20D.40.130 Leary Design Area.

20D.40.130-010 Intent.

(1) Leary Way, between the Sammamish River and the Burlington Northern railroad tracks should remain as a “green gateway” to the City of Redmond. Setbacks from Leary Way should be adequate to preserve significant stands of trees on the west side of the road to preserve the “green gateway” image.

(2) The setback from the property line on this portion of Leary Way shall be at least 100 feet where there is an existing grove of significant trees (six trees within a quarter-acre area). No parking shall be allowed within the setback. No clearing, grading permit or site plan approval shall be granted until the approval authority determines that the existing trees will be preserved to the maximum extent possible within the setback.

(3) Signage on Leary Way for traffic control, directional information, and business identification should be kept at a minimum, in both size and number. (Ord. 1993)

20D.40.130-020 Design Criteria.

(1) Building Orientation and Access.

(a) Vehicle access and parking should be designed to minimize curb cuts along Leary Way and to minimize the loss of existing trees within the design area.

(b) Where significant trees exist between the street and building sites, driveways from the primary streets to on-site parking areas should be designed in a tree-lined parkway manner, complementing, preserving, and taking advantage of remaining stands of trees.

(c) Building orientation should complement any remaining stands of trees.

(2) Building and Site Design.

(a) Site layout for individual parcels within the design area should be designed to provide reciprocal vehicular and pedestrian access to and from adjoining lots in order to achieve a unified circulation plan which minimizes curb cuts on Leary Way, and provides pedestrian connections between uses in the design area.

(b) New landscaping should be designed to complement and reinforce any remaining groves of trees within the design area. Large trees and shrubs, both evergreen and deciduous, should be used to complement the natural character of this design area.

(c) Buildings and site layout should be designed to complement the village character of the adjoining Old Town Design Area, which includes features such as narrow storefronts on pedestrian-oriented streets, shops fronting on street sidewalks, and pedestrian-scale architecture.

(d) Pedestrian connections from buildings within the design area should be provided to the adjoining Old Town and Mixed Use Shopping Center Design Areas. (Ord. 1993)