Chapter 18.31 DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN STANDARDS

Chapter 18.31
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN STANDARDS

Sections:

18.31.010 General.

18.31.015 City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards.

18.31.020 Design review.

18.31.030 Nonconforming development.

18.31.040 Supplemental town center review criteria.

18.31.050 Downtown zoning districts map.

18.31.060 Downtown zoning districts street types map.

18.31.070 Downtown zoning districts established.

18.31.080 Permitted land uses.

18.31.085 Permitted land use determination process.

18.31.090 Downtown zoning districts density and dimension standards.

18.31.100 Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) – Bonus features.

18.31.110 Parking, access and circulation standards.

18.31.120 Public space requirements.

18.31.130 Landscaping requirements.

18.31.140 Sign requirements.

18.31.010 General.

(1) This chapter applies and establishes development and design standards for the Covington downtown zone, as defined in CMC 18.15.080 and 18.31.050.

(2) In the event of a conflict between the regulations of this chapter and other standards contained in the Covington Municipal Code, the regulations of this chapter shall control.

(3) The purpose and intent of these regulations is to:

(a) Promote a downtown with a diverse mix of retail, housing, office and civic land uses and a genuine sense of place;

(b) Encourage development that is pedestrian oriented and human in scale and an aesthetically attractive, energy efficient, easily accessible and economically healthy environment;

(c) Include diverse retail and service uses, higher density residential housing, a network of pedestrian oriented streets and a high degree of connectivity for all modes of travel; and

(d) Include a central public gathering place at its heart.

(4) Unless otherwise specified by the requirements of this chapter or by the administration and review authority provisions set forth in CMC 18.10.080, the Director of Community Development, hereafter referred to as the Director, shall be responsible for the review of all standards and decisions specified by this chapter.

(5) All development located within the downtown zone shall comply with the standards as set forth in this chapter. Relief from development standards shall be granted in accordance with the design review process in CMC 18.31.020. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.015 City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards.

(1) The City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards, as hereafter may be amended, is hereby adopted. Compliance with all standards contained in the design guidelines and standards is required for all development in the downtown zone unless specifically noted as wholly or partially exempt under this chapter.

(2) The City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards are referenced throughout this chapter. These references are intended to assist the applicant with navigating the City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards and do not preclude the applicant from complying with applicable guidelines and standards provided in other sections of the document.

(3) The City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards includes both specific requirements and general guidelines. Where a standard is prefaced by the word “shall,” compliance with that standard is mandatory. Where the word “should” is used, the applicant, Director and Hearing Examiner are requested to give strong consideration to that guideline. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.020 Design review.

(1) Design review for projects or portions of projects which conform to the City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards shall be approved administratively by the Director. Specific requirements shall be met by choosing from a list of options stated under the general guidelines.

(2) An applicant requesting modification to the City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards shall apply for a design departure pursuant to a Type 2 land use decision in accordance with Chapter 14.30 CMC subject to the following criteria:

(a) The proposed modification meets the design intent as stated in the standard equal to or better than would compliance with the standard; and

(b) In evaluating whether a proposed modification is an equal or better solution to the prescribed standard, the City may consider the goals and policies set forth in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(3) A permit applicant wishing to waive any of the standards requirements in this chapter due to a hardship created by the unique physical circumstances, not including financial hardship, relating to the specific property may apply for a variance pursuant to a Type 3 land use decision in accordance with Chapter 14.30 CMC and subject to the variance criteria in CMC 18.125.030.

(4) Applications for design departures from the City of Covington downtown design guidelines and standards and variances from this chapter shall be subject to fees as set forth in the current fee resolution. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.030 Nonconforming development.

(1) Any lot, structure or use located in the downtown zone that was constructed in compliance with the applicable codes in place at the time the structure was constructed, that became nonconforming as a result of the passage of the ordinance codified in this chapter or subsequent amendments, shall be considered a legal nonconforming structure.

(2) All new development, additions and remodels within the downtown zone are subject to the standards and/or guidelines contained in this chapter, provided the following shall be partially or wholly exempt from certain standards contained in this chapter. Reconstruction, structural alteration or enlargement of a legal nonconforming structure or expansion of a nonconforming use shall be allowed as provided in Chapter 18.85 CMC, except as otherwise provided as follows:

(a) If intentional reconstruction, alteration or enlargement of a legal nonconforming structure exceeds 75 percent of the replacement cost, the proposal shall comply with all standards contained in this chapter.

(b) In the event of a catastrophic loss, where the replacement cost exceeds 75 percent, a legal nonconforming structure may be placed in the same location and footprint as previously existed prior to the loss. With the exception of those standards that would involve repositioning the building or reconfiguring the site, the proposal shall meet all other standards contained in this chapter.

(c) All modifications with a value that exceeds 50 percent of the value of the existing structure, as determined by the Director, shall be designated as “major modifications.” All requirements which do not involve repositioning the building or reconfiguring site development shall apply to major exterior modifications, providing any addition shall in no way expand the nonconformance and be sited and designed in a manner to increase conformance with these standards.

(d) All modifications with a value less than 50 percent of the building valuation shall be considered “minor modifications.” Minor modifications are only required to meet those standards determined by the Director to be reasonable related to or impacted by the proposed improvement.

(e) The design standards do not apply to modifications that do not change the exterior appearance of the building or site. If a project involves both exterior and interior improvements, then the project valuation shall include both exterior and interior improvements, and design standards shall apply. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.040 Supplemental town center review criteria.

(1) The purpose of this section is to establish a supplemental review process for proposed development in the town center district. The intent is to ensure that development in the town center proceeds in an orderly fashion with coordinated infrastructure and public amenities, appropriate intensities and mutually compatible development in accordance with the vision in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(2) Compliance with the supplemental town center review criteria shall be required for all development in the town center, other than the reuse, modification or expansion of an existing structure.

(3) The Director has the authority to determine if the applicant is required to hold a public meeting, separate from any required public hearings, due to the scope, scale and location of a project in the town center district. The public meeting shall occur after a commercial site development permit application has been submitted and prior to issuance of a final land use decision.

(a) The applicant shall provide at least two weeks’ advance notice.

(b) Notice of the public meeting shall be published in the city’s designated paper and mailed to property owners within 500 feet of the proposed site. The notice shall at a minimum include a brief description of the proposal, the location, and a photo or sketch of the proposed facility.

(4) The Director shall issue a decision on the commercial site development permit application pursuant to Chapter 18.110 CMC as Type 2 land use decision in accordance with Chapter 14.30 CMC based on the following review criteria:

(a) The proposal is consistent with the Goals and Policies of the Comprehensive Plan.

(b) The proposal will substantially implement the town center vision, including a development pattern, street grid and central public plaza that is similar to or meets the design intent of that shown in Figure 4.2 of the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element and the mix of uses and pedestrian development character articulated in Section 4.5.2 of the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(c) The proposed development can be achieved without compromising options for circulation, infrastructure and open space improvements on surrounding properties.

(d) Infrastructure and circulation can be constructed to serve other properties in the area in a manner consistent with the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(5) The following additional review criteria shall be submitted with the commercial site development permit application to ensure that the proposed development will not limit or prohibit future development goals within the town center. These documents are conceptual and are for the purpose of reviewing future densities, compatibility of development on the proposed site, and infrastructure needs in the town center. These documents are not subject to the land use decision review process.

(a) Site plan depicting the maximum development intensity of any future planned or conceptual development to be located on the proposed site; and

(b) Building elevations, description and depiction of any future planned or conceptual land uses, known information relating to the location of public infrastructure and the total area devoted to public amenities, including public spaces and plazas.

(6) Development amenities shown on a future planned or conceptual site plan do not relieve the applicant from complying with the requirements of this chapter for the proposed development, as submitted with the commercial site development permit application.

(7) The required application materials for the commercial site development permit are provided in CMC 18.110.030. Additional materials may be required to demonstrate compliance with the decision criteria as set forth in subsection (4) of this section. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.050 Downtown zoning districts map.

(Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.060 Downtown zoning districts street types map.

(1) The following downtown zoning districts street map is conceptual and not intended to define the exact alignment of future streets. Streets shall be designed in accordance with the City of Covington Design and Construction Standards, adopted by reference in Chapter 12.60 CMC. Modifications to these standards shall be in accordance with Chapter 14.30 CMC as a Type 2 land use decision by the City Engineer.

(2) Where a street type is not designated on the downtown zoning districts street type map for a proposed street, the Director shall have the authority to determine the street type designation of the proposed street based on the type designation of adjacent or nearby streets and upon the purpose and intent of the downtown zoning, development, and design regulations as stated in CMC 18.31.010. An applicant requesting modification to a Director’s determination of a street type designation shall apply for a downtown design departure as stated in CMC 14.30.040, pursuant to a Type 2 land use decision. (Ord. 10-11 § 6 (Exh. F); Ord. 02-11 § 1; Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.070 Downtown zoning districts established.

The following zoning districts are established within the downtown zone to protect the public health, safety and general welfare by implementing the goals and policies adopted in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element. The district intent statements define the specific purpose of each district. They shall be the policies of the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element; serve as a guide for determining the appropriate location of uses; help determine appropriate conditions for development within the downtown zone; and help the Director interpret the standards and provisions of this chapter.

(1) The town center district (TC) is the pedestrian-oriented core of downtown and allows the most intensive level of development. The emphasis of this district is on mixed-use development that includes pedestrian-oriented retail, high density residential development, and civic uses. The development of a walkable street grid and a central public gathering space are key objectives of this district. To meet goals for a pedestrian-oriented town center, limited large-format retail uses are permitted, and such uses are subject to a conditional use permit and additional design criteria provided in CMC 18.31.040.

(2) The mixed commercial district (MC) is applied to the majority of the Covington downtown zone. This district encourages a mix of commercial and multi-story residential uses, public uses, and allows for large-format and auto-oriented retail, provided they meet pedestrian-oriented design standards that are more flexible than those applied to the town center district. Achieving a high level of connectivity with new and improved streets and trails is a major goal in this district.

(3) The general commercial district (GC) is applied to a limited area of the downtown and is intended to allow the widest range of uses, coupled with more limited design standards than other areas of downtown. Permitted uses include commercial and light industrial uses, offices, major transportation and utility facilities, and residential uses that are appropriately buffered to ensure compatibility. Development and design standards are less prescriptive and provide greater flexibility to accommodate the intended uses.

(4) The mixed housing/office district (MHO) is applied to areas where infill development and redevelopment of low intensity areas with multifamily housing and office is encouraged. Residential uses that are encouraged in this district include townhouses, cottages, and low-rise multifamily. Office development and limited intensity neighborhood retail is also permitted. Development and design standards applied to this district require buffers, lower height limits and building scale that is appropriate to the size of the lot. Trail connections are also emphasized in this district. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.080 Permitted land uses.

(1) The use of a property is defined by the activity for which the building or lot is intended, designed, arranged, occupied or maintained. The use is considered permanently established when that use will or has been in continuous operation for a period exceeding 60 days. A use which will operate for less than 60 days is considered a temporary use, and subject to the requirements of Chapter 18.85 CMC.

(2) Explanation of Permitted Use Table.

(a) The permitted use table in this chapter determines whether a use is allowed in a district. The name of the district is located on the vertical column and the use is located on the horizontal row of these tables.

(b) If the letters “NP” appear in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is not permitted in that district, except for certain temporary uses.

(c) If the letter “P” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed in that district subject to the review procedures specified in Chapter 14.30 CMC and the general requirements of the code.

(d) If the letter “C” appears in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use is allowed subject to the conditional use review procedures specified in Chapter 14.30 CMC and conditional use fees as set forth in the current fee resolution, and the general requirements of the code.

(e) If a number appears next to a specific use or in the box at the intersection of the column and the row, the use may be allowed subject to the appropriate review process indicated above, the general requirements of the code and the specific conditions indicated in the permitted use conditions with the corresponding number in the code subsection immediately following the permitted use table.

(f) All applicable requirements shall govern a use whether or not they are cross-referenced in a section.

(3) Permitted Use Table.


Use Categories	Town Center (TC)23	Mixed Commercial (MC)	General Commercial (GC)	Mixed Housing Office (MHO)1
Residential
Dwelling Unit, Accessory	NP	NP	NP	P2
Dwelling Unit, Multifamily	P	P	P	P
Dwelling Unit, Single-Family Attached, Detached or Cottage Housing21	NP	NP	NP	P2
Senior Citizen Assisted Housing	P	P	P	C
Commercial
Adult Entertainment	NP	P3	P3	NP
Business Services19	P5	P	P	P4,5
Drive Through Use	NP	P	P	NP
Farmers’ Markets and Public Markets6	P	P	P	NP
Gambling and Card Rooms	NP	NP	NP	NP
Home Occupation and Live/Work	P	P	P	P
Outdoor Commercial	NP	NP	P	NP
Personal and Beauty Services20,21	P	P	P	P
Private Electric Vehicle Parking Facility (Primary Use)			P5,24
Private Parking Facility (Primary Use)	NP	NP	NP	NP
Professional Office	P	P	P	P
Retail Trade and Services – 100,000 sq. ft. or less for all structures	P5	P	P10	P4,5
Retail Trade and Services – greater than 100,000 sq. ft. for all structures	C5,9,18	P	P10	NP
Shooting Ranges25	NP	NP	P	NP
Storage/Self Storage	NP	P5	P	NP
Temporary Lodging/Hotel	P	P	P	C22
Cultural/Recreation
Cinema, Performing Arts and Museums	P	P	P	NP
Meeting Hall/Other Group Assembly	P	P	P	C
Recreation, Indoor or Outdoor	C	P	P	P
Religious	C7	P	P	C
Health Services
Emergency Care Facility	C9,18	P	NP	NP
Hospital	NP	P	NP	NP
Medical Office/Outpatient Clinic	P8	P	NP	P
Nursing/Personal Care Facility	NP	P	NP	C
Industrial/Manufacturing
Asphalt Plants	NP	NP	NP	NP
Light Industrial/Manufacturing	NP	NP	P10	NP
Government/Institutional11
Essential Public Facilities	NP	NP	C	NP
Government Services	P	P	P	P12
Major Utility Facility	C14	C	P	C
Minor Utility Facility	P15	P	P	P
Schools: Compulsory, Vocational and Higher Education	C13	P	NP	C
Communication Facilities16
Antenna	P	P	P	P
Transmission Support Structure	C17	C	P	NP

(4) Permitted Use Conditions.

1. a. Unless the use can be accommodated within an existing structure, development and/or redevelopment in the Covington Firs and Covington Township subdivisions shall be a minimum of two acres;

b. Be contiguous to a non-single-family use of two acres or more to be eligible to redevelop to a new use; and

c. Successive development cannot isolate existing single-family residential lots less than two acres (as a group) between developments.

2. a. No new subdivision of land is permitted for single-family homes except for townhouses and cottage developments. The exception is a binding site plan for commercial uses.

b. New single-family homes are allowed on existing single-family lots.

c. An accessory dwelling unit is allowed as an accessory to a single-family detached unit subject to the development standards in CMC 18.25.030(7).

3. Adult entertainment uses are prohibited within certain locations pursuant to the development standards provided in Chapter 5.20 CMC and CMC 18.25.040(2).

4. This use is restricted to a maximum of 5,000 gross square feet within the MHO district.

5. Services and operations other than customer parking shall be fully contained within a structure.

6. Temporary farmers’ and public markets shall be permitted in accordance with CMC 18.85.125.

7. The development shall not occupy more than one acre for the total of the site development, including any planned phases and/or expansions.

8. a. Buildings greater than four stories shall provide 80 percent of required parking within a structure. Structured parking shall not front onto 171st Ave SE.

b. Medical office uses greater than two stories shall have a minimum of 60 percent ground floor retail trade and services and 40 percent business and professional services when fronting onto 171st Ave SE.

9. The development shall be located west of the proposed 171st Ave SE road alignment with frontage onto 168th Pl SE or the planned SE 276th St. alignment.

10. All structures shall meet the required setbacks, landscaping and all other standards contained in this chapter. Equipment storage, manufacturing activities, and wrecked, dismantled and/or inoperative vehicles shall be enclosed in a structure or fully screened from public right-of-way, including SE 272nd St. and Covington Way with Type I landscaping in accordance with CMC 18.40.040.

11. Maintenance yards, substations and solid waste transfer stations are not permitted in the TC, MC, or MHO downtown zoning districts.

12. Transit stations and park and ride facilities, not including bus stops, shall be reviewed by a conditional use permit pursuant to CMC 18.125.040.

13. All schools for compulsory, vocational and higher education shall be located on the upper floors of a mixed use building that includes ground-floor commercial uses.

14. All facilities shall not occupy more than one acre of a site and the facility shall be screened with Type I landscaping in accordance with CMC 18.40.040.

15. Minor utility facilities, such as telecom, fiber optics, Internet and similar facilities, shall be located within a fully enclosed structure, unless otherwise determined by the Director.

16. Chapter 18.70 CMC, Development Standards – Communication Facilities, outlines the approval and review process. In the event of a conflict between the requirements of Chapter 18.70 CMC and the requirements of this chapter, Chapter 18.70 CMC shall govern.

17. All transmission support structures shall be mounted on a building.

18. a. Emergency care facilities shall not occupy more than four acres for the total of the site development including any planned phases and/or expansions of the emergency care use;

b. Shall not exceed 50,000 square feet of total building square footage; and

c. Shall not exceed more than two stories or 35 feet whichever is greater.

19. Gasoline service stations and battery exchange stations are limited to the general commercial and mixed commercial districts and subject to the following conditions:

a. A gasoline service station shall be limited to eight pumps and 16 price gauges to service no more than 16 vehicles.

b. A battery exchange station shall provide a minimum of three stacking spaces.

c. Stacking spaces and drive-through facilities shall be designed in accordance with CMC 18.50.080.

d. Any associated materials, equipment storage, outdoor storage tanks and battery exchange activities shall be within a fully enclosed structure, unless otherwise determined by the Director.

20. a. No burning of refuse or dead animals is allowed;

b. The portion of the building or structure in which animals are kept or treated shall be soundproofed. All run areas, excluding confinement areas for livestock, shall be surrounded by an eight-foot-high solid wall and surfaced with concrete or other impervious material;

c. Subject to animal keeping provisions of Chapter 18.80 CMC;

d. Prior to issuance of a development permit, documentation shall be provided by a qualified acoustical consultant, for approval by the Community Development Director, verifying that the expected noise to be emanating from the site complies with the standards set forth in WAC 173-60-040(1) for a Class B source property and a Class A receiving property;

e. Outside runs and other outside facilities for animals are not permitted;

f. Not permitted in any subdivision containing dwelling units; and

g. May only treat small animals on premises.

21. Day care I is allowed only as an accessory to a single-family detached unit.

22. Except bed and breakfasts, guesthouses are permitted outright and do not require a conditional use permit.

23. Mixed use structures greater than one story shall provide ground floor retail, restaurant, or personal services along 60 percent of the building facade. Permitted uses under the headings of cultural/recreation and governmental/institutional in subsection (3) of this section are exempt from this provision.

24. Parking facilities shall be fully screened from the public right-of-way with Type 1 landscaping in accordance with CMC 18.40.040.

25. a. The indoor shooting range, including its plans, rules, procedures, management and staff, shall comply with the applicable safety guidelines and provisions in the latest edition of “the Range Source Book” (National Rifle Association of America: Fairfax, Virginia) or its successor, as appropriate to the type of facility involved.

b. Any new development proposal and/or business license application for an indoor shooting range shall be accompanied by a notarized letter by the shooting facility operator that the facility complies with Federal and State regulations, meets commonly accepted shooting facility safety and design practices, and will be operated in a manner that protects the safety of the general public.

c. Outdoor shooting ranges are not permitted. (Ord. 04-12 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 01-12 § 1 (Exh. 1); Ord. 19-11 § 1 (Exh. 1); Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.085 Permitted land use determination process.

(1) A use determination process shall be applied to any proposed use that does not clearly fit within the permitted use table in CMC 18.31.080(3) or contains multiple uses, e.g., retail and light manufacturing, processing or assembling, or an accessory use that is more than 25 percent of the floor area of the primary use.

(2) If the Director determines that a use determination process is required, the request for a use determination shall be submitted and a decision issued prior to submittal of the underlying land use application.

(3) If a land use application has been submitted, the Director shall issue a land use determination prior to the issuance of application completeness in accordance with CMC 14.35.030.

(4) The Director shall require information describing the use or uses on the site, their location and operational characteristics. The Director may approve, deny, or approve with conditions a land use determination within any downtown district based on all of the following criteria:

(a) The primary use is determined by the Director to be reasonably similar and related to one of the permitted use categories in a downtown district;

(b) The use is consistent with the district’s purpose statement and the comprehensive plan policies;

(c) The use can be accommodated in the existing structure in which it is proposed without requiring substantial modification to the form of the structure;

(d) The use does not have noxious impacts (excessive noise, odor, vibration, dust, etc.) on other nearby properties and uses; and

(e) The use will not result in significant transportation impacts that would not be mitigated by the required development standards.

(5) Applications for a land use determination shall be subject to review and approval procedures for a Type 2 land use decision process and shall be subject to fees as set forth in the current fee resolution. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.090 Downtown zoning districts density and dimension standards.

(1) Table of Density and Dimension Standards, Downtown Zoning Districts.


Standards	Town Center (TC)	Mixed Commercial (MC)	General Commercial (GC)	Mixed Housing Office (MHO)	Exceptions and Notes
Maximum Building Height	75 feet	60 feet	55 feet	45 feet	Maximum height shall be 45 feet within 50 feet of any zone outside of the downtown zone. In the MHO district, the 35 feet maximum height shall also apply within 50 feet of another MHO property.
Maximum Residential Density (stand alone)	Unlimited	60 D.U./acre	48 D.U./acre	24 D.U./acre	For cottage housing, CMC 18.37.040 shall control.
Maximum Residential Density (if ground floor is commercial)	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	24 D.U./acre
Minimum Residential Density	32 D.U./acre	24 D.U./acre	24 D.U./acre	12 D.U./acre	Residential use is not required in the downtown. For cottage housing, CMC 18.37.040 shall control.
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) with Bonus Features	4:1	3:1	3:1	2:1, 1.25:1 east of Wax Road	Refer to CMC 18.31.100 for bonus features.
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) without Bonus Features	1.5:1	1:1	1:1	1:1; .75:1 east of Wax Road	No minimum FAR. Development within the Jenkins Creek Corridor shall utilize low impact development (LID) techniques as adopted in CMC 13.25.020.
Maximum Impervious Surface	80%	90%	80%	70%; 50% east of Wax Road and south of SE 272nd St.	Developments in the MHO located east of Wax Road and south of SE 272nd St., and cottage housing developments shall not exceed the 50% maximum impervious surface.
Minimum Lot Frontage Occupied by a Building	Type I Street – 80% Type II Street – 50% Type III Street – 50% Type IV Street – 40%	Type II Street – 50% Type IV Street – 40%	Type IV Street – 40%	None	A building shall be located within 5 feet of the back of sidewalk or on a public plaza. Where utility easements greater than 5 feet exist, the building shall be set back to the extent of the easement and this area shall be designed as an extension of the sidewalk and/or may be included as part of the public space requirement.
Minimum Setbacks within District	None	None	20 feet	10 feet	Except in the TC and MC districts, a minimum of 5 feet setback shall be provided from any public property other than a street.
Minimum Setbacks to Adjoining Downtown District	10 feet where adjoining the MHO District only	10 feet	N/A	10 feet	In districts other than the MHO, no setback shall be required for mixed use development or commercial building less than 50,000 square feet, with no significant outside storage or sales.
Minimum Setbacks to Zones Outside the Downtown Zone	0	20 feet	20 feet	20 feet	Refer to Design Standards Section B(1)(g) – Buffers and Transitions. No setback is required where a zone is separated from another zone by a street.

(2) Additional Density and Dimension Development Standards Referenced in This Title.

(a) CMC 18.30.060 through 18.30.090 for density measurement and calculation methods.

(b) CMC 18.30.130 through 18.30.200 for measurement of setbacks and allowed projections into the setbacks. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.100 Maximum floor area ratio (FAR) – Bonus features.

(1) Developments in the downtown districts are eligible to earn increased FAR, and the maximum incentive to be earned by each bonus feature is set forth in CMC 18.31.090. The FAR incentive is expressed as additional bonus FAR earned per amount of bonus feature provided.

(2) Floor area ratio (FAR) is a ratio of the area of interior square footage of a structure to the site area. For example, a two-story building occupying half of a site would have an FAR of 1:1, or expressed as one. A four-story building occupying half a site would have an FAR of two. The definition of floor area ratio is further defined in CMC 18.20.507.

(3) Bonus FAR may be earned through any combination of the following listed bonus features.


Bonus Feature	FAR Bonus	Description, Additional Requirements and Limitations
1. Significant Public Plaza or Public Green Space	2.0	(a) Permitted only in the town center district at the discretion of the Director. (b) Location and design shall be consistent with City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element and complimentary to any planned public plaza or development. (c) Shall be a minimum of 4% of the interior floor area of the development and no less than 1,000 square feet. (d) This bonus shall be in addition to the minimum public space requirement in CMC 18.31.120. Refer to Section B(1)(i) of the Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards.


2. LEED Platinum Certification	1.0	(a) As certified by the USGBC. (b) Applicant is responsible for providing LEED pre-certification submittal documentation and annotated checklist to the City. City will review documentation at the applicant’s expense. (c) Any approvals shall be a condition of approval and applied to any subsequent building permit for the development.


3. Structure Parking, below grade	1.0	At least 80% of the parking shall be contained within a structure that is below grade.
4. Other Public Plaza or Public Green Space	1.0	(a) Location and design shall be consistent with City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element and any planned public plaza or development. (b) Shall be a minimum of 2% of the interior floor area of the development and no less than 500 square feet. (c) This bonus shall be in addition to the minimum public space requirement in CMC 18.31.120.


5. Affordable Housing	1.0	(a) For all new development within the downtown districts, total square footage may be increased by 2.0 square feet for every 1.0 square foot of affordable housing (for a maximum of 1.0 FAR), provided an affordable housing plan (AHP) is developed and submitted to the Director for review and approval. (b) The developer shall commit to implementing the AHP as a part of a signed comprehensive development agreement with the City. This agreement shall be reviewed by ARCH, or similar housing authority, with recommendations made to the Director prior to implementation of an agreement.
5. Affordable Housing	1.0
6. Structured Parking, at Grade or Above Grade	0.75	(a) At least 80% of the parking shall be contained within a structure. The structure may be part of the building or a separate structure. (b) The structure shall be designed so that parked cars are not visible from the street and a commercial or residential use shall occupy the street level.
6. Structured Parking, at Grade or Above Grade	0.75
7. Through Block Connection or Alley Enhancement	0.75	(a) A pedestrian walkway and accompanying landscaping that shall be at least 15 feet wide and extend along a property line; or (b) A pedestrian walkway that extends through a site to allow the public to pass from one street to another street or an alley. (c) The surface shall consist of stone, unit pavers or textured concrete, with pedestrian scale lighting spaced no more than 50 feet apart.
7. Through Block Connection or Alley Enhancement	0.75
8. Multi-Modal Pathway	0.5	A pathway for the movement of pedestrians and bicyclists that is consistent with the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element, the City’s PROS Plan and approved by the Director.
9. Public Meeting Room	0.5	(a) Permitted in the town center district only. (b) A room available to the community for meetings and events. The size shall be a minimum of 300 square feet, with windows on at least one side and shall be directly accessible from the outside or by a controlled lobby that allows public access. (c) There shall be no fees imposed on user groups.


10. LEED Gold Certification	0.5	(a) As certified by the USGBC. (b) Applicant is responsible for providing LEED pre-certification submittal documentation and annotated checklist to the City. City will review documentation at the applicant’s expense. (c) Any approvals shall be a condition of approval and applied to any subsequent building permit for the development.


11. Water Feature	0.5	(a) A decorative water feature shall be equivalent to at least 1% of the project’s construction cost. (b) Shall be directly accessible and visible to the public by being adjacent to a plaza, sidewalk, pathway or through-block connection. (c) Documentation shall be provided verifying the construction value and the cost of the water feature prior to approval of engineering phase plans.


12. Exterior Art Element	0.5	(a) Exterior art element shall be equivalent to at least 1% of the total value of the project’s construction cost. Such elements include but are not limited to sculptures, bas-reliefs, metal work and murals. (b) Documentation shall be provided verifying the construction value and the value of the art as appraised by an art appraiser. (c) Art elements shall be visible to the public at all times and will be reviewed and approved by an arts body designated by the City.
12. Exterior Art Element	0.5

(Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.110 Parking, access and circulation standards.

(1) Developments in the downtown zone shall be designed with surface and/or structured parking to allow drivers and pedestrians to move safely on and off the site, provide adequate off-street parking, reduce on-street parking, increase traffic safety, maintain smooth traffic flow, and reduce the visual impact of parking lots.

(2) Parking design standards are outlined in the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Sections B(1)(b), C(2)(d)(iii), and C(3)(d)(iii). These standards shall be incorporated into the design and location of any surface and structured parking.

(3) Surface Parking Location and Structured Parking Requirements Table.


	Town Center (TC)	Mixed Commercial (MC)	General Commercial (GC)	Mixed Housing/ Office (MHO)
Surface Parking Location
Rear of principal building	Permitted	Permitted	Permitted	Permitted
Side of principal building	Permitted, but lot frontage requirements apply by street type	Permitted, but lot frontage requirements apply by street type	Permitted, but lot frontage requirements apply by street type	Permitted
Between principal building and street	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	Permitted, but lot frontage requirements apply on Type IV streets	Permitted
Street corner	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	Permitted	Permitted
Adjacent to park or open space	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	Permitted	Permitted
At street terminus	Not Permitted	Permitted	Permitted	Permitted
Structured Parking Location and Design
All Locations	Permitted, ground-level retail required if fronting a Type I or Type II street	Permitted, ground-level retail required if fronting a Type I or Type II street	Permitted	Permitted

(4) Minimum Parking Requirements Table.


Land Use	Minimum Parking Spaces Required
Residential
Dwelling unit, multifamily:
Studio and one-bedroom units	1.0 per dwelling unit*
Two-bedroom units	1.5 per dwelling unit*
Three-bedroom units	2.0 per dwelling unit*
Dwelling unit, single-family attached	2.0 per dwelling unit (tandem spaces allowed)
Dwelling unit, single-family detached	2.0 per dwelling unit
Dwelling unit, accessory or cottage housing	1.0 per dwelling unit
*Plus one extra space for every 10 dwelling units rounded upward to the nearest multiple of 10.
Commercial
Retail trade and services (non-food)	2 per 1,000 square feet
Nonfood retail in mixed-use development, less than 5,000 square feet and less than 40% of the gross floor area of the development	No off-street parking required**
Food stores, in mixed-use development, less than 15,000 square feet and less than 40% of the gross floor area of the development	3 per 1,000 square feet**
Food stores, other than above	4 per 1,000 square feet, plus additional parking as provided below for eating establishment
Eating and drinking establishment, other than above	1 per 100 square feet in dining, lounge and customer ordering area
Professional office	2 per 1,000 square feet
Gasoline service stations/Battery exchange stations	3 per facility plus 1 per 300 square feet of store
Temporary lodging/Hotel	1.1 per bedroom
Business Services	3 per 1,000 square feet
Home occupation including live/work	1 stall in addition to requirement for primary use
** The applicant may demonstrate through a traffic study that on-street parking is adequate to wholly or partially fulfill this parking requirement.
Industrial/Manufacturing
Light Industrial/Manufacturing	1 per 1,000 square feet, plus additional parking for office or retail areas as noted elsewhere in this table
Recreation/Culture
Theater	1 per 3 fixed seats, plus 2 spaces for every 3 employees
Group assembly	1 per 5 fixed seats, plus 1 per 50 square feet of gross floor area without fixed seats used for assembly purposes
Park/playfield/plaza	Director decision
Health Club	Director decision
Health Services
Hospital	1 per bed
Medical Office	5 per 1,000 square feet
Nursing and personal care facility	1 per 4 beds
Emergency care facility	5 per 1, 000 square feet
Other
Utility	Director decision
Government office	3 per 1,000 square feet
All other	Director decision
Bicycle Parking
In the downtown districts one bicycle parking space shall be provided for every 15 vehicle parking spaces. Bicycle parking shall be located within 50 feet of the principal building and directly adjacent to a sidewalk or pedestrian walkway that connects directly to the building entrance(s).
Car Share Parking
Within the downtown districts the total number of parking spaces provided within residential developments containing more than 30 units may be reduced by three spaces for each one dedicated car share space. A signed agreement between the property owner and car share provider shall be submitted to the Director for approval.
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
All developments that require off-street parking shall be subject to the provisions of the electric vehicle charging stations requirements in CMC 18.50.160 through 18.50.180.
Reduction for Joint-Use Parking
Developments which submit an approved parking management plan as noted in subsection (5) of this section may receive a reduction in required parking of between 0% and 20%. The Director may increase the percentage of the reduction where compelling evidence is provided in the applicant’s traffic report that the proposed reduction is warranted. Refer to subsection (6) of this section.

(5) Parking for a specific use shall be limited to no more than 50 percent greater than the minimum parking requirement required by subsection (2) of this section. Exceptions to this parking maximum include:

(a) Parking spaces are provided above or below grade.

(b) If the Director determines additional off-street parking spaces are warranted based on a traffic study. The Director shall consider whether the proposal is consistent with the stated purposes, objectives, goals or policies established in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(c) The Director shall have the authority to restrict parking for a specific use to an amount that is less than the maximum amount allowed in this section if the proposal would substantially conflict with the stated purposes, objectives, goals or policies contained in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element.

(6) Developments that contain more than 30,000 square feet of commercial area and/or more than 100 units of housing are required to submit a parking management plan that responds to the vision in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element. A parking management plan shall address the following:

(a) Integration and connection with adjacent parking areas associated with other developments.

(b) A joint use parking strategy or documentation that demonstrates why such a strategy is not feasible.

(i) The total parking area exceeds 8,000 square feet;

(ii) The uses sharing parking facilities are of different use categories or have different hours of operation; and

(iii) The parking facilities are designed and developed as a single on-site common parking facility, or as a system of on-site and off-site facilities, if all facilities are connected with improved pedestrian facilities and no building or use is more than 800 feet from the most remote joint-use facility.

(7) The amount of off-street parking required in subsection (4) of this section may be reduced by no more than 20 percent, as determined by the Director, when shared facilities for two or more uses are proposed, provided:

(a) The normal hours of operation of each use are separated by at least two hours; or

(b) A parking demand study is prepared by a professional traffic engineer and submitted by the applicant documenting that the hours of actual parking demand for the proposed uses will not conflict, and that uses will be served by adequate parking if shared parking reductions are authorized.

(8) The total number of parking spaces requested for shared parking shall not be less than the minimum required spaces for any single use.

(9) A covenant or other contract for shared parking between the cooperating property owners is approved by the Director. This covenant or contract shall by recorded with the King County Department of Records and Election Division as a deed restriction on all properties and cannot be modified or revoked without the consent of the Director.

(10) If requirements for shared parking are violated, the affected property owners shall provide a remedy satisfactory to the Director or provide the full amount of required off-street parking for each use, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

(11) Additional Parking Requirements and Parking Design Standards Referenced in This Title.

(a) CMC 18.50.050 through 18.50.180 for other applicable standards.

(12) Additional parking lot screening, landscaping and curb cut spacing requirements shall be incorporated into the design and layout of any proposed parking as provided in the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Sections C(2)(b), C(3)(b) and C(4)(b). (Ord. 19-11 § 1 (Exh. 1); Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.120 Public space requirements.

(1) New development within the town center (TC) and mixed commercial (MC) districts shall meet the public space requirement.

(2) All new development shall provide accessible public space equivalent to one and one-half percent of the gross floor area of all structures. The design and location of public spaces shall consider the design and location of public spaces on adjacent properties and shall be oriented and connected to those spaces.

(3) If the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that a required public space is adjacent to, integrated with and can be accessed from a public space on an adjoining property, this requirement may be reduced to one percent of gross floor area.

(4) All required public spaces shall be oriented toward, and have direct connections (both physical and visual) to, a public street.

(5) Where public spaces are integrated into new development, or where new development abuts an existing or planned public plaza, the primary building entrance shall be oriented toward the public space or plaza.

(6) All development that abuts the main public space envisioned in the City of Covington Comprehensive Plan Downtown Element shall be oriented and connected to that public space.

(7) Additional public space design standards in the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Section B(1)(i) shall be included in the design of any public space requirements. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.130 Landscaping requirements.

(1) Landscape Area Requirement.

(a) In addition to the landscape standards contained in this chapter, five percent of the total area between the building facade and the curb shall be landscaped. This shall be in addition to street trees and landscaping provided in public spaces and parking lots that are required in other subsections.

(b) Required landscaping may be planted within planting areas surrounding trees, in raised planters, and on vegetative walls mounted to the ground-level building facade.

(c) Where a building or portion of a building is located more than 10 feet from a public sidewalk or useable public space, all areas between the building and the public sidewalk that is not used for vehicle or pedestrian access, circulation, parking or seating shall be landscaped.

(d) Potted landscape material may be substituted for required landscaping in areas designed for outdoor eating with the approval of the Director.

(e) Additional landscape requirements in the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Sections B(1)(a), C(2)(d)(ii), C(3)(d)(ii), C(4)(d)(iii) and C(5)(d)(ii) shall be included in the landscaping for the development.

(2) A minimum of 15 percent of the total area of a public space, such as a courtyard or plaza, shall be landscaped. Additional provisions are detailed in the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Section B(1)(i) and are based on street type.

(3) Landscape Buffers – Standards and When Required.

(a) Downtown development that abuts zones outside of the downtown districts shall have a minimum 20-foot-wide landscaped buffer within the required setback.

(b) Any development that abuts the MHO district shall provide a minimum of 10-foot-wide landscaped buffer within the required setback.

(d) Refer to the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Section B(1)(g) for applicable design standards for buffer and zone transition requirements.

(4) Additional Landscaping Requirements Referenced in This Title.

(a) CMC 18.40.100, 18.40.110, 18.40.130, 18.40.140, and 18.40.150 for additional applicable standards.

(b) CMC 18.40.080(3), (4), (5) and (6) for parking area landscaping requirements.

(i) The Director shall have the authority to reduce the required tree replacement ratio where such requirement would conflict with the urban design intent of the downtown design guidelines and standards.

(ii) The Director shall ensure that representative native vegetation is retained or replanted totaling at least five percent of the site area and that enhanced landscaping is provided in excess of the requirements contained in this chapter. (Ord. 04-12 § 1 (Exh. A); Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))

18.31.140 Sign requirements.

(1) The requirements of Chapter 18.55 CMC shall apply in the downtown zone, except as provided in this section. Where sign regulations in this section conflict with sign regulations in Chapter 18.55 CMC, the sign regulations in this section shall control.

(2) Special Requirements for the Town Center District.

(a) Freestanding signs are prohibited on Type I streets. Freestanding signs shall be placed a minimum of 100 feet from the Type I streets.

(b) Signs shall be building-mounted.

(c) Freestanding signs (where allowed) shall be located a minimum of 300 feet from other multi-tenant freestanding signs located on the same side of the public right-of-way.

(d) Tenant directory signs shall be located internal to the site and oriented towards drive aisles and/or sidewalks/walkways, not the public right-of-way.

(e) No sign shall project above the roofline of the exposed building face to which it is attached.

(f) Freestanding signs shall not exceed a height of eight feet and a total area of 120 square feet, with no one sign face exceeding 60 square feet.

(g) Window signs shall not exceed 20 percent of the total window area of any facade.

(h) Freestanding secondary entrance signs shall not exceed a height of six feet and a total area of 120 square feet per entrance.

(3) In the town center district, the total sign area of building-mounted signs for each business or tenant, excluding under canopy blade signs, shall not exceed 10 percent of the exposed building face to which it is attached. No individual sign shall exceed 200 square feet, and every applicant is entitled to a minimum sign area of 30 square feet.

(4) Maximum Number of Signs in Town Center District.

(a) Two building-mounted signs per business or tenant.

(b) No more than one freestanding sign shall be allowed along the street frontage of any property.

(c) Where a property has a secondary entrance from a parking lot or public right-of-way, it is allowed to have one building-mounted or freestanding sign.

(5) Additional Sign Requirements Referenced in This Title.

(a) Chapter 18.55 CMC for other applicable standards.

(6) Refer to the City of Covington Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards Section B(3) for additional sign design requirements. (Ord. 10-10 § 1 (Exh. A))