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Anacortes’s comprehensive plan places a high priority on being a “walkable” community. In order to be walkable, there needs to be frequent accessible and attractive connections between destinations. Consequently, this requires a well-connected system of streets and pathways that encourages people to walk. Thus, block size and design have a direct impact on the walkability of a community.

A. All Zones.

1. Connectivity to Abutting Lands. The street system of proposed subdivisions must be designed to connect with existing, proposed, and planned streets outside of the subdivision. Wherever a proposed development abuts unplatted land or other land with the capability of being further subdivided, street stubs must be provided to allow access to future abutting subdivisions and to logically extend the street system into the surrounding area. All street stubs must be provided with a temporary turnaround unless specifically exempted by the Fire Marshal, and the restoration and extension of the street must be the responsibility of any future developer of the abutting land.

2. Continuation of Streets. Planned streets must connect with surrounding streets to permit the convenient movement of traffic between neighborhoods and to facilitate emergency access and evacuation. Connections must be designed to meet or exceed the block standards in subsections (B) and (C) below, and to avoid or minimize through traffic on local streets.

3. Pedestrian Pathways. Short internal pathways can improve pedestrian mobility within developments. Examples could include a pathway in the middle of a block or at the end of a cul-de-sac. Such pathways must be located within an easement or common open space tract allowing for public access and maintained by the homeowner’s association unless the city or other public authority accepts an offer of dedication.

B. Residential Zones. New residential developments must provide an integrated and connected network of streets to help provide a sense of place and orientation and provide multiple travel route options for all users. A street network dominated by long, irregular loop roads and cul-de-sacs is not appropriate. The following standards apply to new development in the residential zones:

1. Blocks must be designed to provide pedestrian and vehicular connections at intervals no greater than 660 feet.

2. DEPARTURES to the standard in subsection (B)(1) of this section will be considered per AMC 19.20.220, provided the alternative design meets the purposes of the standards (see AMC 19.54.010) and meets the following criteria:

a. A departure provides the opportunity for a public open space or other public amenity that goes well beyond minimum standards herein. For example, a larger block could allow for the development of a compact village of homes around a centralized open space; and

b. Departures meeting criteria in subsection (B)(2)(a) of this section allow configurations with pedestrian and vehicular connections at intervals greater than 660 feet, but no greater than 1,000 feet, when the following conditions are present: where topography, right-of-way, existing construction or physical conditions, or other geographic conditions, prevent compliance or impose an unusual hardship on the applicant, the director may relax the standards, provided the proposed design maximizes pedestrian and vehicular connectivity on the site given the constraints.

C. Mixed-Use and Industrial Zones. New developments in mixed-use and industrial zones must provide an integrated and connected network of streets to help provide multiple travel route options for all users and comply with the goals and policies of the Anacortes comprehensive plan. (Ord. 3040 § 2 (Att. A), 2019)