Chapter 20.91
Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2*

Sections:

20.91.010    Purpose and scope.

20.91.020    Permitted/prohibited uses.

20.91.030    Density and dimensional standards.

20.91.040    Administrative design review.

20.91.050    Design standards.

20.91.060    Height incentives.

20.91.070    Parking.

20.91.080    Signs.

20.91.090    Outside lighting.

*Code reviser’s note: For provisions relating to the property tax exemption program as regards Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2, see Chapter 3.55 SMC.

20.91.010 Purpose and scope.

A.    The purpose of this chapter is to establish development standards for Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2. These standards are intended to implement a new vision for this area by replacing or modifying the regulations of Chapter 20.50 SMC, General Development Standards, and revising permitted uses. The Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 standards are designed to:

1.    Be a form-based code which provides flexibility, yet ensures the character of a project’s building and site design is supportive of the adjacent public spaces and uses.

2.    Create lively mixed-use and retail frontage in a safe, walkable, transit-oriented neighborhood environment.

3.    Provide for human-scale building design.

4.    Contribute to the development of a sustainable neighborhood.

B.    If provisions of this chapter conflict with provisions elsewhere in the Shoreline Municipal Code, the provisions of this chapter will apply. When it is unclear which regulations apply, then the presumption will be that the regulations of this chapter take precedence, with the ultimate determination to be made by the Director. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.020 Permitted/prohibited uses.

A.    In order to implement the vision of the comprehensive plan and the neighborhood visioning project, the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 is adopted as shown on the official zoning map.

B.    NB uses will apply in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 for developments less than 1.5 acres.

C.    All uses provided for under Chapter 20.40 SMC are permitted for developments 1.5 acres or more in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 except the following:

1.    Adult use facilities;

2.    Gambling uses;

3.    Vehicle repair, service and/or sales unless entirely within an enclosed building;

4.    Wastewater treatment facilities;

5.    Wrecking yards;

6.    Warehousing, self-storage warehouses and wholesale trade;

7.    Outdoor material storage, including vehicles. Material storage will be allowed only within a fully enclosed structure;

8.    Shipping containers;

9.    Other uses the director determines to not comport with the intent of the district as expressed in SMC 20.91.010(A). (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.030 Density and dimensional standards.

A.    Developments in Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are less than 1.5 acres will apply the density and dimensional standards for NB zones.

B.    Developments in Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are 1.5 acres or more will apply the following density and dimensional standards:

1.    Setback, Height, and Floor Area Ratio Standards.

Table 20.91.030B – Dimensional Standards 

Standards

Planned Area 2

Setback for Building Base

7.5' adjacent to residential zones, 0' abutting the public right-of-way.

Setback/Stepbacks from Property Line for Buildings

Buildings must be at least 20' from property lines at 35' building height abutting all R-6 zones. Above 35', building to setback ratio will be 2:1.

 

Buildings must be at least 10' from all property lines above the 4th story abutting 5th Ave. NE, NE 165th Street and all other MF zones.

 

Buildings on NE 163rd, across from R-6 zoning, may be 35' high at the property line; above 35' the building to setback ratio will be 2:1.

Building Height, Minimum

2 stories

Building Height, Maximum

Planned Area 2a: Up to 6 stories or 65' if public bonus features are provided1

Planned Area 2b, 2c, and 2d: NB standards apply

Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

For six stories: Up to 4.75

For five stories: Up to 3.875

For four stories: Up to 3.0

Density

Unit total shall be limited by FAR and the following absolute maxima:

a. Planned Area 2a: Limited to a density of 110 units per acre.

b. Planned Area 2b, 2c, and 2d: Limited to a density of 24 units per acre.

1See SMC 20.91.060 for building height incentives.

2.    Impervious Area. Impervious area is 100 percent.

3.    Additional Height Provisions.

a.    Mechanical penthouses, stair/elevator overruns and antennas (not including WTFs) may be excluded from building height calculation, provided they are no more than 15 feet above the roof deck and satisfy the criteria in SMC 20.91.050(B)(2)(g).

b.    Wireless telecommunication facilities (“WTF”) may be excluded from building height calculation, provided they are no more than 15 feet above the roof deck, are entirely shrouded and satisfy the criteria in SMC 20.91.050(B)(2)(g).

c.    Roof elements such as pitched roofs, gables and dormers may be excluded from building height calculations.

d.    Features providing environmental sustainability such as solar panels, wind turbines, and associated equipment are excluded from height standards, provided they are no more than 10 feet above the roof deck. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.040 Administrative design review.

A.    Applicability. Administrative design review will be required for developments in Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are 1.5 acres or more and that meet one of the thresholds in SMC 20.50.125.

B.    Standards for Approval. When design review is required, the applicant will demonstrate that plans satisfy the criteria in SMC 20.91.050 unless approved as a design departure by the department director consistent with the intent of each subsection.

C.    Design Departures. A permit applicant wishing to modify any of the standards in this chapter may apply for a design departure. A design departure will be approved if it is consistent with the intent of each subsection and it meets or exceeds the standard design objective. The director’s decision may be appealed to the hearing examiner with substantial weight given to the director’s decision. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.050 Design standards.

A.    Developments in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are less than 1.5 acres will apply the design standards for NB zones.

B.    Developments in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are 1.5 acres or more will apply the following design standards:

1.    Site Design.

a.    Accommodation of Street Level Commercial.

i.    Intent: To provide commercial services to the residents of the Ridgecrest Neighborhood by requiring first floors adjacent to the street be constructed to accommodate commercial services.

ii.    Buildings fronting 5th Avenue NE and NE 165th Street within 100 feet of 5th Avenue NE are required to build to the specifications for ground level commercial. Ground level commercial may include live/work units that satisfy the criteria in subsection (B)(2)(j) of this section. There may be noncommercial occupation of the ground level.

iii.    Commercial uses will occupy a minimum of 50 percent of the available street frontage on 5th Avenue NE and 20 percent of the available street frontage on NE 165th Street within 100 feet of 5th Avenue NE.

b.    Facades – 5th Avenue NE, NE 165th Street.

i.    Intent: To create frontage which encourages pedestrian use, promotes a sense of security by providing “eyes on the street” and creates visual connections between activities inside and outside of buildings.

ii.    Facades fronting on 5th Avenue NE and NE 165th will include a minimum of 50 percent of the facade area two feet to 12 feet above grade, comprised of windows with clear nonreflective glass allowing visual penetration of at least two feet into the building if used for commercial uses.

c.    Buffering.

i.    Intent: To soften the visual impact of multi-use buildings adjacent to single-family homes.

ii.    Decorative features such as plantings and/or trellises are to cover at least 50 percent of the building base on the side at the time of construction.

iii.    Stamped and painted concrete (decorative treatments to the building base) will be used on building facades not covered by plantings to provide a visual relief to single-family residences.

iv.    Mature trees and shrubs will be used on portions of the property abutting the right-of-way to soften the appearance of the building.

v.    Retaining existing vegetation is encouraged to create a visual buffer to existing single-family residential.

d.    Driveway Access.

i.    Intent: To ensure development reduces potential automobile conflicts on adjacent residential properties. Design ingress and egress points in a manner to reduce automobile impacts to adjacent residential uses.

ii.    Limit egress to NE 165th and 5th Avenue NE.

e.    Transit Stops.

i.    Intent: To ensure development of sites adjacent to transit stops is designed to support, complement and accommodate the stop and promote use of the stop.

ii.    Development on parcels that front locations on 5th Avenue NE designated for a public transportation stop will be designed and furnished to accommodate the intent in a manner approved by the director. Weather protection will be included in the design.

f.    Entry Courtyard.

i.    Intent: To provide a distinctive, safe and readily identifiable main pedestrian entry for the complex with a public right-of-way frontage.

ii.    Entry courtyards will:

(A)    Abut and be visibly prominent from a public sidewalk by including at least two of the following design elements:

•

    Recess;

•

    Overhang;

•

    Portico/porch;

•

    Stone, masonry or patterned tile paving in entry;

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    Ornamental building name or address;

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    Landscape pots or boxes;

•

    Fixed seating.

(B)    Be at least 100 square feet in area with dimensions no less than 10 feet.

(C)    Provide weather protection on at least two sides or overhead with walls, canopies, awnings, or landscaping.

2.    Building Design. All of the following elements of building design will be approved through the administrative design review process under SMC 20.91.040.

a.    Pedestrian Enhancements and Transparency.

i.    Intent: To provide pedestrians with protection from the elements, visual connections between activities inside and outside of buildings, and visual interest.

ii.    All street fronting buildings will provide overhead weather protection for pedestrians with a marquee, awning, building projection or other permanent structural element, over approximately 80 percent of the frontage of the subject property. The weather protection must cover at least six feet of the width of the sidewalk and be located a minimum of 10 feet above the walkway. The width may vary (not less than three feet) to accommodate street trees, streetlights, etc.

iii.    Ground floor facades of all structures facing a public sidewalk will be transparent nonreflective glass windows.

iv.    Ground floor building facades fronting public sidewalks will use planters, signage, architectural details and other techniques to create variety and interest.

b.    Blank Walls.

i.    Intent: To reduce the negative visual impact of walls without openings or windows by ensuring there are features that add visual interest and variety to the streetscape.

ii.    Blank walls more than 30 feet in length will be treated to provide visual interest. Treatment includes installing trellises for vine and plant materials, providing landscaped planting beds that screen at least 50 percent of the wall, incorporating decorative tile or masonry, or providing artwork on the wall.

c.    Facade Articulation.

i.    Intent: To reduce the apparent bulk of multistory buildings by providing visual variety.

ii.    All facades will be articulated with projections, recesses, covered doorways, balconies, covered box or bay windows and/or similar features to divide them into human scale proportions.

iii.    All facades longer than 30 feet will be broken down into smaller units through the use of a combination of projections, offsets, recesses, covered doorways, balconies, covered box or bay windows, staggered walls, stepped walls and overhangs. Changing materials and colors may be used to embellish the articulation but alone are not enough to provide the required amount of articulation.

iv.    Projections and recesses will be three to five feet in depth, 10 feet long and occupy at least 20 percent of the length of the facade.

d.    Vertical Differentiation.

i.    Buildings will distinguish a base through the use of:

•

    Pedestrian scale details;

•

    Articulation;

•

    Overhangs;

•

    Masonry strips and cornice lines; and

•

    Earth materials such as stone, masonry, or decorative concrete.

ii.    Buildings will distinguish a top by emphasizing a distinct profile or outline with a:

•

    Parapet;

•

    Cornice, upper level setback;

•

    Pitched roofline;

•

    Strong eave lines;

•

    Horizontal trellises; and

•

    Different facade material then that used predominantly in the middle.

iii.    Buildings with more than two stories above elevation of the nearest public sidewalk will also distinguish a middle through:

•

    Material and/or color changes that differ from the base and top;

•

    Windows details, treatments and patterns;

•

    Balconies or alcoves; and

•

    Decks and/or railings.

iv.    The base will be the first story above grade. The middle will be stories between the base and top and the top is the highest story.

v.    All applications for new construction are required to submit detailed building elevations.

e.    Street Frontage Standards.

i.    Intent: To provide pedestrian relief from the elements, provide special enclosure and add design interest on 5th Avenue NE and 165th Street NE.

ii.    Buildings occupying the corner of 5th Avenue NE and NE 165th Street will be designed to encourage pedestrian activity.

iii.    Buildings located at corners will serve as gateways to the neighborhood distinguishable from the rest of the buildings. Corner entries and/or architectural treatment will be used to emphasize the corner location.

iv.    Buildings will occupy at least 75 percent of the street front.

v.    Buildings will have their principal entrance on the street frontage line.

f.    NE 165th and 5th Ave NE Building Corner Treatment.

i.    Intent: To provide visual interest, mitigate building bulk, provide for pedestrian amenities and outside meeting areas, and add to pedestrian vitality at the corner of 5th Avenue NE and 165th Street NE.

ii.    Buildings occupying the corner of 5th Avenue NE and NE 165th Street will be designed to encourage pedestrian activity and pedestrian amenities. Pedestrian amenities include weather protection, substantial sitting areas, courtyard type flooring and lighting.

iii.    Buildings located at corners will serve as gateways to the neighborhood distinguishable from the rest of the buildings. Comer entries and/or architectural treatment will be used to emphasize the corner location.

iv.    Examples of design requirements can be found in the PLA2 administrative design guidelines.

g.    Buildings Fronting on NE 163rd Street.

i.    Intent: To provide additional visual relief from more intense development across from R-6 zones.

ii.    If building is separated by a local street, building facades across from R-6 zones will incorporate townhouse design elements.

iii.    Buildings located across from R-6 zones will be used for residential living units.

iv.    Townhouse design elements are bay windows, stoops, stairways up to entry doors from public sidewalks, porches, patios, balconies, railings, sloped roofs, cornices, and other elements that meet the intent of this section as approved by the director.

h.    Service Areas and Mechanical Equipment.

i.    Intent: To screen rooftop mechanical and communications equipment from the ground level and from other structures. On-site service areas, loading zones, garbage collection, recycling areas, and similar activities will be located in an area that minimizes unpleasant views from adjacent residential and commercial uses.

ii.    Utility vaults, ground-mounted mechanical units, satellite dishes, and other similar structures will be screened on all sides from adjacent streets and public view. This does not include pedestrian-oriented trash receptacles along walkways.

iii.    Fences designed for privacy, security, and/or screening will be made of material that is compatible with the building design.

iv.    Fences for screening and security purposes that are adjacent to the public right-of-way may be used only in combination with a trellis, landscaping, or other design alternatives to separate such fences from the pedestrian environment.

v.    Mechanical units, utility equipment, elevator equipment, and wireless telecommunication equipment (except for the antennas) located on the roof will be:

•

    Incorporated into the roof design; and

•

    Thoroughly screened, including from above when not in conflict with International Building Code or equipment specifications, by an extended parapet wall or other roof forms that are integrated with the architecture of the building. Environmental features do not have to be screened.

vi.    A recycling area, as approved by the director, will be built consistent with the standards to be adopted by the city.

i.    Parking Structures.

i.    Intent: To reduce the visual impact of above-ground parking structures.

ii.    Parking structures at ground level will be fully enclosed except for vehicle entrances.

iii.    Parking levels above ground level will have openings totaling no more than 65 percent of the facade area. All openings will be screened with garden walls (structures designed to support vegetation growing across the opening); vegetation designed to grow on the facade and over the openings, louvers, expanded metal panels, decorative metal grills, opaque glass, or other devices approved by the director that meet the intent of this section.

j.    Live/Work Units.

i.    Intent: To accommodate retail/office space and living units fronting on public right-of-way. Live/work units provide flexibility to business owners who want to live where they work.

ii.    Ground floor units facing a public sidewalk are required to be plumbed, wired, and built to be adapted for commercial use. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.060 Height incentives.

The following height incentives will only apply to developments in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2a:

A.    Intent: To require installation of features that benefit the public by creating a more inviting and livable community.

B.    Building height may be modified based on the following criteria:

1.    The building may increase to four stories if approximately 80 percent of the building base fronting 5th Avenue NE is developed with nonresidential uses and/or live/work units.

2.    The building may increase to five stories if the standards in subsections (B)(1) and (C)(1) through (6) of this section are provided.

3.    The building height may increase to six stories if the standards in subsections (B)(1) and (C)(1) through (6) of this section are provided, and 20 percent of the total numbers of units are affordable housing, as defined in RCW 84.14.010.

C.    Height Incentive Requirements.

1.    Active Recreation Area.

a.    Intent: To provide recreational opportunities for residents in an area of the city that has little public park space in support of high-density development.

b.    Will not be used for parking or storage.

c.    May be located out-of-doors, on top of, or within a structure.

d.    Will include an area of at least 600 contiguous square feet with a minimum dimension of 20 feet.

2.    Art, Public.

a.    Intent: To add stimulating and aesthetically pleasing elements to the built environment.

b.    Must be displayed near the main pedestrian entrance to a building and be visible and accessible from a public sidewalk or within a public plaza.

c.    The scale of the artwork will be appropriate for the space occupied and large enough to be appreciated in full from at least 10 feet away.

3.    Indoor Meeting Space.

a.    Intent: To provide space for nonprofit organizations to contribute to “third place” energy to complement commercial, residential and pedestrian synergy.

b.    Users may include community associations, neighborhood groups, after-school programs, nonprofit meeting space, and other programs that benefit the community at large.

4.    Fountain or Other Water Element.

a.    Intent: To add stimulating and aesthetically pleasing elements to the built environment.

b.    Will be located outside of the building.

c.    The sum of the dimensions of the smallest possible cube surrounding the water when in motion will be at least 30 feet.

d.    Will be publicly visible and accessible from the main pedestrian entrance to a building or along a perimeter sidewalk or pedestrian connection.

e.    Water will be maintained in a clean and noncontaminated condition.

f.    Water will be in motion during daylight hours.

5.    Plaza, Public.

a.    Intent: To provide for public gathering places supportive of a pedestrian-friendly environment.

b.    Will be accessible to the public.

c.    Will be readily accessible from a public sidewalk.

d.    Some portion will provide protection from adverse wind and rain.

e.    Will be signed to identify the enclosed plaza is available for public use.

f.    Will include permanent and substantial sitting areas for at least five people.

g.    Will be coordinated with or connected to the site’s primary pedestrian entrance.

h.    Will be at least 2,000 square feet in area (1,600 square feet in contiguous area with a minimum dimension of 20 feet).

i.    Will be enclosed on at least two sides by a structure or by landscaping which creates a wall effect.

j.    Will provide opportunities for penetration of sunlight.

k.    Will be lighted at night.

l.    The property owner must grant the public a permanent easement ensuring public access over the plaza during normal business hours. The owner must record the easement with the county.

6.    Sustainability Features.

a.    Intent: To ensure that new construction incorporates new and innovative building techniques to reduce demand on energy and stormwater systems.

b.    Development will be Built Green, as amended, or other sustainability standards approved by the director that meet the sustainability intent of the King County Built Green program at a minimum of the three-star standard.

c.    Low-impact development techniques will be incorporated for all new development within PLA2. Some combination of the following low-impact development techniques will be employed: Rain gardens, permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting, vegetated roof, road design that promotes walking and bicycling, bike racks, increased access to and connection between public transportation modes and use of native non-invasive plant species. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.070 Parking.

A.    Intent: To provide adequate parking for a mix of uses on and around the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2. The parking management plan will make reasonable provisions to accommodate parking demand generated by on-site uses.

B.    All development proposals in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 require a parking management plan.

C.    The parking management plan will address parking impacts, ways to reduce parking demand and incentives for alternative transportation such as bike racks, bike lockers, and a minimum number of transit passes available for residents. As part of the parking management plan, Metro bus passes will be made available to 50 percent of the units for the first two years of project occupancy.

D.    Parking spaces may be shared when:

1.    Different uses share a common parking facility;

2.    The uses have peak parking demand periods that do not overlap more than two hours; and

3.    Shared parking areas will be appropriately designated and signed.

E.    Minimum parking spaces required for residential uses are one space for studio units, 1.3 spaces for one-bedroom units and 1.6 spaces for two-bedroom units.

F.    Provisions will be made for a car-sharing program (like Flexcar), as approved by the director, and include a car on-site as well as car-sharing only parking spaces.

G.    Parking areas in developments 1.5 acres or more will conform to the all of the parking design standards under SMC 20.50.410 through 20.50.420.

H.    On-site surface parking lots will be screened from public right-of-way and adjacent residential land uses. Screening can consist of locating parking behind buildings or by opaque landscaping.

I.    At least 80 percent of the required parking spaces will be located on-site. If the developer can secure parking through an agreement acceptable by the director, 10 percent of the required parking spaces must be located within Planned Area 2 and the balance of the required parking must be within 1,000 feet of the development. Building occupancy will be restricted if, at any time, parking spaces off-site are lost and not replaced by other agreements. A notice will be recorded to the title of any property stating these requirements.

J.    All residents of Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 shall be offered parking, to be included in the apartment or condominium unit cost, either on-site or in designated locations.

K.    Bike racks, lockers, and/or secured parking areas for bikes shall be provided. Some secured spaces for bicycle parking should be in an area accessible only to residents of the building. Some spaces for bicycles shall also be provided at street level. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.080 Signs.

Development proposals in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2 that are 1.5 acres or more require submittal and approval of a master sign plan through the administrative design review process set forth in SMC 20.91.040. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).

20.91.090 Outside lighting.

A.    Intent: To create a walkable human scale neighborhood environment by providing adequate and appropriate lighting for pedestrians.

B.    The standards for outdoor lighting apply to all development proposals in the Ridgecrest Commercial Planned Area 2.

C.    The outdoor lighting will:

1.    Accent structures or provide security and visibility;

2.    Be shielded to confine emitted light to within the site; and

3.    Be located so it does not have a negative effect on adjacent properties or rights-of-way.

D.    All building entrances will be well lit to provide inviting access and safety. Building-mounted lights and display window lights will contribute to lighting of pedestrian walkways and gathering areas.

E.    Lamp height will not exceed 15 feet for on-site pedestrian lighting.

F.    Outside lighting will be minimum wattage metal halide or color corrected sodium light sources which emit “natural” light. Non-color-corrected low-pressure sodium and mercury vapor light sources are prohibited. (Ord. 492 § 1, 2008).