SEC. 51A-4.1107. DESIGN STANDARDS.
(a) In general.
(1) Except as provided in this section, to obtain a development bonus under this division, a qualifying development must meet the requirements of this section, where applicable.
(2) Except as provided in this section, the board of adjustment may not grant a variance or special exception to the standards in this section.
(3) Except if the existing building is destroyed by the intentional act of the owner or the owner's agent, the existing building may be renovated, remodelled, repaired, rebuilt, or enlarged using the bonuses in this division if the work does not cause the existing building to become more nonconforming as to the requirements in this section and the applicable zoning district.
(b) Yard, lot, and space standards.
(1) Encroachments. The following additional items are permitted to be located within the required front, side, and rear yards:
(A) Seat walls, retaining walls, stoops, porches, steps, unenclosed balconies, ramps, handrails, safety railings, and benches all not exceeding four feet in height and extending a maximum of five feet into the required minimum yards.
(B) Landscape planters.
(C) Sculptures.
(D) Awnings
(2) Front yard fences. A maximum four-foot-high fence is allowed in a front yard. A maximum four-foot-high handrail may be located on retaining walls in a front yard.
(3) Height. Maximum height is controlled by the development bonus provisions and must comply with residential proximity slope regulations if applicable.
(c) Off-street parking and loading.
(1) In general. Except as provided in this section, consult the use regulations in Division 51A-4.200 for the specific off-street parking and loading requirements for each use.
(2) Multifamily parking. No parking is required.
(3) Reserved.
(4) Parking locations.
(A) In general. Except as provided in this paragraph, surface parking is prohibited between the street-facing facade and the property line. For buildings with more than one street frontage, only two street frontages are subject to this requirement.
(B) Thoroughfare frontage. For buildings fronting on a thoroughfare, surface parking is prohibited within the front setback.
(C) Surface parking. A maximum of 15 percent of the total on-site parking may be provided as surface parking in a side yard.
(D) Parking structure. That portion of the ground-level floor facing the street of any multi- floor parking facility must have an active use other than parking, with a minimum depth of 25 feet, or must have an exterior facade that is similar in materials, architecture, and appearance to the facade of the main structure. Exterior parking structure facade openings must provide solid screening a minimum 42 inches from the floor level within the parking structure to screen vehicles and vehicle headlights.
(E) Assigned parking. For assigned parking spaces, those spaces allotted for reserved dwelling units must be dispersed and distributed amongst all other assigned parking for similar units.
(5) Passenger loading.
(A) Each building site must provide at least one off-street or on-street passenger loading space. The board of adjustment may grant a variance to this subparagraph.
(B) On-street passenger loading zones, if provided, must be constructed in compliance with Architectural Barrier Act accessibility standards and must be approved by the director and by the director of transportation and public works.
(6) Screening of off-street loading spaces and service areas. Screening must be at least six feet in height measured from the horizontal plane passing through the nearest point of the off-street loading space and may be provided by using any of the methods described in Section 51A-4.602(b)(3), except that screening around service areas for trash collection must be screened by a masonry wall with a solid gate.
(7) Review. This subsection must be reviewed by city council within two years of May 11, 2022 and every two years, thereafter.
(d) Street and open space frontages.
(1) Frontages. All street-fronting facades and open-space fronting facades must have at least one window and at least one common primary entrance facing the street or open space at street-level. The entrance must access the street or open space with an improved path connecting to the sidewalk. A transparent surface is required for every 25 linear feet of continuous street-fronting and open-space-fronting facade.
(2) Individual entries. Except as provided in this paragraph, a minimum of 60 percent of the street-level dwelling units adjacent to a street in each building must have individual entries that access the street with an improved path connecting to the sidewalk. For at-grade open space, a minimum of 60 percent of the open-space fronting dwelling units in each building must have individual entries that access the open space. EXCEPTION. This paragraph does not apply to retirement housing.
(e) Sidewalk, lighting, and driveway standards.
(1) Sidewalks.
(A) A sidewalk with a minimum average width of six feet must be provided along all street frontages.
(i) Except as provided in this subsection, all sidewalks must be clear and unobstructed for a minimum of five feet in width.
(ii) Tree grates do not count toward the minimum unobstructed sidewalk width.
(iii) If the building official determines that the location of a local utility or protected tree, as defined in Article X, would prevent a five-foot minimum width, the sidewalk may be reduced to four feet in width in that location.
(B) Sidewalks must be located in an area parallel to and between two feet and 15 feet of the back of the projected street curb.
(C) Except as provided in this paragraph, sidewalks must comply with the Street Design Manual, be continuous and level across all driveways and curb cuts, and be at the same grade as the existing sidewalk. A waiver of this requirement is available subject to approval of the director.
(2) Lighting.
(A) Special lighting requirement. Exterior lighting sources, if used, must be oriented down and onto the property they light and generally away from adjacent residential properties.
(B) Pedestrian scale lighting. For a development greater than 20,000 square feet of floor area, pedestrian scale lighting that provides a minimum maintained average illumination level of 1.5 foot candles must be provided along public sidewalks and adjacent to public streets. The design and placement of both the standards and fixtures must be approved by the director of transportation and public works. Unless otherwise provided, the property owner is responsible for the cost of installation, operation, and maintenance of the lighting.
(f) Open space requirements.
(1) At least 10 percent of the building site must be reserved as open space for activity such as active or passive recreation, playground activity, groundwater recharge, or landscaping.
(A) No structures except for architectural elements; playground equipment; structures that are not fully enclosed such as colonnades, pergolas, and gazebos; and ordinary projections of window sills, bay windows, belt courses, cornices, eaves, and other architectural features are allowed; otherwise, open space must be open to the sky.
(B) Open space may contain primarily grass, vegetation, or open water; be primarily used as a ground-water recharge area; or contain pedestrian amenities such as fountains, benches, paths, or shade structures.
(C) Open space may also be provided at or below grade or aboveground by an outside roof deck, rooftop garden, playground area, pool area, patio, or similar type of outside common area.
(D) Private balconies, sidewalks, parking spaces, parking lots, drive aisles, and areas primarily intended for vehicular use are not considered open space and do not count towards the open space requirement.
(E) Operation or parking of vehicles within on-site open space is prohibited. Emergency and grounds maintenance vehicles are exempt.
(F) Open spaces must be properly maintained in a state of good repair and neat appearance, and plant materials must be maintained in a healthy, growing condition.
(2) Landscape areas that fulfill the requirements of Article X may also fulfill these requirements if all conditions of this section and Article X are met.
(g) Non-required fences. Unless a use specifically requires screening, all fences for uses along a street or trail must have a surface area that is a minimum of 50 percent open, allowing visibility between three feet and six feet above grade. The exceptions for multifamily districts in Sections 51A-4.602 (a)(2) and 51A-4.602 (a)(4) which provide that a fence exceeding four feet above grade may be erected in a front yard in multifamily districts are not applicable. (Ord. Nos. 31152 ; 32210 ; 32864 ; 33112 )
