Chapter 18.75
RM-900 RESIDENTIAL: MULTIFAMILY 900 ZONE
Sections
18.75.050 General design requirements.
18.75.070 Lot area per dwelling unit.
18.75.120 Permissible floor area.
18.75.130 Permissible lot coverage.
18.75.140 Placement of buildings and structures.
18.75.150 Recreation area required.
18.75.160 Prohibition on reclassification of property to RM-900.
18.75.010 Title.
This chapter shall be entitled “RM-900 Residential: Multifamily 900 Zone.” [Ord. 1591 § 184, 2014.]
18.75.020 Application.
This chapter shall apply to all areas zoned RM-900. [Ord. 1591 § 185, 2014.]
18.75.030 Purpose.
The principal objective and purpose to be served by this zone and its application is to establish areas permitting the maximum population density. The uses permitted in this zone relate conveniently and consistently in terms of traffic generated, demands upon public service facilities, and impact upon each other. A related consideration is to make it possible to more efficiently and economically design and install all physical public service facilities in terms of size and capacity to adequately and permanently meet needs resulting from a defined intensity of land use. [Ord. 1591 § 186, 2014.]
18.75.040 Authority.
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the provisions of chapters 35.63, 35A.63 and 36.70A RCW and other applicable laws. [Ord. 1591 § 187, 2014.]
18.75.050 General design requirements.
All new development and significant redevelopment proposals within the RM-900 Zone in the downtown neighborhood, as delineated in the Des Moines Comprehensive Plan, shall demonstrate substantial compliance, as determined by the planning official, with the adopted Marina District Design Guidelines. The guidelines address design issues related to site planning; height, bulk and scale; architectural elements and materials; pedestrian environment; landscape design; and signs. The guidelines provide objectives and techniques for ensuring that new construction provides lasting benefit to the community; minimizes incompatibility among land uses; and promotes economic investment in the downtown neighborhood. [Ord. 1591 § 188, 2014.]
18.75.060 Lot area.
The minimum required area of a lot in an RM-900 Zone shall be 7,200 square feet; provided, that in a multiple lot subdivision approved subsequent to August 3, 1964, the minimum lot area shall be deemed to have been met if the average lot area is not less than 7,200 square feet. In computing the average square foot area of lots in a subdivision, not more than 25 percent of the number of lots may contain an area less than 7,200 square feet and in no case shall a lot contain less than 6,400 square feet. For lots containing more than 7,200 square feet of area not more than 8,000 square feet of area may be credited in determining the average. [Ord. 1591 § 189, 2014.]
18.75.070 Lot area per dwelling unit.
In an RM-900 Zone the lot area per dwelling unit shall be not less than 900 square feet. Where a lot contains more than 7,200 square feet of area, there may be one dwelling unit for each 900 square feet of lot area in excess of 7,200 square feet of area. [Ord. 1591 § 190, 2014.]
18.75.080 Lot width.
In an RM-900 Zone every lot shall have a width of not less than 60 feet. [Ord. 1591 § 191, 2014.]
18.75.090 Front yard.
In an RM-900 Zone every lot shall have a front yard with a depth not less than 20 feet. In the case of key lots and lots which side upon commercially or industrially zoned property, the required front yard depth shall be not less than 15 feet. [Ord. 1591 § 192, 2014.]
18.75.100 Side yard.
In an RM-900 Zone every lot shall have a side yard on each side of the lot which side yard shall have a width of not less than five feet. [Ord. 1591 § 193, 2014.]
18.75.110 Height.
In an RM-900 Zone no building or structure shall exceed a height of 35 feet. [Ord. 1591 § 194, 2014.]
18.75.120 Permissible floor area.
The total permissible floor area to be contained within all buildings on a lot or building site shall not exceed two times the square foot area of the lot. This restriction does not apply to dwelling units when they constitute the only use on the lot. [Ord. 1591 § 195, 2014.]
18.75.130 Permissible lot coverage.
If a dwelling, rest home, nursing home, or convalescent home is involved, all buildings, including accessory buildings and structures, but not including private swimming pools on residential lots or open areas used to provide parking space, shall not cover more than 60 percent of the area of the lot. If a dwelling, rest home, nursing home, or convalescent home is not involved, then the maximum permissible lot coverage shall not apply. [Ord. 1591 § 196, 2014.]
18.75.140 Placement of buildings and structures.
Placement of buildings and structures on any lot in an RM-900 Zone shall conform to the following:
(1) Interior Lots.
(a) Any building any portion of which contains one or more dwelling units or accessory living quarters shall observe a distance of not less than five feet from any lot side line and the lot rear line;
(b) The distance between a building containing one or more dwelling units or accessory living quarters and any other buildings on the same lot shall be not less than 10 feet;
(c) On the rear third of a lot accessory buildings not containing accessory living quarters may be built to the lot side lines and the lot rear line; provided, not less than 10 feet of the lot rear line shall be free and clear of all buildings; and provided further, if the lot rears upon an alley, a garage with a vehicular entrance from the alley shall maintain a distance of not less than 15 feet from the centerline of the alley.
(2) Corner Lots and Reverse Corner Lots.
(a) Any building containing a dwelling unit or accessory living quarters and any other buildings on the same lot shall observe a distance from any lot side line and the lot rear line of five feet;
(b) The distance between a building containing one or more dwelling units or accessory living quarters and any other buildings on the same lot shall be not less than 10 feet;
(c) On the rear third of a corner lot accessory buildings not containing accessory living quarters may be built to the lot interior side line and the lot rear line; provided, if the lot rears upon an alley, a garage with a vehicular entrance from the alley shall maintain a distance not less than 15 feet from the centerline of such alley;
(d) On the rear third of a reverse corner lot accessory buildings not containing accessory living quarters may be built to the lot interior side line, but no building shall be erected closer than five feet to the property line of any abutting lot to the rear unless an alley intervenes, in which case accessory buildings may be built to the lot rear line unless the accessory building is a garage with a vehicular entrance directly from the alley, in which case such building shall maintain a distance of not less than 15 feet from the centerline of the alley;
(e) In all cases the width of the required side yard on the side street side shall be observed. [Ord. 1591 § 197, 2014.]
18.75.150 Recreation area required.
On-site recreation area shall be provided as specified in chapter 18.155 DMMC. [Ord. 1591 § 198, 2014.]
18.75.160 Prohibition on reclassification of property to RM-900.
No real property shall be reclassified to an RM-900 zoning designation on or after January 8, 1990; provided, however, this provision shall not apply to any application for zoning reclassification filed prior to December 21, 1989. [Ord. 1591 § 199, 2014.]