on nearby properties and the city or the neighborhood.

B. Specific Standards.

1. Site Design.

a. Orientation to the Street – Intent. To reinforce pedestrian activity, orientation to ground floor activities and enhance the liveliness of the street through building design and orientation and building entrance locations.

i. Standard. Buildings shall be oriented toward street frontages and located adjacent to the rights-of-way as closely as possible.

ii. Standard. Buildings may be set back from the edge of the right-of-way to allow for public open space such as plazas. Buildings shall not be set back from the edge of the right-of-way to allow for parking.

iii. Standard. The primary building entrance shall be located at street level facing a public street.

iv. Standard. Locate new structures to contribute to a strong building wall edge to the street such that they align at the front lot line and build out to the full width of the parcel, to the side lot lines or applicable setbacks. Although small gaps may occur between some structures, these are the exception. This should not preclude the provision of a wider sidewalk, public space, landscaping, art, or outdoor seating. (See Figure 20.25.090(A).)

Figure 20.25.090(A) Building Front at Sidewalk Edge

v. Guideline. The primary entrance should be more articulated and highlighted (size, material, recessed, lighting) than secondary entrances.

b. Surface Parking – Intent. To ensure surface parking lots are not a dominant element within commercial districts and to minimize the impact of surface parking on the pedestrian environment.

i. Standard. Parking shall be located to the rear or side of buildings. Surface parking lots shall not be located at intersections and frontage along arterial streets shall be limited. (See Figure 20.25.090(B).)

Figure 20.25.090(B) Surface Parking Location

ii. Standard. Parking areas shall contain landscaping to break up large expanses of hard surfacing. Scale of landscaping, location, spacing, and species shall be appropriate for the scale of the parking area and shall be designed to protect vegetation and pedestrians from vehicles. (See Figure 20.25.090(C).)

Figure 20.25.090(C) Parking Area Landscaping

iii. Standard. Parking lots shall be screened from view from abutting residential zones through a landscape buffer or other buffer, as approved.

c. Mixed Residential and Commercial Site Design – Intent. To integrate commercial and residential uses either within the same building or on the same property in a manner that emphasizes commercial activity adjacent to rights-of-way, promotes a comfortable living environment, and is compatible with the surrounding scale of development.

i. Standard. Ground floor commercial space shall comply with the commercial design standards in this section and be built with a minimum depth of 20 feet measured from the front face of the building and a minimum ceiling height of 12 feet.

ii. Standard. Residential uses shall be located on the second floor or behind at least 20 feet of an approved ground floor commercial use when within 60 feet of a front- or side-flanking property line with the exception of ground floor entrances or breezeways for residential uses located above or behind an approved ground floor commercial use. (See Figure 20.25.090(D).)

iii. Standard. No residential use shall be closer to a front- or side-flanking property line than an approved ground floor commercial use.

iv. Standard. The limitations on ground floor residential uses may be reduced or waived upon an approved departure application, provided development adjacent to the right-of-way promotes active use and a pedestrian-oriented environment.

Figure 20.25.090(D) Within 60 feet of a front- or side-flanking property line, residential uses must be located on the second floor or behind at least 20 feet of an approved ground floor commercial use

2. Screening.

a. Refuse – Intent. To reduce the impact and view of trash and recycling storage areas.

i. Standard. Refuse and recycling storage areas shall be located so as to be screened from arterial streets, pedestrian walkways, and neighboring residential properties. (See Figure 20.25.090(E).)

Figure 20.25.090(E) Screened Trash and Recycling Storage

ii. Standard. Refuse containment areas shall be either placed in a building or within a structure that is of similar architectural character to the major structures on the site.

b. Mechanical Equipment – Intent. To reduce the impact and view of mechanical equipment.

i. Standard. Mechanical equipment should not detract from the appearance of the building and shall be designed with consideration of the appearance from surrounding properties and the right-of-way.

c. Neighboring Residential – Intent. To reduce the impact of commercial zones on neighboring residential zones.

i. Guideline. Where commercial zones share property lines with residential zones, an appropriate landscape, fence or other buffer shall be established to minimize noise, odor, light or other impacts based on the intensity of the commercial use. Should the use change, an evaluation of additional or reduced buffer requirements shall be required.

ii. Standard. All fencing shall be designed to integrate into the architecture of the building and add visual interest in its detail, materials or color.

3. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED).

a. Safety – Intent. To enhance public safety and deter crime through thoughtful site design.

i. Guideline. Provide adequate lighting and windows near all parking areas, pedestrian walkways, open spaces, transit stops, and building entrances to encourage natural surveillance.

ii. Guideline. Provide regular maintenance of exterior spaces to indicate ownership and attention to property and activities occurring on property.

iii. Guideline. Control access to areas that cannot be easily surveyed through use of locks, fences, and gates.

iv. Standard. CPTED review shall be conducted on each project as necessary to identify techniques to guide the appropriate use of the space.

4. Optional Public Amenity.

a. Public Amenity – Intent. To encourage integration of commercial uses with neighborhoods, commercial developments are encouraged, but not mandated, to provide a public amenity similar to those listed here:

i. Guideline. The selection and design of the public amenity is encouraged, though not mandated, to include a public process with neighborhood input to determine which amenity is of greatest public benefit.

ii. Guideline. While the public amenity may provide a creative way to help meet departure standards or reduce parking requirements, the inclusion of a public amenity in a site design in no way guarantees the approval of a departure or parking reduction.

iii. Standard. When using the optional public amenity to help achieve a departure or parking reduction request, the applicant must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the director, how the proposed amenity will be adequate and proportionate to the requested departure or parking reduction.

iv. Standard. The optional public amenity shall meet the applicable building and land use codes for the property, promote safety and functional use, and shall not pose a risk to the public health or welfare.

v. Guideline. Public amenities can include, but are not limited to:

(A) Community garden;

(B) Public gathering space (indoor or outdoor);

(C) Bike repair station;

(D) Public art installation;

(E) WTA approved bus stop improvements;

(F) Public washrooms; or

(G) Other public amenity subject to the planning director’s discretion.

5. Connectivity.

a. Pedestrian – Intent. To provide a safe pedestrian access element to commercial development.

i. Standard. Public sidewalks shall be provided along all public streets abutting the project.

ii. Standard. Site design shall include pedestrian walkways that provide pedestrian routes, at a minimum, from streets, parking areas, open spaces, and transit stops to building entrances and between buildings. (See Figure 20.25.090(F).)

Figure 20.25.090(F) Pedestrian Connectivity

iii. Standard. All pedestrian walkways shall be designed for pedestrian safety and shall avoid or mitigate vehicle and pedestrian route conflicts.

iv. Standard. All pedestrian walkways shall conform to minimum ADA requirements.

v. Standard. All internal pedestrian walkways shall be distinguished from driving surfaces through a difference in grade, curbing, and/or materials. (See Figure 20.25.090(G).)

Figure 20.25.090(G) Walkway Materials

vi. Guideline. Pedestrian walkways should feature an adjoining landscaped area of trees, shrubs, benches, flowerbeds, ground cover or other such materials for at least 50 percent of the length of the walkway.

b. Bicycle – Intent. To provide a safe bicycle access and storage element to commercial development.

i. Standard. Affixed bicycle racks shall be located in a well-lighted area close to building entrances.

ii. Guideline. Covered bicycle racks with accompanying bicycle service stations are encouraged.

c. Vehicular – Intent. To provide a safe vehicular access element to commercial development.

i. Standard. Direct vehicular access shall be provided between developments whenever feasible to allow traffic to move between businesses without using arterial streets.

ii. Standard. Curb cuts on streets shall be consolidated.

d. Open Space – Intent. To promote connectivity and interaction between commercial development and public open space.

i. Standard. Public open space shall be incorporated into site design in a manner that promotes safety, and functional use.

ii. Guideline. Provide ground level features such as entries, windows, decks, patios or similar features on buildings that interface with public open space.

iii. Guideline. When public open space is adjacent to the property, pedestrian access between properties should be encouraged. (See Figure 20.25.090(H).)

Figure 20.25.090(H) Visual and Pedestrian Access to Public Open Space

6. Lighting.

a. Lighting – Intent. To provide architectural character and safety and to minimize impacts to neighboring properties and the night sky.

i. Standard. Shielded, low intensity lighting shall be provided for entries, walkways, parking garage entrances, parking lots, alleys and refuse enclosures.

ii. Standard. Lighting shall be shielded and directed away from the sky, dwellings and neighboring development. The use of LED or low energy use fixtures is strongly encouraged.

iii. Guideline. Light fixtures should contribute to the overall design of the building and may be used to highlight special architectural features. (See Figure 20.25.090(I).)

Figure 20.25.090(I) Light Fixtures Can Contribute to Building Design

7. Building Design.

a. Scale – Intent. To establish compatible scales of development with surrounding properties.

i. Guideline. Building design should be sensitive to the context of the surrounding development and intended use of the property.

ii. Standard. The primary building facade shall be similar in scale to surrounding buildings.

iii. Standard. The primary entryway of the building shall be along the street edge.

b. Massing and Articulation – Intent. To reduce the apparent mass of large buildings, to provide visual interest, and pedestrian scale.

i. Standard. Building facades shall contain glazing (windows) and architectural details that avoid large, blank walls along pedestrian walkways, arterial streets and neighboring residential properties. (See Figure 20.25.090(J).)

Figure 20.25.090(J) Building Facade Can Provide Visual Interest and Pedestrian Scale

c. Blank Walls – Intent. To provide visual interest and avoid negative impacts of blank walls.

i. Standard. Blank walls are not permitted when visible from a public street, public park, trail or a shared property line with residentially zoned property.

ii. Standard. A minimum of 60 percent of the building wall facing a public street, park, trail or plaza shall be transparent at a height between two feet and seven feet above grade. (See Figure 20.25.090(K).)

Figure 20.25.090(K) Transparency

iii. Guideline. Murals, green walls, and adequate lighting are encouraged where blank walls occur. [Ord. 2018-06-011 § 5 (Exh. B)].