Downtown Harborfront 2, street facade requirements.

Seattle Mun. Code § 23.49.332

in effect

Standards for the facades of structures at street level are established for the following elements: Minimum facade heights; Setback limits; Facade transparency; Blank facade limits; and Street trees. These standards shall apply to each lot line that abuts a street designated on Map 1F as having a pedestrian classification. The standards for each street frontage shall vary according to the pedestrian classification of the street on Map 1F. A. Minimum Facade Height. 1. Minimum facade height shall be as described in the table below, and as shown in Exhibit 23.49.332 A, but the minimum facade heights shall not apply when all portions of the structure are lower than the elevation of the required minimum facade height listed below. Green Streets Minimum Facade* Height Class II Pedestrian Streets Minimum Facade* Height 25 feet 15 feet * Except as modified by view corridor requirements. 2. On designated view corridors described in Section 23.49.024 , the minimum facade height shall be the required elevation of the setback when it is less than the minimum facade height required in subsection A1. B. Facade Setback Limits. 1. Except when the entire structure is less than or equal to fifteen (15) feet in height, or when the minimum facade height established in subsection A of this section is fifteen (15) feet, the setback limits shall apply to the facade between an elevation of fifteen (15) feet above sidewalk grade and the minimum facade height established in subsection A of this section (and see Exhibit 23.49.332B). When the structure is less than or equal to fifteen (15) feet in height, the setback limits shall apply to the entire street facade. When the minimum facade height is fifteen (15) feet, the setback limits shall apply to the portion of the street facade that is fifteen (15) feet or less in height. 2. The maximum area of all setbacks between the lot line and facade along each street frontage of a lot shall not exceed the area determined by multiplying the averaging factor times the width of the street frontage of the lot along that street (see Exhibit 23.49.332C). The averaging factor shall be thirty (30) on both Class II pedestrian streets and designated green streets. Parking shall not be located between the facade and the street property line. 3. The maximum width, measured along the street property line, of any setback area exceeding a depth of fifteen (15) feet from the street property line shall not exceed eighty (80) feet, or thirty (30) percent of the lot frontage on that street, whichever is less. (See Exhibit 23.49.332 C.) 4. The maximum setback of the facade from the street property line at intersections shall be ten (10) feet. The minimum distance the facade must conform to this limit shall be twenty (20) feet along each street. (See Exhibit 23.49.332 D.) 5. Any exterior public open space that satisfies the Downtown Amenity Standards, whether it receives a bonus or not, and any outdoor common recreation area required for residential uses, shall not be considered part of a setback. (See Exhibit 23.49.332 B.) 6. When sidewalk widening is required by Section 23.49.022 , setback standards shall be measured to the line established by the new sidewalk width rather than the street property line. C. Facade Transparency Requirements. 1. Facade transparency requirements apply to the area of the facade between two (2) feet and eight (8) feet above the sidewalk, except that where the slope along the street frontage of the facade exceeds seven and one-half (7½) percent, the facade transparency requirements apply to the area of the facade between four (4) feet and eight (8) feet above sidewalk grade. Only clear or lightly tinted glass in windows, doors, and display windows is considered to be transparent. Transparent areas shall allow views into the structure or into display windows from the outside. 2. Facade transparency requirements do not apply to portions of structures in residential use. 3. When the transparency requirements of this subsection are inconsistent with the glazing limits in the Energy Code [8] , this subsection shall apply. 4. Transparency requirements are as follows: a. Class I pedestrian streets: A minimum of sixty (60) percent of the street-level facade shall be transparent. b. Class II pedestrian streets and Designated Green Streets: A minimum of thirty (30) percent of the street-level facade shall be transparent. c. When the slope of the street frontage of the facade exceeds seven and one-half (7½) percent, the required amount of transparency is reduced to fifty (50) percent on Class I pedestrian streets and twenty-five (25) percent on Class II pedestrian streets and designated green streets. D. Blank Facade Limits. 1. General Provisions. a. Blank facade limits apply to the area of the facade between two (2) feet and eight (8) feet above the sidewalk, except where the slope along the street frontage of the facade exceeds seven and one-half (7½) percent, in which case the blank facade limits apply to the area of the facade between four (4) feet and eight (8) feet above sidewalk grade. b. Any portion of a facade that is not transparent shall be considered to be a blank facade. c. Blank facade limits shall not apply to portions of structures in residential use. 2. Blank Facade Limits for Class I Pedestrian Streets. a. Blank facades are limited to segments fifteen (15) feet wide, except for garage doors which may exceed fifteen (15) feet. Blank facade width may be increased to thirty (30) feet if the Director determines that the facade is enhanced by architectural detailing, artwork, landscaping, or similar features that have visual interest. The width of garage doors may not exceed the width of the driveway plus five (5) feet. b. Any blank segments of the facade shall be separated from other blank segments by transparent areas at least two (2) feet wide. c. The total of all blank facade segments, including garage doors, shall not exceed forty (40) percent of the street facade of the structure on each street frontage; or fifty (50) percent if the slope of the street frontage of the facade exceeds seven and one-half (7½) percent. 3. Blank Facade Limits for Class II Pedestrian Streets and Designated Green Streets. a. Blank facades shall be limited to segments thirty (30) feet wide, except for garage doors which may exceed thirty (30) feet. Blank facade width may be increased to sixty (60) feet if the Director determines that the facade is enhanced by architectural detailing, artwork, landscaping, or similar features that have visual interest. The width of garage doors shall be limited to the width of the driveway plus five (5) feet. b. Any blank segments of the facade shall be separated by transparent areas at least two (2) feet wide. c. The total of all blank facade segments, including garage doors, shall not exceed seventy (70) percent of the street facade of the structure on each street frontage; or seventy-five (75) percent if the slope of the street frontage of the facade exceeds seven and one-half (7½) percent. E. Reserved. F. Street Tree Requirements. Street trees shall be required on all streets abutting a lot. When areaways are located beneath the sidewalk, the street trees shall be planted in below-grade containers with provisions for watering the trees. Street trees shall be planted according to Seattle Department of Transportation Tree Planting Standards. (Ord. 123046, § 65, 2009; Ord. 122054 § 71, 2006; Ord. 121477 § 22, 2004; Ord. 120611 , § 12, 2001; Ord. 120443 , § 71, 2001; Ord. 118409 § 191, 1996: Ord. 116744 § 23, 1993; Ord. 112519 § 37, 1985; Ord. 112303 § 3(part), 1985.) Exhibit 23.49.332A Exhibit 23.49.332B

Source: Seattle Municipal Code (Municode library)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_codeFetched: 7/25/2026