Chapter 17.16
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Sections:
17.16.040 Setback requirements.
17.16.045 Impervious surface requirements.
17.16.050 Legal building site requirements.
17.16.070 Excavations and fills.
17.16.110 Permanent supportive housing and transitional housing facilities.
17.16.010 Lot area.
The area of lots formed by platting (subdivision) shall not be less than:
A. Zone R-12 – 12,000 square feet.
B. Zone R-15 – 15,000 square feet. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.020 Structure area.
The total structure area shall not exceed 30 percent of the lot area. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.030 Structure height.
A. Structure height shall not exceed 25 feet above original grade or 31 feet above finished grade, whichever is less.
B. Boat houses shall not exceed a height of 16 feet above ordinary high water. (Ord. 593 § 1, 2009; Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.040 Setback requirements.
A. Applicability of Setback Restrictions.
1. Buildings, structures, garages, carports, eaves, gutters, large stored vehicles, and similar equipment may only be placed in the area enclosed by the setback lines.
2. The following things may be located without regard to setback restrictions:
a. Fences and hedges;
b. Plants and vegetation;
c. Low decks;
d. Boats less than six feet in height, including trailer height, regardless of length;
e. Paved areas;
f. Rockeries and retaining walls;
g. Underground structures;
h. Piers, pier houses and piling placed with reciprocal easement agreements;
i. Actively used licensed vehicles;
j. Swimming pools not exceeding the height of low decks;
k. i. A trellis is permitted as part of the primary entrance to property within the setback area abutting a public right-of-way or a private lane provided same does not impede traffic visibility or pedestrian movement.
ii. A trellis shall conform to the following dimensions:
(A) Shall not exceed eight feet in height above finished grade;
(B) Shall not exceed six feet in width;
(C) Shall not exceed three feet in depth;
(D) Shall not exceed a total of 18 square feet.
iii. The trellis may be placed over a gate, walkway, or entrance, but shall not be placed over a driveway.
iv. There shall be a maximum of one trellis structure within a setback area per building lot.
v. The top and sides of the trellis structure must be 50 percent open.
B. The setback from the shoreline of Lake Washington is 50 feet.
C. The setback from a public right-of-way is 25 feet.
D. The setback from a private lane provided to serve the lot or provided on the lot to serve other building sites is 25 feet.
E. The setback from a property line dividing private property is 10 feet.
F. The setback from a private lane on adjacent property which does not include rights of use by the lot in question is 10 feet.
G. The setback from a panhandle driveway is 10 feet. (Ord. 679 § 1, 2017; Ord. 582 § 1, 2008; Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.045 Impervious surface requirements.
A. The total percentage of a lot that can be covered by impervious surface, including buildings, is 60 percent.
B. Exemptions. The following improvements will be exempt to the extent allowed, from calculation of the maximum impervious surface limits:
1. Decks/Platforms. Decks and platforms constructed with gaps measuring one-eighth of an inch or greater between boards which provide free drainage between the boards as determined by the code official shall be exempt from the calculation of maximum impervious surface limits so long as the surface below the deck or platform is not impervious.
2. Pavers and gravel shall be calculated as 75 percent impervious, provided the area is not used for vehicular access or storage. (Ord. 575 § 1, 2007; Ord. 570 § 1, 2007)
17.16.050 Legal building site requirements.
A. A legal building site must meet the requirements in subsections (A)(1) and (2) of this section.
1. Abut a public street or have access to a public street by means of a private lane or panhandle driveway; and
2. Meet at least one of the following criteria:
a. Fully comply with the minimum area requirements of YPMC 17.16.010; or
b. Any building site that does not meet the minimum area requirements of YPMC 17.16.010 must meet all of the following conditions:
i. The building site was lawfully created and came into existence before the date of the town’s incorporation of August 4, 1959; and
ii. The building site was held in separate ownership as of the date of incorporation of August 4, 1959; and
iii. The building site has not been consolidated with a contiguous lot since the date of incorporation of August 4, 1959; and
iv. The building site has not been developed in conjunction with a contiguous lot since the date of incorporation of August 4, 1959; or
c. Lots which came into the town through a valid annexation process and which were legal building lots or sites in the zone of the prior jurisdiction, but which do not meet the minimum area requirements of YPMC 17.16.010.
B. Under no circumstances shall a lot that does not comply with the requirements of subsection A of this section and is solely created or recognized as a tax parcel or given a tax number by the county assessor’s office be deemed a legal building site, and no land use permits, authorizations or approvals shall be granted.
C. Legal building sites must conform to all applicable town, state, and federal building setback, environmental, critical areas and other applicable building and development regulations.
D. The owner or applicant has the burden of establishing compliance with this section. (Ord. 681 § 1, 2017; Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.060 Off-street parking.
Off-street parking shall be provided for each primary dwelling unit to accommodate four automobiles. The space required for each vehicle shall be a minimum of 10 feet by 22 feet and the area required may include the area of a garage, carport or driveway which may be provided on the lot. The parking spaces shall not have a slope exceeding 10 percent. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.070 Excavations and fills.
Slopes for permanent excavations or fills without retaining walls shall not be steeper than two horizontal to one vertical. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.080 Storm sewers.
During the development, improvement, use or construction within a lot, site, parcel, plat or area, all natural contours shall be maintained to the extent that natural drainage flow from or onto adjacent public or private property shall not be disrupted, blocked, increased, redirected or otherwise made detrimental to the use or maintenance of adjacent property; provided, that this restriction shall not prevent the installation and maintenance of a covered storm sewer under or across private property along a natural drainage course for the purpose of generally improving a particular property, in conformance with the specifications and plans meeting the approval of the town engineer. Collected water, including but not limited to such waters as may be collected from roof downspout drains, surface drains or foundation drains, shall be discharged into storm sewer facilities where such facilities are available. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.090 Utility services.
All utility services including electrical, telephone and cable serving any new construction shall be placed underground. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.100 Private lanes.
Grading, paving, and utility services are the only construction permitted in any area designated as a private lane or panhandle driveway. (Ord. 549 § 1, 2005)
17.16.110 Permanent supportive housing and transitional housing facilities.
Permanent supportive and transitional housing facilities are permitted uses in any zoning district allowing a single-family dwelling subject to the following criteria:
A. Permanent supportive and transitional housing facilities are limited to a maximum of six residents at any one time, plus up to four resident staff.
B. Permanent supportive and transitional housing facilities must be a 24-hour-per-day facility where rooms or units are assigned to specific residents for the duration of their stay. Transitional housing facilities shall require a minimum length stay of 72 hours.
C. On-site services such as laundry, hygiene, meals, case management, and social programs are limited to the assigned residents and shall not be available for drop in or other use by nonresidents.
D. No permanent supportive housing or transitional housing facility may be located within half a mile of another property that contains a permanent supportive housing or transitional housing facility in the town or an adjacent jurisdiction, calculated as a radius from the property lines of the site.
E. Provision of quarterly reports to town staff on how permitted facilities are meeting performance metrics. Metrics can include but are not limited to placement of residents into permanent housing or other treatment programs, length of stay for residents, and employment status of residents.
F. Permanent supportive and transitional housing facility operators shall obtain a state of Washington business license.
G. All facilities shall comply with YPMC Title 8, Health and Safety.
H. There shall be no demand for parking beyond that which is normal to the neighborhood and no unusual or excessive traffic to and from the premises. In no case shall the facility cause on-street parking.
I. Prior to the start of operation for a permanent supportive housing or transitional housing facility, an occupancy agreement shall be submitted to the town meeting the following requirements. The town shall review and determine that the occupancy agreement meets the following requirements to the town’s satisfaction before approving the occupancy agreement:
1. Property owners and/or facility operators shall use and enforce the occupancy agreement approved by the town.
2. The occupancy agreement shall include but is not limited to the following:
a. Names and contact information for on-site staff. The facility operator shall notify the town of each staff change(s) within 72 hours.
b. Description of the services to be provided on site.
c. Description of the staffing plan including the following:
i. Number, function, and general schedule of staff supporting residents and operations.
ii. Staff certification requirements.
iii. Staff training programs.
iv. Staff to resident ratios.
v. Roles and responsibilities of all staff.
vi. The name and contact information for at least one organization member located off site.
d. Rules and/or code of conduct describing resident expectations and consequences for failing to comply. At minimum, the code of conduct shall be consistent with state law prohibitions and restrictions concerning the following:
i. Possession and use of illegal drugs on site.
ii. Threatening or unsafe behavior.
iii. Possession and use of weapons.
e. A fire safety plan reviewed and approved by the Bellevue fire department confirming fire department access.
f. A safety and security plan reviewed and approved by the Clyde Hill police department including protocols for response to the facility and to facility residents throughout the town. The safety and security plan shall establish a maximum number of permitted Clyde Hill police department response calls to the facility. Any Clyde Hill police department call(s) to the facility exceeding the maximum threshold established in the safety and security plan shall be considered a violation of this chapter and the facility operator will be fined in accordance with YPMC 1.08.030.
g. A plan for avoiding potential impacts on nearby residences including a proposed mitigation approach (for example, a good neighbor agreement plan) that addresses items such as noise, smoking areas, parking, security procedures, and litter.
h. Description of eligibility for residency and resident referral process. (Ord. 737 § 3 (Exh. A), 2023)