30.23A.060 Multifamily design standards

30.23A.060 Multifamily design standards.

Multifamily dwellings shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) Multifamily development shall have pedestrian facilities pursuant to SCC 30.24.080.

(b) When a site has more than one multifamily building, the buildings shall be arranged in a cohesive manner incorporating at least one of the following:

(i) Configure the buildings around a courtyard;

(ii) Limit the average number of dwellings per building to seven and cluster these into groups of not more than four buildings with each group of buildings having designed common space and internal circulation and parking separated from other groups of buildings; or

(iii) Buildings with 10 or more dwellings include an internal building courtyard or create several smaller areas of common space that are located within 25 feet of a building entry.

(c) Pedestrian facilities should be visible from buildings or parking lots, and shall be designed to avoid creating "dead ends" or isolated areas.

(d) The design standards of this section shall be implemented pursuant to the Snohomish County Residential Design Manual.

(a) Surface parking spaces shall be located to the side or rear of buildings.

(b) Structured parking facilities shall be located underneath residential dwellings or to the side of the building.

(c) Large parking areas shall be divided into small groupings of not more than 15 parking spaces in a row. A landscaped island of at least 72 square feet shall be utilized to divide groups of parking spaces.

(d) Parking may be located in a rear or side setback area when vehicle access is from an alley abutting the rear or side lot line.

(e) Parking structures located entirely below the finished grade may have parking located within a front or side setback area.

(a) Lighting shall illuminate building entries and surfaces intended for pedestrians or vehicles.

(b) Exterior lighting shall be used along pedestrian facilities to identify and distinguish the pedestrian facilities from automobile circulation and parking areas.

(c) All building lighting for security or aesthetics will be full cut-off or a shielded type, not allowing any upward distribution of light.

(4) Buildings shall be oriented pursuant to SCC 30.23A.070.

(a) When a multifamily building has shared entryways, the building entrances shall incorporate a canopy, awning or other architectural element that provides pedestrians protection from the weather.

(b) Each multifamily building shall incorporate variation to any facade of a building that faces a public or private right-of-way by incorporating at least three of the following elements:

(i) Incorporate changes in the roofline at intervals not greater than 40 continuous feet in length, such as variations in roof pitch, dormers, overhangs, projections and extended eaves;

(ii) Provide distinctive window patterns that are not repeated within groupings of up to six dwelling units;

(iii) Include balconies, bay windows, cornices, covered porches or other changes in the facade of the building;

(iv) Set back balconies and other architectural elements on the upper floors of multi-story buildings;

(v) Incorporate diminishing upper floors (gross floor area of upper story is smaller than the gross floor area of the lower story);

(vi) Provide variations in the setback of the building from the front lot line by at least five feet at horizontal intervals of 40 feet or less; or

(vii) Provide other architectural elements that the director determines accomplish the objective of visually dividing the structure into smaller identifiable sections.

(c) The architectural elements in this section shall be implemented pursuant to the Snohomish County Residential Design Manual. (Added by Amended Ord. 08-101, Jan. 21, 2009, Eff date Apr. 21, 2009; Amended by Amended Ord. 17-061, Mar. 28, 2018, Eff date May 27, 2018).