20D.40.10 Introduction.

20D.40.10-010 Purpose and Intent.

The purpose of this section is to establish design standards for site design, circulation, building design, landscape design, and signage to guide preparation and review of all applicable development applications. These design standards are intended to assist development applicants in adhering to the desired form of community design in Redmond as expressed by goals, policies, plans, and regulations of the Redmond Community Development Guide.

The purpose of the design standards is:

(1)    To ensure that new development is consistent with goals, policies, plans, and regulations of the Redmond Community Development Guide;

(2)    To ensure that building and site designs address the needs for personal safety of its residents, employees, and visitors;

(3)    To identify the cultural, historical, and natural contexts that can serve as a reference for distinctive development in Redmond;

(4)    To conserve energy, reduce traffic, and reduce air and water pollution by encouraging transit use and through building and site design;

(5)    To supplement land use regulations which encourage and promote public health and safety of the citizens of Redmond;

(6)    To promote sustainable development projects that will provide long-term community benefits and have a high environmental and visual quality;

(7)    To assist decision making by the Administrator, Technical Committee, Design Review Board, Hearing Examiner, and City Council in the review of development applications;

(8)    To assist preservation of natural landforms, vegetation, water features, and scenic views and vistas which form the strong sense of natural amenity existing throughout the City;

(9)    To provide greater clarity of design goals and elements, thereby enhancing the development review process of the Redmond Community Development Guide;

(10)    To ensure that new buildings are of a character and scale that is appropriate to their use and to the site;

(11)    To encourage building variety while providing for designs that reflect the distinctive local character, the context of the site, and the community’s historical character and natural features;

(12)    To provide for the use of landscaping to enhance site appearance; and

(13)    To promote building and site design that provides appropriate transitions between dissimilar uses and intensities. (Ord. 1993)

20D.40.10-020 Scope and Authority.

(1)    Scope. This chapter contains three sets of design standards: Citywide design standards, Downtown design standards, and Overlake design standards. Design standards for properties in Transition Overlay Areas can be found in Chapter 20D.230 RCDG, Transition Overlay Areas.

(a)    Citywide design standards (RCDG 20D.40.15) apply to developments requiring design review that are located throughout the City and include the Downtown and Overlake Districts.

(b)    The Downtown is divided into several districts. The applicable design standards for Downtown (RCDG 20D.40.100) and the Citywide design standards (RCDG 20D.40.15) apply to developments requiring design review that are located within the Downtown Neighborhood.

(c)    Design standards specific to the Overlake Village Design District and Overlake Design District are provided in RCDG 20D.40.200, Overlake Village Design District and Overlake Design District – Supplemental Design Standards.

(2)    Authority.

(a)    Design Review Required. All applications requiring a building permit for exterior building modifications, new construction and signs, projects requiring a Level II or III certificate of appropriateness, and any private or public development within the shoreline jurisdiction shall comply with the intent statements and design criteria as provided in subsection (2)(e) of this section.

(b)    Design Review Board Authority. The Design Review Board shall review and make a decision on the following applications:

(i)    All building permit applications that have a total valuation of $50,000 or more except for the following:

(A)    One- and two-unit residential buildings unless the structure is a historic landmark;

(B)    Tenant improvements not associated with a historic landmark or not encompassing an exterior modification;

(C)    Signs not associated with a historic landmark; and

(D)    Commercial buildings located within the MP or I zones unless the sites have significant natural features, contain a historic landmark, or are located in areas of high public visibility, such as areas adjacent to SR 520, Marymoor Park, or the Sammamish River Trail.

(ii)    Within the shoreline jurisdiction, all site plan review applications in which exterior building or site modifications have a total valuation of $50,000 or more, including but not limited to the following types of projects: parks, parking lots, commercial buildings, regional utilities, streets, and bridges.

(iii)    Planned Residential Development (PRD) applications when the proposal includes housing types other than single-family detached units.

(c)    Landmark Commission Authority. The Landmark Commissions shall have design authority over designated historic landmarks as outlined in RCDG 20F.50.45.

(d)    Code Administrator Authority. The Code Administrator shall review and make a decision on the following:

(i)    All building permit applications that have a total valuation of less than $50,000 except for the following:

(A)    One- and/or two-unit residential structures not designated as historic landmarks; and

(B)    Tenant improvements not associated with a historic landmark or not encompassing an exterior modification.

    For projects reviewed by the Code Administrator that are not in compliance with the applicable design standards, the Technical Committee may refer the application to the Design Review Board for consultation. For Level I certificates of appropriateness, the Code Administrator may consult with or use the authority of the King County Historic Preservation Officer or other preservation expert with similar qualifications.

(e)    Compliance with Design Standards. Decisions on applications requiring design review shall be made as follows:

(i)    Each design element, design district, or design subarea has intent statements followed by design criteria. Intent statements describe the City’s objectives for each design element or district. The design criteria that follow the intent statements are suggested ways to achieve the design intent. Each criterion is meant to indicate the preferred condition. Other equal or better design solutions may be acceptable as long as the proposed alternative meets the intent of the design element or district.

(ii)    All applications that require design review shall comply with the intent statements for each applicable design standard element and design district or design subarea.

(iii)    While the design criteria are generally permissive, if “shall” is used in the design criterion all applications shall comply with that specific design criterion if it applies to the application.

(iv)    The applicant has the burden of proof and persuasion to demonstrate that the application complies with the intent statements.

(v)    The applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the decision maker that the application complies with the applicable intent statements and the design criteria that use the word “shall.”

(vi)    Where the decision maker concludes that the application does not comply with the intent statements or the design criteria that use the word “shall,” the decision maker may condition approval based on compliance with some or all of the design criteria, or the decision maker may deny the application.

(f)    Conflicts with Site Requirements. These design standards supplement the development standards and site requirements of each zoning district. The design standards shall be implemented in a manner that allows developments of the type and scale set by the Comprehensive Plan and development regulations while achieving the design intents. Where the provisions of this section conflict with the provisions of the zoning district, the provisions of the zoning district shall control.

(g)    Administrative Design Flexibility. Under exceptional circumstances, minor variations to the site requirements of the underlying zoning district may be permitted if it is necessary to meet the intent of the design standards. Minor variations shall be processed through the procedures set forth in RCDG Title 20F, Administration and Procedures. If the Design Review Board makes a recommendation to vary the site requirements it shall be based on the following:

(i)    The application of certain provisions of the Development Guide would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships inconsistent with the general purpose and intent of the underlying zoning district and of the design standards.

(ii)    Permitting a minor variation will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the area.

(iii)    Permitting a minor variation will not be contrary to the objectives of the design standards.

(iv)    The minor variation protects the integrity of a historic landmark or the historic design subarea.

(v)    Consistency with the Shoreline Master Program. (Ord. 2486; Ord. 2447; Ord. 2390; Ord. 2385; Ord. 2383; Ord. 2302; Ord. 2164; Ord. 1993)

20D.40.10-030 Organization.

(1)    Citywide Design Standards.

(a)    Design Categories. The Citywide design standards are divided into six design categories. They are organized to first address contextual issues, then site design issues, building design issues, landscaping design issues and sign design issues. The last design category addresses circulation issues, such as access to and from the site, internal circulation, parking, and transit. Therefore, the six design categories are: design context; site design; building design; landscape design; sign design; and circulation design.

(b)    Design Elements. Within each design category of the Citywide design standards there are design elements. For example, the category of site design has six design elements: natural features and sensitive areas; open space and recreation; site design for safety; site lighting; service areas; and storm water facilities.

(2)    Downtown Design Standards.

(a)    Design Areas. The Downtown design standards are divided into eight design areas: Valley View, Bear Creek and Trestle Areas; Sammamish Trail and Town Square Areas; Old Town; Mixed Use Center Area; Leary Area; River Bend Area; North Point and Carter Areas; and Foothill and East Hill Areas.

(3)    Purpose Statements. The purpose statements for each design category in the Citywide design standards and for each design district in the Downtown design standards describe the goals of that particular part of the design standards.

(4)    Intent Statements and Design Criteria. Each design element in the Citywide design standards and each design district in the Downtown design standards have intent statements followed by design criteria. Intent statements describe the City’s objectives for each design element or district and are the requirements each project shall meet. The design criteria that follow the intent statements are suggested ways to achieve the design intent.

(5)    Illustrations. Graphic illustrations are provided as examples of how a design criterion or multiple criteria can be achieved. If there is a discrepancy between the text and the illustrations, the text shall prevail. (Ord. 1993)

20D.40.10-040 Administration.

(1)    Review Process. Applications requiring design review approval from the Design Review Board shall be processed in accordance with RCDG Title 20F, Administration and Procedures.

(2)    Design Review Handbook. The Planning Department will maintain the Design Review Handbook to assist applicants with development projects requiring design review. The handbook may include:

(a)    Description of the review process;

(b)    Information about the Design Review Board;

(c)    Application forms and review checklists;

(d)    List of submittal requirements including drawing specifications;

(e)    Comprehensive Plan policies;

(f)    Neighborhood-specific design standards;

(g)    Citywide and Downtown design standards.

(3)    Preapplication Conference. Applicants of development proposals requiring design review are required to attend a preapplication conference with the Design Review Board. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for the Board to review and provide input on preliminary design concepts and to identify design elements that will be particularly critical to the project.

(4)    Statement of Design Intent. All development proposals subject to design review shall submit a statement of design intent consistent with the standards set forth in this chapter. The statement should include text and conceptual drawings as specified in the Design Review Handbook. The statement of design intent should be based upon a well-defined concept which responds to the community goals and policies identified in this chapter, and functions well for the site user. The statement of design intent should explicitly evaluate how a development meets the applicable design intent and criteria for each design category. (Ord. 1993)