20C.40.30 Design Overlay Areas.

20C.40.30-010 Purpose.

The City Center neighborhood is divided into 12 overlay design areas entitled, “Valley View”, “Bear Creek”, “Trestle”, “Sammamish Trail”, “Town Square”, “Old Town”, “Leary”, “River Bend”, “North Point”, “East Hill”, “Carter”, and “Mixed Use/Shopping Center”. These areas are further delineated from the Zoning Districts Map in order to create sub-neighborhoods with unique design characteristics. They are shown on the map entitled “City Center Design Areas”, included in this section. The intent of each of the design areas is as set forth below. (Ord. 2051; Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-020 Old Town.

This design overlay area is established to be a center of pedestrian-oriented retail activity in the City Center neighborhood. The design regulations shaping development in the area provide for an urban village pattern and rhythm which encourages narrow ground floor store fronts, small blocks, narrow streets, mixed use residential/office/service buildings, and pedestrian scale architecture. The regulations encourage the enhancement of existing older buildings with small ground floor retail spaces, by encouraging narrow bay spacing complimentary to pedestrian activity and interest, and encourages office space above them. The pedestrian nature of the area is emphasized through lower parking requirements and plans for creation of parking lots/structures in a few central locations at the edge of this area. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-030 Mixed Use/Shopping Center.

The design overlay area is established to focus activity adjacent to the existing center of the City Center district and provide for pedestrian and automobile integration between the two areas. See Ordinance No. 1841, Town Center. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-040 Valley View, Trestle, and Bear Creek.

These areas are located near entrances to the City Center and are established to allow convenient automobile access. Residential and office uses above retail shops are also allowed and encouraged, but not required. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-050 Town Square.

This design area provides mid-rise office development of six to eight stories adjacent to an urban park. Mid-rise office and mixed use developments with active ground floor arcades and pedestrian oriented shop fronts are encouraged. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-060 Sammamish Trail.

Provides for employment uses adjacent to the river in mid-rise buildings. Restaurant and entertainment uses focusing on, and orienting toward, the river trail are encouraged. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-070 Leary.

Provides for office employment, entertainment, residential, and retail uses developed as part of a master plan which preserves significant trees in the design area, and creates a village environment complimentary to, and with pedestrian walking connections to, the adjacent Old Town and Mixed Use Design Areas. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-080 River Bend.

Encourages and provides for an eventual transition to a mid-rise, mixed use office district and/or new auto mall. Existing nonconforming light industrial type uses are encouraged to upgrade through continued property investment. (Ord. 1901)

20C.40.30-090 North Point, Carter, and East Hill Design Areas.

Provides for office, service, retail and residential uses side-by-side and within close proximity to each other, within a neighborhood context and scale. (Ord. 2051; Ord. 1901)