Chapter 18.50
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS – DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFIC USES

Sections:

18.50.010    Purpose.

18.50.050    Townhouse development.

18.50.060    Attached dwellings and group residences – Applicability.

18.50.070    Attached dwellings and group residences – Vehicular access and parking location.

18.50.080    Attached dwellings and group residences – Building facade modulation.

18.50.090    Mixed use development – Percentages of residential uses.

18.50.100    Mixed use development – Residential density.

18.50.110    Repealed.

18.50.120    Mixed use development – Design features.

18.50.140    Manufactured housing communities – Standards for existing parks.

18.50.150    Manufactured housing communities – Standards for new parks.

18.50.160    Manufactured housing communities – Alternative design standards.

18.50.180    Re-use of facilities – Purpose.

18.50.200    Re-use of facilities – General standards.

18.50.210    Re-use of facilities – Re-establishment of closed public school facilities.

18.50.220    Re-use of facilities – Standards for conversion of historic buildings.

18.50.230    Hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines.

18.50.010 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to improve the quality of development by providing building and site design standards for specific uses that:

A. Reduce the visual impact of large residential buildings from adjacent streets and properties;

B. Enhance the aesthetic character of large residential buildings;

C. Contain sufficient flexibility of standards to encourage creative and innovative site and building design;

D. Enhance aesthetics and environmental protection through site design; and

E. Allow for continued or adaptive re-use of historic resources while preserving their historic and architectural integrity. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.050 Townhouse development.

In the R-1 through R-6 zones and in the NB zone, a building that contains a grouping of attached townhouse units shall not exceed a 200-foot maximum length without a separation of at least 10 feet from other groupings or rows of townhouses. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.060 Attached dwellings and group residences – Applicability.

The standards of KMC 18.50.070 and 18.50.080 shall apply to all new apartment developments exceeding four dwelling units, new townhouse development and new group residences except Class I community residential facilities (CRF-I). Expansions of existing development that involve four or more dwelling units shall be subject to compliance with KMC 18.50.070 and 18.50.080. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.070 Attached dwellings and group residences – Vehicular access and parking location.

Except for development located in the downtown commercial or downtown residential zones, or RB-zoned properties that are not subject to P-suffix condition NS-P4 and which lie north of NE 175th Street, which must comply with Chapter 18.52 KMC, Design Standards, the following requirements apply:

A. On sites abutting an alley constructed to a width of at least 20 feet, apartment and townhouse development and all group residences except Class I community residential facilities (CRF-I) shall have parking areas placed to the rear of buildings with primary vehicular access via the alley, except when waived by the city manager due to physical site limitations.

B. When alley access is provided, no additional driveway access from the public street shall be allowed except as necessary to access parking under the structure or for fire protection.

C. When the number of uncovered common parking spaces for attached dwellings and group residences exceeds 30 spaces and when there is alley access, no more than 50 percent of these uncovered parking spaces shall be permitted between the street property line and any building, except when authorized by the city manager due to physical site limitations. [Ord. 23-0574 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 14-0391 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.080 Attached dwellings and group residences – Building facade modulation.

Except for development located in the downtown commercial or downtown residential zones, or RB-zoned properties that are not subject to P-suffix condition NS-P4 and which lie north of NE 175th Street, which must comply with Chapter 18.52 KMC, Design Standards, apartment and townhouse developments and all group residences shall provide building facade modulation on facades exceeding 60 feet and facing abutting streets or properties zoned R-1 through R-6. The following standards shall apply:

A. The maximum wall length without modulation shall be 30 feet; and

B. The sum of the modulation depth and the modulation width shall be no less than eight feet. Neither the modulation depth nor the modulation width shall be less than two feet;

C. Any other technique approved by the city manager that achieves the intent of this section. [Ord. 23-0574 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 14-0391 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.090 Mixed use development – Percentages of residential uses.

Residential uses in mixed use developments shall be limited to a maximum of 75 percent of the total built floor area when located in NB, CB, UC, WC, RB and DC zones; provided, that the total percentage may be increased by an additional 10 percent with the approval of the city manager. [Ord. 18-0454 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 14-0391 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.100 Mixed use development – Residential density.

Base residential density for mixed use developments shall be determined using total site area according to KMC 18.30.020. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.110 Mixed use development – Building floor area.

Repealed by Ord. 14-0391. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.120 Mixed use development – Design features.

Mixed use development shall provide off-street parking behind or to the side of buildings, or enclosed within buildings, consistent with KMC 18.40.030 and any applicable design standards for the district. Relief from this requirement may be granted by the city manager only if the applicant can demonstrate that there is no practical site design to meet this requirement, or subject to exceptions for properties subject to Chapter 18.52 KMC, Design Standards. A 25 percent reduction of required parking is allowed if a mixed use development meets the criteria of KMC 18.40.040 for shared parking. [Ord. 23-0574 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.140 Manufactured housing communities – Standards for existing parks.

A. Manufactured housing communities established prior to the effective date of this code shall continue to be governed by all standards relating to density, setbacks, landscaping and off-street parking in effect at the time they were approved.

B. Placement of new accessory structures and replacement mobile homes in these manufactured housing communities shall be governed by the dimensional standards in effect when the parks were approved, unless two or more replacement mobile homes are proposed to be installed adjacent to each other under the flexible setback option set forth in KMC 18.50.160. Where internal setbacks are not specified, the average of the prevailing setbacks on the pads to either side of the proposed new or replacement structure shall apply.

C. No spaces or pads in an existing manufactured housing community shall be used to accommodate recreational vehicles (RVs), except when the spaces or pads were specifically for RVs at the time the park was established.

D. An existing manufactured housing community may be enlarged, provided the proposed enlargement meets the standards set forth in KMC 18.50.150 and 18.50.160.

E. Both insignia and noninsignia mobile homes may be installed in established parks; provided, that all mobile homes supported by piers shall be fully skirted, and that nonstandard mobile homes shall meet the minimum livability and safety requirements set forth in KMC Title 15. [Ord. 19-0481 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.150 Manufactured housing communities – Standards for new parks.

New manufactured housing communities shall be developed subject to the following standards:

A. A manufactured housing community shall be at least three acres in area;

B. Residential densities in a manufactured housing community shall be as follows:

1. Six dwellings per acre in R-4 zone;

2. The base density of the zone in which the park is located in all R-6 through R-48 zones; and

3. Manufactured housing communities shall be eligible to achieve the maximum density permitted in the zone by providing the affordable housing benefit for manufactured housing communities set forth in Chapter 18.80 KMC;

C. Both insignia and noninsignia mobile homes may be installed in manufactured housing communities; provided, that noninsignia mobile homes shall meet the minimum livability and safety requirements set forth in KMC Title 15;

D. A manufactured housing community shall not exceed 90 percent impervious surface coverage;

E. At least one of the off-street parking spaces required for each mobile home shall be located on or adjacent to each mobile home pad;

F. Internal roads and sidewalks shall provide access to each mobile home space and shall be constructed in accordance with the City street standards for residential minor access streets;

G. There shall be a minimum of 10 feet of separation maintained between all mobile homes on the site, unless the flexible setback option set forth in KMC 18.50.160 is used. Accessory structures shall be located no closer than:

1. Ten feet to mobile homes on adjacent spaces, unless constructed of noncombustible materials, in which case the minimum setback shall be five feet;

2. Five feet to accessory structures of mobile homes on adjacent spaces; and

3. Five feet to the mobile home or other accessory structures on the same space, except a carport or garage may be attached to the mobile home, and the separation may be waived when such structures are constructed of noncombustible materials;

H. All mobile homes and RVs supported by piers shall be fully skirted; and

I. A manufactured housing community may include a storage area for RVs owned by residents of the park, provided the storage area contains no utility hookups and no RV within the storage area shall be used as living quarters. [Ord. 19-0481 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 16-0428 § 13 (Att. I); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.160 Manufactured housing communities – Alternative design standards.

As an alternative to the building separation and internal street standards of KMC 18.50.150:

A. Building separation requirements or setbacks between mobile homes and accessory structures on adjacent spaces may be modified, provided:

1. The common walls meet the fire protection standards set forth in the International Building Code and the standards set forth in the International Fire Code for duplexes, multifamily and condominium developments, as applicable; and

2. Rental agreement clauses, by-laws or other legal mechanisms stipulate maintenance responsibilities for structures, fences and yards;

B. Private streets may be used with a minimum driving surface of 22 feet in width, provided:

1. The streets comply in all other respects with the street standards;

2. All required parking is located off-street and as specified in KMC 18.50.150(E); and

3. Such streets shall not:

a. Directly connect two or more points of vehicular access to the park; or

b. Serve over 100 dwelling units within the park. [Ord. 19-0481 § 2 (Exh. A); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.180 Re-use of facilities – Purpose.

The purposes of KMC 18.50.200 through 18.50.220 are to:

A. Encourage the adaptive re-use of existing public facilities which will continue to serve the community, and ensure public review of redevelopment plans, by allowing:

1. Temporary re-use of closed public school facilities retained in school district ownership, and the reconversion of a temporary re-use back to a school use;

2. Permanent re-use of surplus nonresidential facilities (e.g., schools, fire stations, government facilities) not retained in school district or public agency ownership; or

3. Permanent re-use of historic structures listed on the National Register or designated as City landmarks. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.200 Re-use of facilities – General standards.

The interim or permanent re-use of surplus nonresidential facilities in residential zoned areas shall require that no more than 50 percent of the original floor area be demolished for either permanent or interim re-use of facilities. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.210 Re-use of facilities – Re-establishment of closed public school facilities.

The re-establishment or reconversion of an interim nonschool use of school facilities back to school uses shall require a site plan and the issuance of a change of use permit pursuant to KMC Title 15. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.220 Re-use of facilities – Standards for conversion of historic buildings.

In order to ensure that significant features of the property are protected pursuant to Chapter 2.20 KMC, the following standards shall apply to conversion of historic buildings:

A. Gross floor area of building additions or new buildings required for the conversion shall not exceed 20 percent of the gross floor area of the historic building, unless allowed by the zone;

B. Conversions to apartments shall not exceed one dwelling unit for each 3,600 square feet of lot area, unless allowed by the zone; and

C. Any construction required for the conversion shall require certification of appropriateness from the City landmark commission. [Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]

18.50.230 Hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines.

A. Tracts and easements containing hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines and required setbacks from such pipelines may include the following uses, subject to other regulations applicable to each use and approval of the holder of the easement: utility structures not normally occupied necessary for the operation of the pipeline, landscaping, trails, open space, keeping of animals, agriculture, forestry, commercial signage, wireless communication facilities, and other compatible uses as specified on the face of the recorded plat or short plat; provided, that structures designed for human occupancy shall never be allowed within pipeline tracts, easements or setbacks.

B. Hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines shall not be located in aquifer recharge areas, landslide hazard areas or erosion hazard areas. When it is impractical to avoid such areas, special engineering precautions should be taken to protect public health, safety and welfare. [Ord. 16-0426 § 7 (Att. E); Ord. 11-0329 § 3 (Exh. 1).]