23.45.570

A. General provisions 1. The establishment of new institutions, such as religious facilities, community centers, private schools, and child care centers in multifamily zones, is permitted pursuant to Section 23.45.504 . 2. Public schools are permitted as regulated in Chapter 23.51B . 3. If the expansion of an existing institution meets all development standards of this Section 23.45.570 , it is permitted outright. Expansions not meeting development standards may be permitted as administrative conditional uses subject to the requirements of Section 23.45.506 . Structural work that does not increase usable floor area or seating capacity and does not exceed the height limit is not considered expansion. Such work includes but is not limited to roof repair or replacement, and construction of uncovered decks and porches, bay windows, dormers, and eaves. The establishment of a child care center in a legally established institution devoted to the care or instruction of children or establishment of a shelter for homeless youths and young adults in a legally established institution devoted to the care or instruction of children, are not considered new uses or an expansion of the institutional use, if shelter occupants are enrolled students of the institution and if these uses do not require expansion of the existing structure or violate any condition of approval of the existing institutional use. 4. The provisions of this Chapter 23.45 apply to Major Institution uses as provided in Chapter 23.69 , Major Institution Overlay District. B. Institutions located in LR zones shall meet the development standards of this Section 23.45.570 . Institutions located in MR and HR zones shall meet the development standards of the zone, and shall also meet the standards for parking, dispersion, and odors in subsections G, J, and H of this Section 23.45.570 . C. Height limits in Lowrise zones. 1. The height limit for institutions shall be the height limit for apartments in the applicable zone, except as provided in this subsection 23.45.570.C. 2. In LR1 and LR2 zones, for gymnasiums, auditoriums, and wood shops that are accessory to an institution, the maximum permitted height is 35 feet if all portions of the structure above the height limit of the zone are set back at least 20 feet from all lot lines. Pitched roofs on the auditorium, gymnasium or wood shop with a slope of not less than 4:12 may extend 10 feet above the 35-foot height limit. No portion of a shed roof on a gymnasium, auditorium or wood shop is permitted to extend beyond 35 feet. 3. In LR3 zones, pitched roofs on an auditorium, gymnasium, or wood shop with a slope of not less than 4:12 may extend 10 feet above the height limit, except that no portion of a shed roof is permitted to extend beyond the height limit. D. Structure width in Lowrise zones. 1. The maximum permitted width for structures in institutional use in Lowrise zones is as shown in Table A for 23.45.570. Table A for 23.45.570: Width Limits for Institutions in Lowrise zones Zone Maximum Width Without Green Factor Maximum Width With Green Factor Lowrise 1 45 feet 75 feet Lowrise 2 45 feet 90 feet Lowrise 3 60 feet 150 feet 2. In order to achieve the maximum width permitted in each zone, institutional structures are required to reduce the appearance of bulk by providing landscaping that achieves a Green Factor score of .5 or greater, pursuant to the standards set forth in Section 23.86.019 . E. Structure Depth in Lowrise zones. The maximum permitted depth of institutional structures is 65 percent of lot depth. F. Setback requirements in LR zones 1. Front setback. The average front setback is 10 feet, and the minimum front setback is 5 feet. 2. Rear setback. The minimum rear setback is 10 feet. 3. Side setback a. The minimum side setback is 5 feet. b. If the depth of a structure exceeds 65 feet, an additional side setback is required for that portion of the structure in excess of 65 feet, according to Table B for 23.45.570. In lieu of providing the additional setback for the portion of the structure in excess of 65 feet deep, a lesser side setback may be provided for the portion in excess of 65 feet deep if the average setback for the entire structure is no less than the average of the setback required by subsection 23.45.570.F.3.a and the setback required under Table B for 23.45.570. Table B for 23.45.570 Side setback requirements for institutional structures greater than 65 feet in depth in LR zones Structure depth in feet Side setback requirement in feet Up to 20 in height Greater than 20 up to 40 in height Greater than 40 up to 60 in height Greater than 60 up to 80 in height Greater than 80 in height Up to 70 12 14 16 18 — Greater than 70, up to 80 13 15 17 19 21 Greater than 80, up to 90 14 16 18 20 22 Greater than 90, up to 100 15 17 19 21 23 Greater than 100 16 18 20 22 24 4. Setbacks for specific items. The following shall be located at least 20 feet from any abutting residentially zoned lot: a. Emergency entrances; b. Main entrance door of the institutional structure; c. Operable window of gymnasium, assembly hall, or sanctuary; d. Garbage and trash disposal mechanism; e. Kitchen ventilation; f. Air-conditioning or heating mechanism; g. Similar mechanisms and features causing noise and/or odors as determined by the Director. 5. Accessory structures and projections from principal structures are allowed in required setbacks on lots developed with institutional uses to the same extent that those accessory structures or projections would be allowed for apartments in the zone, except that no accessory structures other than freestanding walls, fences, bulkheads, or similar structures shall be closer than 10 feet to a side lot line abutting another lot in a residential zone. G. Parking 1. Parking quantity. Parking and loading is required pursuant to Section 23.54.015 , except as modified by Section 23.54.020 . 2. Location of parking. Parking areas and facilities may be located anywhere on the lot except in the required front setback or side street side setback. 3. Screening of surface parking areas. Surface parking areas for more than five vehicles shall be screened in accordance with the following requirements and the provisions of Section 23.45.524 . a. Screening shall be provided on each side of the parking area that abuts, or faces across a street, alley, or access easement, a lot in a residential zone. b. Screening shall consist of a fence, solid evergreen hedge or wall between 4 and 6 feet in height. Sight triangles must be provided. Fences surrounding sports fields/recreation areas may be 8 feet high. The Director may permit higher fencing when necessary for sports fields. c. The height of the visual barrier created by the screen required in subsection 23.45.570.G.3 shall be measured from street level. If the elevation of the lot line is different from the finished elevation of the parking surface, the difference in elevation may be measured as a portion of the required height of the screen, so long as the screen itself is a minimum of 3 feet in height. 4. Landscaping of surface parking. Accessory surface parking areas for more than 20 vehicles shall be landscaped according to the following requirements: a. One tree per every five parking spaces is required. b. Each required tree shall be planted in a landscaped area and shall be 3 feet away from any curb of a landscaped area or edge of the parking area. Permanent curbs or structural barriers shall protect landscaping, but may include openings to allow movement of stormwater. c. Hardy evergreen ground cover shall be planted to cover each landscaped area. d. The trees and landscaped areas shall be located within the parking area to break up large expanses of pavement and cars. H. Odors. The venting of odors, vapors, smoke, cinders, dust, gas and fumes shall be at least ten feet above finished sidewalk grade, and directed away to the extent possible from residential uses within 50 feet of the vent. I. Light and Glare. 1. Exterior lighting for institutions shall be shielded or directed away from principal structures on adjacent residential lots. 2. Poles for freestanding exterior lighting are permitted up to a maximum height of 30 feet. Light poles for illumination of athletic fields on new and existing public school sites will be allowed to exceed 30 feet pursuant to Chapter 23.51B , Public schools. J. Dispersion. The lot line of any new or expanding institution other than child care centers shall be located 600 feet or more from any lot line of any other institution in a residential zone with the following exceptions: 1. An institution may expand even though it is within 600 feet of a public school if the public school is constructed on a new site subsequent to December 12, 1985. 2. A proposed institution may be located less than 600 feet from a lot line of another institution if the Director determines that the intent of dispersion is achieved due to the presence of physical elements such as bodies of water, large open spaces or topographical breaks, or other elements such as arterials, freeways, or nonresidential uses, that provide substantial separation from other institutions. (Ord. 126858 , § 3, 2023; Ord. 126131 , § 5, 2020; Ord. 125603 , § 24, 2018; Ord. 125558 , § 10, 2018; Ord. 125272 , § 23, 2017; Ord. 124843 , § 27, 2015; Ord. 124378 , § 37, 2013; Ord. 123495, § 45, 2011; Ord. 123209, § 48, 2009.)