Chapter 17.21
URBAN VILLAGE MIXED-USE (UVMU) OVERLAY
Sections:
17.21.030 Minimum lot size requirements.
17.21.040 Maximum density requirements and mixed uses.
17.21.085 Parking for commercial uses in the urban village mixed-use zone.
17.21.090 Parking for residential uses in the urban village mixed-use zone.
17.21.100 Integrated site plan.
17.21.110 Integration with Brickyard Creek.
17.21.005 Intent.
The intent of this zoning overlay is to encourage a compatible mix of commercial and residential development and more diverse types of residential density. This zoning overlay will provide for more efficient use of resources providing for an integrated mixed-use site plan to include open space, walkability, convenience, environmental protection, enhanced commercial options, reduced dependence on motorized vehicles, and provide for an urban village experience and present an attractive and welcoming appearance to visitors at the western entrance of the city. The UVMU overlay is over an area zoned mixed commercial. The intent of the overlay is to encourage commercial uses first and allow residential uses as an incentive to build commercial space. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.010 Applicability.
This chapter shall apply to areas within the city of Sedro-Woolley designated urban village mixed-use (UVMU) overlay as shown on Sedro-Woolley comprehensive zoning map. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.015 Definitions.
These definitions are in addition to and reference Section 17.04.030, Definitions.
“Motel” means a commercial building (or buildings) providing lodging for ten or more persons on a transient basis. Cooking facilities may be installed. Motels shall be designed to accommodate the automobile tourist or transient, daily maid service shall be provided, and parking facilities must be provided convenient to each guest room.
“Open space” means land which is free of buildings and is landscaped or pedestrian amenities are provided in compliance with the open space requirements in this chapter.
“Townhouse” means a dwelling in a row of units in which each unit has its own front and rear access to the outside, no unit is located over another unit, and each unit is separated from any other unit by one or more vertical common walls.
“Usable open space” means land which is free of buildings and is open to public and that serves public use of outdoor recreation and similar activities. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.020 Use restrictions.
Use restrictions in the UVMU overlay zone shall be as follows:
A. Permitted uses for street-facing units on the first floor on Hodgin Street, State Route 20 (including the access driveway north of Parcels A through C of the Gateway Binding Site Plan), Trail Road and Stendal Street are listed below. Uses on the floors above the ground floor shall be regulated per subsection B of this section. Similarly, uses on the first floor that face the opposite side of the main street-facing side that meet the requirements of Section 17.21.040 shall be regulated per subsection B of this section:
1. Retail and wholesale sales;
2. Food/drinking venues such as restaurants and taverns;
3. Banks and similar services;
4. Temporary lodging, including hotel/motel; and
5. Recreational and cultural uses.
B. Permitted Uses in Portions of UVMU Not Fronting on Hodgin, Trail, State Route 20 (Including the Access Driveway North of Parcels A through C of the Gateway Binding Site Plan) or Stendal Streets.
1. Retail and wholesale sales;
2. Professional services;
3. General services;
4. Offices;
5. Recreational and cultural uses;
6. Food venues such as restaurants and taverns;
7. Banks and similar services;
8. Commercial day care centers;
9. Multifamily residential (townhouse, apartment, condominium) of four units or more, as part of a mixed-use site development;
10. Residential units above the first story of a commercial building in varied densities;
11. Temporary lodging, including hotel/motel and bed and breakfast guesthouse; and
12. Health facilities and healthcare, excluding overnight accommodations.
C. Conditional Uses.
1. Outdoor recreation facilities;
2. Public utilities, excluding wireless communication facilities;
3. Quasi-public uses;
4. Public uses;
5. Retirement/assisted living facilities;
6. Small-scale wood/metal fabrication; shop space.
D. Prohibited Uses.
1. Adult entertainment;
2. Wireless communication facilities; and
3. All uses not listed above. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.025 Bulk restrictions.
Minimum setbacks for commercial and mixed-use buildings: none. Maximum setbacks: ten feet. These may be larger if exclusively used for pedestrian access and amenities. This does not include parking and any other accommodations for motorized vehicles. Sites shall be developed in a coordinated manner, complementing adjacent structures and uses through placement, size and mass.
Residential multifamily structure setbacks: ten-foot front yard; five-foot side yard(s); ten-foot rear yard; minimum twenty-foot buffer from commercial uses. In the event setbacks do not apply given large site areas and proximity to property lines, minimum setbacks shall be considered minimum yard requirements to public sidewalks and adjacent structures. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.030 Minimum lot size requirements.
No minimum lot size requirements for the UVMU overlay. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.040 Maximum density requirements and mixed uses.
A. Residential Density. The UVMU overlay is intended for a range of multifamily, multi-level structures with density not to exceed thirty-five dwelling units (DU) per acre. The urban village mixed-use zone is not intended for single-family residences. Thirty-five DU per acre is a maximum density and is intended to encourage flexibility in dwelling unit densities and types of structures providing for a diversity of dwelling unit types and efficiencies associated within mixed-use development. This overlay will allow for multifamily, multi-level buildings with varying densities (not to exceed thirty-five DU per acre), dedicated to residential uses. Allowed number of units shall be calculated by dividing the total site area (less area encumbered by wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas and their respective buffers per Chapter 17.65) by the maximum units allowed per acre and rounding down to the nearest whole number. Land area encumbered by wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas and their respective buffers per Chapter 17.65 do not count towards the density allowed, but may count as open space per Section 17.21.050.
B. In mixed-use commercial and residential structures consisting of apartments or condominiums over commercial uses, no less than fifty percent of ground level floor space shall be a commercial use.
C. Residential structures without a commercial or retail component shall not exceed a one-to-one ratio of finished square foot space to finished commercial space on site; not to include indoor parking areas or garages in ratio calculation.
D. Residential uses may also be integrated with retail or office within the same building structure. There is no minimum or maximum commercial or residential unit densities per structure. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.050 Open space.
Open space shall constitute a sliding percentage of gross acreage subject to provisions of other amenities as specified in the city design standards and guidelines and as stated in UVMU design standards.
Of the minimum percent gross open space, a sliding percent must be landscaped and integrated into site plan, and must be useable public open space.
|
Density (units per acre) |
Open Space (% of total site) |
Usable Public Open Space (% of total site) |
|---|---|---|
|
35 Units |
30% |
25% |
|
30 Units |
25% |
20% |
|
≤25 Units |
20% |
15% |
(Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.060 Building height.
Maximum building height:
A. Mixed-use or commercial buildings fronting on Hodgin Street, Trail Road, State Route 20 (including the access driveway north of Parcels A through C on the Gateway Binding Site Plan) or Stendal Street: sixty feet. Fifty percent of any building stories above the third story shall be stepped back eight feet from the street frontage side of the building. Recessed balconies can count for up to fifty percent of the required step-back.
B. Maximum building height for mixed-use or commercial buildings not fronting on the areas described in Section 17.21.020(A): thirty-five feet. Exception: sixty feet, if adequate access for the fire department’s ladder truck is provided and the fire lane and fire apparatus access are approved by the fire chief.
C. Standalone residential apartments/condominiums: thirty-five feet. Exception: forty-five feet, if adequate access for the fire department’s ladder truck is provided and the fire lane and fire apparatus access are approved by the fire chief.
D. Standalone townhomes: thirty-five feet. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.065 Design standards.
The UVMU is intended to create a pedestrian-friendly environment while also accommodating vehicular traffic and parking. All development utilizing this chapter (UVMU overlay) is subject to the UVMU design standards section of the Sedro-Woolley Design Standards and Guidelines Manual in addition to any other applicable sections of the manual. Where conflict between sections of the design standards exists, the additional standards for the urban village mixed-use overlay shall apply. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.070 Hazardous waste.
On-site hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities as accessory to a permitted or conditional use are allowed as a conditional use; provided, such facilities comply with the state hazardous waste siting standards and Sedro-Woolley and State Environmental Policy Act requirements. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.080 Parking—General.
A. Intent. The intent of the UVMU overlay is to encourage commerce by creating a pedestrian-friendly environment that accommodates both shoppers and its residents. Providing adequate parking without creating large expanses of parking lots in front of commercial businesses is key to the success of the UVMU overlay.
The creation of a mixed-use parking district shall be encouraged. Parking may be constructed and maintained for motor vehicles, bicycles or other non-motorized transportation, lease parking and/or other parking that promotes alternatives to driving single-occupant motor vehicles. New development may utilize a shared parking arrangement subject to review and approval by the planning director.
Partially underground parking structures are encouraged with either landscape or constructed buffers to minimize visual impacts of parking. The Sedro-Woolley design standards and guidelines apply to location and design of parking lots.
Private driveways, garages and garage entrances shall be at rear and side of buildings; unless deemed unfeasible by civil engineer or planning director.
The city may enter into a developer agreement (or similar binding agreement) and collect in-lieu fees to develop and manage a mixed-use parking district.
B. Off-street parking shall be provided for residential dwellings, commercial and retail uses in the UVMU overlay. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.085 Parking for commercial uses in the urban village mixed-use zone.
Subject to any shared parking as approved under Section 17.21.080, parking shall be provided as follows: A minimum of one parking space per three hundred square feet of gross commercial floor area shall be provided. If more than fifty percent of the gross floor area of the first floor is used as commercial area, then only one parking space per six hundred square feet shall be required for the commercial space in excess of fifty percent of the gross first floor commercial space. Parking for commercial uses shall be provided in addition to residential parking requirements. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.090 Parking for residential uses in the urban village mixed-use zone.
Subject to any shared parking as approved under Section 17.21.080, parking shall be provided as follows:
|
Townhouse: |
1 space per bedroom up to 2 bedrooms, 0.5 space per additional bedroom over 2 bedrooms |
|
Apartment or condominium: |
|
|
Studio |
1.2 per dwelling unit |
|
One bedroom |
1.5 per dwelling unit |
|
Two bedroom |
1.7 per dwelling unit |
|
Three bedroom or larger |
1 space per bedroom up to 2 bedrooms, 0.5 space per additional bedroom over 2 bedrooms |
(Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.100 Integrated site plan.
It is the intent of the UVMU to allow for mixed-use development in the context of development for the entire site. The site design shall consider the entirety of the UVMU overlay to achieve a cohesive mixed-use environment that incorporates mixed-use structures, and single use structures (such as structures entirely consisting of either residential or commercial uses). The adjacent land uses consist of public-owned land, commercially zoned land and industrially zoned land. The edges of the UVMU do not abut residential land; therefore, provisions to taper down the scale and height of the buildings at the edges of the UVMU are not specifically required; however, such tapering is encouraged. Although the entire UVMU is intended to be cohesive in design and infrastructure services, the individual properties may be subdivided and owned by different owners. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)
17.21.110 Integration with Brickyard Creek.
A. Intent. The Brickyard Creek corridor shall be an integrated amenity of any development in the UVMU overlay. The creek has a riparian buffer per the critical areas ordinance (Chapter 17.65). Public access via a public trail along the length of the creek is encouraged by the Sedro-Woolley comprehensive plan, subject to the criteria in Chapter 17.65. It is the intent of the UVMU overlay to incorporate public access along the creek corridor. It is not the intent of the UVMU overlay to allow development that is blocked visually or physically from the creek corridor.
B. Orientation of Residential and Commercial Uses on Creek Corridor. Development adjacent to the creek corridor shall maintain a pedestrian-friendly aesthetic along with a pedestrian connection to the public trail within the creek corridor. Views of the creek from adjacent residential development shall be incorporated in design plans. Seating areas for restaurants and cafes are encouraged along the riparian area. Because a pedestrian trail in the riparian area is an anticipated requirement of development along Brickyard Creek, walls and building elements facing the creek corridor shall not be designed to have service areas or blank walls facing the creek. (Ord. 1931-19 § 2 (Exh. A) (part), 2019)