23.49.019

The regulations in this Section 23.49.019 do not apply to the Pike Market Mixed zones. A. Parking quantity requirements 1. No parking, either long-term or short-term, is required for uses on lots in downtown zones, except as follows: a. In the International District Mixed and International District Residential zones, parking requirements for restaurants, motion picture theaters, and other entertainment uses are as prescribed by Section 23.66.342 . b. In the International District Mixed and International District Residential zones, the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, upon the recommendation of the International District Special Review District Board, may waive or reduce required parking according to the provisions of Section 23.66.342 , Parking and access. c. Bicycle parking is required as specified in Section 23.54.037 . 2. Reduction or elimination of parking required by permits. A property owner may apply to the Director for the reduction or elimination of parking required by any permit issued under this Title 23 or Title 24 , except for a condition contained in or required pursuant to any Council conditional use, contract rezone, planned community development, or other Type IV decision. The Director may grant reduction or elimination of required parking as a Type I decision, either as part of a Master Use Permit for the establishment of any new use or structure, or as an independent application for reduction or elimination of parking required by permit. Parking for bicycles may not be reduced or eliminated under this subsection 23.49.019.A.2. Any Transportation Management Plan (TMP) required by permit for the development for which a parking reduction or elimination is proposed shall remain in effect, except that the Director may change the conditions of the TMP to reflect current conditions and to mitigate any parking and traffic impacts of the proposed changes. If any bonus floor area was granted for the parking, then reduction or elimination shall not be permitted except in compliance with applicable provisions regarding the elimination or reduction of bonus features. If any required parking that is allowed to be reduced or eliminated under this subsection 23.49.019.A.2 is the subject of a recorded parking covenant, the Director may authorize modification or release of the covenant. B. Parking location within structures 1. Parking at street level a. On Class I pedestrian streets and designated green streets, parking is not permitted at street level unless separated from the street by other uses, provided that garage doors need not be separated. b. On Class II pedestrian streets, parking may be permitted at street level if: 1) at least 30 percent of the street frontage of any street-level parking area, excluding that portion of the frontage occupied by garage doors, is separated from the street by other uses; 2) the facade of the separating uses satisfies the transparency and blank wall standards for Class I pedestrian streets for the zone in which the structure is located; 3) the portion of the parking, excluding garage doors, that is not separated from the street by other uses is screened from view at street level; and 4) the street facade is enhanced by architectural detailing, artwork, landscaping, or similar visual interest features. 2. Limits on the number of stories of parking located above the street-level story a. There is no limit on the number of stories of parking permitted above the street-level story if the parking is separated along all street frontages of the structure by another use and if the separation requirements of subsection 23.49.019.B.3 are met. b. On lots that are less than 30,000 square feet in size, or that are 150 feet in depth or less as measured from the lot line with the greatest street frontage, parking is permitted above the street-level story as follows: 1) One story of parking is permitted above the street-level story of the structure for each story of parking provided below grade that is of at least equivalent capacity, up to a maximum of four stories of parking above the street-level story. The separation requirements of subsection 23.49.019.B.3 and the screening requirements of subsection 23.49.019.B.4 must be met. 2) The Director may permit more than four stories of parking above the street-level story of the structure or may permit other exceptions to subsection 23.49.019.B.2.b.1 as a Type I decision if the Director finds that locating parking below grade is infeasible due to physical site conditions such as a high water table or proximity to a tunnel. In such cases, the applicant shall place the maximum feasible amount of parking below grade before more than four stories of parking above the street-level story shall be permitted. The rationale that a site is too small to accommodate parking below grade is not a basis for granting an exception under this subsection 23.49.019.B.2.b.2. 3. Separation of parking located above the street-level story a. All parking provided above the street-level story of a structure shall be separated along all street lot lines by another use, except for lots that meet the conditions of subsection 23.49.019.B.2.b, which are subject to the provisions of subsections 23.49.019.B.3.b and 23.49.019.B.3.c. b. Except as provided in subsection 23.49.019.B.3.c, for parking that is allowed above the street-level story under the provisions of subsection 23.49.019.B.2.b, parking above the third story of a structure shall be separated from the street by another use for a minimum of 30 percent measured along each street frontage of the structure. For structures located at street intersections, the separation by another use shall be provided at the corner portion(s) of the structure. c. Separation of parking on blocks abutting Alaskan Way in the DMC 160 zone 1) Any parking located above the street-level story of a structure shall be separated along 100 percent of the street frontage facing Alaskan Way by one or more of the following uses: a) residential use that is predominantly floor area occupied by dwelling units or common recreation area; b) lodging rooms or public areas accessory to hotel use; c) office use; or d) uses that qualify as required street-level uses in subsection 23.49.009.A. 2) Any parking located above the street-level story of a structure facing other streets besides Alaskan Way shall be separated from those streets by another use for a minimum of 30 percent measured along each street frontage. For structures located at street intersections, the separation by another use shall be provided at the corner portion(s) of the structure. 4. Screening of parking located above the street-level story. For parking that is allowed above the street-level story under the provisions of subsection 23.49.019.B.2.b, if parking is not separated from the street by another use, then screening of the parking is required as follows: a. Except as provided in subsection 23.49.019.B.4.b, the perimeter of each story of parking above the street-level story of the structure shall have an opaque screen at least 3.5 feet high where the parking is not separated from the street by another use. b. In the DMC 160 zone, on street frontages where parking is not separated from the street by another use, parking shall be enclosed by facades. The facades shall be designed to minimize the visual impacts and impacts of glare from vehicle headlights and interior garage lighting. C. Maximum parking limits 1. Except as provided in subsections 23.49.019.C.2 and 23.66.342.B, parking for nonresidential uses is limited to a maximum of one parking space per 1,000 square feet. 2. In the area east of Interstate 5, parking for general sales and service uses and for eating and drinking establishments is limited to a maximum of two parking spaces per 1,000 square feet. D. Ridesharing and transit incentive program requirements. The following requirements apply to all new structures containing more than 10,000 square feet of new nonresidential use, and to structures where more than 10,000 square feet of nonresidential use is proposed to be added. 1. The building owner shall establish and maintain a transportation coordinator position for the proposed structure and designate a person to fill this position, or the building owner may contract with an area-wide transportation coordinator acceptable to the Department. The transportation coordinator shall devise and implement alternative means for employee commuting. The transportation coordinator shall be trained by the Seattle Department of Transportation or by an alternative organization with ridesharing experience, and shall work with the Seattle Department of Transportation and building tenants. The coordinator shall disseminate ridesharing information to building occupants to encourage use of public transit, carpools, vanpools, and flextime; administer the in-house ridesharing program; and aid in evaluation and monitoring of the ridesharing program by the Seattle Department of Transportation. The transportation coordinator in addition shall survey all employees of building tenants once a year to determine commute mode percentages. 2. The Seattle Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the transportation coordinator, shall monitor the effectiveness of the ridesharing/transit incentive program on an annual basis. The building owner shall allow a designated Seattle Department of Transportation or rideshare representative to inspect the parking facility and review operation of the ridesharing program. 3. The building owner shall provide and maintain a transportation information center, which has transit information displays including transit route maps and schedules and Seattle ridesharing program information. The transportation display shall be located in the lobby or other location highly visible to employees within the structure, and shall be established prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy. E. Bicycle parking is required according to Section 23.54.037 . F. Reserved. G. Off-street loading 1. Off-street loading spaces shall be provided according to the standards of Section 23.54.035 , Loading berth requirements and space standards. 2. In Pioneer Square Mixed zones, the Department of Neighborhoods Director, after review and recommendation by the Pioneer Square Preservation Board, may waive or reduce required loading spaces according to the provisions of Section 23.66.170 , Parking and access. 3. In International District Mixed and International District Residential zones, the Department of Neighborhoods Director, after review and recommendation by the International District Special Review District Board, may waive or reduce required loading spaces according to the provisions of Section 23.66.342 , Parking and access. H. Standards for location of access to parking. This subsection 23.49.019.H does not apply to Pike Market Mixed, Pioneer Square Mixed, International District Mixed, and International District Residential zones except that subsection 23.49.019.H.1 applies to International District Mixed and International District Residential zones to the extent stated in subsection 23.66.342.D. 1. Curb cut location a. If a lot abuts an alley, alley access is required, except as provided in subsection 23.49.019.H.1.c. b. If a lot does not abut an alley and abuts more than one right-of-way, the location of access is determined by the Director as a Type I decision after consulting with the Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation. Unless the Director otherwise determines under subsection 23.49.019.H.1.c, access is allowed only from a right-of-way in the category, determined by the classifications shown on Map 1B and Map 1F of the Downtown Overlay Maps or another map identified in a note to Map 1F, that is most preferred among the categories of rights-of-way abutting the lot, according to the ranking set forth below, from most to least preferred (a portion of a street that is included in more than one category is considered as belonging only to the least preferred of the categories in which it is included): 1) Access street; 2) Class II pedestrian street/Minor arterial; 3) Class II pedestrian street/Principal arterial; 4) Class I pedestrian street/Minor arterial; 5) Class I pedestrian street/Principal arterial; 6) Principal transit street; 7) Designated green street. c. The Director may allow or require access from a right-of-way other than one indicated by subsection 23.49.019.H.1.a or 23.49.019.H.1.b if, after consulting with the Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation on whether and to what extent alternative locations of access would enhance pedestrian safety and comfort, facilitate transit operations, facilitate the movement of vehicles, minimize the on-street queuing of vehicles, enhance vehicular safety, or minimize hazards, and, for hotel use, improve passenger loading safety or increase visibility of vehicular access for guests arriving by car, the Director finds that an exception to the general policy is warranted. The Director may approve an exception for hotel use and impose conditions to minimize any adverse impacts to the pedestrian environment or street operations, including but not limited to allowing one-way driveways that are less than the minimum width otherwise required. Curb cut controls on designated green streets shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but generally access from green streets is not allowed if access from any other right-of-way is possible. d. If a street or alley vacation is proposed, the Director shall consult with the Seattle Design Commission on how the location and extent of proposed curb cuts affects or impacts the public realm and how those impacts have been reduced. 2. Curb cut width and number. The width and number of curb cuts shall comply with Section 23.54.031 . I. Screening and landscaping of surface parking areas 1. Screening. Surface parking areas for more than five vehicles shall be screened in accordance with the following requirements: a. Screening is required along each street lot line. b. Screening shall consist of: 1) A view-obscuring fence or wall at least 3 feet in height; or 2) A landscaped area with vegetation at least 3 feet in height. Landscaped areas may include bioretention facilities or landscaped berms, provided that the top of the vegetation is at least 3 feet above the grade abutting the facility or berm. c. A landscaped strip on the street side of the fence or wall shall be provided if a fence or wall is used for screening. The strip shall be an average of 3 feet from the property line, but at no point less than 1.5 feet wide. Each landscaped strip shall be planted with sufficient shrubs, grass, and/or evergreen groundcover so that the entire strip, excluding driveways, will be covered in three years. Each landscaped strip may be a bioretention facility, at grade, or a raised berm. d. Sight triangles shall be provided in accordance with Section 23.54.032 . 2. Landscaping. Surface parking areas for 20 or more vehicles, except temporary surface parking areas, shall be landscaped according to the following requirements: a. The amount of landscaped area required is shown on Table B for 23.49.019: Table B for 23.49.019 Required landscaping for surface parking areas with 20 or more parking spaces Total number of parking spaces Minimum required landscaped area 20 to 50 18 square feet per parking space 51 to 99 25 square feet per parking space 100 or more spaces 35 square feet per parking space b. The minimum size of a required landscaped area is 100 square feet. Berms provided to meet the screening standards in subsection 23.49.019.I.1 may be counted as part of a landscaped area. No part of a landscaped area shall be less than 4 feet in any dimension except those dimensions reduced by turning radii or angles of parking spaces. c. The landscaped area may include bioretention facilities. d. No parking stall shall be more than 60 feet from a required landscaped area. e. One tree per every five parking spaces is required. f. Each tree shall be at least 3 feet from any curb of a landscaped area or edge of the parking area. g. Permanent curbs or structural barriers shall protect landscaped areas. h. Sufficient hardy evergreen groundcover shall be planted to cover each landscaped area completely within three years. Trees shall be selected from the Seattle Department of Transportation's list for parking area planting. J. Transportation management programs A TMP shall be required and prepared according to the provisions of Section 23.52.010 and any applicable Director's Rules. K. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Off-street parking spaces shall be designed according to the standards of Section 23.54.034 . (Ord. 127392 , § 6, 2026; Ord. 127376 , § 53, 2025; Ord. 127375 , § 77, 2025; Ord. 125815 , § 3, 2019; Ord. 125558 , § 24, 2018; Ord. 125291 , § 20, 2017; Ord. 125272 , § 40, 2017; Ord. 124952 , § 18, 2015; Ord. 124680 , § 7, 2015; Ord. 123589, § 14, 2011; Ord. 123046, § 65, 2009; Ord. 122311 , § 53, 2006; Ord. 122235, § 7, 2006; Ord. 122054 § 28, 2006.)