Chapter 18.43
CITYWIDE DESIGN GUIDELINES
Sections:
18.43.010 Community development department authority.
18.43.010 Community development department authority.
The community development director, or designee, is authorized to implement and enforce design guidelines set forth in a manual entitled City of Tumwater Citywide Design Guidelines, a copy of which is on file with the office of the city clerk.
(Ord. O2016-013, Amended, 08/02/2016; Ord. O97-027, Added, 03/03/1998)
18.43.020 Drive-through uses.
A. Intent. The intent of these guidelines is to create safe and efficient drive-through uses with designs that take into account pedestrian safety, site access for both pedestrians and vehicles, internal circulation, impacts on neighboring land uses and public streets/sidewalks, aesthetics, and sight/sound/smell impacts.
B. Application. The requirements of this section shall apply to all drive-through restaurants, banks and credit unions, pharmacies, dry cleaners, retailers, personal services, and other similar uses.
1. Exemptions. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the following and similar uses:
a. Espresso stands that are less than five hundred square feet in floor area and do not have an indoor customer area. This exemption does not apply to espresso stands in the Town Center zone district which must comply with this section as well as additional specific requirements for that zone in TMC Chapter 18.23;
b. Gas stations, car washes, oil and lube facilities; and
c. Freestanding drop boxes for, including, but not limited to, voter ballots, library books, and mail (both private and public carriers).
C. Requirements. Drive-through uses shall meet the following requirements:
1. Consistent with TMC Chapter 18.50, Off-Street Parking, drive-through queuing (stacking) lanes shall have a capacity of six spaces as measured from the pickup window. This amount may be adjusted, higher or lower, if peak average monthly volume for the business (or similar businesses) shows a need for a different amount of queuing spaces.
2. Drive-through lanes shall not be located between the building and the street unless the city determines this isn’t feasible because of lot geometry or access. In situations where drive-through lanes must be located between the building and the street, then additional screening and landscaping will be required.
3. Pedestrian crossings within parking lots and logical pedestrian routes through parking lots shall be clearly marked with crosswalk type designs. These should be used as traffic calming measures to help with pedestrian safety.
4. Pedestrian crossings of drive-through lanes shall be clearly marked with crosswalk paint, signs, raised crosswalks, and other visual cues that alert drivers to the crossing. Likewise, signs and other visual cues shall be provided to alert pedestrians of the crossing.
5. If site conditions allow, drive-through traffic should not be required to travel through more than a minor portion of a parking lot to access the drive-through lane.
6. Pedestrian access to the business shall be provided from all adjacent street frontages in a manner consistent with this chapter.
7. Loudspeakers shall not exceed fifty-five decibels at property lines.
8. Drive-through lanes shall be screened to obscure the vehicles and to keep the drive-through vehicle headlights from shining onto public streets, sidewalks, and adjacent properties (until exiting the drive-through). The use of hedges or other landscaping, decorative walls, berms, or fencing may be allowed to accomplish this requirement. The screening shall be tall enough and thick enough to completely block vehicle headlights upon installation.
9. Outdoor seating areas should not be adjacent to drive-through lanes unless shielded by a solid barrier such as a decorative wall that is at least five feet in height. Walls and barriers must be designed so they do not result in poor visibility for, and of, pedestrians crossing the drive-through lane or vehicles exiting the drive-through lane.
(Ord. O2017-019, Amended, 12/05/2017; Ord. O2016-013, Amended, 08/02/2016; Ord. O2011-006, Added, 11/15/2011. Formerly 18.43.075)
18.43.080 Penalty provision.
Any person found to have violated any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed a class 1 civil infraction pursuant to TMC Chapter 1.10.
Provided further, each day of continuing violation shall be considered a separate and distinct civil infraction.
(Ord. O2016-013, Amended, 08/02/2016; Ord. O2010-014, Amended, 06/15/2010; Ord. O97-027, Added, 03/03/1998)