23.53.025

If access by easement has been approved by the Director, the easement shall meet the following standards. Surfacing of easements, pedestrian walkways required within easements, and turnaround dimensions shall meet the requirements of the Right-of-Way Improvements Manual. A. Vehicle access easements serving one or two dwelling units shall meet the following standards: 1. Easement width shall be a minimum of 10 feet. 2. No maximum easement length shall be set. If easement length is more than 150 feet, a vehicle turnaround shall be provided. 3. Curb cut width from the easement to the street shall be the minimum necessary for safety and access. B. Vehicle access easements serving at least three but fewer than ten dwelling units shall meet the following standards: 1. Easement width shall be a minimum of 10 feet. 2. The easement shall provide a hard-surfaced roadway at least 10 feet wide. 3. No maximum easement length shall be set. If the easement is over 600 feet long, a fire hydrant may be required by the Director. 4. A turnaround shall be provided unless the easement extends from street to street. 5. Curb cut width from the easement to the street shall be the minimum necessary for safety and access. C. Vehicle access easements serving ten or more dwelling units shall meet the following standards: 1. Easement width shall be a minimum of 32 feet. 2. The easement shall provide a surfaced roadway at least 24 feet wide, except in the MPC-YT zone, where the minimum surfaced roadway width is 20 feet. 3. No maximum length shall be set. If the easement is over 600 feet long, a fire hydrant may be required by the Director. 4. A turnaround shall be provided unless the easement extends from street to street. 5. Curb cut width from the easement to the street shall be the minimum necessary for safety access. 6. No detached dwelling unit shall be located closer than 5 feet to an easement, except that architectural features such as cornices, eaves, gutters, roofs, fireplaces, chimneys, and other similar features shall not be located closer than 3 feet to a required easement. 7. One pedestrian walkway shall be provided, extending the length of the easement. D. For nonresidential or live-work uses providing fewer than ten parking spaces, the easement shall meet the requirements of subsection 23.53.025.B. E. For nonresidential or live-work uses providing ten or more parking spaces, the easement shall meet the requirements of subsection 23.53.025.C. F. Pedestrian access easements. Where a lot proposed for a residential use abuts an alley but does not abut a street and the provisions of the zone require access by vehicles from the alley, or where the alley access is an exercised option, an easement providing pedestrian access to a street from the lot shall be provided meeting the following standards: 1. Easement width shall be a minimum of 5 feet; 2. Easements serving one or two dwelling units shall provide a paved pedestrian walkway at least 3 feet wide; 3. Easements serving three or more dwelling units shall provide a paved pedestrian walkway at least 5 feet wide; 4. Easements over 100 feet in length shall provide lighting at intervals not to exceed 50 feet. Lighting placement shall not exceed 15 feet in height; 5. Pedestrian access easements shall not exceed 200 feet in length. G. Vertical clearance above easements. When an easement serves fewer than ten residential units and crosses a residentially zoned lot, portions of structures may be built over the easement provided that a minimum vertical clearance of 16.5 feet is maintained above the surface of the easement roadway and a minimum turning path radius in accordance with subsection 23.54.030.D is maintained. (Exhibit A for 23.53.025 .) H. Exceptions from access easement standards. The Director, in consultation with the Fire Chief, may modify the requirements for easement width and surfacing for properties located in environmentally critical areas or their buffers when it is determined that: 1. Such modification(s) would reduce adverse effects to identified environmentally critical areas or buffers; and 2. Adequate access and provisions for fire protection can be provided for structures served by the easement. Exhibit A for 23.53.025 Residential structures permitted to be constructed over vehicle access easement (Ord. 127376 , § 58, 2025; Ord. 127219 , § 25, 2025; Ord. 126682 , § 8, 2022; Ord. 125791 , § 85, 2019; Ord. 123963, § 19, 2012; Ord. 123649, § 36, 2011; Ord. 123495, § 62, 2011; Ord. 122205, § 10, 2006; Ord. 122050, § 14, 2006; Ord. 121196, § 21, 2003; Ord. 118414, § 38, 1996; Ord. 117263 , § 49, 1994; Ord. 115568 , § 8, 1991; Ord. 115326, § 26, 1990.)