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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPIN_Urban_Design_Regulations_Review_Packet_20210521_v1.pdfSECTION 11 URBAN DESIGN REGULATIONS REVIEW PACKET The following Urban Design Regulations are required in District A – All areas zoned Center Downtown (CD) 1. 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. BUILDING LOCATION AND ORIENTATION Intent: To ensure visibility of businesses and to establish active, lively uses along sidewalks and pedestrian pathways. To organize buildings for pedestrian use and so that natural light is available to other structures and open space. To ensure an appropriate transition between buildings, parking areas, and other land uses; and increase privacy for residential uses. Guidelines: Developments shall enhance the mutual relationship of buildings with each other, as well as with the roads, open space, and the pedestrian amenities while working to create a pedestrian oriented environment. Lots shall be configured to encourage variety and so that natural light is available to buildings and open space. The privacy of individuals in residential uses shall be provided for. Standards: All of the following are required. 1. The availability of natural light (both direct and reflected) and direct sun exposure to nearby buildings and open space (except parking areas) shall be considered when siting structures. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is sited on the property to be located near the intersection of Grady Way and Williams Avenue, which is on the south east corner of the property. This places the building away from the adjacent properties to the west and north, which are the only abutting properties, and will block the least amount of natural light to the neighboring properties. Setbacks and open space are provided to the north and west as buffers to the adjacent properties as well. A generous pedestrian oriented promenade is developed on the west portion of the property that will give relief to the neighboring development. Setbacks at the upper level of the building are provided along the north façade to give relief to the neighboring property as well. 2. Buildings shall be oriented to the street with clear connections to the sidewalk. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is oriented fronting both Grady Way and Williams Avenue and has multiple connections to the sidewalks along both of these streets. Additionally, a pedestrian promenade located along the west portion of the property will connect with Grady Way and will allow users to connect from Grady Way to Burnett Linear Park. 3. The front entry of a building shall be oriented to the street or a landscaped pedestrian-only courtyard. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The front entry is located along Grady Way as well as to the courtyard space and pedestrian promenade located off of Grady Way is the south west portion of the property. Both entries will be landscaped and have seating and paving elements as well. 4. Buildings with residential uses located at the street level shall be: a. Set back from the sidewalk a minimum of ten feet (10’) and feature substantial landscaping between the sidewalk and the building b. Have the ground floor residential uses raised above street level for residents’ privacy. APPLICANT RESPONSE: There are no ground level residential units proposed for the project. 5. Office buildings shall have pedestrian-oriented facades. In limited circumstances the Administrator may allow facades that do not feature a pedestrian orientation; if so, substantial landscaping between the sidewalk and building shall be provided. Such landscaping shall be at least thirty feet (30’) in width as measured from the sidewalk. APPLICANT RESPONSE: N/A 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 the urban character of the district. Guidelines: Primary entries shall face the street, serve as a focal point, and allow space for social interaction. All entries shall include features that make them easily identifiable while reflecting the architectural character of the building. The primary entry shall be the most visually prominent entry. Pedestrian access to the building from the sidewalk, parking lots, and/or other areas shall be provided and shall enhance the overall quality of the pedestrian experience on the site. Standards: All of the following are required. 1. The primary entrance of each building shall be: a. Located on the façade facing a street, shall be prominent, visible from the street, connected by a walkway to the public sidewalk, and include human-scale elements; and b. Made visibly prominent by incorporating architectural features such as a façade overhang, trellis, large entry doors, and/or ornamental lighting. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The primary entrance is located in the south west corner of the building along Grady Way and the pedestrian promenade that connects Grady Way to Burnett Linear Park. The location is seen as prominent by providing larger scale doors, a building overhang as well as canopy detail that incorporates the deck above and opens up to a plaza spaces that links Grady Way with the pedestrian promenade and incorporates landscaping, paving details, seating and artwork, which are all designed in a residential scale. 2. Building entries from a street shall be clearly marked with canopies, architectural elements, ornamental lighting, or landscaping and include weather protection at least four and one-half feet (4-1/2’) wide. Buildings that are taller than thirty feet (30’) in height shall also ensure that the weather protection is proportional to the distance above ground level. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building entry is clearly marked with a canopy and architectural elements as well as lighting and is also setback 4.5 feet from the building line above, providing additional weather protection along the street fronting façade. 3. Building entries from a parking lot shall be subordinate to those related to the street. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Secondary entries to the building are provided along the parking areas and are not prominent in their appearance. 4. Features such as entries, lobbies, and display windows shall be oriented to a street or pedestrian- oriented space; otherwise, screening or decorative features should be incorporated. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building entry and residential lobby are designed facing Grady Way so that they open up to the street and are visible from the public way. 5. Multiple buildings on the same site shall direct views to building entries by providing a continuous network of pedestrian paths and open spaces that incorporate landscaping. APPLICANT RESPONSE: N/A 6. Ground floor residential units that are directly accessible from the street shall include: a. Entries from the front yards to provide transition space from the street; or b. Entries from an open space such as a courtyard garden that is accessible from the street. APPLICANT RESPONSE: There are no ground level residential units proposed for the project. TRANSITION TO SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT Intent: To shape redevelopment projects so that the character and value of Renton’s long-established, existing neighborhoods are preserved. Guidelines: Careful siting and design treatment shall be used to achieve a compatible transition where new buildings differ from surrounding development in terms of building height, bulk and scale. Standards: At least one of the following design elements shall be used to promote a transition to surrounding uses: 1. Building proportions, including step-backs on upper levels in accordance with the surrounding planned and existing land use forms; or 2. Building articulation to divide a larger architectural element into smaller increments; or 3. Roof lines, roof pitches, and roof shapes designed to reduce apparent bulk and transition with existing development. Additionally, the Administrator may require increased setbacks at the side or rear of a building in order to reduce the bulk and scale of larger buildings and/or so that sunlight reaches adjacent and/or abutting yards. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with an upper story setback along the north property line to respond to the zoning transition to the lower density zone to the north. Additionally, the building has been designed to be located primarily in the south east corner of the site to provide a buffer to all adjacent development sites. The middle of the building is also carved out facing north to provide relief from the adjacent property as well. Building articulation is provided along all facades to break down the massing. Roof lines are broken up and change in height to bring down the perceived scale of the building as well. SERVICE ELEMENT LOCATION AND DESIGN Intent: To reduce the potential negative impacts of service elements (ie: waste receptacles, loading docks) by locating service and loading areas away from pedestrian areas, and screening them from view in nigh visibility areas. Guidelines: Service elements shall be concentrated and located so that impacts to pedestrians and other abutting uses are minimized. The impacts of service elements shall be mitigated with landscaping and an enclosure with fencing that is made of quality materials. Service areas not adjacent to streets, pathways, or pedestrian-oriented spaces are encouraged to implement vegetative screening in addition to or as part of service enclosures. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Service elements shall be locked and designed to minimize the impacts on the pedestrian environment and adjacent and/or abutting uses. Service elements shall be concentrated and located where they are accessible to service vehicles and convenient for tenant use. APPLICANT RESPONSE: All services elements will be locked and located in areas not accessible to the public. 2. In addition to standard enclosure requirements, garbage, recycling collection, and utility areas shall be enclosed on all sides, include a roof and be screened around their perimeter by a wall or fence and have self-closing doors. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Refuse and recycle collection areas will be provided within the enclosed parking garage. 3. Service enclosures shall be made of masonry, ornamental metal or wood, or some combination of the three (3). APPLICANT RESPONSE: Refuse and recycle collection areas will be provided within the enclosed parking garage. 4. If the service area is adjacent to a street, pathway, or pedestrian-oriented space, a landscaped planting strip, minimum three feet (3’) wide, shall be located on three (3) sides of such facility. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Refuse and recycle collection areas will be provided within the enclosed parking garage. 2. PARKING AND VEHICULAR ACCESS: Intent: To provide safe, convenient access, incorporate various modes of transportation, including public 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. SURFACE PARKING Intent: To maintain active pedestrian environments along streets by placing parking lots primarily in back of buildings. Guidelines: Surface parking shall be located and designed so as to reduce the visual impact of the parking area and associated vehicles. Large areas of surface parking shall also be designed to accommodate future infill development. Standards: Both of the following are required: 1. Parking shall be located so that no surface parking is located between: a. A building and the front property line; and/or b. A building and the side property line (when on a corner lot). APPLICANT RESPONSE: The majority of the parking is located in the ground level enclosed parking garage and the second level enclosed parking garage. Surface parking is located behind the building along the north façade and not between the building and the street. 2. Parking shall be located so that it is screened from surrounding streets by buildings, landscaping, and/or gateway features as dictated by location. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The surface parking located along the north portion of the project is screened by the street by landscaping. STRUCTURED PARKING GARAGES Intent: To promote more efficient use of land needed for vehicle parking, encourage the use of structured parking; physically and visually integrate parking garages with other uses; and reduce the overall impact of parking garages. Guidelines: Parking garages shall not dominate the streetscape; they shall be designed to be complementary with adjacent and abutting buildings. They shall be sited to complement, not subordinate, pedestrian entries. Similar forms, materials, and/or details to the primary building(s) should be used to enhance garages. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Parking structures shall provide space for ground floor commercial uses along street frontages at a minimum of seventy five percent (75%) of the building frontage width. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The project does not include commercial uses. The residential lobby is located along Grady Way, which is the more primary street along the property and is where the lobby needs to be located per the design guidelines. The remaining area of the ground floor is used for circulation and parking, which is a much needed component for the project to be constructed for many reasons, among community concerns. A portion of the ground floor street facing façade is comprised of parking area for these reasons and exceeds the 75% requirement. Per discussions with the City this would be allowed with façade treatments and landscaping between the wall and ROW. 2. The entire public facing façade shall be pedestrian-oriented. The Administrator may approve parking structures that do not feature a pedestrian orientation in limited circumstances. If allowed, the structure shall be set back at least six feet (6’) from the sidewalk and feature substantial landscaping. This landscaping shall include a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and ground cover. This setback shall be increased to ten feet (10’) when abutting a primary arterial and/or minor arterial. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The parking garage wall located along Williams Avenue is located 6 feet back from the property line and is designed to have landscaping and seating along the frontage. 3. Public facing facades shall be articulated by arches, lintels, masonry trim, or other architectural elements and/or materials. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The parking garage is the first level of the building and has residential units designed above, so this section does not apply. The public facing façade is designed as a storefront system per discussions with the City. 4. The entry to the parking garage shall be located away from the primary street, to either the side or rear of the building. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Parking garage entries are located away from public facades and face the north property line of the development. 5. Parking garages at grade shall include screening or be enclosed from view with treatment such as walls, decorative grilles, trellis with landscaping, or a combination of treatments. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The parking garage facades located at grade are enclosed along the north facade and area screened with storefront systems along Williams Avenue per direction from the City. The storefront along Williams Avenue will also have additional landscaping and seating in front of it from the building to the sidewalk to create a buffer to the wall. This area is also covered by the building overhang above. 6. The Administrator 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. Possible treatments to reduce the setback include landscaping components plus one or more of the following integrated with the architectural design of the building: a. Ornamental grillwork (other than vertical bars) b. Decorative artwork c. Display windows d. Brick, tile, or stone e. Pre-cast decorative panels f. Vine-covered trellis g. Raised landscaping beds with decorative materials h. Other treatments that meet the intent of this standard APPLICANT RESPONSE: The parking garage wall located along Williams Avenue is located 6 feet from the property line, so a reduction in the setback is not needed at this time. VEHICULAR ACCESS Intent: To maintain a contiguous and uninterrupted sidewalk by minimizing, consolidating, and/or eliminating vehicular access off streets. Guidelines: Vehicular access to parking garages and parking lots shall not impede or interrupt pedestrian mobility. The impacts of curb cuts to pedestrian access on sidewalks shall be minimized. Standards: The following are required: 1. Access to parking lots and garages shall be from alleys, when available. If not available, access shall occur at side streets. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The main entrance to the parking lot and garage entrances is located on the north end of the property along Williams Avenue, which is the side street for this project. 2. The number of driveways and curb cuts shall be minimized for vehicular access purposes, so that pedestrian circulation along the sidewalk is minimally impeded. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Curb cuts are minimized for this project. Two curb cuts are provided as needed for fire truck access around the building. 3. PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT Intent: To enhance the urban character of development by creating pedestrian networks and by providing strong links from streets and drives to building entrances; make the pedestrian environment safe, convenient, comfortable, and pleasant to walk between transportation systems in order to reduce other vehicular traffic. PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION Intent: To create a network of linkages for pedestrians, that is safe and convenient, enhances the pedestrian environment, and provides a way for pedestrians to walk from one location to another without having to drive their vehicle. Guidelines: The pedestrian environment shall be given priority and importance in the design of projects. Sidewalks and/or pathways shall be provided and shall provide safe access to buildings from parking areas. Providing pedestrian connections to abutting properties is an important aspect of connectivity and encourages pedestrian activity and shall be considered. Pathways shall be easily identifiable to pedestrians and drivers. Standards: The following are required: 1. A pedestrian circulation system of pathways that are clearly delineated and connect buildings, open space, and parking areas with the sidewalk system and abutting properties shall be provided. a. Pathways shall be located so that there are clear sight lines, to increase safety. b. Pathways shall be an all-weather or appropriate permeable walking surface material 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. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Pathways are provided from parking areas to the building and sidewalks. The majority of the parking is provided within the building, so this will be covered. The surface parking lot connects to the pedestrian promenade, which is comprised of multiple paving materials and patterns and the promenade connects to both Grady Way and Burnett Linear Park. 2. Pathways within parking areas shall be provided and differentiated by material or texture (ie: raised walkway, stamped concrete, or pavers) from abutting paving materials. Permeable materials are encouraged. The pathways shall be perpendicular to the applicable building façade and no greater than one hundred fifty feet (150’) apart. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The majority of the parking areas are located within the building in an enclosed parking garage. Surface parking connects with both the sidewalk and the pedestrian promenade, which are both comprised of differentiated materials. 3. 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 one hundred (100) or more feet in width (measured along the façade) shall provide sidewalks at least twelve feet (12’) in width. The pathway shall include an eight-foot (8’) minimum unobstructed walking surface. b. Interior pathways shall be provided and shall vary in width to establish a hierarchy. The widths shall be based on the intended number of users to be no smaller than five feet (5’) and no greater than twelve feet (12’). APPLICANT RESPONSE: The majority of the pathways around the building are in the ROW and will be constructed per City Code to meet the required width standards. The pedestrian promenade is more than 20 feet wide in the narrowest areas. Internal parking lot sidewalks will be at least 5 feet wide. 4. Mid-block connections between buildings shall be provided. APPLICANT RESPONSE: N/A 5. Permeable pavement pedestrian circulation features shall be used where feasible, consistent with the Surface Water Design Manual. APPLICANT RESPONSE: These will not be utilized for this project, as there are no feasible areas. 4. RECREATION AREAS AND COMMON OPEN SPACE RECREATION AREAS AND COMMON OPEN SPACE Intent: To ensure that areas for both passive and active recreation area available to residents, workers, and visitors and that these areas are of sufficient size for the intended activity and in convenient locations. To create usable and inviting open space that is accessible to the public and to promote pedestrian activity on streets particularly at street corners. Guidelines: Developments located at street intersections should provide pedestrian-oriented space at the street corner to emphasize pedestrian activity. Recreation and common open space areas are integral aspects of quality development that encourage pedestrians and users. These areas shall be provided in an amount that is adequate to be functional and usable; they shall also be landscaped and located so that they are appealing to users and pedestrians. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. All mixed use residential and attached housing developments of ten (10) or more dwelling units shall provide common open space and/or recreation areas. a. At minimum, fifty (50) square feet per unit shall be provided. b. The location, layout, and proposed type of common space or recreation area shall be subject to approval by the Administrator. c. Open space or recreation areas shall be located to provide sun and light exposure to the area and located so that they are aggregated to provide usable area(s) for residents. d. For projects with more than one hundred (100) dwelling units, vegetated low impact development facilities may be used in required or provided open space where feasible and designed consistent with the Surface Water Design Manual. Such facilities shall be counted towards no more than fifty percent (50%) of the required open space. e. At least one of the following shall be provided in each open space and/or recreation area (the Administrator may require more than one of the following elements for developments having more than one hundred (100) units): i. Courtyards, plazas, pea-patches, or multi-purpose open spaces. ii. 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. iii. Pedestrian corridors dedicated to passive recreation and separate from the public street system. iv. Recreation facilities including, but not limited to, tennis/sports courts, swimming pools, exercise areas, game rooms, or other similar facilities; or v. Children’s play spaces that are centrally located near a majority of dwelling units and visible from surrounding units. They shall also be located away from hazardous areas such as garbage dumpsters, drainage facilities, and parking areas. f. The following shall not be counted toward the common open space or recreation area requirement: i. Required landscaping, driveways, parking, or other vehicular use areas. ii. Required yard setback areas. Except for areas that 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. iii. Private decks, balconies, and private ground floor open space. iv. Other required landscaping and sensitive area buffers without common access links, such as pedestrian trails. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The project consists of 136 units, which will require 6,800 SF of common open space and/or recreation areas. The courtyard located on Level 3 is 3,460 SF (not including the private residential patios), the roof deck on Level 6 is 2,270 SF and the plaza area located along the east edge of the fire access loop within the pedestrian promenade is 2,920 SF. These areas total 8,650 SF. All of these areas contain landscaping, seating and multiple paving patterns to meet the intent of the guidelines. None of the areas include required setbacks, landscaping, driveways, parking or other vehicular areas. 2. All buildings and developments with over thirty thousand (30,000) square feet of nonresidential uses (excludes parking garage floorplate areas) shall provide pedestrian-oriented space. a. The pedestrian-oriented space shall be provided according to the following formula: 1% of the site area + 1% of the gross building area, at minimum. b. The pedestrian-oriented space shall include all of the following: i. Visual and pedestrian access (including barrier-free access) to the abutting structures from the public right-of-way or a nonvehicular courtyard; and ii. paved walking surfaces of either concrete or approved unit paving; and iii. On-site or building-mounted lighting providing at least four (4) foot-candles (average) on the ground; and iv. At least three (3) lineal feet of seating area (bench, ledge, etc.) or one individual seat per sixty (60) square feet of plaza area or open space. c. The following areas shall not count as pedestrian-oriented space: i. The minimum required walkway. However, where walkways are widened or enhanced beyond minimum requirements, the area may count as pedestrian-oriented space if the Administrator determines such space meets the definition of pedestrian-oriented space. ii. Areas that abut landscaped parking lots, chain link fences, blank walls, and/or dumpsters or service areas. d. Outdoor storage (shopping carts, potting soil bags, firewood, etc.) is prohibited within pedestrian- oriented space. APPLICANT RESPONSE: There is no commercial space for this project, so this section does not apply. 3. Open space substitution: see RMC 4-1-240. All of the following are required: 1. Public plazas shall be provided at intersections identified in the Commercial Arterial Zone Public Plaza Locations Map and as listed below. 2. The plaza shall measure no less than one thousand (1,000) square feet with a minimum dimension of twenty feet (20’) on one side abutting the sidewalk. 3. The public plaza must be landscaped consistent with RMC 4-4-070, including at minimum street trees, decorative paving, pedestrian-scaled lighting, and seating. Vegetated low impact development facilities may be used in the plaza where feasible and designed consistent with the Surface Water Design Manual. Such facilities shall cunt towards no more than fifty percent (50%) of the plaza requirement. 4. Public plazas are to be provided at the following intersections: Does not apply to this site location. APPLICANT RESPONSE: We are not requesting any substitutions at this time, so this section does not apply. 5. 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 and to discourage franchise retail architecture. BUILDING CHARACTER AND MASSING Intent: To ensure that buildings are not bland and so that they appear to be at human scale, as well as to ensure that all sides of a building which can be seen by the public are visually interesting. Guidelines: Building facades shall be modulated and/or articulated to reduce the apparent size of buildings, break up long blank walls, add visual interest, and enhance the character of the neighborhood. Articulation, modulation, and their intervals should create a sense of scale important to residential buildings. Standards: Both of the following are required: 1. All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40’). 2. Modulations shall be minimum of two feet (2’) deep, sixteen feet (16’) in height, and eight feet (8’) in width. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is modulated with minimum 2 foot deep, 8 foot wide and 16 foot tall setbacks to maintain that no portions of the façade do not have setbacks over a 40 foot width. 3. Buildings greater than one hundred sixty feet (160’) in length shall provide a variety of modulations and articulations to reduce the apparent bulk and scale of the façade; or provide an additional special feature such as a clock tower, courtyard, fountain, or public gathering area. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The only façade that is longer than 180 feet is the west façade, which does not face the street. The façade is broken down into smaller masses, balconies, decks and exterior stairway features. The lower level is also pushed out to provide additional modulation and articulation along the ground level. This façade is also located along the pedestrian promenade which has various human scale elements and façade details including multiple paving types, landscaping, seating and artwork, that will also add variation to the façade and make it fit with the human scale. 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. Guidelines: The use of material variations such as colors, brick, shingles, stucco, and horizontal wood siding is encouraged. The primary building entrance should be made visibly prominent by incorporating architectural features such as a façade overhang, trellis, large entry doors, and/or ornamental lighting. Detail features should also be used, to include things such as decorative entry paving, street furniture (benches, etc.), and/or public art. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. Human-scaled elements such as lighting fixture, trellis, or other landscape feature shall be provided along the façade’s ground floor. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Human scale lighting fixtures and landscape features along with artwork will be provided along the ground floor façade. 2. Upper portions of building facades shall 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 fifty percent (50%). APPLICANT RESPONSE: All upper story windows will be glass with at least 50% light transmittance. 3. Display windows shall be designed for frequent change of merchandise, rather than permanent displays. Display racks and fixtures may not obscure more than fifty percent (50%) of the window space. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The project does not include commercial space, so storefront windows will not be obscure. 4. Window coverings, such as blinds and curtains, must be functional, they may not be affixed so that they cannot be open and/or closed. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Window coverings will be operable. All of the following are prohibited: 1. Tinted and dark glass, highly reflective (mirror-type) glass and film. 2. Untreated blank walls, visible from public streets, sidewalks, or interior pedestrian pathways. a. A wall (including building facades and retaining walls) is considered a blank wall if: i. It is a ground floor wall or portion of a ground floor wall over six feet (6’) in height, has a horizontal length greater than fifteen feet (15’), and does not include a window, door, building modulation or other architectural detailing, or ii. Any portion of a ground floor wall has a surface area of four hundred (400) square feet or greater and does not include a window, door, building modulation or other architectural detailing. b. If blank walls are required or unavoidable, they shall be treated. The treatment shall be proportional to the wall and use one or more of the following: i. A planting bed at least five feet (5’) in width abutting the blank wall that contains trees, shrubs, evergreen ground cover, or vines; ii. Trellis or other vine supports with evergreen climbing vines; iii. Architectural detailing such as reveals, contrasting materials, or other special detailing that meets the intent of this standard; iv. Artwork, such as bas-relief sculpture, mural, or similar; or v. Seating area with special paving and seasonal planting. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The only blank walls are located along the north property line adjacent to the parking garage. These will be CMU walls that will show grout joints to not appear as flat walls. 1. Where windows or strorefronts occur, they must only contain clear glazing. Tinted, dark, and highly reflective (mirror-type) glass and film are prohibited. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Storefront windows and upper story windows will be clear or Low-E glazing and will not be dark tinted or highly reflective. 2. Any façade visible to the public shall be comprised of at least seventy five percent (75%) transparent windows and/or doors for at least the portion of the ground floor façade that is between four feet (4’) and eight feet (8’) above ground (as measured on the true elevation). APPLICANT RESPONSE: Street facing ground floor facades will be comprised with at least 75% glazing from 4’ to 8’ above the sidewalk. 3. Opaque signage is only allowed on or in more than ten percent (10%) of the window space. Stenciled or other signage types that allow visibility into the building are encouraged and do not court toward the ten percent (10%) calculation of signage in windows. APPLICANT RESPONSE: This requirement will be met. 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. Guidelines: Building roof lines shall be varied and include architectural elements to add visual interest to the building. Standards: The following is required: At least one of the following elements shall be used to create varied and interesting roof profiles: 1. Extended parapets; 2. Feature elements projecting above parapets; 3. Projected cornices; 4. Pitched or sloped roofs; APPLICANT RESPONSE: The perimeter of the building consist of extended parapets, featured elements above the parapets and sloped roofs. 5. Roof-mounted mechanical equipment shall not be visible to pedestrians. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Roof mounted mechanical equipment will not be visible to pedestrians. 6. 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. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with sloped roofs and interesting roof forms along the perimeter of the building’s street facing facades. Considering the scale of the project a 1:4 roof pitch is not compatible and would make the building look and feel like a much larger project as the roofs would be much taller and out of scale. In an effort to bring down the scale of the building and consider the design guidelines, roof pitches were added to the top of the massing intervals and recesses in order to break up the perceived massiveness of a continuous roof line and make the building feel more residential and with the human scale. BUILDING MATERIALS Intent: To ensure high standards of quality and effective maintenance over time and encourage the use of materials that reduce the visual bulk of large buildings, as well as to 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. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. All sides of buildings visible from a street, pathway, parking area, or open space shall be finished with the same building materials, detailing, and color scheme. A different treatment may be used if the materials are of the same quality. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Building materials will be consistent along all building facades. 2. All buildings shall use material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns or textural changes. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with materials variations in mind and consists of many different material types, colors and textures that work together to create a well-articulated building façade. 3. Materials, individually or in combination, shall have texture, pattern, and be detailed on all visible facades. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with a combination of materials that have texture and patterns within them and will be well detailed along all facades. 4. 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. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with materials that are durable, high quality and consistent with urban development projects in the region. 5. If concrete is used, walls shall be enhanced by techniques such as texturing, reveals, and/or coloring with a concrete coating or admixture. APPLICANT RESPONSE: There are no concrete walls designed for the project. 6. 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. APPLICANT RESPONSE: In areas where CMU walls are designed, they will either be colored or textured CMU, or be designed as running bond courses to provide more texture to the surface. The following is required: All buildings shall use material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns, or textural changes. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The building is designed with material, color and textural variations. 6. SIGNAGE In addition to the City’s standard sign regulations, developments within Urban Design Districts C and D are also subject to the additional sign restrictions found in RMC 4-4-100G, urban design sign area regulations. APPLICANT RESPONSE: The site is located in District A, so this section does not apply. 7. LIGHTING 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. Standards: All of the following are required: 1. 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. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Pedestrian scale lighting will be provided at all building entrances, along with additional areas around the perimeter of the building for security and safety. All lighting will be in the form of down-lights. 2. Accent lighting shall also be provided on building facades (such as sconces) and/or illuminate other key elements of the site such as gateways, specimen trees, other significant landscaping, water features, and/or artwork. APPLICANT RESPONSE: Accent lighting will be provided in all areas of the building, especially in the outdoor plaza areas. 3. 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 (ie: signage, governmental flags, temporary holiday or decorative lighting, right-of-way lighting, etc.) APPLICANT RESPONSE: Down-lighting will be used in all areas of the building.