BUILDING DESIGN
Boise City Code § 11-04-06
in effect11-04-06: BUILDING DESIGN:
1. Purpose: The purpose of this Section 11-04-06 is to:
A. Provide standards that will help to reinforce existing and desired development patterns and building features intended to implement the Comprehensive Plan;
B. Design sites and orient buildings with an emphasis on character and creating a comfortable walking environment;
C. Design buildings that respond to the unique context of the site;
D. Reduce impacts to wildlife;
E. Promote original and distinctive building design; and
F. Incorporate sustainable development practices.
2. Applicability: The provisions of this Section 11-04-06 shall apply to all Multiple-Family, mixed-use, and nonresidential development listed in Section 11-04-02, Applicability, and as otherwise required in the Citywide and Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines.
3. Compliance with Additional Design Standards Required:
A. In addition to complying with the standards in this Section 11-04-06:
(1) All development shall comply with all other standards related to building and site design applicable to the zoning district in which the property is located, as listed in Sections 11-02-02 through 11-02-06 ; and
(2) All new Multiple-Family, mixed-use, and nonresidential development, including but not limited to Parking Garages shall comply with all other standards and mandatory content related to building design in the Citywide and Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines, as applicable in the area where the property is located.
(3) Residential uses with four or fewer units in a single structure are exempt from these standards.
B. In the event of a conflict between two or more standards in this Section 11-04-06, or between the standards in this Section 11-04-06 and applicable standards in the Citywide or Downtown Design Standards and Guidelines, the provision requiring the higher level of visual building quality and interest, as determined by the Planning Director, shall apply.
4. General Site and Building Design Standards:
A. Buildings and Parking Placement: In the Mixed-Use zoning districts, each primary building and each parking garage shall be located so that no surface parking lot or drive aisle is located between the street and the façade of the building. In the Industrial zoning districts, surface parking and drive aisles may be located between the street and the façade of the building, provided, the building is not placed more than 100 feet from the edge of the edge of pavement of the nearest travel lane and the parking area is adequately screened from the street.
B. Building Entrances:
(1) At least one pedestrian entry to each primary building shall be visible and directly accessible from at least one of the adjacent streets unless Subsection (3) below requires additional pedestrian entries or Subsection (4) below requires pedestrian entries in different locations.
(2) At least one pedestrian entry to each primary building shall be visible and directly accessible from any pathway designated on the Boise Pathways Master Plan that is located on the same lot or on an abutting lot.
(3) On each primary building frontage exceeding 100 feet in length that has a nonresidential ground floor use, at least one pedestrian entry to the building shall be visible and directly accessible from the street within each 50 horizontal feet of building length.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 4.11. Building Entrance Requirements
(4) In districts with an established pattern of building entrances facing the street, new buildings shall be designed with entrances complying with the established pattern to the maximum extent practicable.
(5) Regardless of whether the entry is required by Subsections (1) through (3) above, each outward opening pedestrian entry facing a street shall be designed so that it does not encroach on or interfere with pedestrian passage along any designated sidewalk.
(6) Regardless of whether the entry is required by Subsections (1) through (3) above, each pedestrian entry that provides access to a primary building or parking lot, and that faces a street or a surface parking lot, shall incorporate a covered area providing weather protection to those entering or leaving the building. Each covered weather protection feature shall extend at least five horizontal feet outward from the façade of the building or be inset a minimum of five feet into the façade of the building. Weather protection may be accomplished by canopies, arcades, awnings, or other building features. Covered areas shall not drain onto sidewalks.
C. Façade Transparency:
(1) If the ground floor of the building is located within 10 feet of the sidewalk, at least 40 percent of the ground floor, street-facing façade between four and eight feet above the sidewalk, shall be transparent.
[image omitted; see the official code]
Figure 4.12. Street Frontage Transparency
(2) If the ground floor of the building is located between 10 and 20 feet from the sidewalk, at least 25 percent of the ground floor, street-facing façade between four and eight feet above the sidewalk shall be transparent.
(3) When the ground floor of the building is occupied by residential uses, at least 15 percent of the street-facing façade (all vertical surfaces generally facing the street) shall be transparent.
(4) Window glazing on the bottom two floors on street-facing façades of each primary building that does not provide visibility into residential dwelling units shall achieve a visible transmittance ratio (VT) of at least 0.60.
(5) Building façades shall include features that enable birds to perceive the glass and building materials used to reduce bird collisions.
(a) One hundred percent (100%) of the glazing for all building types shall be bird-friendly glass for the following projects:
i. All new construction in the Bird Activity Zone which is between 0 and 100 feet above grade.
ii. Any renovation or addition that replaces 25% or more of a structure's existing glass or other transparent or reflective materials in the Bird Activity Zone or adds any new glass or transparent materials in the Bird Activity Zone.
iii. All auxiliary structures or small stand-alone buildings that have materials that are transparent or reflective such as railings, noise barriers, wind barriers, gazebos, ticket booths, transportation shelters, regardless of whether the rest of the building or project triggers these bird-friendly building requirements.
iv. All high-risk building features regardless of whether the rest of the building or project triggers these bird-friendly building requirements. High-risk building features include skyways, balconies, all floors of building connectors, all outside corners where a bird can see in one side of the building and out the other ("fly-through conditions") within 30 feet of the corner, all interior corners within 30 feet of the corner. glazing adjacent to courtyards, open or enclosed atriums, and three floors of glazing adjacent to any green roof or partial green roof.
(b) Bird friendly glass or materials shall meet any of the following conditions:
i. Any product with an American Bird Conservancy Material Threat Factor Rating ≤ 30. Visit birdsmartglass.org to view the continuously-updated database.
ii. Any product that follows the American Bird Conservancy's Prescriptive Rating Criteria (abcthreatfactor.org).
iii. Glass with an exterior surface obstructed and effectively covered by building-integrated structures that do not have gaps larger than 12 inches in any dimension, including non-glass double-skin facades, metal screens, fixed solar shading, exterior insect or solar screens, and other features as determined by the Planning Director that meet these conditions.
iv. Continuous-surface materials, including spandrel glass and polished or brushed metals, whose exterior surface gloss reading follows the American Bird Conservancy's Prescriptive Rating Criteria (abcthreatfactor.org) to ensure that they do not produce strong reflections).
v. Other glazing treatments providing an equivalent level of bird safety that has been approved by the Planning Director.
D. Building Façade Articulation: Each street-facing façade of a primary building shall be designed to avoid undifferentiated wall planes by dividing street-facing façade into a series of smaller horizontal and vertical components that comply with the following standards.
(1) Each street-facing façade shall incorporate at least three of the following elements within each 50 horizontal feet of the building façade:
(a) Use of vertical piers or columns;
(b) Change in building material or siding style;
(c) Providing vertical building modulation of at least 12 inches in depth;
(d) Projections, recessions, or reveals that include but not limited to, columns, pilasters, cornices, and bays, and having a change of wall plane that is a minimum of 12 inches in depth;
(e) A change in building material, siding style, or color; and/or
(f) Other methods as approved by the Planning Director.
(2) In the Industrial zoning districts, each street-facing façade shall follow what is required in the Citywide Design Review Standards and Guidelines.
5. Zone-Specific Building Design Standards:
A. Applicability:
(1) All uses listed in Table 11-03.1: Table of Allowed Uses, as an Allowed Use shall comply with the following Zone-Specific Standards, as applicable to the zoning district in which the property is located. In the event of a conflict between these standards and applicable standards in Chapter 11-02, Zoning Districts or in Subsections 3 or 4 above, the standards in this Subsection 5 shall apply.
(2) If an application for an allowed use does not comply with one or more of the Allowed Zone-Specific Standards in this Section 11-04-09.5, an Alternative Zone-Specific Standard for the building or development containing the use may be approved by the Planning Commission pursuant to Section 11-05-05.3.A, Allowed Use with Alternative Zone-Specific Standards.
(3) These standards shall apply to all new construction or site redevelopments that result in the expansion and alteration of the gross floor area of an existing primary building by 50 percent or more.
B. Uses Located in the MX-1 District:
(1) The use shall be located in a building at least two stories in height; or
(2) The use shall be located in a building or development containing at least two different uses listed in Table 11-03.1 : Table of Allowed Uses;
C. Uses Located in the MX-3 District:
(1) The use shall be located in a building at least four stories in height; and
(2) The use shall not provide a greater number of vehicle parking spaces than the minimum required by Section 11-04-08.5 Minimum and Maximum Off-Street Parking Standards, as adjusted pursuant to Section 11-04-08.7, Parking Adjustments.
(3) As an alternative to Subsection (2) above, a Multiple-Family Dwelling may meet the requirements of Section 11-04-03 .7 regarding affordable housing and sustainable development and earn the related incentives.
D. Uses Located in the MX-4 District:
(1) The use shall be located in a building at least four stories in height;
(2) The use shall be located in a building or development that does not include a surface Parking Lot;
(3) The use shall be located in a building or development that does not include a Parking Garage with a greater number of vehicle parking spaces than the minimum required by Section 11-04-08.5, Minimum and Maximum Off-Street Parking Standards, as adjusted pursuant to Section 11-04-08.7, Parking Adjustments; and
(4) The use shall be located in a building where at least 80 percent of the ground floor street frontage is occupied by uses that are in active use by occupants or users of the building or development, or by the general public. This requirement is not met by ground floor parking areas, storage areas, utility facilities, or stairwells that are not accessible from the street frontage.
(5) As an alternative to Subsections (2), (3), and (4) above a Multiple-Family Dwelling may meet the requirements of Section 11-04-03 .7 regarding affordable housing and sustainable development and earn the related incentives.
E. Uses Located in the MX-5 District:
(1) The use shall be located in a building at least four stories in height;
(2) The use or development shall not include a Surface Parking Lot outside of the building footprint; and
(3) The use shall be located in a building where at least 80 percent of the ground floor street frontage is occupied by uses that are in active use by occupants or users of the building or development, or by the general public. This requirement is not met by ground floor parking areas, storage areas, utility facilities, or stairwells that are not accessible from the street frontage. (Ord. 27-23, 7-18-2023, eff. 12-1-2023; amd. Ord. 43-23, 12-5-2023; Ord. 25-25, 6-24-2025; Ord. 11-26, 4-14-2026)
Source: Boise City, Idaho, City Code and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/boise_id/latest/boise/0-0-0-67686Fetched: 11/1/2026