23.75.180

A. Parking is regulated by this Section 23.75.180 and not by Sections 23.54.015 or 23.54.016 or subsections 23.54.030.A or 23.54.030.B, except for bicycle parking, which is required pursuant to Section 23.54.037 . Parking maximums in this Section 23.75.180 do not include parking for dwelling units existing as of January 1, 2012, so long as those units exist. B. There is no minimum requirement for parking spaces for motor vehicles. Maximum motor vehicle parking space limits are as follows: 1. For the NW Sector, parking shall not exceed 1,350 spaces, plus 0.7 spaces per dwelling unit or live-work unit in the sector, except that up to an additional 450 parking spaces may be permitted as a special exception pursuant to Chapter 23.76 . When deciding whether to grant a special exception, the Director shall consider evidence of parking demand for nonresidential uses and alternative means of transportation, including but not limited to the following: a. Whether the additional parking will substantially encourage the use of single occupancy vehicles; b. Characteristics of the work force and employee hours, such as multiple shifts that end when transit service is not readily available; c. Proximity of transit lines to the lot and headway times of those lines; d. Whether the additional parking will adversely affect vehicular and pedestrian circulation in the area; and e. Potential for shared use of additional parking as residential or short-term parking. 2. For the NE, SE, and SW Sectors, Table A for 23.75.180 establishes maximum parking allowed based on the uses on a lot, subject to any transfer of unused parking allowance between lots in the same sector under Section 23.75.040 . Table A for 23.75.180 Maximum motor vehicle parking limits for NE, SE, and SW sectors Use Maximum parking allowed 1 Residential 0.7 spaces/dwelling unit or live-work unit 2 Office 1 space/1,000 square feet of gross floor area All other uses 1 space/500 square feet of gross floor area Footnote to Table A for 23.75.180 1 Based on the development of one or more uses on the lot where the parking is located, subject to any transfer of unused allowance between lots in the same sector under Section 23.75.040 . 2 One additional space beyond this maximum limit shall be allowed for each dwelling unit with three or more bedrooms. C. Barrier-free parking is required consistent with Seattle Building Code requirements. D. For purposes of this Section 23.75.180 , all parking is classified as "surface parking," as defined in Section 23.84A.030 , or as "aboveground," "partially underground," or "underground," as shown in Exhibit A for 23.75.180 and described as follows: 1. "Aboveground parking" means any portion of a parking garage where: a. The structure projects more than 4 feet in height above finished grade within 30 feet of a build-to line or reduced setback area; or b. The structure projects more than 6 feet in height above finished grade in any other location. 2. "Partially underground parking" means any portion of a parking garage where: a. The structure projects 4 feet or less in height above finished grade within 30 feet of a build-to line or reduced setback area; or b. The structure projects 6 feet or less in height above finished grade along any other location where the grade along the boundary has a slope of less than six percent; or c. The structure projects 10 feet or less in height above finished grade along any other location where the grade along the boundary has a slope of six percent or greater. 3. "Underground parking" means a story of parking garage where all floor area, walls, and ceiling structure are entirely below finished grade, excluding access. Exhibit A for 23.75.180 Structured parking classification E. Standards for surface parking. 1. The total number of surface parking spaces may not exceed 12 spaces per block. 2. No more than five surface parking spaces may abut one another, and each group of abutting surface parking spaces shall be separated from other surface parking spaces by a minimum of 30 feet, measured between the two closest spaces. 3. Parking spaces located on an access drive are not allowed within 30 feet of entrances to parking garages. 4. Surface parking is not allowed in the required setback between a building and a street or park that is open to the public. F. Aboveground parking is subject to the following requirements 1. Minimum setbacks for aboveground parking are established in Exhibit B for 23.75.180 . No parking setbacks are required from lot lines abutting the Interstate 5 right-of-way. Exhibit B for 23.75.180 Aboveground parking setbacks 2. Parking within 50 feet of a street, park that is open to the public, access drive, or pedestrian pathway may not exceed three levels of aboveground parking. 3. Aboveground parking and loading areas shall be separated from each regulated facade by a normally occupied use along at least 80 percent of the width of the regulated facade, except where parking access and/or loading access occurs. The remaining part of the facade shall include architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated walls, or other landscape features, with an opaque screen at least 3.5 feet high on each story. 4. If aboveground parking or an aboveground loading area abuts any facade other than a regulated facade, that facade shall be enhanced with architectural detailing, artwork, vegetated walls, or other landscape features. Each story shall have an opaque screen at least 3.5 feet high. G. Partially underground parking is subject to the following requirements: 1. At build-to lines and in reduced setback areas as depicted in Exhibit C for 23.75.140 , partially underground parking is required to be set back at least 2 feet from the boundary, as shown in Exhibit C for 23.75.180. In these locations, the aboveground portion of the parking garage is not allowed to exceed 4 feet above finished grade. 2. Along boundaries that do not abut a street, park that is open to the public, pedestrian pathway, or access drive, no setback is required for partially underground parking. Exhibit C for 23.75.180 Setback for partially underground parking at build-to lines and reduced setback areas 3. Along boundaries that abut a street, park that is open to the public, pedestrian pathway, or access drive and are not subject to a build-to line or reduced setback area, partially underground parking is required to be set back at least 4 feet from the boundary, as shown in Exhibit D for 23.75.180, and must meet the following standards: a. The aboveground portion is required to be no higher than 6 feet above the finished grade at the boundary. b. If the aboveground portion of the parking garage is taller than 4 feet above finished grade, a wall or planter shall be provided between the parking garage and the boundary, as illustrated in Exhibit D for 23.75.180 . The top of this wall or planter shall be at least 2 feet below the top of the aboveground portion of the parking garage, and the planting area shall be at least 2 feet in width. Vegetation shall be provided at the top of this wall or planter. Exhibit D for 23.75.180 Setback for partially underground parking in locations other than build-to lines and reduced setback areas H. Underground parking may extend to the lot line. The Director may determine, as a Type I Decision, that underground parking may extend beneath private access drives, pedestrian pathways, and parks, provided that: 1. The underground parking does not conflict with or reduce the quality of public access areas above; and 2. The underground parking does not interfere with underground public utility alignments established in the Yesler Terrace plat. I. Parking and loading access 1. Access for parking and for loading is required to meet the following requirements: a. Access is not allowed within 40 feet of the curb line of an intersection. b. Access is not allowed within 20 feet of a structure corner that includes a regulated facade on one or both sides. 2. Each access drive is required to include a dedicated pedestrian area along at least one side of the length of the drive. The dedicated pedestrian area is required to: a. Include a walking surface at least 6 feet wide along the length of the access drive; and b. Be separated from the access drive roadway by a raised curb, bollards, landscaping, or textured paving details. 3. Curb cuts are required to meet the standards of Section 23.54.031 . 4. Driveways are required to meet the standards of subsection 23.54.030.D. (Ord. 127376 , § 69, 2025; Ord. 124843 , § 55, 2015; Ord. 123963, § 26, 2012.)