20.28.140 Townhouse.
A. Description. A townhouse is one of a row of homes sharing common walls, each with its own front and rear access to the outside.
B. Site Requirements and Setbacks.
1. Townhouses may be located on a separate (fee simple) lot or several units may be located on a common parcel. A townhouse with an ADU must be located on a separated lot.
2. The required setbacks are as shown in Figure 20.28.140(A), except detached accessory buildings may be located in a rear yard and in the rear 22 feet of an interior side yard. Garages and carports shall be set back at least four feet from the street face of residential buildings (excluding front porches). Buildings shall be placed within the shaded areas shown in the figure except as provided above.
Figure 20.28.140(A) Setbacks – Main Building(s)
C. Bulk and Massing.
1. Maximum attached dwelling units is eight.
2. Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 0.75. An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) pursuant to BMC 20.10.036 is exempt from FAR.
3. The height limit is 35 feet under BMC 20.08.020, definition No. 1, or 20 feet under definition No. 2.
D. Usable Space, Open Space and Landscaping.
1. Each dwelling unit shall have 200 square feet of private usable space with no dimension less than five feet. Up to 100 square feet of deck, patio or structure may be included. Private usable space may be consolidated and provided as common usable space with minimum dimensions of 10 feet by 10 feet. All units shall have direct access to usable space.
2. Private usable space must be directly accessible from the dwelling unit. All ground level usable space shall be delineated from public right-of-way, paths, and lanes through the use of landscaping and/or fencing.
3. A minimum of 30 percent of the site area shall be in open space consisting of landscaping or permeable materials (may include permeable paving, landscape-based LID BMPs, and green roofs). Exceptions may be made in erosion hazard zones or areas with shallow bedrock as determined by the city.
4. A green factor landscaping score of 0.4 is required (see BMC 20.12.030).
E. Parking. All parking shall be provided pursuant to BMC 20.28.050(H).
F. Design Standards.
1. Each townhouse unit shall front a street, lane, or common pedestrian corridor, and have an entrance that faces a street, lane, or common pedestrian corridor.
2. Entrances for each unit shall be separate.
3. Each unit shall have direct access to both the public street, lane, or common pedestrian corridor and parking.
4. Each unit must have a covered, main entry-related porch or stoop area of at least 40 square feet with no dimension less than five feet. This is in addition to the private usable space requirement.
5. Buildings must be modulated along the public street at least every 30 feet. Building modulations must step the building wall back or forward at least four feet, or at least two feet when architectural detailing is used to clearly delineate the individuality of each unit.
6. Garbage/recycling areas shall be consolidated, unless the local refuse provider approves otherwise, and screened from public view.
Figure 20.28.140(C) Annotated Illustration of Townhouse
G. Design Guidelines.
1. Building Design.
a. Reduce the potential impact of new townhouse development on established and historic neighborhoods by incorporating elements and forms from nearby buildings of character. This may include reference to architectural details, building massing, proportionality, and use of high-integrity materials such as wood, brick, and stone. References to period architecture can be made in a contemporary manner.
b. Use lines and rhythms to create a human scale streetscape. These may include vertical and horizontal patterns as expressed by bays, belt lines, doors and windows.
2. Site Design.
a. Front yard parking aprons are not allowed.
b. Provide generous use of planting materials and landscape structures such as trellises, raised beds and fencing to unify the overall site design. [Ord. 2022-01-002 § 15; Ord. 2017-03-009 § 25; Ord. 2009-08-047].