Chapter 17.15
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS

Sections:

17.15.010    Purpose.

17.15.020    Residential districts.

17.15.030    Use regulations.

17.15.040    Area, height, setback and miscellaneous provisions.

17.15.050    Planned residential provisions.

17.15.060    Recreation space requirements.

17.15.070    Special provisions applicable to certain legal nonconforming lots within constrained residential district (R-C).

17.15.010 Purpose.

The purpose of the residential districts is to allow for different types, sizes and price ranges of high quality residential uses in the city. The districts provide for a variety of urban residential densities with appropriate transitions, and for clustered lot uses. (Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.020 Residential districts.

The following residential districts are hereby established:

A. Single-Family District (R-1). Single-family detached residential district. The R-l district shall have the following subdistricts on the basis of minimum lot area: R-1-4 (4,000 square feet) and R-1-7.5 (7,500 square feet).

B. Two- and Three-Family District (R-2). Small scale multiple-family district which may be used as a transitional district between the single-family and higher density multiple-family residential districts. Allow duplex and triplex development.

C. Multiple-Family District (R-3). Low-rise multiple-family district which may be used as a transition zone between the other residential districts and higher intensity nonresidential uses. Residential density of up to 12 units per acre. Encourage a variety of housing types and residential environments by allowing three- and four-plex developments, walk up apartments, and townhouses.

D. Constrained Residential District (R-C). Low density single-family detached residential district. This district is characterized by large parcels subject to significant environmental constraints and lack of adjacent sewer service.

E. Planned Residential (PR). Master planned, principally residential development that encourages a range of housing types, sizes and cost and allows for a limited amount of compatible neighborhood residential uses. (Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.030 Use regulations.

The use regulations for these districts are found in Chapter 17.55 SMC, Use and Other Regulations. (Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.040 Area, height, setback and miscellaneous provisions.

A. The following table indicates restrictions and regulations for minimum lot areas, setbacks, and building height for all residential structures permitted in the R-C, R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential districts.

 

Table 1
– Area, Height, Setback and Miscellaneous Provisions

		R-C, lot size >7,500	R-C, lot size ≤7,500	R-1-7.5	R-1-4	R-2	R-3
1.	Minimum lot area – square feet (sf)1	1 acre	1 acre	7,500	4,000	6,000	6,000
2.	Minimum lot area per dwelling – sf2	5 acres	5 acres	7,500	4,000	2,000	1,500
3.	Minimum front yard setback for all principal buildings and uses	20 ft.	15 ft.	20 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.
4.	Minimum front yard setback for porches of all principal buildings and uses	13 ft.	8 ft.	13 ft.	8 ft.	8 ft.	8 ft.
5.	Minimum front yard setback for all principal buildings and uses on a corner lot and building face which is not a main entry	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.
6.	Minimum rear yard setback for all permitted buildings and uses	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.	20 ft.	15 ft.	15 ft.
7.	Minimum rear yard setback for all accessory uses	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.
8.	Minimum side yard setback for all permitted principal buildings and uses	5 ft.	5 ft.	5 ft.	5 ft.	5 ft.	5 ft.
9.	Minimum side yard setback for all accessory uses	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.	3 ft.
10.	Maximum height for all permitted principal structures3	35 ft.	35 ft.	35 ft.	35 ft.	35 ft.	35 ft.
11.	Maximum height for all permitted principal structures on lots 40 feet in width or less3	27 ft.	27 ft.	27 ft.	27 ft.	27 ft.	27 ft.
12.	Minimum width of lot	40 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.	40 ft.

1 The minimum lot area is less than the minimum lot area per dwelling to allow for the clustering of lots when developed together on a larger property.

2 Minimum lot area does not apply to accessory dwelling units.

3 Church spires, church towers, flagpoles, antennas, and fire towers of a safe height may be permitted as a conditional use.

4 The following architectural features on principal buildings and uses may encroach by up to three feet into setbacks; provided, no feature shall intrude into the setback closer to the property line than where fire-resistive construction is required: planter boxes, fireplace structures not wider than eight feet, not more than one bay window, not more than one garden window, and other similar features.

B. Two-story residential homes existing as of October 6, 2003, that may be elevated above the base flood level at some point in the future for conformance to the flood hazard regulations shall be exempt from the 27-foot maximum height limit and subject to a 35-foot maximum height limit upon elevation, regardless of lot width. (Ord. 1069 § 1, 2010; Ord. 942 § 1, 2003; Ord. 901 § 2, 2002; Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.050 Planned residential provisions.

A. The provisions of this section shall apply to parcels of two acres or more in the planned residential district. On parcels of less than two acres, permitted uses shall be as specified for the R-1-4 district.

B. The purpose of the planned residential district is to provide, on parcels of two acres or more, for imaginative, well-designed, master planned principally residential development containing compatible and complementary

uses, including opportunity for a range of housing types, sizes and prices, and which may include a limited quantity of neighborhood retail uses, which:

1. Promotes compact urban development;

2. Is at a scale and traditional neighborhood development pattern which serves to maintain and enhance existing small town character and pedestrian orientation;

3. Provides for public amenities such as passive and active recreation areas, open space, and trails;

4. Promotes or encourages the opportunity for district-wide coordination and continuity of pedestrian and bicycle corridors; and

5. Gives due consideration to development which exists or which can reasonably be anticipated on adjacent or nearby lands, both with respect to common infrastructure requirements and compatibility of uses.

C. In the planned residential district, no land subject to the provisions of this section shall be subdivided, and no building or structure other than one single-family residence with customary accessory uses shall be constructed, without an approved plan.

D. In the event two or more contiguous parcels in common ownership lie in whole or part in both the planned residential district subject to the provisions of this section, and the planned commercial/industrial district subject to the requirements of Chapter 17.20 SMC, the owner may optionally elect to present one plan for all parcels, and the location of the residential and commercial/industrial uses thereon need not adhere strictly to the boundaries of each respective district so long as the minimum requirements for uses in each district respectively are met in the overall plan. Additional adjacent property with zoning designations other than PR and PCI may be included, provided they constitute no more than 15 percent of the total acreage of the proposal.

E. The following requirements shall apply for residential development requiring an approved plan within the planned residential district, unless a specific deviation herefrom has been authorized pursuant to subsection G of this section:

1. All developments shall include a mixture of housing types, sizes and price ranges. Projects of two but less than 10 acres shall include at least two of the following housing types, and projects of 10 or more acres shall include three of the following housing types, which shall be dispersed and integrated within neighborhoods:

a. Single-family detached homes, whether conventional, modular or manufactured construction;

b. Town homes;

c. Condominiums;

d. Duplexes;

e. Multiplexes of three to six units;

f. Apartments;

g. Cohousing.

2. For projects of 10 or more acres containing greater than 100 units, excluding designated affordable housing units, the number of single-family detached dwellings shall range from a minimum of 50 percent to a maximum of 80 percent. Of the remaining number of dwellings, other than single-family detached dwellings, no more than 75 percent shall be the same type of dwelling unit (e.g., duplexes, multiplexes, townhouses, or apartments).

3. No single-family residential lot shall exceed 10,000 square feet.

4. The maximum residential density shall be 12 units per acre.

5. The minimum residential density shall be four units per acre.

6. Duplexes shall be of a design, type and scale to resemble a typical single-family home.

7. Multiplexes shall be of a design, type and scale such that the exterior appearance visually resembles a large single-family home.

8. Area, height and setback requirements shall be as specified in Table 1, SMC 17.15.040, for comparable lot size and residential use.

9. Open space requirements shall be as follows:

a. For projects of two but less than 10 acres in size, at least 10 percent of the total acreage of the development proposal must be dedicated as common usable open space in the form of mini-parks, tot lots, neighborhood parks or green. Fees in lieu of dedicated common open space may be allowed subject to approval by the city.

b. For projects of 10 or more acres, at least 35 percent of the total acreage of the development proposal must be allocated to common open space; provided, for projects subject to the provisions of subsection D of this section, the common open space may be provided within the area subject to the plan as a whole. At least 10 percent of the common open space must be usable open space in the form of mini-parks, tot lots, neighborhood parks or greens. The remaining open space may include sensitive areas, regional trail corridors and community parks.

c. Common usable open space areas shall be distributed throughout the development and integrated within neighborhoods.

10. A sidewalk system shall be provided throughout the development, interconnecting all dwelling units with other dwelling units, nonresidential uses and common open space. Sidewalks shall promote pedestrian activity within each site and throughout the development and shall be provided as follows:

a. Sidewalks shall be a minimum of four feet in width;

b. Sidewalks shall be separated from motor vehicle circulation.

11. Bikeways shall be provided where possible, linking parks, open space and public areas with neighborhoods and other local and regional bikeways.

12. The planned residential development shall incorporate traditional neighborhood design strategies as follows:

a. At least 50 percent of the neighborhood lots shall have vehicular access from alleys, with garages located at the rear of the lot.

b. The block layout shall be designed to create blocks that are generally rectilinear in shape, a modified rectilinear shape or another distinct geometric shape. Irregularly shaped blocks are generally discouraged, except where topographic or other conditions necessitate such a configuration. To the greatest extent possible, blocks shall be designed to have a maximum length of 1,000 feet.

c. The street layout shall be a modified grid street pattern adapted to the topography, unique natural features, environmental constraints and open space areas. The use of cul-de-sacs and other roadways with a single point of access shall be minimized. Linkages with the existing or planned public street system shall be provided where possible.

d. Neighborhood street rights-of-way shall provide a planting strip between the street and sidewalk.

13. Parcels included in a development application in a planned residential district shall be under common ownership or control, or be the subject of a joint application by owners of all of the property included.

14. Proposed circulation, solid waste disposal and recycling, water, sewer and storm water management systems shall be designed in such a manner to allow adequate and efficient expansion to accommodate development which can reasonably be anticipated on adjacent or nearby lands.

F. Neighborhood retail uses may be allowed within planned residential developments on parcels of 10 or more acres. Neighborhood retail uses shall be subject to the following requirements:

1. Neighborhood retail lots shall be no more than 4,000 square feet in area;

2. Neighborhood retail uses must be located on a corner, and may not occupy more than two lots;

3. Parking shall be located to the rear of the building and have access from an alley;

4. Neighborhood retail uses shall be clearly subordinate and complementary to the principal residential character of the development, to serve the needs of the residents thereof.

G. Deviation from development standards of general applicability throughout the city, but not from development standards deemed necessary to protect health, safety or the environment, may be authorized when the city council, with the advice of the planning commission, finds that such deviation would advance the purpose of the district as set forth in subsection B of this section. Deviations deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish low-impact development, which for purposes of this title shall mean the use of a variety of techniques to avoid to the extent feasible the collection, concentration and point discharge of storm water to a receiving body, shall be encouraged. Any such deviations shall be included in the approved plan for the planned residential development.

H. The application shall include all of the materials required for a planned unit development pursuant to SMC 17.50.090(B), together with a list of all development standards of general applicability from which a deviation is proposed, and a statement of how such deviation will achieve the purpose set forth in subsection A of this section.

I. The notice, hearing and decision process for applications for approval of a plan for development in the planned residential district shall be as set forth in Chapter 17.50 SMC, Planned Unit Development Regulations. (Ord. 933 § 1, 2003; Ord. 769 § 23, 1996; Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.060 Recreation space requirements.

In all zoning districts, any proposed multiple-family structure, complex, or development of four or more units shall provide on the premises and for the use of the occupants a minimum amount of recreation space according to the following provisions:

A. Required Area.

1. For each proposed dwelling unit in the multiple-family complex or development, a minimum of 200 square feet of recreation space shall be provided. Any multiple-family structure, complex, or development shall provide a minimum of 1,000 square feet of total recreation space.

2. The front, side, and rear yard setback areas required by the applicable zoning district shall not qualify as recreation space, except that 10 percent of the required landscape areas may be permitted in the calculation of the total recreation space.

3. In the event the total area required under subsection A of this section is less than 3,000 square feet, that portion required to be outdoors and uncovered shall be one continuous parcel of land.

B. Indoor or Covered Space.

1. No more than 50 percent of the required recreation space may be indoor or covered space.

2. No more than 50 percent of the total required recreation space may be used for single-purpose permanent facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and similar facilities.

C. Uncovered Space.

1. A minimum of 50 percent of the total required recreation space shall be open or uncovered; up to 100 percent of the total requirement may be in open or uncovered recreation space.

2. No more than 50 percent of the uncovered recreation space requirement may be located on slopes greater than four horizontal to one vertical (4:1) slope.

D. General Requirements.

1. Multiple-family complexes which provide dwelling units with two or more bedrooms shall provide adequate recreation space for children. Such space shall be at least 25 percent but not more than 50 percent of the total recreation space required under subsection A above and shall be designated, located, and maintained in a safe condition.

2. Adequate fencing, plant screening, or other buffer shall separate the recreation space from parking areas, driveways, or public streets. (Ord. 744 § 2, 1995).

17.15.070 Special provisions applicable to certain legal nonconforming lots within constrained residential district (R-C).

Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, allowable uses on lots within the constrained residential district having a lot area of less than five acres shall be as established in SMC 17.55.020 for the R-1 residential district. (Ord. 942 § 2, 2003; Ord. 898 § 2, 2002).