20C.60.25 Site Requirements for Business Park, Overlake Business and Advanced Technology, Manufacturing Park and Industry Zones

Complying Zones

Protected Zones

RA-5, R-1 — R-8, & ORS

R-12, R-18, NC, & ORM

R-20 & R-30

This section establishes site design requirements within the Business Park (BP), Overlake Business and Advanced Technology (OV), Manufacturing Park (MP), and Industry (I) zones. These standards implement the Washington State Growth Management Act (Chapter 36.70A RCW), the County-Wide Planning Policies, Redmond’s adopted Comprehensive Plan, while protecting the City’s business park, manufacturing park and industrial areas from public nuisances, incompatible uses, and hazards. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-020 Chart of Site Requirements.

(1) Purpose. RCDG 20C.60.25-020(4), Site Requirements, establishes the dimensional requirements for business park, manufacturing park and industrial development. The standards and rules are established to provide flexibility in project design, maintain privacy between adjacent uses, and prevent public nuisances.

(2) Explanation of Chart. The Chart of Site Requirements is arranged in matrix format. Development standards are listed down the left column and the zones are identified across the top row. The matrix cells contain the minimum or maximum dimensional requirements of each zone. The footnotes identify particular requirements applicable to either a specific use or zone. An “NS” indicates that there is “No Standard” (i.e., special requirements).

(3) For properties within the OV zone, the requirements of RCDG 20C.60.25-020(4), Site Requirements, and RCDG 20C.60.30, Special Business Park, Overlake Business and Advanced Technology, Manufacturing Park and Industry Regulations shall be applied to all adjoining properties in a common ownership. Properties under a lease of at least 10 years’ duration, including renewals, shall be considered an ownership interest for the purposes of this subsection.

Business and Manufacturing Park Requirements
Site Requirement	Zoning Districts
BP	OV	MP	I
Minimum Tract Area For Development	1.5 acres	1.5 acres	1 acre	1 acre
Minimum Lot Frontage (in feet)	30'	30'	30'	30'
Minimum Building Front, and All Street Setbacks (in feet)	30'¹	10'²	30'	30'
Minimum Building Rear Setbacks (in feet)	20'¹	20'¹	10'³	10'³
Minimum Building Side Setbacks (in feet)	40'¹	20'¹	10'³	10'³
Minimum Building Separation (Except for Accessory Structures)⁴	NS	NS	NS	NS
Maximum Lot Coverage of Structures and Other Impervious Surfaces⁵	75%	80%	80%	80%⁶
Minimum Landscaped Area/Landscaping Requirements⁷	See RCDG 20D.80.10-070(2)	20% of site area	NS	NS
Maximum Height (in feet)⁸ for Non-Residential Buildings	45'	4 stories or 56'⁹whichever is less	45'¹⁰	60'¹¹
Maximum Height (in feet)⁸ for Mixed Use Buildings that include Residential Uses in at least Two Floors where allowed	55'¹²	60'¹²	NS	NS
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) without TDRs^{5, 13, 14} for Non-Residential Uses	0.45	0.4	0.50	0.50
Maximum Floor Area Ratio with TDRs^{5, 14, 15} for Non-Residential Uses	1.0	0.47	1.0	1.0
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) without TDRs^{5, 13, 14, 15} for Residential Uses in Mixed Use Buildings where allowed	0.68¹²	0.68¹²
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) with TDRs^{5, 14, 15} for Residential Uses in Mixed Use Buildings where allowed	1.0¹²	1.0¹²
Pedestrian Requirements	Yes¹⁷	Yes¹⁶	NS	NS

¹Subject to buffering and landscaping requirements of Chapter 20D.80 RCDG, Landscaping and Tree Protection.

³No setback is required for joint or common wall construction located on property line.

⁴As required by RCDG Title 20E, Building and Construction Codes, or its successor.

⁵For properties under a common ownership that are contiguous or separated only by rights-of-way, FARs may be calculated based on the average FAR across those properties, and density and impervious surface coverage may be transferred among contiguous properties provided the averages or transfers are consistent with all other applicable regulations.

⁶Industrial uses on sites less than 10 acres are allowed to exclude lined ponds that are part of a water treatment facility as part of this percentage.

⁷See Chapter 20D.80 RCDG, Landscaping and Tree Protection, for tree protection and landscaping requirements. Outside of parking lots, the L1 General Landscaping Standard in RCDG 20C.50.25-080, Landscaped Areas, shall be used in the OV zone in place of the Type IV – Open Area Planting in RCDG 20D.80.10-080(d), Types of Planting.

⁸See RCDG 20C.60.25-065, Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay, for maximum building heights in transition overlays.

⁹If the proposed building is more than 750 feet from a residential zone or Neighborhood Protection Street, the maximum height may be increased to five stories or 65 feet, whichever is less.

¹⁰Buildings not used exclusively for research and development, manufacturing, warehousing, or allowed light industrial uses shall not exceed two stories.

¹¹Rock crushing equipment, asphalt and concrete batch plants, silos, and other related equipment may extend to a maximum height of 90 feet.

¹²Allowed in upper stories of buildings where there are no adverse impacts to surrounding businesses or residences.

¹³All legal conforming lots are allowed the greater of either the maximum allowed FAR, or 10,000 square feet buildable area given they can meet all other applicable site requirements.

¹⁴Building space to be used exclusively for day care centers may be constructed with a gross floor area that exceeds the Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) without TDRs without the requirement to purchase TDRs if the following requirements are met. First, the building space shall be permanently used exclusively for a day care center and deed restrictions shall limit the building space to this purpose. Second, in no case shall the gross floor area of the building space used for any or all purposes exceed the Maximum Floor Area Ratio with TDRs unless otherwise authorized by the Development Guide.

¹⁵Please refer to RCDG 20D.200.10, Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program, and RCDG 20C.60.30-050, Receipt of Development Rights in Business Park, Overlake Business and Advanced Technology, Manufacturing Park and Industry Zones.

¹⁶See RCDG 20C.50.25-110, Pedestrian Standards. For closed campuses, the pedestrian standards shall be met, but they can be closed to the public by gates or other means.

¹⁷When located in the Willows/Rose Hill Neighborhood. See RCDG 20C.50.25-110, Pedestrian Standards.

20C.60.25-030 Minimum Tract Area.

(1) Purpose. The minimum tract area is necessary to ensure that developments have enough land to accommodate necessary site requirements, and to provide facilities necessary to make the use compatible with other uses in the zone.

(2) Requirements. Where indicated on the chart, the minimum tract area for development establishes the minimum land area required before a development project application may be submitted. Unoccupied, accessory utility facilities are exempt from this requirement. No lot shall be created which is smaller than the minimum tract area except for pad sites where the pad site and the property leased for parking, landscaping, or other purposes exceeds the minimum tract area. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-040 Minimum Lot Frontage.

(1) Purpose. The minimum lot frontage is designed to prevent congestion by allowing for on-site parking and to reduce public nuisances that result from an inability of emergency vehicles to access a building either because vehicles block the access or the lot is not wide enough to allow the effective use of fire trucks from the street.

(2) Requirement. Minimum lot frontage is the width of the lot that adjoins a public or private street or approved access corridor. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-050 Building Setbacks.

(1) Purpose. The purpose of front, street, rear, and side setbacks area is to help maintain the desirable character of the community, provide adequate light and air to all properties, reduce incompatibilities such as excessive light and noise, prevent overloading of public infrastructure, and prevent public nuisances such as the danger of fire from buildings constructed too close to each other.

(a) Measurement. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, all setbacks shall be measured at right angles, or as near to right angles as possible, to the nearest property line in a plane horizontal to the ground. In the case of access corridors and private streets, setbacks are measured from the inside edge of the access corridor or street to the foundation line of the structure. Front, side street, side, and rear directions shall be determined as provided in subsection (2)(d) of this section.

(b) Setback Exceptions. Upon the presentation of a binding site plan, an approved site plan, or planned commercial development application processed in accordance with RCDG Title 20F, setbacks may be modified as follows: side setback distances may be modified to permit a zero side setback to accommodate joint wall construction and clustering of buildings; front setbacks may be modified from private streets and access corridors, provided front setbacks are maintained from all public streets.

(c) Improvements. Improvements less than 30 inches above grade including decks, patios, walks and driveways are permitted in setbacks. Fences, landscaping, flagpoles, street furniture, transit shelters and slope stability structures are permitted in setback areas; provided, that all other applicable requirements are met. No other structures including accessory structures are permitted in setback areas.

(d) Lot Orientation. For the purpose of applying setback regulations, the following shall be applied: the front shall be toward the public street, private street or access corridor from which the lot is addressed or which provides the primary access; the rear is opposite to the front or as nearly so as the lot shape permits; and the sides are 90 degrees to the front or as nearly so as the lot shape permits.

(a) The Green Street setbacks shall comply with RCDG 20C.50.25-040(3) except as modified by this subsection. These setbacks are measured from the property line.

(c) Minimum Landscaping. At least 20 feet of the setback width shall be landscaped to at least the L-1 standard. This required landscaping shall be located between the sidewalk and the building even if the sidewalk is in the street right-of-way. The area between the sidewalk may be counted to meet this requirement even if the sidewalk is located in the street right-of-way.

(d) A planter strip at least five feet wide shall be provided between the curb and the sidewalk. For the portion of the side abutting a transit stop, the planter strip may be reduced in width or eliminated.

(e) Parking and driveways parallel to the street shall be prohibited within a Green Street setback.

(f) All landscaping along a Green Street, including the planter strip and minimum landscaping shall be counted towards the minimum landscaped area/landscaping requirements in RCDG 20C.60.25-020, Site Requirements in Business, Manufacturing, and Industrial Zones.

(5) Along the portion of Bel-Red Road identified on Map N-OV-3 as a Neighborhood Protection Street, the setback shall be 120 feet.

Building Height	Setback from the Property Line
Up to 20 feet	20 feet
21 or more	30 feet

(a) See RCDG 20D.230.20-020, When Compliance with Transitional Regulations is Required, for the location of Transition Overlays and the identification of protected and complying zones.

(b) For properties within a Transition Overlay that border a protected zone or are across a street from a protected zone, the following setbacks shall apply:


Building Height	Setback from All Property Lines that Border a Protected Zone or a Street that Borders or includes a Protected Zone
Up to 30 feet	20 feet
31 to 40 feet	25 feet
41 to 50 feet	30 feet
More than 51 feet	35 feet

(c) This setback shall not apply to property lines bordering a Green Street or an arterial street on which King County provides all-day local or peak transit service or the Redmond Comprehensive Plan plans for the arterial street to have all-day local or peak transit service.

(d) This setback shall not apply to property lines bordering the SR 520 right-of-way. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-060 Maximum Height of Structures.

(1) Purpose. The maximum height of structures maintains Redmond’s visual character, reduces the danger of fire and other natural emergencies, and limits the potential overburdening of surrounding infrastructure.

(2) Requirements. Maximum height requirements set the limit measured from the finished grade above which structures shall not extend. Please refer to Chapter 20A.20 RCDG, Definitions, for measuring building height. Chimneys, antennas, cooling and ventilation equipment, mechanical equipment screens and enclosures, elevator penthouses, roof access stair enclosures, and flagpoles, may exceed the height limit of the underlying zone by not more than 15 feet.

(3) Residential/Mixed Use Developments. Within the BP and OV zones, buildings that include a minimum of four residences may exceed the standard height limit and shall not exceed the maximum height listed under Residential Uses in Business Park Areas in RCDG 20C.60.25-020, Site Requirements in Business, Manufacturing and Industrial Zones. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-065 Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay.


		Complying Zones
		BP	OV	MP	I	DD
Protected Zones	RA-5, R-1 — R-8, & ORS	40	45	45	45	45

(3) Compliance with the maximum height of structures set by this section is not required when the protected zone or all building sites within a protected zone have an elevation five feet higher than the maximum height of structures with bonuses.

(4) Allowable Height Increase. Except for those zones which have the height limit set at the standard in the underlying zone, the maximum height of structures without bonuses in RCDG 20C.60.25-065(1), Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay, may be increased if one or more of the following features are constructed as part of the development and the intent of this chapter is met. In no case shall the maximum height of structures with bonuses set by RCDG 20C.60.25-065(2), Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay, be exceeded through this subsection.


Feature	Height Increase Allowed
Parking is located under the building.	10-foot increase
At least one quarter of the on-site parking is provided in underground parking structures.	10-foot increase
At least one quarter of the on-site parking is located in parking structure(s) outside the transition zone.	10-foot increase
The building has a pitched roof.	10-foot increase
No mechanical equipment is located on the roof.	10-foot increase
The existing grade under the proposed building pad is at least 10 feet below the grade at the property lines of all properties in the protected zone that border the development site or are across the street from the development site.	10-foot increase
The property owner provides a greenbelt at least 100 feet wide along at least one public street.	10-foot increase
TDRs are used to increase building height.	10-foot increase over 8,712 square feet of gross floor area. See RCDG 20D.200.10-120, Use of Development Rights: Floor Area and Regulatory Flexibility

(5) Modification to Height. The maximum height of structures without bonuses in RCDG 20C.60.25-065(1), Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay, and the maximum height with bonuses in RCDG 20C.60.25-065(2), Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay, may be increased by the Design Review Board if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The existing grade under the proposed building pad is at least 20 feet below the grade at the property lines of all properties in the protected zone that border the development site or are across the street from the development site.

(b) The modified building height does not exceed the maximum height permitted by the underlying zone for properties outside the transition overlay.

(c) The proposal, with the height modification, will provide an equivalent or better transition to the protected properties as the maximum height of structures without bonuses in RCDG 20C.60.25-065(1), Maximum Height of Structures in a Transition Overlay. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-070 Maximum Lot Coverage of Structures and Other Impervious Surfaces.

(1) Purpose. The maximum lot coverage maintains community goals by reducing storm drainage and flooding impacts, retaining visual separation between buildings and reducing large expanses of on-site parking.

(2) Requirements. The maximum lot coverage of structures and other impervious surfaces limits the maximum percentage of a lot that can be covered with primary and accessory structures and impervious surface.

(3) Modifications. Maximum coverage for portions of a site within a planned commercial development may be increased to encourage clustering with smaller lots where comparable open space is provided elsewhere within the development. For projects permitted with binding site plans or a planned commercial development, maximum land coverage on individual lots within a multi-lot development may be increased to allow clustering or joint wall construction; provided, that the total amount of impervious surface does not exceed that set forth by RCDG 20C.60.25-080, Site Requirements, for the development as a whole. (Ord. 2027)

20C.60.25-080 Landscaping, Open Space and Buffers.

(1) See RCDG 20D.230.20-020, When Compliance with Transitional Regulations is Required, for the location of Transition Overlays and the identification of protected and complying zones.

(2) All setbacks, open spaces, and buffers shall be landscaped as required by Chapter 20D.80 RCDG, Landscaping and Tree Protection Standards, all other applicable standards, or be maintained in existing vegetation.

(a) The following landscaped buffers shall be provided. Each buffer shall be at least 20 feet wide unless otherwise provided in the Redmond Community Development Guide.

(ii) Along street frontages where any portion of the street bordering the development site borders an R-1 through R-6 zone.

(iii) Where the development site is zoned MP or I, along street frontages where any portion of the street bordering the development site borders an R-1 through R-30 zone.

(b) Unless removal is necessary for streets, sidewalks, or utilities, the tree will likely not survive, the tree will likely be blown over in a likely wind storm, or a hazard will likely result, to the extent possible, all significant trees within 15 feet of the property line where a required buffer must be provided shall be retained. Significant trees are defined in Chapter 20D.80 RCDG, Landscaping and Tree Protection Standards.

(i) Standard Requirements. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the buffers shall be planted with the following materials:

(A) Evergreen and deciduous trees, of which no more than 40 percent of the trees may be deciduous. There shall be a minimum of five trees per 1,000 square feet of buffer area. The trees and other plant materials required by this section shall be located so that they effectively buffer the development from bordering residential properties. The buffer need not completely obscure the development; rather is should screen it.

(B) Evergreen shrubs, a minimum of five-gallon size when planted. The number of shrubs placed shall equal one-third of the buffer frontage in feet.

(D) Option for Certain Zones. Except for the MP and I zones, where the street frontage landscaping will be planted to buffer a building rather than a parking area, driveway, or portion of a site used for any purpose other than a building, lawn, or open space; a lawn no less than five feet in width may be substituted for the shrubs and groundcover required by subsections (3)(c)(i)(B) and (C) of this section, Landscaping, Open Space and Buffers. If this option is used, the buffer width may be reduced to five feet. The trees required by subsection (3)(c)(i)(A) of this section, Landscaping, Open Space and Buffers, shall be included in the buffer.

(ii) Supplemental Hedge for Certain Zones. Where an MP or I zone borders a residential zone on an interior property line, an evergreen hedge a minimum of three feet in height at the time it is planted and capable of achieving a continuous visual screen with a height of four feet within three years shall be planted or a combination of shrubs and a fence shall be added within the required planting area to achieve the effect of a hedge.

(iii) Except for lawns, all plant materials shall be native to the area, soils, and micro-climate in which they will be planted or shall not require more water for growing than such plants.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no structures shall be placed in required buffers and buffers shall only be used as buffers, landscaping, open space, and recreation.

(i) Streets, driveways, and underground utilities may cross required buffers to provide access from the street to the interior of the property.

(iii) Patios and similar ground level features may be included in the buffer area. Patios shall not be located within 10 feet of the property line.

(iv) No more than 20 percent of the buffer area may be used for the streets, driveways, underground utility crossings, trails and ground level features.

(v) Any structure or use that meets subsections (3)(d)(v)(A), (B), and (C) of this section shall be removed from the buffer within five years of the effective date of this regulation and the buffer planted and constructed to meet the requirements of this title.

(B) The structure or use was constructed or established after the buffer requirement went into effect.

(e) All required buffers shall be maintained in compliance with this division for the life of the use. Dead and dying plants shall be replaced during the next growing season.

(f) Buffers may be placed in a required setback. Buffers shall be counted towards required open space, required pervious surfaces and other requirements that they meet. Except for trails, any impervious surfaces within the buffer shall not be counted towards fulfilling either open space or pervious surface requirements. (Ord. 2027)