23.48.055

A. Landscaping requirements 1. All landscaping provided to meet the requirements of this Section 23.48.055 shall comply with the Director's rules adopted to foster the long-term health, viability, and coverage of plantings. The Director's 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. 2. Landscaping that achieves a Green Factor score of .30 or greater, pursuant to Section 23.86.019 , is required for any lot with: a. Development containing more than four new dwelling units; or b. Development, either a new structure or an addition to an existing structure, containing more than 4,000 square feet of non-residential uses; or c. Any use with more than 20 new parking spaces for automobiles. 3. Landscaping for required setback areas and berms. If development standards require landscaping in setback areas or berms, each required setback area or berm shall be planted with trees, shrubs, and grass or evergreen groundcover. Features such as pedestrian access meeting the Washington State Rules and Regulations for Barrier-Free Design, decorative pavers, street furnishings, sculptures, or fountains may cover a maximum of 30 percent of each required landscaped area or berm. Landscaping shall be provided according to standards promulgated by the Director. Landscaping designed to manage storm water qualifies as required landscaping. B. If screening is required for specific uses in subsection 23.48.055.C, screening that is at least 3 feet tall shall be provided on the lot lines specified in subsection 23.48.055.C. Except as specified for parking located above street-level in subsection 23.48.055.C.3.c, the required screening may be provided as a fence, wall, hedge, or landscaped berm. C. Screening for specific uses 1. Gas stations shall provide 3-foot-high screening along lot lines abutting all streets, except within required sight triangles. 2. Surface parking areas a. Surface parking areas abutting streets. Surface parking areas shall provide 3-foot-high screening along the lot lines abutting all streets, except within required sight triangles. b. Surface parking areas abutting alleys. Surface parking areas shall provide 3-foot-high screening along the lot lines abutting an alley. The Director may reduce or waive the screening requirement for part or all of the lot line abutting the alley when required parking is provided at the rear lot line and the alley is necessary to provide aisle space. 3. Parking in structures. Except as provided for by subsection 23.48.085.B, parking located at or above street level in a garage shall be screened as follows: a. On Class 1 and Class 2 Pedestrian Streets and Neighborhood Green Streets shown on Map A for 23.48.240, Map A for 23.48.440, Map A for 23.48.840, and Map A for 23.48.940, and on all streets in SM-U and SM-UP zones, parking is not permitted at street level unless separated from the street by other uses, provided that garage doors need not be separated. The facade of the separating uses shall be subject to the transparency and blank facade standards in Section 23.48.040 . b. On all other streets in Seattle Mixed zones shown on Map A for 23.48.240, Map A for 23.48.440, and Map A for 23.48.840, parking is permitted at street level if at least 30 percent of the street frontage of the parking area, excluding that portion of the frontage occupied by garage doors, is separated from the street by other uses. The facade of the separating uses shall be subject to the transparency and blank facade standards in Section 23.48.040 . The remaining parking shall be screened from view at street level and the street-facing facade shall be enhanced by architectural detailing, artwork, landscaping, or similar visual interest features. c. The perimeter of each floor of parking above street level shall have an opaque screen at least 3.5 feet high, except in the SM-SLU, SM-U, SM-UP, and SM-NG zones, where specific requirements for the location and screening of parking located on stories above the street level apply. 4. 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 service shall provide either: a. A landscaped area a minimum of 5 feet in depth 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. D. Street trees requirements 1. Street trees are required when any development is proposed, except as provided in subsection 23.48.055.D.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 23.48.055.D.3; 2) Changing a use, or establishing a temporary use or intermittent use; 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 may reduce or waive this requirement. (Ord. 126821 , § 4, 2023; Ord. 125792 , § 5, 2019; Ord. 125791 , § 61, 2019; Ord. 125432 , § 11, 2017; Ord. 125267 , § 23, 2017; Ord. 124883 , § 13, 2015.)