23.48.240

A. Street-level development standards in Section 23.48.040 apply to all streets in SM-SLU zones designated as Class 1 Pedestrian Streets, Class 2 Pedestrian Streets, or Neighborhood Green Streets as shown on Map A for 23.48.240. B. General facade requirements 1. Permitted setbacks from street lot lines. Except on lots subject to the provisions of subsection 23.48.240.C, the street-facing facades of a structure are permitted to set back from the street lot line as follows: a. The street-facing facades of structures abutting Class 1 Pedestrian Streets, as shown on Map A for 23.48.240, shall be built to the street lot line for a minimum of 70 percent of the facade length, provided that the street frontage of any required outdoor amenity area, or other required open space, or usable open space provided in accordance with subsections 23.48.240.E, 23.48.240.F, or 23.48.245.B.4.c is excluded from the total amount of frontage required to be built to the street lot line (Exhibit A for 23.48.240 ). Exhibit A for 23.48.240 Percentage of facade at lot line Map A for 23.48.240 Pedestrian Street Classifications in South Lake Union b. Except on Class 1 Pedestrian Streets, as shown on Map A for 23.48.240, and as specified in subsection 23.48.240.B.1, the street-facing facade of a structure may be set back up to 12 feet from the street lot line subject to the following (Exhibit B for 23.48.240 ): 1) The setback area shall be landscaped according to the provisions of subsection 23.48.055.A.3; 2) Additional setbacks are permitted for up to 30 percent of the length of portions of the street-facing facade that are set back from the street lot line, provided that the additional setback is located 20 feet or more from any street corner; and 3) Any required outdoor amenity area, or other required open space, or usable open space provided in accordance with subsections 23.48.240.E, 23.48.240.F, or 23.48.245.B.4.c is not considered part of the setback area and may extend beyond the limit on setbacks from the street lot line that would otherwise apply under subsections 23.48.240.B.1.b.1 or 23.48.240.B.1.b.2. Exhibit B for 23.48.240 Street-Level Setbacks C. Facade requirements in the SM-SLU 85-240 zone. In addition to the provisions of subsection 23.48.040.A, except for religious facilities, the following standards apply in the SM-SLU 85-240 zone: 1. Required street-facing facade setback for residential uses a. All street-facing facades along 8 th Avenue North, except those portions occupied by permitted non-residential uses and subject to the provisions of subsection 23.48.240.C.2, are required to set back an average of 10 feet from the street lot line, provided that no setback shall be less than 5 feet from the street lot line, and any setback area further than 15 feet from the street lot line shall not be included in the averaging calculation. b. The setback requirement of this subsection 23.48.240.C.1 does not apply to the following: 1) Portions of the street-facing facade that are located no more than 40 feet from a street corner; and 2) Portions of the structure that are partially below grade and meet the following conditions: a) The roof of the partially below-grade portion of the structure in the setback area is no more than 4 feet above existing or finished grade, whichever is lower; b) The surface of the roof is used for private access or amenity area for abutting units; and c) A landscaped area a minimum of 2 feet in depth measured from the abutting street lot line is maintained at grade level. c. Only ground-related residential units and floor area for building lobbies for residential uses are permitted within the portion of the story of the structure abutting the required setback area, and each unit or lobby area is required to have direct access to the required setback area. d. The street-level facade of lobby area abutting the required setback shall not exceed a width equivalent to 20 percent of the total width of the required setback measured along 8 th Avenue North. e. Private amenity area, unenclosed stoops, steps, or porches related to the abutting, ground-related residential units or common amenity area with access to residential lobbies shall be provided within the required setback area. f. Bay windows, canopies, horizontal projection of decks, balconies with open railings, eaves, cornices, gutters, and other similar architectural features are permitted to extend no more than 4 feet into required setbacks. g. Driveways providing access to parking within a structure are not permitted within the required setback area. 2. Development standards for non-residential uses other than improvements to or development of new religious facilities. Non-residential uses are permitted on the ground floor of mixed-use structures, subject to the following: a. Non-residential uses are not permitted to extend more than 20 feet above the street-level. b. Non-residential uses are only permitted on corner portions of the lot that are within 20 lineal feet of intersecting street lot lines. D. Additional requirements in the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North. Street-level facades on that portion of Terry Avenue between Mercer Street and Valley Street shall be set back an average of 10 feet from the lot line. In addition all street-level facades on Valley Street within 50 feet of Terry Avenue shall be set back an average of 50 feet from the lot line. For the purposes of the standards in Chapter 23.48 , the Class 1 Pedestrian Street classification on Terry Avenue North as depicted on Map A for 23.48.240, extends 120 feet south of Valley Street. E. Development standards for required street-level uses. In addition to street-level uses required by subsection 23.48.005.D, and street-level uses exempt from FAR calculations under the provisions of subsection 23.48.220.B.2, structures with a street-facing facade along 8th Avenue N., located on blocks identified pursuant to subsection 23.48.230.B, the minimum street frontage of required street-level uses is 10 percent of that street-facing facade. The remaining street frontage at street level may contain other permitted uses and/or pedestrian or vehicular entrances. The frontage of any outdoor common amenity area required for residential uses or other required open space shall not be counted in street frontage. F. Required open area in the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone. In the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North, a minimum of 20 percent of the lot area shall be provided as open area that is located and configured to allow easy pedestrian access to project occupants from streets or other abutting public spaces, including access for persons with disabilities. The open area shall include the following: 1. A minimum of 60 percent of the required open area shall be provided as usable open space that meets the following conditions: a. The usable open space is open from the ground to the sky and is visible and accessible to pedestrians from an abutting street, including persons with disabilities; b. The open space is substantially at street level, although portions are permitted to be within 4 feet of street level, provided that grade changes are gradual and do not significantly disrupt the continuity of the space, and no part of the open space is significantly above or below the grade of the nearest abutting street; c. The open space has a minimum horizontal dimension of 15 feet; and d. The open space enhances visual and physical pedestrian connections between South Lake Union Park and development on the lot, and is accessible to the public, free of charge, during the hours of operation of South Lake Union Park. 2. At the applicant's option, up to 40 percent of the required open area may be provided as any combination of: a. A woonerf that serves as a through-block pedestrian passageway and that satisfies the following: 1) The passageway is open to the sky, has a minimum width of 20 feet, and provides a direct and continuous connection between the north/south avenues abutting the lot; 2) The passageway is designed to provide safe pedestrian use, including a clear pathway demarcated as a priority pedestrian zone; and 3) The passageway is adequately lit and available for pedestrian use 24 hours every day. b. Open areas with a horizontal dimension that is less than 15 feet abutting a street lot line if one or more of the following conditions are met: 1) An area abutting a sidewalk that extends the pedestrian area onto the lot to accommodate additional streetscape amenities, such as landscaping, street furniture, special lighting, public art, or extensions of right-of-way green factor treatments; 2) Setback areas abutting the street with a maximum depth of 10 feet that provide private usable open space, stoops, terraces, and/or landscaping for abutting ground level dwelling units that have direct access to the setback area, provided that the total amount of such setback areas does not exceed half of the 40 percent portion of the open area allowed by this subsection 23.48.240.F.2; or 3) Additional sidewalk areas created by extending the curbline into the abutting street right-of-way that are improved with such streetscape amenities as landscaping, street furniture, special lighting, public art, or extensions of right-of-way green factor treatments. c. Usable elevated open space up to a maximum of 45 feet above street level, and that meets the following: 1) At least 50 percent of the perimeter of the elevated open space is not enclosed by a facade and is open and oriented to provide views of South Lake Union Park; and 2) The minimum horizontal dimension of the open space is 15 feet. d. No more than 50 percent of the open areas allowed pursuant to this subsection 23.48.240.F.2 shall be: 1) Located more than 4 feet above street level; and 2) Comprised of unenclosed covered areas, such as arcades or areas beneath building overhangs or overhead weather protection attached to abutting facades that abut sidewalks or pedestrian paths across the lot, or freestanding pavilions or kiosks that provide overhead weather protection. 3. When authorized by the Director as a Type I decision pursuant to this subsection 23.48.240.F, lots within the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North, may be combined, whether contiguous or not, for the purpose of allowing the open area required on a lot by this subsection 23.48.240.F to be met on one or more other lots within the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North, according to the following provisions: a. The Director shall allow lots to be combined to meet open area requirements if the Director determines that the combined amount of open area on all lots meets or exceeds the minimum amount required by subsection 23.48.240.F.1, and that the added flexibility will achieve better open space conditions, as indicated by the following: 1) The open area in general will provide for a better relationship between the development on the combined lots and South Lake Union Park; 2) The added flexibility will allow for better integration of open space and surrounding development and improve accessibility among the blocks in the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North and adjacent areas; 3) A greater diversity of open space will be achieved for the area; 4) Greater public use of the open space will be encouraged; 5) The flexibility would result in open spaces that are more substantial is size and/or more adaptable to a greater variety of uses, or that establish a more significant neighborhood focal point than would otherwise likely occur; and/or 6) The open space provided will enhance urban form by promoting better massing, more usable open spaces with increased solar access, enhanced views within and through the site, and other improved conditions. b. Prior to issuance of a Master Use Permit for any development that relies on one or more other lots within the SM-SLU 85/65-160 zone on the blocks bounded by Valley Street, Mercer Street, Westlake Avenue North, and Fairview Avenue North to meet the open area requirements of this subsection 23.48.240.F, the fee owners of both the property subject to the Master Use Permit and the lot(s) utilized to meet open area requirements for the Master Use Permit shall execute an appropriate agreement or instrument that is recorded in the King County real property records that: 1) Includes the legal description of each lot; 2) Acknowledges the specific extent to which the open space standards are met through a combination of the lots; 3) Provides that its covenants and conditions shall run with the land and shall be specifically enforceable by the parties and by the City of Seattle; and 4) Provides that the agreement or instrument shall be in effect unless the Master Use Permit expires, is cancelled, is withdrawn by the applicant, or the development allowed by the Master Use Permit no longer requires the other lot(s) in order to meet the open area requirements of this subsection 23.48.240.F. 4. Usable open space provided under this subsection 23.48.240.F qualifies as either amenity area for residential uses under Section 23.48.045 or open space required for office use under Section 23.48.250 , or both, if the applicable standards of these sections are met. G. Required usable open space in the SM-SLU 100/65-145, SM-SLU 175/85-280, and SM-SLU 240/125-440 zones 1. Except as provided for in subsection 23.48.240.G.3 and 23.48.240.F, in the SM-SLU 100/65-145, SM-SLU 175/85-280, and SM-SLU 240/125-440 zones, on lots exceeding 30,000 square feet in area, proposed development containing extra floor area as provided for in Sections 23.48.021 and 23.48.221 shall provide usable open space as follows: a. The minimum amount of required usable open space shall be equal to 15 percent of the lot area and shall generally be accessible at street level, with variations in elevation allowed to accommodate changes in topography; b. The average horizontal dimension for any area qualifying as required usable open space is 20 feet, and the minimum horizontal dimension is 10 feet, except that there is no minimum horizontal dimension for additional pedestrian area abutting a sidewalk that is provided according to subsection 23.48.240.G.1.f; c. A minimum of 45 percent of the required usable open space shall be exterior space open to the sky and shall abut a street along at least one street frontage and provide both visual and physical access from the street to pedestrians, including persons with disabilities; d. Up to a maximum of 20 percent of the required usable open space may be covered overhead to provide weather protected space and a widened sidewalk area, if the following conditions are met: 1) The open space abuts a street lot line and is open and accessible to pedestrians along the sidewalk and, 2) If the space is covered by portions of the structure above, or is provided as an arcade open to the street, the minimum vertical clearance is 20 feet; e. Up to a maximum of 35 percent of the required usable open space may be provided as enclosed space, such as a public atrium, a shopping atrium, wintergarden, or covered portion of a through-block pedestrian connection, if the enclosed open space meets all of the following requirements: 1) Direct access is provided to pedestrians, including persons with disabilities, from the street, or from an outdoor, usable public open space abutting the street; 2) The space is provided as one continuous area that is a minimum of 2,000 square feet in size. Space, such as lobby area, that is used solely to provide access between the structure's principal street entrance and elevators, does not qualify as required usable open space; 3) The minimum floor-to-ceiling height is 15 feet; and 4) The space is accessible to the public during normal business hours. f. Up to a maximum of 10 percent of the required usable open space may be provided as an area abutting a sidewalk that extends the pedestrian area onto the lot or accommodates landscaping or extensions of right-of-way green factor treatment pursuant to Section 23.86.019 . Minor changes between the sidewalk elevation and the elevation of the abutting sidewalk area are permitted to accommodate changes in topography, or to provide for features such as ramps that improve access for persons with disabilities. 2. Usable open space provided under this subsection 23.48.240.G is eligible to qualify as either amenity area for residential uses under Section 23.48.045 or open space required for office use under Section 23.48.250 , or all three, provided the applicable standards of these sections are met. 3. Usable open space satisfying the requirements of this subsection 23.48.240.G may be provided on a site other than the project site, provided that the following conditions are met: a. The alternate open space site is located within an SM-SLU zone and within 650 feet of the project site; b. The amount of usable open space is no less than 10 percent of the lot area; and c. The owner of any lot on which off-site open space is provided records a restrictive covenant in a form acceptable to the Director assuring compliance with requirements of this subsection 23.48.240.G. H. Through-block pedestrian connections for large lot developments 1. A through-block pedestrian connection meeting the standards of subsection 23.48.240.F.2 is required in the SM-SLU 100/65-145, SM-SLU 85-240, SM-SLU 85/65-160, SM-SLU 175/85-280, and SM-SLU 240/125-440 zones for development described as follows: a. Within the block defined as the area enclosed by street rights-of-way, the lot area of the development is a minimum of 60,000 square feet, except that the area of lots separated only by an alley right-of-way may be combined for the purposes of calculating the minimum required lot area; b. The lot area of the development abuts the two north/south avenues for a minimum linear distance of 120 feet along each avenue. 2. The required through-block pedestrian connection shall meet the following development standards: a. A continuous pedestrian passageway shall extend across the development lot to both abutting avenues. The alignment of the pedestrian connection and the point at which it intersects each avenue shall be no closer than 100 feet to an east-west street abutting the block, and the connection at the avenues shall be accessible at grade level from the sidewalk. b. The required pedestrian connection shall have an average width of 25 feet and a minimum width of 15 feet. Any segment of the pedestrian passage that is covered from side to side shall have a minimum width of 20 feet. c. The pedestrian passage shall be open to the sky, except that up to 35 percent of the length of the passageway may be covered and enclosed, provided the minimum height of covered portions is 13 feet. Unenclosed area of the pedestrian connection may be counted as required open space; and d. If the pedestrian passage crosses an alley, the alley right-of-way shall be improved to ensure pedestrian safety and to reinforce the relationship between portions of the passageway on either side of the alley. 3. The Director may allow modifications or waiver from the standards for though-block pedestrian connections as a Type I decision, if the applicant demonstrates that alternative treatments will better serve the development by enhancing pedestrian comfort and promoting greater use of the connection. 4. For development providing a through-block pedestrian connection on blocks with an alley, the allowed FAR from any lot included in the development may be transferred to any other lot of the development across the alley, provided the receiving site is in a SM-SLU zone. (Ord. 127375 , § 55, 2025; Ord. 127198 , § 6, 2025; Ord. 125603 , § 36, 2018; Ord. 125267 , § 25, 2017; Ord. 124883 , § 13, 2015.)