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ADMINISTRATIVE
POLICY/CODE
INTERPRETATION #: CI-175
MUNICIPAL
CODE SECTIONS: RMC 4-2-115, Residential Design and Open Space Standards
REFERENCE: N/A
SUBJECT: Open Space Standards – Cottages
BACKGROUND: As a result of Renton Municipal Code (RMC) amendments adopted
by Ordinance 6042 and based on Docket Item 186 (“D-186”),
Cottage House Developments, the City adopted a comprehensive
Cottage House ordinance, which included development standards
and residential design and open space requirements.
Cottage house developments typically require private yard space
and common open space with individual dwellings located along its
periphery. As proposed by D-186 and adopted in ORD. 6042, each
individual cottage shall have a private yard that is at minimum two
hundred fifty (250) square feet in size with no dimension less than
eight feet (8’) in width. Additionally, D-186 proposed that for each
dwelling there shall be a minimum of three hundred fifty (350)
square feet of common open space. However, the adopted
ordinance does not state the minimum area required for common
open space.
DECISION: Amend code section RMC 4-2-115.F to include the minimum
required common open space per dwelling.
JUSTIFICATION: Common open space is an important design element integral to
cottage house development. The lack of standard for required
common open space per dwelling would hinder staff’s ability to
require a meaningful amount of common open space for passive
and active recreation. A public hearing for D-186 was held on
February 17, 2021, and in that presentation staff presented a
summary of proposed code amendments, which included
prescriptive language requiring that a minimum of 350 square feet
of common open space per dwelling. Therefore, the lack of a
standard for common open space is a result of staff’s error, an error
Department of Community and Economic Development
Planning Division
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY/CODE INTERPRETATION
that conflicts with the Planning Commission’s recommendation and
the City Council’s legislative intent.
ADMINISTRATOR
APPROVAL:
C. E. “Chip” Vincent
EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/19/22
APPEAL PROCESS: To appeal this determination, a written appeal--accompanied by the
required filing fee--must be filed with the City's Hearing Examiner
(1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, 425-430-6515) no
more than 14 days from the date of this decision. Section 4-8-110 of
the Renton Municipal Code provides further information on the
appeal process.
DISCLAIMER: Excerpts from the Renton Municipal Code shown below may not contain the most recently
codified text. In such instances, code amendments implemented through this Administrative Code
Interpretation shall be construed to affect the current code and past/future Administrative Code
Interpretations not yet codified in the same manner as shown below. Should any conflicts result the
Administrator shall determine the effective code.
CODE
AMENDMENTS
NEEDED TO
IMPLEMENT
DETERMINATION(S):
Standards for Common Open Space:
All
zones
Above ground drainage facilities (i.e., ponds, swales, ditches, rain gardens, etc.)
shall not be counted towards the common open space requirement. Required to
provide common open space as follows:
1. For each unit in the development, three hundred fifty (350) square feet of
common open space shall be provided.
2 .Open space shall be designed as a common green located within the
development and shall include picnic areas, and spaces for passive
recreational activities such as outdoor cooking, picnicking, walking, biking,
observing nature, and/or active recreational activities, such as playgrounds,
bocce ball, and pickle ball;
3 .Open space(s) shall be accessible to all cottages. For sites one acre or
smaller in size, open space(s) shall be no less than thirty feet (30') in any
dimension. For sites larger than one acre in size, open space(s) shall be no
less than forty feet (40') in any dimension. For all sites, to allow for
variation, open space(s) of less than the minimum dimensions (thirty feet
(30') or forty feet (40'), as applicable) are allowed; provided, that no
dimension is less than eight feet (8’) in width and when all open spaces are
averaged, the applicable dimension requirement is met;
4 .Grass-crete or other pervious surfaces may be used in the common open
space for the purpose of meeting the one hundred fifty feet (150') distance
requirement for emergency vehicle access but shall not be used for personal
vehicle access or to meet off-street parking requirements; and
5 .Common open space areas shall have a maximum slope of five percent
(5%); and
6 .Obstructions, such as retaining walls and fences, shall be strategically placed
so as not to reduce usable open space.
STAFF CONTACT: Katie Buchl-Morales, x. 6578