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CITY OF RENTON Ι PERMIT CENTER
DESIGN DISTRICT “D” CHECKLIST
PURPOSE OF CHECKLIST
Ensure compliance with design review regulations located in the Renton Municipal Code in order to:
•Maintain and protect property values;
•Enhance the general appearance of the City;
•Encourage creativity in building and site design;
•Achieve predictability, balanced with flexibility; and
•Consider the individual merits of proposals.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICANTS
This design district checklist asks you to describe some basic information about your proposal. The City will use this
checklist to determine whether the your proposal complies with the Urban Design Regulations in the Renton Municipal
Code (RMC 4-3-100). Answer the questions briefly, with the most precise information known, or give the best
description you can.
There are two categories that have been established: (a) “minimum standards” that must be met, and (b) “guidelines”
that, while not mandatory, are considered by the Planning Director in determining if the proposed action meets the
intent of the design guidelines.
If you really do not know the answer, or if a question does not apply to your proposal, write "do not know" or "does
not apply". Complete answers to the questions now may avoid unnecessary delays later.
SITE DESIGN AND BUILDING LOCATION
Intent: To ensure that buildings are located in relation to streets and other buildings so that the Vision of the City of
Renton can be realized for a high-density urban environment; so that businesses enjoy visibility from public rights-of-
way; and to encourage pedestrian activity throughout the district.
Site Design and Street Pattern:
Intent: To ensure that the City of Renton Vision can be realized within the Urban Center Districts; plan districts that
are organized for efficiency while maintaining flexibility for future development at high urban densities and
intensities of use; create and maintain a safe, convenient network of streets of varying dimensions for vehicle
circulation; and provide service to businesses.
Minimum Standard: Provide a network of public and/or private local streets in addition to public arterials.
Minimum Standard: Maintain a hierarchy of streets to provide organized circulation that promotes use by multiple
transportation modes and to avoid overburdening the roadway system. The hierarchy shall consist of (from
greatest in size to smallest):
a.High Visibility Street. A highly visible arterial street that warrants special design treatment to improve its
appearance and maintain its transportation function.
b.Arterial Street. A street classified as a principal arterial on the City’s Arterial Street Plan.
c.Pedestrian-Oriented Streets. Streets that are intended to feature a concentration of pedestrian activity.
Such streets feature slow moving traffic, narrow travel lanes, on-street parking, and wide sidewalks.
d.Internal or local roads (public or private).
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2. Building Location and Orientation:
Intent: To ensure visibility of businesses; establish active, lively uses along sidewalks and pedestrian pathways;
organize buildings in such a way that pedestrian use of the district is facilitated; encourage siting of structures so
that natural light and solar access are available to other structures and open space; enhance the visual character
and definition of streets within the district; provide an appropriate transition between buildings, parking areas, and
other land uses and the street; and increase privacy for residential uses located near the street.
Minimum Standard: Orient buildings to the street with clear connections to the sidewalk.
Minimum Standard: The front entry of a building shall not be oriented to a drive aisle, but instead a public or
private street or landscaped pedestrian-only courtyard.
Guideline: Ground floor residential uses located near the street should be raised above street level for residents’
privacy.
3. Building Entries:
Intent: To make building entrances convenient to locate and easy to access, and ensure that building entries
further the pedestrian nature of the fronting sidewalk and urban character of the district.
Minimum Standard: A primary entrance of each building shall be located on the facade facing a street, shall be
prominent, visible from the street, connected by a walkway to the public sidewalk, and include human-scale
elements.
Minimum Standard: Multiple buildings on the same site shall provide a continuous network of pedestrian paths
and open spaces that incorporate landscaping to provide a directed view to building entries.
Minimum Standard: Ground floor units shall be directly accessible from the street or an open space such as a
courtyard or garden that is accessible from the street.
Minimum Standard: Secondary access (not fronting on a street) shall have weather protection at least 4-1/2 feet
wide over the entrance or other similar indicator of access.
Minimum Standard: Pedestrian access shall be provided to the building from property edges, adjacent lots,
abutting street intersections, crosswalks, and transit stops.
Guideline Standard: For projects that include residential uses, entries should provide transition space between the
public street and the private residence such as a porch, landscaped area, terrace, common area, lobby, or similar
feature.
Guideline Standard: Features such as entries, lobbies, and display windows should be oriented to a street;
otherwise, screening or art features such as trellises, artwork, murals, landscaping, or combinations thereof should
be incorporated into the street-oriented facade.
Guideline Standard: Entries from the street should be clearly marked with canopies, architectural elements,
ornamental lighting, or landscaping. Entries from parking lots should be subordinate to those related to the street
for buildings within District ‘A’.
4. Transition to Surrounding Development:
Intent: To shape redevelopment projects so that the character and value of Renton’s long established, existing
neighborhoods are preserved.
Maximum Standard: Careful siting and design treatment are necessary to achieve a compatible transition where
new buildings differ from surrounding development in terms of building height, bulk and scale. At least one of the
following design elements shall be considered to promote a transition to surrounding uses:
a. Setbacks at the side or rear of a building may be increased by the Reviewing Official in order to reduce the
bulk and scale of larger buildings and so that sunlight reaches adjacent yards;
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b. Building proportions, including step-backs on upper levels;
c. Building articulation to divide a larger architectural element into smaller increments; or
d. Roof lines, roof pitches, and roof shapes designed to reduce apparent bulk and transition with existing
development.
5. Service Element Location and Design:
Intent: To reduce the potential negative impacts of service elements (i.e., waste receptacles, loading docks) by
locating service and loading areas away from high-volume pedestrian areas, and screening them from view in high
visibility areas.
Minimum Standard: Service elements shall be located and designed to minimize the impacts on the pedestrian
environment and adjacent uses. Service elements shall be concentrated and located where they are accessible to
service vehicles and convenient for tenant use (see illustration, RMC 4-3-100E7e).
Minimum Standard: Garbage, recycling collection, and utility areas shall be enclosed, consistent with RMC 4-4-090,
Refuse and Recyclables Standards, and RMC 4-4-095, Screening and Storage Height/Location Limitations.
Minimum Standard: In addition to standard enclosure requirements, garbage, recycling collection, and utility areas
shall be enclosed on all sides, including the roof and screened around their perimeter by a wall or fence and have
self-closing doors (see illustration, RMC 4-3-100E7f).
Minimum Standard: The use of chain link, plastic, or wire fencing is prohibited.
Minimum Standard: If the service area is adjacent to a street, pathway, or pedestrian-oriented space, a landscaped
planting strip, minimum 3 feet wide, shall be located on 3 sides of such facility.
Guideline: Service enclosure fences should be made of masonry, ornamental metal or wood, or some combination
of the three.
6. Gateways:
Intent: To distinguish gateways as primary entrances to districts or to the City; provide special design features and
architectural elements at gateways; and ensure that gateways, while they are distinctive within the context of the
district, are compatible with the district in form and scale.
Minimum Standard: Developments located at district gateways shall be marked with visually prominent features
(see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.E7g).
Minimum Standard: Gateway elements shall be oriented toward and scaled for both pedestrians and vehicles (see
illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.E7h).
Minimum Standard: Visual prominence shall be distinguished by two or more of the following:
a. Public art;
b. Monuments;
c. Special landscape treatment;
d. Open space/plaza;
e. Identifying building form;
f. Special paving, unique pedestrian scale lighting, or bollards;
g. Prominent architectural features (trellis, arbor, pergola, or gazebo);
h. Signage, displaying neighborhood or district entry identification (commercial signs are not allowed).
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PARKING AND VEHICULAR ACCESS
Intent: To provide safe, convenient access to the Urban Center and the Center Village; incorporate various modes
of transportation, including public mass transit, in order to reduce traffic volumes and other impacts from vehicles;
ensure sufficient parking is provided, while encouraging creativity in reducing the impacts of parking areas; allow
an active pedestrian environment by maintaining contiguous street frontages, without parking lot siting along
sidewalks and building facades; minimize the visual impact of parking lots; and use access streets and parking to
maintain an urban edge to the district.
1. Location of Parking:
Intent: To maintain active pedestrian environments along streets by placing parking lots primarily in back of
buildings.
Minimum Standard: No surface parking shall be located between a building and the front property line or the
building and side property line on the street side of a corner lot.
Guideline: In areas of mixed use development, shared parking is recommended.
2. Design of Surface Parking:
Intent: To ensure safety of users of parking areas, convenience to businesses, and reduce the impact of parking lots
wherever possible.
Minimum Standard: Parking lot lighting shall not spill onto adjacent or abutting properties (see illustration,
subsection RMC 4-3-100.F5b).
Minimum Standard: All surface parking lots shall be landscaped to reduce their visual impact (see RMC 4-4-
080F7, Landscape Requirements).
Guideline: Wherever possible, parking should be configured into small units, connected by landscaped areas to
provide on-site buffering from visual impacts.
Guideline: Access to parking modules should be provided by public or private local streets with sidewalks on both
sides where possible, rather than internal drive aisles.
Guideline: Where multiple driveways cannot be avoided, provide landscaping to separate and minimize their
impact on the streetscape.
3. Structured Parking Garages:
Intent: To more efficiently use land needed for vehicle parking; encourage the use of structured parking
throughout the Urban Center and the Center Village; physically and visually integrate parking garages with other
uses; and reduce the overall impact of parking garages when they are located in proximity to the designated
pedestrian environment.
Minimum Standard: Parking Structures fronting Designated Pedestrian-Oriented Streets:
a. Parking structures shall provide space for ground floor commercial uses along street frontages at a
minimum of 75% of the frontage width (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.F5c).
b. The entire facade must feature a pedestrian-oriented facade.
Minimum Standard: Parking Structures Fronting Non-Pedestrian-Oriented Streets:
a. Parking structures fronting non-pedestrian-oriented streets and not featuring a pedestrian-oriented facade
shall be set back at least 6 feet from the sidewalk and feature substantial landscaping. This includes a
combination of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and ground cover. This setback shall be increased
to 10 feet adjacent to high visibility streets.
b. The Director may allow a reduced setback where the applicant can successfully demonstrate that the
landscaped area and/or other design treatment meets the intent of these standards and guidelines
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Possible treatments to reduce the setback include landscaping components plus one or more of the
following integrated with the architectural design of the building:
• Ornamental grillwork (other than vertical bars);
• Decorative artwork;
• Display windows;
• Brick, tile, or stone;
• Pre-cast decorative panels;
• Vine-covered trellis;
• Raised landscaping beds with decorative materials; or
• Other treatments that meet the intent of this standard.
c. Facades shall be articulated architecturally, so as to maintain a human scale and to avoid a solid wall.
Vehicular entrances to nonresidential or mixed use parking structures shall be articulated by arches, lintels,
masonry trim, or other architectural elements and/or materials (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-
100.F5d).
Minimum Standard: Parking structures shall provide space for ground floor commercial uses along street frontages
at a minimum of 75 percent of the frontage width (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.F5c).
Minimum Standard: The entire facade must feature a pedestrian-oriented facade.
Minimum Standard: Facades shall be articulated architecturally, so as to maintain a human scale and to avoid a
solid wall. Vehicular entrances to nonresidential or mixed use parking structures shall be articulated by arches,
lintels, masonry trim, or other architectural elements and/or materials (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-
100.F5d).
Guideline: Parking garage entries should be designed and sited to complement, not subordinate, the pedestrian
entry. If possible, locate the parking entry away from the primary street, to either the side or rear of the building.
Guideline: Parking garage entries should not dominate the streetscape.
Guideline: The design of structured parking at finished grade under a building should minimize the apparent width
of garage entries.
Guideline: Parking within the building should be enclosed or screened through any combination of walls,
decorative grilles, or trellis work with landscaping.
Guideline: Parking garages should be designed to be complementary with adjacent buildings. Use similar forms,
materials, and/or details to enhance garages.
Guideline: Parking service and storage functions should be located away from the street edge and generally not be
visible from the street or sidewalks.
4. Vehicular Access:
Intent: To maintain a contiguous, uninterrupted sidewalk by minimizing, consolidating and/or eliminating vehicular
access off streets within pedestrian environments and/or designated pedestrian-oriented streets.
Minimum Standard: Parking lots and garages should be accessed from alleys or side streets.
Guideline: Driveways should be located to be visible from the right-of-way, but not impede pedestrian circulation
on-site or to adjoining properties. Where possible, minimize the number of driveways and curb cuts.
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PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT:
Intent: To enhance the urban character of development in the Urban Center and the Center Village by creating
pedestrian networks and by providing strong links from streets and drives to building entrances; make the pedestrian
environment safer and more convenient, comfortable, and pleasant to walk between businesses, on sidewalks, to and
from access points, and through parking lots; and promote the use of multi-modal and public transportation systems in
order to reduce other vehicular traffic.
1. Pathways through Parking Lots:
Intent: To provide safe and attractive pedestrian connections to buildings, parking garages, and parking lots.
Minimum Standard: Clearly delineated pedestrian pathways and/or private streets shall be provided throughout
parking areas.
Minimum Standard: Within parking areas, pedestrian pathways shall be provided perpendicular to the applicable
building facade, at a maximum distance of 150 feet apart (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.G4a).
2. Pedestrian Circulation:
Intent: To create a network of linkages for pedestrians to improve safety and convenience and enhance the
pedestrian environment.
Minimum Standard: Developments shall include an integrated pedestrian circulation system that connects
buildings, open space, and parking areas with the adjacent street sidewalk system and adjacent properties (see
illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.G4b).
Minimum Standard: Sidewalks located between buildings and streets shall be raised above the level of vehicular
travel.
Minimum Standard: Pedestrian pathways within parking lots or parking modules shall be differentiated by material
or texture from adjacent paving materials (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.G4c).
Minimum Standard: Sidewalks and pathways along the facades of buildings shall be of sufficient width to
accommodate anticipated numbers of users. Specifically:
a. Sidewalks and pathways along the facades of mixed use and retail buildings 100 or more feet in width
(measured along the facade) shall provide sidewalks at least 12 feet in width. The walkway shall include an
8 foot minimum unobstructed walking surface and street trees (see illustration, subsection RMC-4-3-
100.G4d).
b. To increase business visibility and accessibility, breaks in the tree coverage adjacent to major building
entries shall be allowed.
c. For all other interior pathways, the proposed walkway shall be of sufficient width to accommodate the
anticipated number of users. A 10 - 12 foot pathway, for example, can accommodate groups of persons
walking four abreast, or two couples passing one another. An 8 foot pathway will accommodate three
individuals walking abreast, whereas a smaller 5 – 6 foot pathway will accommodate two individuals.
Minimum Standard: Locate pathways with clear sight lines to increase safety. Landscaping shall not obstruct
visibility of walkway or sight lines to building entries.
Minimum Standard: All pedestrian walkways shall provide an all-weather walking surface unless the applicant can
demonstrate that the proposed surface is appropriate for the anticipated number of users and complementary to
the design of the development.
Guideline: Delineation of pathways may be through the use of architectural features, such as trellises, railings, low
seat walls, or similar treatment.
Guideline: Mid-block connections are desirable where a strong linkage between uses can be established.
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Guideline: Decorative fences, with the exception of chain link fences, may be allowed when appropriate to the
situation.
3. Pedestrian Amenities:
Intent: To create attractive spaces that unify the building and street environments and are inviting and comfortable
for pedestrians; and provide publicly accessible areas that function for a variety of activities, at all times of the year,
and under typical seasonal weather conditions.
Minimum Standard: Provide pedestrian overhead weather protection in the form of awnings, marquees, canopies,
or building overhangs. These elements shall be a minimum of 4-1/2 feet wide along at least 75 percent of the
length of the building facade, a maximum height of 15 feet above the ground elevation, and no lower than 8 feet
above ground level.
Minimum Standard: Site furniture provided in public spaces shall be made of durable, vandal- and weather-
resistant materials that do not retain rainwater and can be reasonably maintained over an extended period of time.
Minimum Standard: Site furniture and amenities shall not impede or block pedestrian access to public spaces or
building entrances.
Guideline: Transit shelters, bicycle racks, benches, trash receptacles, and other street furniture should be provided.
Guideline: Street amenities such as outdoor group seating, kiosks, fountains, and public art should be provided.
Guideline: Architectural elements that incorporate plants, such as facade-mounted planting boxes or trellises or
ground-related or hanging containers are encouraged, particularly at building entrances, in publicly accessible
spaces, and at facades along pedestrian-oriented streets (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.G4f).
LANDSCAPING/RECREATION AREAS/COMMON OPEN SPACE
Intent: To provide visual relief in areas of expansive paving or structures; define logical areas of pedestrian and
vehicular circulation; and add to the aesthetic enjoyment of the area by the community. To have areas suitable for both
passive and active recreation by residents, workers, and visitors; provide these areas in sufficient amounts and in safe
and convenient locations; and provide the opportunity for community gathering in places centrally located and
designed to encourage such activity.
1. Landscaping:
Intent: Landscaping is intended to reinforce the architecture to concept of the area; provide visual and climatic
relief in areas of expansive paving or structures; channelize and define logical areas of pedestrian and vehicular
circulation; and add to the aesthetic enjoyment of the area by the community.
Minimum Standard: All pervious areas shall be landscaped (see RMC 4-4-070, Landscaping).
Minimum Standard: Street trees are required and shall be located between the curb edge and building, as
determined by the City of Renton.
Minimum Standard: On designated pedestrian-oriented streets, street trees shall be installed with tree grates. For
all other streets, street tree treatment shall be as determined by the City of Renton (see illustration, subsection
RMC 4-3-100.H3a).
Minimum Standard: The proposed landscaping shall be consistent with the design intent and program of the
building, the site, and use.
Minimum Standard: The landscape plan shall demonstrate how the proposed landscaping, through the use of plant
material and nonvegetative elements, reinforces the architecture or concept of the development.
Minimum Standard: Surface parking areas shall be screened by landscaping in order to reduce views of parked cars
from streets (see RMC 4-4-080F7, Landscape Requirements). Such landscaping shall be at least 10 feet in width as
measured from the sidewalk (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.H3b).
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Minimum Standard: Trees at an average minimum rate of one tree per 30 lineal feet of street frontage. Permitted
tree species are those that reach a mature height of at least 35 feet. Minimum height or caliper at planting shall be
eight feet or two inch caliper (as measured four feet from the top of the root ball) respectively.
Minimum Standard: Shrubs at the minimum rate of one per 20 square feet of landscaped area. Shrubs shall be at
least 12 inches tall at planting and have a mature height between three and four feet.
Minimum Standard: Ground cover shall be planted in sufficient quantities to provide at least 90 percent coverage
of the landscaped area within three years of installation.
Minimum Standard: The applicant shall provide a maintenance assurance device, prior to occupancy, for a period
of not less than three years and in sufficient amount to ensure required landscape standards have been met by the
third year following installation.
Minimum Standard: Surface parking with more than 14 stalls shall be landscaped as follows:
a. Required amount:
Total number of spaces Minimum Required Landscape Area*
15 to 50 15 square feet/parking space
51 to 99 25 square feet/parking space
100 or more 35 square feet/parking space
*Landscape area calculations above and planting requirements below exclude perimeter
parking lot landscaping areas.
b. Provide trees, shrubs, and ground cover in the required interior parking lot landscape areas.
c. Plant at least one tree for every six parking spaces. Permitted tree species are those that reach a mature
height of at least 35 feet . Minimum height or caliper at planting shall be eight feet or two inch caliper (as
measured four feet from the top of the root ball) respectively.
d. Plant shrubs at a rate of five per 100 square feet of landscape area. Shrubs shall be at least 16 inches tall at
planting and have a mature height between three and four feet.
e. Up to 50 percent of shrubs may be deciduous.
f. Select and plant ground cover so as to provide 90 percent coverage within three years of planting;
provided, that mulch is applied until plant coverage is complete.
g. Do not locate a parking stall more than 50 feet from a landscape area.
Minimum Standard: Regular maintenance shall be provided to ensure that plant materials are kept healthy and
that dead or dying plant materials are replaced.
Minimum Standard: Underground, automatic irrigation systems are required in all landscape areas.
Guideline: Landscaping should be used to soften and integrate the bulk of buildings.
Guideline: Landscaping should be provided that appropriately provides either screening of unwanted views or
focuses attention to preferred views.
Guideline: Use of low maintenance, drought-resistant landscape material is encouraged.
Guideline: Choice of materials should reflect the level of maintenance that will be available.
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Guideline: Seasonal landscaping and container plantings are encouraged, particularly at building entries and in
publicly accessible spaces.
Guideline: Window boxes, containers for plantings, hanging baskets, or other planting feature elements should be
made of weather-resistant materials that can be reasonably maintained.
Guideline: Landscaping should be used to screen parking lots from adjacent or neighboring properties.
2. Recreation Areas and Common Open Space:
Intent: To ensure that districts have areas suitable for both passive and active recreation by residents, workers,
and visitors and that these areas are of sufficient size for the intended activity and in convenient locations; create
usable, accessible, and inviting open space that is accessible to the public; and promote pedestrian activity on
pedestrian-oriented streets particularly at street corners.
Minimum Standard: Mixed use residential and attached housing developments of ten or more dwelling units shall
provide a minimum area of common space or recreation area equal to 50 square feet per unit. The common space
area shall be aggregated to provide usable area(s) for residents. The location, layout, and proposed type of
common space or recreation area shall be subject to approval by the Director. The required common open space
shall be satisfied with one or more of the elements listed below. The Director may require more than one of the
following elements for developments having more than 100 units.
a. Courtyards, plazas, or multi-purpose open spaces;
b. (b) Upper level common decks, patios, terraces, or roof gardens. Such spaces above the street level must
feature views or amenities that are unique to the site and are provided as an asset to the development;
c. (c) Pedestrian corridors dedicated to passive recreation and separate from the public street system;
d. (d) Recreation facilities including, but not limited to, tennis/sports courts, swimming pools, exercise areas,
game rooms, or other similar facilities; or
e. (e) Children’s play spaces.
Minimum Standard: In mixed use residential and attached residential projects, required landscaping, driveways,
parking, or other vehicular use areas shall not be counted toward the common space requirement or be located in
dedicated outdoor recreation or common use areas.
Minimum Standard: In mixed use residential and attached residential projects required yard setback areas shall
not count toward outdoor recreation and common space unless such areas are developed as private or semi-
private (from abutting or adjacent properties) courtyards, plazas or passive use areas containing landscaping and
fencing sufficient to create a fully usable area accessible to all residents of the development (see illustration,
subsection RMC 4-3-100.H3c).
Minimum Standard: Private decks, balconies, and private ground floor open space shall not count toward the
common space/recreation area requirement.
Minimum Standard: In mixed use residential and attached residential projects, other required landscaping and
sensitive area buffers without common access links, such as pedestrian trails, shall not be included toward the
required recreation and common space requirement.
Minimum Standard: All buildings and developments with over 30,000 square feet of nonresidential uses (excludes
parking garage floorplate areas) shall provide pedestrian-oriented space (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-
100.H3d) according to the following formula:
1% of the lot area + 1% of the building area = Minimum amount of pedestrian-oriented space
Minimum Standard: To qualify as pedestrian-oriented space, the following must be included:
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a. Visual and pedestrian access (including barrier-free access) to the abutting structures from the public right-
of-way or a nonvehicular courtyard;
b. Paved walking surfaces of either concrete or approved unit paving;
c. At least three feet of seating area (bench, ledge, etc.) or one individual seat per 60 square feet of plaza
area or open space.
Minimum Standard: The following features are encouraged in pedestrian-oriented space (see illustration,
subsection RMC 4-3-100.H3e) and may be required by the Director:
a. Provide pedestrian-oriented uses on the building facade facing the pedestrian-oriented space.
b. Spaces should be positioned in areas with significant pedestrian traffic to provide interest and security –
such as adjacent to a building entry.
c. Provide pedestrian-oriented facades on some or all buildings facing the space.
d. Provide movable public seating.
Minimum Standard: The following are prohibited within pedestrian-oriented space:
a. Adjacent unscreened parking lots;
b. Adjacent chain link fences;
c. Adjacent blank walls;
d. Adjacent dumpsters or service areas; and
e. Outdoor storage (shopping carts, potting soil bags, firewood, etc.) that do not contribute to the pedestrian
environment.
Minimum Standard: The minimum required walkway areas shall not count as pedestrian-oriented space. However,
where walkways are widened or enhanced beyond minimum requirements, the area may count as pedestrian-
oriented space if the Director determines such space meets the definition of pedestrian-oriented space.
Minimum Standard: Commercial Arterial Zone Public Plazas
At each corner of the intersections listed below, there shall be provision of a public plaza of no less than 1,000
square feet with a minimum dimension of 20 feet on one side abutting the sidewalk. The public plaza must be
landscaped consistent with RMC 4-4-070, including at minimum street trees, decorative paving, pedestrian-scaled
lighting, and seating. These public plazas are to be provided at all of the following intersections:
a. Benson Area: Benson Drive S./108th Avenue S.E. and S.E. 176th.
b. Bronson Area: Intersections with Bronson Way North at:
• Factory Avenue N. / Houser Way S.;
• Garden Avenue N.; and
• Park Avenue N. and N. First Street.
c. Cascade Area: Intersection of 116th Avenue S.E. and S.E. 168th Street.
d. Northeast Fourth Area: Intersections with N.E. Fourth at:
• Duvall Avenue N.E.;
• Monroe Avenue N.E.; and
• Union Avenue N.E.
e. Grady Area: Intersections with Grady Way at:
• Lind Avenue S.W.;
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• Rainier Avenue S.;
• Shattuck Avenue S.; and
• Talbot Road S.
f. Puget Area: Intersection of S. Puget Drive and Benson Road S.
g. Rainier Avenue Area: Intersections with Rainier Avenue S. at:
• Airport Way / Renton Avenue S.;
• S. Second Street;
• S. Third Street / S.W. Sunset Boulevard;
• S. Fourth Street; and
• S. Seventh Street.
h. North Renton Area: Intersections with Park Avenue N. at:
• N. Fourth Street; and
• N. Fifth Street.
i. Northeast Sunset Area: Intersections with N.E. Sunset Boulevard at:
• Duvall Avenue N.E.; and
• Union Avenue N.E.
Guideline: Common space areas in mixed use residential and attached residential projects should be centrally
located so they are near a majority of dwelling units, accessible and usable to residents, and visible from
surrounding units.
Guideline: Common space areas should be located to take advantage of surrounding features such as building
entrances, significant landscaping, unique topography or architecture, and solar exposure.
Guideline: In mixed use residential and attached residential projects children’s play space should be centrally
located, visible from the dwellings, and away from hazardous areas like garbage dumpsters, drainage facilities,
streets, and parking areas.
BUILDING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Intent: To encourage building design that is unique and urban in character, comfortable on a human scale, and uses
appropriate building materials that are suitable for the Pacific Northwest climate. To discourage franchise retail
architecture.
1. Building Character and Massing
Intent: To ensure that buildings are not bland and visually appear to be at a human scale; and ensure that all sides
of a building, that can be seen by the public, are visually interesting.
Minimum Standard: All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty
feet (40').
Guideline: Building facades should be modulated and/or articulated with architectural elements to reduce the
apparent size of new buildings, break up long blank walls, add visual interest, and enhance the character of the
neighborhood.
Guideline: Articulation, modulation, and their intervals should create a sense of scale important to residential
buildings.
Guideline: A variety of modulations and articulations should be employed to add visual interest and to reduce the
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bulk and scale of large projects.
Guideline: Building modulations should be a minimum of two feet deep, 16 feet in height, and eight feet in width.
Guideline: Alternative methods to shape a building such as angled or curved facade elements, off-set planes, wing
walls, and terracing will be considered; provided, that the intent of this Section is met.
2. Ground-Level Details:
Intent: To ensure that buildings are visually interesting and reinforce the intended human-scale character of the
pedestrian environment; and ensure that all sides of a building within near or distant public view have visual
interest.
Minimum Standard: Untreated blank walls visible from public streets, sidewalks, or interior pedestrian pathways
are prohibited. A wall (including building facades and retaining walls) is considered a blank wall if:
a. It is a ground floor wall or portion of a ground floor wall over six feet in height, has a horizontal length
greater than 15 feet, and does not include a window, door, building modulation or other architectural
detailing; or
b. Any portion of a ground floor wall having a surface area of 400 square feet or greater and does not include
a window, door, building modulation or other architectural detailing.
Minimum Standard: Where blank walls are required or unavoidable, blank walls shall be treated with one or more
of the following (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.I5d):
a. A planting bed at least five feet in width containing trees, shrubs, evergreen ground cover, or vines
adjacent to the blank wall;
b. Trellis or other vine supports with evergreen climbing vines;
c. Architectural detailing such as reveals, contrasting materials, or other special detailing that meets the
intent of this standard;
d. Artwork, such as bas-relief sculpture, mural, or similar; or
e. Seating area with special paving and seasonal planting.
Minimum Standard: Treatment of blank walls shall be proportional to the wall.
Minimum Standard: Provide human-scaled elements such as a lighting fixture, trellis, or other landscape feature
along the facade’s ground floor.
Minimum Standard: Facades on designated pedestrian-oriented streets shall have at least 75 percent of the linear
frontage of the ground floor facade (as measured on a true elevation facing the designated pedestrian-oriented
street) comprised of transparent windows and/or doors.
Minimum Standard: Other facade window requirements include the following:
a. Building facades must have clear windows with visibility into and out of the building. However, screening
may be applied to provide shade and energy efficiency. The minimum amount of light transmittance for
windows shall be 50percent.
b. Display windows shall be designed for frequent change of merchandise, rather than permanent displays.
c. Where windows or storefronts occur, they must principally contain clear glazing.
d. Tinted and dark glass, highly reflective (mirror-type) glass and film are prohibited.
Guideline: The primary building entrance should be made visibly prominent by incorporating a minimum of one of
the following architectural features from each category listed (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.I5e):
a. Façade Features:
• Recess;
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• Overhang;
• Canopy;
• Trellis;
• Portico;
• Porch;
• Clerestory.
b. Doorway Features:
• Transom windows;
• Glass windows flanking door;
• Large entry doors;
• Ornamental lighting;
• Lighted displays.
c. Detail Features:
• Decorative entry paving;
• Ornamental building name and address;
• Planted containers;
• Street furniture (benches, etc.).
Guideline: Artwork or building ornamentation (such as mosaics, murals, grillwork, sculptures, relief, etc.) should be
used to provide ground-level detail.
Guideline: Elevated or terraced planting beds between the walkway and long building walls are encouraged.
3. Building Roof Lines:
Intent: To ensure that roof forms provide distinctive profiles and interest consistent with an urban project and
contribute to the visual continuity of the district.
Minimum Standard: Buildings shall use at least one of the following elements to create varied and interesting roof
profiles (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.I5f):
a. Extended parapets;
b. Feature elements projecting above parapets;
c. Projected cornices;
d. Pitched or sloped roofs.
e. Roof-mounted mechanical equipment shall not be visible to pedestrians.
f. Buildings containing predominantly residential uses shall have pitched roofs with a minimum slope of one
to four (1:4) and shall have dormers or interesting roof forms that break up the massiveness of an
uninterrupted sloping roof.
Minimum Standard: Locate and screen roof-mounted mechanical equipment so that the equipment is not visible
within 150 feet of the structure when viewed from ground level.
Minimum Standard: Screening features shall blend with the architectural character of the building, consistent with
RMC 4-4-095E, Roof-Top Equipment.
Minimum Standard: Match color of roof-mounted mechanical equipment to color of exposed portions of the roof
to minimize visual impacts when equipment is visible from higher elevations.
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4. Building Materials:
Intent: To ensure high standards of quality and effective maintenance over time; encourage the use of materials
that reduce the visual bulk of large buildings; and encourage the use of materials that add visual interest to the
neighborhood.
Guidelines: Building materials are an important and integral part of the architectural design of a building that is
attractive and of high quality. Material variation shall be used to create visual appeal and eliminate monotony of
facades. This shall occur on all facades in a consistent manner. High quality materials shall be used. If materials like
concrete or block walls are used they shall be enhanced to create variation and enhance their visual appeal.
Minimum Standard: All sides of buildings visible from a street, pathway, parking area, or open space shall be
finished on all sides with the same building materials, detailing, and color scheme, or if different, with materials of
the same quality.
Minimum Standard: Materials, individually or in combination, shall have an attractive texture, pattern, and quality
of detailing for all visible facades.
Minimum Standard: Materials shall be durable, high quality, and consistent with more traditional urban
development, such as brick, integrally colored concrete masonry, pre-finished metal, stone, steel, glass and cast-in-
place concrete.
Minimum Standard: If concrete is used, walls shall be enhanced by techniques such as texturing, reveals, and/or
coloring with a concrete coating or admixture
Minimum Standard: If concrete block walls are used, they shall be enhanced with integral color, textured blocks
and colored mortar, decorative bond pattern and/or shall incorporate other masonry materials.
Guideline: Concrete walls should be enhanced by texturing, reveals, snap-tie patterns, coloring with a concrete
coating or admixture, or by incorporating embossed or sculpted surfaces, mosaics, or artwork.
Guideline: Concrete block walls should be enhanced with integral color, textured blocks and colored mortar,
decorative bond pattern and/or incorporate other masonry materials.
Guideline: Stucco and similar troweled finishes should be used in combination with other more highly textured
finishes or accents. They should not be used at the base of buildings between the finished floor elevation and four
feet (4') above.
SIGNAGE
Intent: To provide a means of identifying and advertising businesses; provide directional assistance; encourage signs
that are both clear and of appropriate scale for the project; encourage quality signage that contributes to the character
of the Urban Center and the Center Village; and create color and interest.
Minimum Standard: Signage shall be an integral part of the design approach to the building.
Minimum Standard: Corporate logos and signs shall be sized appropriately for their location.
Minimum Standard: Prohibited signs include (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.J3a):
a. Pole signs;
b. Roof signs;
c. Back-lit signs with letters or graphics on a plastic sheet (can signs or illuminated cabinet signs). Exceptions:
Back-lit logo signs less than ten (10) square feet are permitted as are signs with only the individual letters
back-lit.
Minimum Standard: In mixed use and multi-use buildings, signage shall be coordinated with the overall building
design.
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Minimum Standard: Freestanding ground-related monument signs, with the exception of primary entry signs, shall
be limited to five feet above finished grade, including support structure. All such signs shall include decorative
landscaping (ground cover and/or shrubs) to provide seasonal interest in the area surrounding the sign. Alternately,
signage may incorporate stone, brick, or other decorative materials as approved by the Director.
Minimum Standard: Entry signs shall be limited to the name of the larger development.
Guideline: Alteration of trademarks notwithstanding, corporate signage should not be garish in color nor overly lit,
although creative design, strong accent colors, and interesting surface materials and lighting techniques are
encouraged.
Guideline: Front-lit, ground-mounted monument signs are the preferred type of freestanding sign.
Guideline: Blade type signs, proportional to the building facade on which they are mounted, are encouraged on
pedestrian-oriented streets.
LIGHTING
Intent: To ensure safety and security; provide adequate lighting levels in pedestrian areas such as plazas, pedestrian
walkways, parking areas, building entries, and other public places; and increase the visual attractiveness of the area at
all times of the day and night.
Guidelines: Lighting that improves pedestrian safety and also that creates visual interest in the building and site
during the evening hours shall be provided.
Minimum Standard: Pedestrian-scale lighting shall be provided at primary and secondary building entrances.
Examples include sconces on building facades, awnings with down-lighting and decorative street lighting.
Minimum Standard: Accent lighting shall also be provided on building facades (such as sconces) and/or to
illuminate other key elements of the site such as gateways, specimen trees, other significant landscaping, water
features, and/or artwork..
Minimum Standard: Downlighting shall be used in all cases to assure safe pedestrian and vehicular movement,
unless alternative pedestrian-scale lighting has been approved administratively or is specifically listed as exempt
from provisions located in RMC 4-4-075, Lighting, Exterior On-Site (i.e., signage, governmental flags, temporary
holiday or decorative lighting, right-of-way lighting, etc.).