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A. Purpose.

1. To create usable space that is suitable for leisure or recreational activities for residents.

2. To create open space that contributes to the residential setting.

3. To provide plazas that attract shoppers to commercial areas.

4. To provide plazas and other pedestrian-oriented spaces in commercial areas that enhance the employees’ and public’s opportunity for active and passive activities, such as dining, resting, people watching, and recreational activities.

5. To enhance the development character and attractiveness of commercial development.

B. Usable Residential Open Space.

1. All multifamily development, including multifamily portions of mixed-use development, must provide minimum usable open space equal to 100 square feet per dwelling unit for studio and one-bedroom dwellings and 150 square feet per dwelling unit for dwellings with two or more bedrooms. The required open space may be provided in a combination of ways:

a. Shared Open Space. All of the required open space may be in the form of shared open space available to all residents and meeting the requirements of subsection (B)(2) of this section.

b. Ground Level Individual Outdoor Space. All of the required open space for a unit may be provided by ground level outdoor space that is adjacent and directly accessible to the subject unit. Such open spaces must be:

i. Outdoor spaces may be located in the front, side, or rear yard, provided they are generally level, feature no dimension less than 10 feet, and are enclosed by a fence and/or hedge at least 32 inches in height to qualify.

DEPARTURES will be considered for this provision.

ii. Private porches may qualify as outdoor space, provided they are at least 36 square feet in area, with no dimension less than six feet.

iii. LID BMPs may be included in ground level individual outdoor space, provided the LID BMP design and maintenance requirements are consistent with the purpose of the space and do not affect usability.

Individual ground level open space that is in excess of minimum requirements must not be used in the calculations for determining the minimum usable open space requirements for other units in the development.

c. Balconies. Up to 50 percent of the required open space may be provided by private balconies, provided such spaces are at least 32 square feet in area, with no dimension less than four feet (not including railings), to provide a space usable for human activity.

d. Common Indoor Recreation Areas. For mixed-use buildings, up to 50 percent of the required open space may be provided by common indoor recreation areas meeting the following conditions:

i. The space must meet ADA standards and must be located in a visible area, such as near an entrance, lobby, or high traffic corridor.

ii. The space must be designed specifically to serve interior recreational functions and not merely be leftover unrentable space used to meet the open space requirement. Such space must include amenities and design elements that will encourage use by residents.

e. Shared Roof Decks. For multifamily buildings, up to 50 percent of the required open space may be provided by shared roof decks located on the top of buildings which are available to all residents and meet the requirements below. For mixed-use buildings, 100 percent of the required open space may be provided by shared roof decks. Design requirements:

i. Space must feature hard surfacing, and provide amenities such as seating areas and other features that encourage use.

ii. Space must integrate landscaping elements that enhance the character of the space and encourage its use.

iii. Space must incorporate features that provide for the safety of residents, such as enclosures, railings, and appropriate lighting levels.

2. Shared Open Space Design Requirements. Shared open space can include landscaped courtyards or decks, entrance plazas, gardens with pathways, children’s play areas, pools, and water features, provided they are accessible to all residents of the development. Accessible areas with native vegetation and areas used for stormwater retention, infiltration, or other multipurpose recreational and/or green spaces that meet the design criteria herein may qualify as shared open space.

Special requirements for shared open spaces include the following:

a. Shared open space must be located in centralized areas that are visible from units within the development.

b. Required setback areas must not count as shared open space unless the design of the space meets the standards herein.

c. Shared open space must feature no dimension less than 15 feet in order to provide functional leisure or recreational activity (unless otherwise noted herein).

d. Shared open space must feature paths or walkable lawns, landscaping, seating, lighting, and play structures, sports courts, or other pedestrian amenities to make the area more functional and enjoyable for a range of users.

e. Shared open space must be separated from ground level windows, streets, service areas and parking lots with landscaping, fencing, and/or other acceptable treatments that enhance safety and privacy for both the shared open space and dwelling units.

f. When possible, the space should be oriented to receive sunlight, facing east, west or preferably south.

g. Stairways and service elements located within or on the edge of shared open space must not be included in the open space calculations.

h. Shared porches may qualify as shared open space, provided they are at least eight feet in depth and 96 square feet in total area.

i. The space must be accessible to all residents of the development.

j. Shared open spaces may include LID BMPs, like rain gardens, in up to 25 percent of the required open space.

Figure 19.62.040(B)(2)(a)

Shared open space examples.

The upper left example includes a combination of open lawn area for informal recreation plus pathways and decorative landscape areas to enhance the setting for residents. The upper right courtyard includes pathways, seating areas, landscaped beds, and decorative lighting to provide a visual and physical amenity for residents.

The left image above includes a covered gathering space with outdoor grills adjacent to a landscaped commons with a central pathway. The right image includes a pond area with boardwalk and seating areas.

Figure 19.62.040(B)(2)(b)

Rooftop deck examples.

C. Usable Commercial Open Space. New developments with nonresidential uses with more than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area in the C, CBD, and MMU zones must provide open space equal to at least two percent of the development site. The open space may be in the form of pedestrian-oriented open space per subsection (D) below, garden, play area and/or other open space feature that serves both as a visual amenity and a place for human activity. Portions of sidewalks that are wider than 12 feet and which meet the standards of pedestrian-oriented open space may be counted toward this requirement.

DEPARTURE: Open space area may be reduced to one percent of the development site if the Director finds the project includes exceptional design features and elements that meet the purpose of the standards. This includes open spaces that feature a combination of design (site materials, amenities, and configurations) and location/context that clearly exceed typical plaza designs found in the region.

Figure 19.62.040(C)

Example of site development integrating usable commercial open space.

D. Pedestrian-Oriented Open Space Design Criteria. This subsection describes the requirements and desired characteristics of pedestrian-oriented open space (which may be used to meet the requirements of subsection C of this section).

1. Required Pedestrian-Oriented Open Space Features.

a. Visual and pedestrian access into the site from a street, private access road, or nonvehicular courtyard.

b. Paved walking surfaces of either concrete or approved unit paving. Form-in-place pervious concrete paving is allowed.

c. Lighting must conform to AMC 19.69.040.

d. The spaces must be located in or adjacent to areas with significant pedestrian traffic to provide interest and security, such as adjacent to or visible from a building entry.

e. At least two feet of seating area (a bench or ledge at least 16 inches deep and appropriate seating height) or one individual seat per 60 square feet of plaza area or open space.

f. Landscaping components that add visual interest and do not act as a visual barrier. This could include planting beds, raised planters, and/or potted plants, or both.

2. Desirable Pedestrian-Oriented Open Space Features.

a. Pedestrian amenities, such as site furniture, artwork, drinking fountains, shade structures, kiosks, or other similar features.

b. Adjacent buildings with transparent windows and doors covering at least 50 percent of the facade between 30 inches and 10 feet above the ground level.

c. Pedestrian weather protection, alcoves, seating, or other features along building edges to allow for outdoor gathering.

d. Pedestrian-oriented open spaces may include LID BMPs, like rain gardens, in up to 25 percent of the required open space.

3. Features Prohibited within a Pedestrian-Oriented Open Space.

a. Asphalt pavement.

b. Adjacent service areas (e.g., trash areas, loading docks) that are not separated with landscaping, as required by AMC 19.62.070.

c. Adjacent chain-link fences.

d. Adjacent blank walls without blank wall treatment (see AMC 19.63.070).

e. Outdoor storage.

Figure 19.62.040(D)(1)

Example of a small pedestrian-oriented open space.

Figure 19.62.040(D)(2)

Desirable examples of pedestrian-oriented open space.

The left example above is a colorful plaza with outdoor seating, landscaping elements and direct access to adjacent retail uses. The upper right image is a commons area with adjacent covered areas.

A covered outdoor gathering space (left) may be used to meet pedestrian-oriented open space requirements. In the right image, the widened sidewalk area may be counted as pedestrian-oriented open space.

(Ord. 3040 § 2 (Att. A), 2019)