Chapter 3.6 –
Additional Standards for Middle Housing
Sections:
3.6.400 Garages and Off-Street Parking Areas
3.6.600 Single-Family Attached Design Standards
3.6.100 Applicability
A. New triplexes and quadplexes, including those created by adding building square footage on a site occupied by an existing dwelling, shall meet:
1. The design standards in SDC 3.6.200 through 3.6.500; and
2. All other clear and objective design standards that apply to detached single-family dwellings in the same zone, unless those standards conflict with this code. [Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].
3.6.200 Entry Orientation
A. At least one main entrance for each triplex or quadplex structure must meet the standards in subsections (A)(1) and (2) of this section. Any detached structure for which more than 50 percent of its street-facing facade is separated from the street property line by a dwelling is exempt from meeting these standards.
1. The entrance must be within 8 feet of the longest street-facing wall of the dwelling unit; and
2. The entrance must either:
a. Face the street (see Figure 3.6);
b. Be at an angle of up to 45 degrees from the street (see Figure 3.7);
c. Face a common open space that is adjacent to the street and is abutted by dwellings on at least two sides (see Figure 3.8); or
d. Open onto a porch (see Figure 3.9). The porch must:
i. Be at least 25 square feet in area; and
ii. Have at least one entrance facing the street or have a roof.
Figure 3.6 Main Entrance Facing the Street
Figure 3.7 Main Entrance at 45 Degree Angle from the Street
Figure 3.8 Main Entrance Facing Common Open Space
Figure 3.9 Main Entrance Opening Onto a Porch
[Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].
3.6.300 Windows
A. A minimum of 15 percent of the area of all street-facing facades must include windows or entrance doors. Facades separated from the street property line by a dwelling are exempt from meeting this standard. See Figure 3.10.
Figure 3.10 Window Coverage
[Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].
3.6.400 Garages and Off-Street Parking Areas
A. Garages and off-street parking areas shall not be located between a building and a public street (other than an alley), except in compliance with the standards in subsections (A)(1) and (2) of this section.
1. The garage or off-street parking area is separated from the street property line by a dwelling; or
2. The combined width of all garages and outdoor on-site parking and maneuvering areas does not exceed a total of 50 percent of the street frontage (see Figure 3.11).
Figure 3.11 Width of Garages and Parking Areas
[Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].
3.6.500 Driveway Approach
A. Driveway approaches must comply with the following:
1. The total width of all driveway approaches must not exceed 32 feet per frontage, as measured at the property line (see Figure 3.12). For lots or parcels with more than one frontage, see subsection (A)(3) of this section.
2. Driveway approaches may be separated when located on a local street (see Figure 3.12). If approaches are separated, they must meet the jurisdiction’s driveway spacing standards applicable to local streets.
3. In addition, lots or parcels with more than one frontage must comply with the following:
a. Lots or parcels must access the street with the lowest transportation classification for vehicle traffic. For lots or parcels abutting an improved alley, access must be taken from the alley (see Figure 3.13).
b. Lots or parcels with frontages only on collectors and/or arterial streets must meet the jurisdiction’s access standards applicable to collectors and/or arterials.
c. Triplexes and quadplexes on lots or parcels with frontages only on local streets may have either:
i. Two driveway approaches not exceeding 32 feet in total width on one frontage; or
ii. One maximum 16-foot-wide driveway approach per frontage (see Figure 3.14).
Figure 3.12 Driveway Approach Width and Separation on a Local Street
Figure 3.13 Alley Access
Figure 3.14 Driveway Approach Options for Multiple Local Street Frontages
[Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].
3.6.600 Single-Family Attached Design Standards
New single-family attached dwellings shall meet the design standards in subsections (A) through (D) of this section.
A. Entry Orientation. The main entrance of each single-family attached dwelling must:
1. Be within 8 feet of the longest street-facing wall of the dwelling unit, if the lot has public street frontage; and
2. Either:
a. Face the street (see Figure 3.6);
b. Be at an angle of up to 45 degrees from the street (see Figure 3.7);
c. Face a common open space or private access or driveway that is abutted by dwellings on at least two sides (see Figure 3.8); or
d. Open onto a porch (see Figure 3.9). The porch must:
i. Be at least 25 square feet in area; and
ii. Have at least one entrance facing the street or have a roof.
B. Unit Definition. Each single-family attached dwelling must include at least three of the following on at least one street-facing facade (see Figure 3.15):
1. A roof dormer a minimum of 4 feet in width, or
2. A balcony a minimum of 2 feet in depth and 4 feet in width and accessible from an interior room, or
3. A bay window that extends from the facade a minimum of 2 feet, or
4. An offset of the facade of a minimum of 2 feet in depth, either from the neighboring townhouse or within the facade of a single townhouse, or
5. An entryway that is recessed a minimum of 3 feet, or
6. A covered entryway with a minimum depth of 4 feet, or
7. A porch meeting the standards of subsection (A)(2)(d) of this section.
Balconies and bay windows may encroach into a required setback area.
Figure 3.15 Townhouse Unit Definition
C. Windows. A minimum of 15 percent of the area of all street-facing facades on each individual unit must include windows or entrance doors. Half of the window area in the door of an attached garage may count toward meeting this standard. See Figure 3.10.
D. Driveway Access and Parking. Single-family attached dwellings with frontage on a public street shall meet the following standards:
1. Garages on the front facade of a single-family attached dwelling, off-street parking areas in the front yard, and driveways in front of a single-family attached dwelling are allowed if they meet the following standards (see Figure 3.16).
a. Each single-family attached dwelling lot has a street frontage of at least 15 feet on a local street.
b. A maximum of one driveway approach is allowed for every single-family attached dwelling. Driveway approaches and/or driveways may be shared.
c. Outdoor on-site parking and maneuvering areas do not exceed 12 feet wide on any lot.
d. The garage width does not exceed 12 feet, as measured from the inside of the garage door frame.
Figure 3.16 Townhouses with Parking in Front Yard
2. The following standards apply to driveways and parking areas for single-family attached dwelling projects that do not meet all of the standards in subsection (D)(1) of this section.
a. Off-street parking areas shall be accessed on the back facade or located in the rear yard. No off-street parking shall be allowed in the front yard or side yard of a single-family attached dwelling.
b. A single-family attached dwelling project that includes a corner lot shall take access from a single driveway approach on the side of the corner lot. See Figure 3.17.
Figure 3.17 Townhouses on Corner Lot with Shared Access
c. Single-family attached dwelling projects that do not include a corner lot shall consolidate access for all lots into a single driveway. The driveway and approach are not allowed in the area directly between the front facade and front lot line of any of the single-family attached dwellings. See Figure 3.18.
Figure 3.18 Townhouses with Consolidated Access
d. A single-family attached dwelling project that includes consolidated access or shared driveways shall grant access easements to allow normal vehicular access and emergency access.
e. Single-family attached dwelling projects in which all units take exclusive access from a rear alley are exempt from compliance with subsection (D)(2) of this section. [Ord. 526 § 3 (Exh. B), 2022].