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A. The project design provisions in this division generally apply to all development within the city, including, but not limited to, building additions, site improvements, and new signage. However, since each chapter addresses different design and development elements, the applicability of each chapter is clarified at the beginning of the chapter.

B. Relationship to Other Codes and Documents. Where provisions of this division conflict with provisions in any other section of the AMC, this division prevails unless otherwise noted.

C. For building additions, remodels, and site improvements, three different thresholds have been established to determine how the standards herein are applied to such projects. See Figure 19.60.020 for examples of site development and the respective types of improvements required under each of the three levels of improvements.

1. Level I improvements include all exterior remodels, building additions, and/or site improvements that affect the exterior appearance of the building/site and/or cumulatively increase the gross floor area on a site less than 50 percent within three years of the date of permit issuance. The requirement for such improvements is only that the proposed improvements meet the standards and do not lead to further nonconformance with the standards.

For example, if a property owner decides to replace a building facade’s siding, then the siding must meet the applicable exterior building material standards, but elements such as building articulation would not be required.

2. Level II improvements include all improvements that cumulatively increase the gross floor area on a site by 50 to 100 percent, within three years of the date of permit issuance. All standards that do not involve repositioning the building or reconfiguring site development must apply to Level II improvements.

For example, if a property owner of an existing home in the CBD zone wants to convert the home to a retail use and build an addition equaling 75 percent of the current building’s footprint, then the following elements must apply:

a. The location and design of the addition/remodel must be consistent with AMC Chapter 19.61, Block Frontage Standards, which addresses building frontages, entries, parking lot location, and street setback landscaping. For such developments seeking additions to buildings where off-street parking location currently does not comply with applicable parking location standards, building additions are allowed, provided they do not increase any current nonconformity and generally bring the project closer into conformance with the standards (see AMC Chapter 19.64, Parking).

b. Comply with the standards of AMC Chapter 19.62, Site Planning.

c. Comply with all provisions of AMC Chapter 19.63, Building Design, except architectural scale and materials provisions related to the existing portion of the building where no exterior changes are proposed. All new exterior wall areas must comply with building elements/details, materials, and blank wall treatment standards.

d. Comply with the off-street parking, landscaping, and signage provisions of this division that relate to proposed improvements.

3. Level III improvements include all improvements that cumulatively increase the gross floor area on a site by more than 100 percent within three years of the date of permit issuance. Such developments must conform to all applicable standards, except in a case where there are multiple buildings on one site, and only one building is being enlarged. In that scenario, improvements to the additional buildings are not required, but conformance with all other standards apply.

Figure 19.60.020

Examples of improvement types and required compliance.

(Ord. 3040 § 2 (Att. A), 2019)