23.47A.016

A. Landscaping requirements 1. The Director shall promulgate rules to foster the long-term health, viability, and coverage of plantings. The rules shall address, at a minimum, the type and size of plants, spacing of plants, use of drought-tolerant plants, and access to light and air for plants. All landscaping provided to meet the requirements of this Section 23.47A.016 shall comply with these rules. 2. Landscaping that achieves a Green Factor score of 0.3 or greater, pursuant to Section 23.86.019 , is required for any lot with: a. development containing more than four new dwelling units or a congregate residence; or b. development, either a new structure or an addition to an existing structure, containing more than 4,000 new square feet of non-residential uses; or c. any parking lot containing more than 20 new parking spaces for automobiles. B. Street tree requirements 1. Street trees are required when any development is proposed, except as provided in subsection 23.47A.016.B.2 and Section 23.53.015 . Existing street trees shall be retained unless the Director of Transportation approves their removal. The Director, in consultation with the Director of Transportation, will determine the number, type, and placement of street trees to be provided to: a. Improve public safety; b. Promote compatibility with existing street trees; c. Match trees to the available space in the planting strip; d. Maintain and expand the urban forest canopy; e. Encourage healthy growth through appropriate spacing; f. Protect utilities; and g. Allow access to the street, buildings, and lot. 2. Exceptions to street tree requirements a. If a lot borders an unopened right-of-way, the Director may reduce or waive the street tree requirement along that street if, after consultation with the Director of Transportation, the Director determines that the street is unlikely to be opened or improved. b. Street trees are not required for any of the following: 1) Modifying principal single-family dwelling units, except as provided in subsection 23.47A.016.B.3; or 2) Changing a use, or establishing a temporary use or intermittent use; or 3) Expanding a structure by 1,000 square feet or less; or 4) Expanding surface area parking by less than ten percent in area and less than ten percent in number of spaces. 3. When an existing structure is proposed to be expanded by more than 1,000 square feet, one street tree is required for each 500 square feet over the first 1,000 square feet of additional structure, up to the maximum number of trees that would be required for new construction. 4. If it is not feasible to plant street trees in a right-of-way planting strip, a 5-foot setback shall be planted with street trees along the street property line or landscaping other than trees shall be provided in the planting strip, subject to approval by the Director of Transportation. If, according to the Director of Transportation, a 5-foot setback or landscaped planting strip is not feasible, the Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections may reduce or waive this requirement. C. General standards for screening and landscaping where required for specific uses 1. Screening shall consist of fences, walls, or landscaped areas, including bioretention facilities or landscaped berms. Any type of screening shall be at least as tall as the height specified in subsection 23.47A.016.D. 2. Landscaped areas required under subsection 23.47A.016.D must meet rules promulgated by the Director pursuant to subsection 23.47A.016.A.1. Decorative features such as decorative pavers, sculptures or fountains, or pedestrian access meeting the Seattle Building Code, Chapter 11, may cover a maximum of 30 percent of each landscaped area used to satisfy requirements under subsection 23.47A.016.D. D. Screening and landscaping requirements for specific uses. When there is more than one use that requires screening or landscaping, the requirement that results in the greater amount applies. 1. Surface parking areas a. Landscaping requirements for surface parking areas are established in Table A for 23.47A.016. Table A for 23.47A.016 Landscaping requirements for surface parking areas Number of parking spaces Required landscaped area 20 to 50 18 square feet, per parking space 51 to 99 25 square feet, per parking space 100 or more 35 square feet, per parking space 1) Each landscaped area shall be no smaller than 100 square feet and must be protected by permanent curbs or structural barriers. 2) No part of a landscaped area shall be less than 4 feet in width or length except those parts of landscaped areas created by turning radii or angles of parking spaces. 3) No parking space shall be more than 60 feet from a required landscaped area. b. The landscaped area may include bioretention facilities. c. Trees in surface parking areas 1) One tree is required for every ten parking spaces. 2) Trees shall be selected in consultation with the Director of Transportation. d. Screening of surface parking areas 1) Three-foot-high screening is required along street lot lines. 2) Surface screening is required for parking abutting or across an alley from a lot in a residential zone or abutting a lot that is zoned both commercial and residential if the commercial zoned portion of the abutting lot is less than 50 percent of the width or depth of the lot. Such parking shall have 6-foot-high screening along the abutting lot line and a 5-foot-deep landscaped area inside the screening (see Exhibit A for 23.47A.016 ). Exhibit A for 23.47A.016 e. The Director may waive or reduce the requirements of this subsection 23.47A.016.D.1: 1) to improve safety; 2) to provide adequate maneuvering room for service vehicles; 3) when it would not otherwise be feasible to provide the required number of spaces; or 4) when required parking can only be provided at the rear lot line and access to individual parking spaces can only be provided directly from the alley. f. In deciding whether and to what extent to waive or reduce the landscaping and screening requirements, the Director shall consider whether: 1) the lot width and depth permit alternative workable site plans that would allow screening and landscaping; 2) the character of uses across the alley, such as a parking garage accessory to a multifamily structure, makes the screening and landscaping less necessary; 3) the lot is in a location where access to parking from the street is not permitted; and 4) a topographic break between the alley and the residential zone makes screening less necessary. 2. Fences or free-standing walls associated with utility services uses may obstruct or allow views to the interior of a site. Where site dimensions and site conditions allow, applicants are encouraged to provide both a landscaped setback between the fence or wall and the right-of-way, and a fence or wall that provides visual interest facing the street lot line, through the height, design or construction of the fence or wall, including the use of materials, architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated trellises, decorative fencing, or similar features. Any fence or free-standing wall for a utility services use must provide either: a) A 5-foot-deep landscaped area between the wall or fence and the street lot line; or b) Architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated trellises, decorative fencing, or similar features to provide visual interest facing the street lot line, as approved by the Director. 3. Other uses or circumstances. Screening and landscaping is required according to Table B for 23.47A.016: Table B for 23.47A.016 Use or circumstance Minimum requirement a. Drive-in businesses abutting or across an alley from a lot in a residential zone 6-foot-high screening along the abutting or alley lot lines; and A 5-foot-deep landscaped area inside the screening, when a drive-in lane or queuing lane abuts a lot in a residential zone b. Drive-in businesses, other than gas stations, in which the drive-in lane or queuing lanes are across the street from a lot in a residential zone 3-foot-high screening c. Garbage cans in NC1, NC2, or NC3 zones, or associated with a structure containing a residential use in C1 or C2 zones 3-foot-high screening along areas where garbage cans are located d. Garbage dumpsters in NC1, NC2, or NC3 zones, or associated with structures containing a residential use in C1 or C2 zones 6-foot-high screening e. Gas stations in NC1, NC2 and NC3 zones or, in C1 and C2 zones, across the street from a lot in a residential zone 3-foot-high screening along street lot lines f. Mobile home parks 6-foot-high screening along all lot lines that are not street lot lines; and Along all street lot lines, a 5-foot-deep landscaped area or a 5-foot-deep planting strip with street trees g. Outdoor sales and outdoor display of rental equipment, abutting or across an alley from a lot in a residential zone 6-foot-high screening along the abutting or alley lot lines h. Outdoor sales and outdoor display of rental equipment across the street from a lot in a residential zone 3-foot-high screening along the street lot line i. Outdoor storage in a C1 zone; or Outdoor dry boat storage in NC2, NC3 or C1 zones in the Shoreline District Screened from all lot lines by the facade of the structure or by 6-foot- high screening; and 5-foot-deep landscaped area between all street lot lines and the 6-foot-high screening (Exhibit C for 23.47A.016 ) j. Outdoor storage in a C2 zone abutting a lot in a residential zone; or Outdoor dry boat storage in a C2 zone in the Shoreline District, abutting a lot in a residential zone 50-foot setback from the lot lines of the abutting lot in a residential zone and screened from those lot lines by the facade of the structure or by 6-foot-high screening (Exhibit D for 23.47A.016 ) k. Outdoor storage in a C2 zone across the street from a lot in a residential zone; or Outdoor dry boat storage, in a C2 zone in the Shoreline District, across the street from a lot in a residential zone Screened from the street by the facade of a structure, or by 6-foot-high screening l. Parking garage occupying any portion of the street-level street-facing facade between 5 and 8 feet above sidewalk grade A 5-foot-deep landscaped area along the street lot line; or Screening by the exterior wall of the structure; or 6-foot-high screening between the structure and the landscaped area (Exhibit B for 23.47A.016 ) m. Unenclosed parking garage on lots abutting a lot in a residential zone A 5-foot-deep landscaped area and 6- foot-high screening along each shared lot line n. Parking garage that is 8 feet or more above grade 3.5-foot screening along the perimeter of each floor of parking o. Outdoor areas associated with pet daycare centers Screened from all property lines by the facade of the structure or by 6-foot-high screening between the outdoor area and all property lines Exhibit B for 23.47A.016 Screening of parking within or under a structure Exhibit C for 23.47A.016 Screening of open storage areas in C1 zones Exhibit D for 23.47A.016 - Screening of open storage areas in C2 zones 4. On lots within the Shoreline District where view corridors are required, the Director may reduce the required height of screening and may modify the location and type of required landscaping so that views are not obstructed. 5. When one of the specific uses listed in this subsection 23.47A.016.D is proposed for expansion, the applicable requirements for that use shall be met. The Director may reduce or waive the requirements where they are physically infeasible due to the location of existing structures or required parking. E. Breaks in required screening are permitted to provide pedestrian and vehicular access. Breaks in required screening for vehicular access shall not exceed the width of permitted curb cuts. (Ord. 126821 , § 3, 2023; Ord. 125603 , § 30, 2018 [table lettering correction and style update]; Ord. 125272 , § 29, 2017; Ord. 124952 , § 16, 2015; Ord. 124919 , § 137, 2015 [department name change and style update]; Ord. 124843 , § 33, 2015 [corrected subsection numbering and amended one "must" to "shall"]; Ord. 124608 , § 9, 2014; Ord. 123649, § 22, 2011; Ord. 123547, § 4, 2011; Ord. 123046, § 65, 2009 [amended "chart" to "table"]; Ord. 122935, § 9, 2009; Ord. 122311 , § 44, 2006.)