Chapter 21.92
LAND DIVISION DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENTS
Sections:
21.92.020 Land division – General layout design.
21.92.030 Lots – General requirements and minimum standards.
21.92.050 On-site recreation and trail corridors.
21.92.060 Improvements required.
21.92.070 Financial guarantees.
21.92.080 Adequate public facilities.
21.92.100 Residential cluster development.
21.92.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide criteria and set forth general design standards to govern the division of land. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.020 Land division – General layout design.
(1) Land divisions should be designed so that traffic is distributed in a logical manner and connects with planned or existing streets.
(2) Streets should be coordinated with existing intersections to avoid offsetting new intersections and should intersect at a 90-degree angle plus or minus 15 degrees.
(3) Blocks should be at least 500 feet in length but no longer than 1,320 feet, except the Director may approve modifications to these standards where topographic limitations apply, or where the land division is for multifamily, mixed-use, or nonresidential development.
(4) Cross-block lengths should not be less than 200 feet in depth to accommodate two rows of lots, except the Director may approve modifications to this standard due to zoning dimensional lot standard constraints, or if existing conditions warrant modifications for better design such as, but not limited to, the presence of critical areas, abutting development consists of existing single-row lots, or other site constraints.
(5) Cross-connecting pedestrian and/or combined pedestrian/bicycle paths are required between cul-de-sacs and adjacent streets unless the Director determines such connections are not practical for providing pedestrian connectivity to other developments.
(6) Land divisions on steep slopes should be designed so that streets are constructed generally parallel, rather than perpendicular, to the slope. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.030 Lots – General requirements and minimum standards.
(1) Layout of Lots.
(a) The size and shape of lots shall satisfy the minimum requirements of the underlying zone.
(b) The orientation of lots shall to the extent feasible have interior lot lines, which intersect streets, do so at right angles to the street lines, or radial to curved street lines.
(c) R-1 through R-8 zoned lots shall not have a depth-to-width ratio greater than four-to-one, excluding the access corridor of a flag lot. The Director may approve deviations to this ratio to accommodate the protection of critical areas.
(d) Lots shall have a lot width that satisfies the minimum requirements of the underlying zone. Lot width is measured as follows:
(i) Scaling a circle having a diameter of the applicable lot width length;
(ii) The circle shall be located within the boundaries of the lot and centered on the most likely location for the primary building; and
(iii) The circle shall not be located within any access easements or a native growth protection area easement required in Chapter 21.51 WMC.
(e) Flag lots are only permitted where critical areas do not allow normal street frontage required by the underlying zone, or where installation of a road is not practical because of site constraints. Flag lots shall satisfy the following criteria:
(i) The access corridor or “flagpole” of the lot shall not exceed 150 feet in length and be not less than 20 feet wide at any point;
(ii) The access corridor and the main body of the flag lot shall be under the same ownership;
(iii) The access corridor shall connect directly to an improved public or private street located within public right-of-way or a private tract;
(iv) An easement shall not be used to provide access to the flag lot or overlay the flag lot to provide access to another lot;
(v) Flag lots shall not adjoin other flag lots at any point, nor shall the length of the access corridor be both adjoining and parallel to a public or private street;
(vi) Lot area and dimensional standards such as setbacks and minimum coverage requirements shall be calculated using only the area of the main body or “flag” of the lot and shall exclude the access corridor.
(2) Access Requirements. Each lot must have access to a public or private street or road, unless specifically authorized otherwise by the Woodinville Municipal Code.
(3) Dedications. When required to mitigate for impacts and consistent with Chapter 82.02 RCW, a property owner may be required to dedicate and/or improve land.
(4) Future Lot Division. Such restrictions may be placed on a short plat, plat or binding site plan that ensure future divisions can be made without violating the requirements of this title, nor interfering with the orderly extension and connection of adjacent streets. This includes prohibiting the location of buildings and other structures within future street locations. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.040 Trees.
All land divisions shall include provisions for preserving, planting, and maintaining trees in accordance with Chapter 21.50 WMC. A tree plan or, if applicable, general layout of trees in a landscaping plan shall be included with every application for a short subdivision, binding site plan and subdivision. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.050 On-site recreation and trail corridors.
All subdivisions shall include on-site recreation and trail corridors in compliance with applicable provisions of Chapter 21.93 WMC, Recreation and Trail Corridors Development Standards. (Ord. 737 § 34, 2022; Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.060 Improvements required.
(1) Street improvements, and the dedication of rights-of-way and/or easements, shall be required in accordance with Chapter 12.09 WMC (Street and Construction Standards), Chapter 21.63 WMC (Street Frontage Improvements), and with the City’s most recently adopted Transportation Infrastructure Standards and Specifications regarding required improvements to rights-of-way, as well as ingress/egress and utilities easements and alleys.
(2) Unless approved otherwise by the City, required improvements shall be installed and completed before final approval of a short plat, binding site plan or plat.
(3) If a plat is subject to a dedication, dedication language shall be included on the face of the plat. Roads not dedicated to the public must be clearly marked on the face of the plat. Any dedication, donation, or grant as shown on the face of the plat shall be considered, to all intents and purposes, as a quitclaim deed to the said donee or donees, grantee, or grantees for his, her, or their use for the purpose intended by the donor or grantors as aforesaid. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.070 Financial guarantees.
(1) In lieu of the completion of the actual construction of any required improvements prior to the approval of a final short subdivision, binding site plan or subdivision, the City may accept a financial security providing for and securing the actual construction and installation of such improvements within a period specified by the City. In addition, the City may provide for methods of financial securities, securing the successful operation of improvements for up to two years after final approval, unless specified otherwise by ordinance or the municipal code.
(2) Where a financial guarantee is required, an applicant may provide a bond, line of credit, cash deposit, or other form of financial security that is acceptable to the City. Approval of the form, terms and conditions of the financial security must be obtained from the City.
(3) The amount of the financial security shall not be less than 150 percent of the estimate of the cost of the required improvements.
(4) All required improvements having a financial security shall be constructed within a time specified by the City. If no time is specified, required improvements shall be installed and/or completed within one year for plats and binding site plans, and three years for short plats from the date final approval for recording is granted. If a building permit that would authorize occupancy for any residential or commercial building is issued prior to required improvements being installed, the required improvements shall be installed and completed prior to occupancy unless public health, safety, or welfare such as emergency vehicle access requires an earlier date.
(5) A financial security shall only be released upon written approval from the City.
(6) The City may enforce the assignment of funds or other financial security required according to the terms of the financial security and/or pursuant to any and all legal and equitable remedies. Additionally, any assignment of funds or other financial security shall be subject to enforcement in the following manner:
(a) In the event the improvements are not completed as required, or warranty is not performed satisfactorily, the applicant, property owner and guarantor shall be notified in writing which shall set forth the specific defects which must be remedied or repaired and shall state a specific time by which such shall be completed.
(b) In the event the required improvements are not completed as required by the specified time, the City may make claim against any bond, and may proceed to repair the defect or perform the warranty by either force account, using City forces, or by private contractor. Upon completion of the work, the cost thereof, plus interest at 12 percent per annum, shall be due and owing to the City from the owner and guarantor as a joint and several obligation. In the event the City is required to bring suit to enforce maintenance, the subdivider and guarantor shall be responsible for any costs and attorneys’ fees incurred by the City as a result of the action.
(c) In the event that the guarantee is in the form of an assignment of funds or cash deposit with the City, the City may deduct all costs set forth in this section from the assignment of funds or cash on deposit, and the applicant shall be required to replenish the same for the duration of the guaranty period. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.080 Adequate public facilities.
All lots shall be served by adequate public facilities as set forth in Chapter 21.90 WMC or required to satisfy the approval criterion in WMC 21.91.080(2)(f)(i). Unless approved otherwise by the City, required improvements shall be installed and completed before final approval for recording of a short plat, binding site plan or plat. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.090 Monuments.
(1) Permanent survey control monuments shall be provided for all final plats and short plats at:
(a) All controlling corners on the boundaries of the subdivision or short subdivision;
(b) The intersection of centerlines of roads within the subdivision or short subdivision; and
(c) The beginnings and ends of curves on centerlines or points of intersections on tangents.
(2) Permanent survey control monuments shall be the standard concrete monuments as required by King County or City-approved equivalent. Permanent survey control monuments within a street shall be marked by a two-inch diameter by 24-inch-long galvanized iron pipe with a cap identifying the surveyor or survey company that placed the monument and shall be set after the street is paved. Every lot corner shall be marked by rebar at least one-half-inch diameter by 24 inches long with a cap identifying the surveyor or survey company that placed the monument. Said pipe or City-approved equivalent shall be driven into the ground.
(3) If any land in a subdivision or short subdivision is contiguous to a meandered body of water, the meander line shall be reestablished and shown on the final plat or short plat. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.100 Residential cluster development.
(1) The purpose of residential cluster developments is to accommodate urban densities of the underlying zone and allow greater flexibility in the design of short subdivisions and subdivisions.
(2) The provisions of this section may be applied to any short subdivision or subdivision application and shall be incorporated into the corresponding permitting procedures for a short subdivision or subdivision.
(3) The dimensional and lot area standards of the underlying zone may be modified as follows:
(a) Density. The density standards of the underlying zone shall apply to the entire residential cluster development site.
(b) Lot Size. The lot area for each lot may be reduced provided:
(i) No lot area is less than 2,500 square feet;
(ii) The entire lot area is buildable; and
(iii) The maximum lot area of any lot within the development does not exceed 150 percent of the minimum lot area set forth in the underlying zone without cluster development.
(c) Setbacks.
(i) For the purposes of residential cluster development, perimeter property lines are the exterior boundary of the entire property subject to be divided. Buildings and parking areas shall be set back at least 10 feet in the R-1 zone, and five in all other residential zones, from all perimeter property lines.
(ii) All other setbacks interior to the perimeter property lines may be modified to encourage innovative design. Modified setbacks must be approved by the City and recorded on the final short plat or plat.
(d) Lot Width. The Director may approve deviations to lot width standards to encourage flexible design.
(e) Building Coverage. Maximum building coverage may be modified as follows:
(i) Within the R-1 and R-4 zones, maximum building coverage may be increased to 50 percent, not to exceed 5,000 square feet on any individual lot; and
(ii) Within all other residential zones, excluding R-1 and R-4, maximum building coverage may be increased to 75 percent, not to exceed 7,500 square feet on any individual lot.
(f) Landscaping Coverage. Landscaping coverage requirements may be satisfied using the entire site rather than applying landscaping coverage to individual lots.
(g) Abutting Agriculturally Zoned Areas. Land abutting an agricultural zone in unincorporated County areas shall have a minimum 100-foot setback for all buildings from agriculturally zoned properties.
(4) Open Space Designation and Preservation. Any land area remaining after clustering of lots shall be preserved as common open space satisfying the following:
(a) The total common open space area shall not be less than 20 percent of the total gross area of the residential cluster development site, excluding public street right-of-way dedications, and shall be concentrated in large areas;
(b) Common open space shall be located in a separate tract(s) and shall be developed for passive or active recreational uses or set aside to protect critical areas;
(c) Community facilities and other improvements such as, but not limited to, community centers, playgrounds, athletic courts, and picnic areas may be incorporated into common open space areas provided the improvements are compliant with other provisions of the Woodinville Municipal Code;
(d) Stormwater facilities may be incorporated into common open space areas provided they are designed to be recreational in nature and are not otherwise prohibited;
(e) Parking areas, public and private roads and streets, alleys, and the area within individual lots shall not count towards the common open space;
(f) The common open space is restricted in perpetuity from further division and/or land development, which shall be noted on the face of the short plat or plat;
(g) If the common open space is designated as a native growth protection area pursuant to critical area regulations, the requirements for native growth protection areas shall be followed; and
(h) A notice shall be recorded on the face of the short plat or plat that includes provisions for the designation and retention of the common open space, and for maintenance of the common open space and/or commonly owned facilities. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)
21.92.110 Lot size averaging.
(1) Lot size averaging may be applied to subdivisions and short subdivisions located within the R-1, R-4, R-6, and R-8 zones and are applied in lieu of lot size requirements of the zones.
(2) A minimum of three lots must be involved in the averaging to qualify for lot size averaging.
(3) If eligible for lot size averaging, the lot area of a subdivision or short subdivision may be modified as follows:
(a) The average lot area of all lots of the subdivision or short subdivision, excluding tracts reserved exclusively for special uses such as open space, roads, or native growth protection areas, shall not be less than the minimum lot area of the zone;
(b) No lot area shall be more than 1.15 times the minimum lot area of the zone, and no lot shall be less than 0.85 times the minimum lot area of the zone.
(4) The total number of lots in the subdivision or short subdivision shall not exceed the base density of the zone.
(5) Except for lot area, all other requirements for the zone including minimum lot width shall apply.
(6) This section shall not be applied in combination with other Woodinville Municipal Code provisions allowing modifications to lot area requirements. (Ord. 720 § 28 (Att. A), 2021)