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In addition to uses generally allowed in the R 9,600 zone, specialized senior housing shall be allowed within the specialized senior housing overlay (SSHO) zoning classification area, generally located along the north slope of Norway Hill and approximately within one-quarter mile walking distance of the Northshore Senior Services Center as depicted on the Waynita/Simonds/Norway Hill Subarea zoning map. Development of specialized senior housing within the SSHO shall be in accordance with city-wide regulations, the critical areas ordinance, and these subarea regulations, which are intended to maintain the single-family character of the area and protect existing and future single-family residences from the adverse impacts of large buildings, parking areas and other aspects of development typical to specialized senior housing.

A. Development shall comply with city-wide development regulations concerning senior housing except as may be provided otherwise by these subarea regulations.

B. Design of specialized senior housing developments shall comply with the architectural elements outlined within this development regulation under subsections (G)(3)(c) and (G)(4)(d) of this section in order to incorporate those architectural features reflective of the historical buildings within and near the SSHO area and to preserve the historical identity of the neighborhood. The predominant architectural style that exists in single-family residences in the SSHO most closely resembles the Craftsman architectural style, though other styles are represented. The architectural features that reflect the Craftsman style as specified under subsections (G)(3)(c) and (G)(4)(d) of this section shall be incorporated into all SSHO building designs.

C. A visual study shall be submitted with all specialized senior housing conditional use permit applications. Proponents for specialized senior housing projects shall submit a visual study consisting of building perspectives, elevations and sketches, and a written analysis. The visual study shall depict and the written analysis shall describe how the specialized senior housing building incorporates the requirements for building facade modulation, key architectural features, additional architectural features, roofline variation, and building materials contained within this special district regulation, and the Craftsman architectural style identified under subsection B of this section, into a design which is compatible with the historic buildings in the neighborhood and the overall historical identity of the neighborhood.

The required visual study shall be utilized during the conditional use permit process to determine whether or not the applicant has complied with the requirements of these regulations for building facade modulation, key architectural features, additional architectural features, roofline variation, building materials, and the Craftsman architectural style identified under subsection B of this section.

D. In order to minimize visual impacts on surrounding existing and future single-family residences, specialized senior housing development shall conform to the existing topographic contours to the maximum extent practical.

Buildings should be stepped up the hillside to accommodate significant changes in elevation. For the purposes of this regulation, “significant change in elevation” shall mean a slope of 15 percent or greater.

Extensive grading and use of retaining walls shall be discouraged except where it can be demonstrated that such practices would result in lesser visual impacts than what would occur if development were to conform to existing contours. Where, through the conditional use process, the use of retaining walls is determined to be appropriate, exposure of such walls as viewed from surrounding existing and potential future residences shall be screened by landscaping and/or hidden by buildings.

E. There shall be no maximum density within the SSHO. The number of units attainable in a specialized senior housing development shall be dictated by the dimensional and other standards prescribed in these regulations.

F. Hard surface coverage shall be dictated by the standards prescribed in these subarea regulations and the critical areas ordinance. Critical areas themselves shall not be credited as part of the hard surface coverage allotment.

G. Except as otherwise provided for below, each specialized senior housing development within the SSHO shall incorporate a transition in intensity of development as follows (see Figure 12.66-5):

1. Site Buffering. The area from the exterior property lines which describe the perimeter boundary of the development inward a minimum distance of 24 feet except as may be provided herein shall be planted in buffer landscaping. This buffer landscaping shall be installed as follows (see Figures 12.66-6 and 12.66-7):

a. Along Common Property Lines Adjacent to Existing and Future Single-Family Residential.

(1) Buffer width:

(A) A minimum of 24 feet;

(B) Buildings and structures shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the buffer.

(2) Tree layout:

(A) Two rows of coniferous and deciduous trees shall be installed parallel with the property line;

(B) The trees shall be off-set to create a triangular tree spacing;

(C) The first row of trees, closest to the property line, shall place the tree trunks seven feet from the property line;

(D) The second row shall place the tree trunks 10 feet from the first row;

(E) All trees shall be spaced 15 feet on center, measured diagonally between the two rows.

(3) Tree type:

(A) The buffer trees shall consist of 85 percent coniferous and 15 percent deciduous.

(B) Coniferous trees shall be one or more of the following species:

(1) Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens);

(2) Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis leylandii);

(3) Hogan Cedar (Thuja plicata ‘Fastigiata’);

(4) Hinoki False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’);

(5) Serbian Spruce (Picea omirika);

(6) Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis).

(C) Deciduous trees shall be one or more of the following species:

(1) Columnar Red Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong’ or ‘Bowhall’ or ‘Karpick’);

(2) Columnar Norway Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Columnare’);

(3) Frans Fontaine Hornbeam (Carpinus betula ‘Frans Fontaine’);

(4) Dawyck Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Fastigiata’);

(5) Columnar Sargents Cherry (Prunus sargentii ‘Columnaris’);

(6) Flowering Pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Capital’ or ‘Chanticleer’);

(7) Columnar English Oak (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’).

(4) Tree sizes:

(A) Coniferous trees shall have a minimum height of eight feet at time of installation.

(B) Deciduous trees shall have a minimum caliper of two inches at time of installation.

(5) Shrub and Groundcover Layout. Shrubs and groundcovers shall be installed pursuant to a Type I landscape standard as described under this code. Shrub and groundcover sizes shall be as specified under Chapter 12.18 BMC.

(6) Fencing. A sight-obscuring six-foot-tall wood fence shall be installed at the property line.

(7) The use of vegetation-based LID BMPs such as bioretention facilities may occur within buffer landscape areas; provided, that the prescriptive screening criteria can be fully achieved with the proposed plantings.

b. The buffer shall be planted to Type II standards when along a public street.

c. Along common property lines adjacent to uses more intensive than single-family residential such as the Northshore Senior Center, multifamily residential, another specialized senior housing development, and professional offices, the buffer shall have a minimum width of five feet planted to a Type III standard and the fencing requirement in subsection (G)(1)(a)(6) of this section shall not apply, except as provided below:

(1) Adjacent to the northwest promontory open space tract, no buffer landscaping shall be required;

(2) Within areas having a slope of 35 percent or greater, existing vegetation shall be retained and no additional buffer landscaping shall be required; and

(3) In all other areas in which buffer landscaping would be required, existing vegetation may suffice if it meets the purpose of the applicable planting type as set forth in BMC 12.18.040, or such vegetation may be augmented to achieve said purpose.

d. Berming may be required in addition to the required landscaping if, through the conditional use permit process, it is determined to be necessary, due to topographic differences between properties, proximity of existing residences to the proposed development, or other considerations, in order to achieve the desired screening effect provided by the Type I and/or Type II landscaping specified above.

e. The hearing body shall have the authority to establish, as a condition of the conditional use permit, a requirement for the continued care and maintenance of all plant materials installed within the buffer for the life of the specialized senior housing development. This condition may provide for mandatory replacement of any dead, dying, diseased, or missing plant materials.

2. Required Setbacks. The area from the exterior property lines which describe the perimeter boundary of the development inward a minimum distance of 29 feet shall be a building setback. Driveways which provide access directly from a public street may bisect at or near a perpendicular angle to the 29-foot setback, provided the amount of driveway within the setback is the minimum necessary to provide access to the development. In order to preserve the character and historical identity of the Eason Avenue neighborhood, access from Eason Avenue shall not be allowed.

The setback shall be a minimum of 24 feet for parking, driveways, and pedestrian paths or walks.

3. Transitional Building Zone. The area from the 29-foot setback a distance of 46 feet for portions of property abutting East and West Riverside Drive and 71 feet for all other portions of property abutting existing and future single-family residences shall be a transitional building area in which the following shall apply, in addition to city-wide policies and implementing regulations concerning multiple-family development adjacent to single-family development, or where a conflict exists, in lieu of such policies and regulations:

a. Maximum building coverage of 35 percent, calculated on the basis of the total land area not contained within a critical area between the perimeter property line and the inside boundary of the transitional building area (which boundary would be 75 feet from East and West Riverside Drive and 100 feet from all other property lines);

b. Maximum Building Height of Two Stories. For the purposes of the specialized senior housing overlay within this subarea, “story” shall be defined as that portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of any floor above, not including basements, provided no portion of such a basement is visible from any surrounding property or public right-of-way, except for access driveway openings for underground garages and associated pedestrian access. The highest story is that portion of the structure included between the highest floor surface and the ceiling or roof above. In no case shall the dimension between the first story finish floor and the top plate of the second story exceed 22 feet. The first story finish floor shall be no greater than five feet above the natural grade. Where the distance between the finish floor and the natural grade exceeds two feet, berming shall be installed against the foundation wall to create an effective two-foot dimension between the final finish grade and the first story finish floor (see Figure 12.66-9);

c. Horizontal and vertical massing, building facade modulation, key architectural features, additional architectural features, roofline variation, and building materials shall be incorporated into all specialized senior housing buildings so as to approximate or complement the patterns and rhythms of adjacent single-family residences. Specialized senior housing buildings shall incorporate the following as an integral part of the building design:

(1) Building Facade Modulation. Building modulation is a measured and proportioned inflexion or setback in a building’s face. Specialized senior housing buildings shall provide modulation of building facades as follows (see Figure 12.66-13):

(A) The maximum wall length without modulation shall be 32 feet;

(B) The modulation depth shall be no less than four feet;

(C) The modulation width shall be no less than eight feet.

(2) Specialized senior housing building facades oriented toward uses more intensive than single-family residential may substitute the city-wide modulation requirements for multiple-family residences as outlined under BMC 12.14.190 in place of the above modulation requirements.

(3) Key Architectural Features. Architectural features provide emphasis and visual interest to a building facade by creating visual patterns, scale, and proportion to building facades. At a minimum, the following architectural features shall be incorporated into each building facade except for facade modules oriented perpendicular to the main building that have a width of eight feet or less:

(A) Windows consistent with the following:

(1) Window size shall be in scale with single-family windows associated with the Craftsman style;

(2) Window configuration shall have the appearance of those installed in Craftsman style housing;

(3) Windows that appear to have multiple window panes (horizontal and vertical muntins) over a single window pane (see Figure 12.66-10);

(4) All windows shall be surrounded with trim;

(5) In situations where large windows are desired, these windows shall be placed in a ribbon or in a line of three or more windows (see Figure 12.66-10); and

(6) Other window treatments associated with the Craftsman style as approved by the hearing body as part of the conditional use process;

(B) Gabled facades (roofs); and

(C) Open eaves (overhangs).

(4) Additional Architectural Features. A minimum of two or more of the following architectural features shall be incorporated into the building design:

(A) Entries covered by gable roofs supported by columns that continue to the ground;

(B) Triangular knee braces;

(C) Extra stickwork in the gables;

(D) Trellises over porches or porte cochere;

(E) Columns with tapering or slanted sides;

(F) Dormers with gable roofs (see Figure 12.66-11); and

(G) Exposed roof rafters or beams.

(5) Roofline Variation. Roofline variation is achieved by visually and physically changing roof direction or off-setting roof peaks or ridgelines, both vertically and horizontally. Specialized senior housing buildings shall provide roofline variation as follows (see Figures 12.66-14 and 12.66-15):

(A) The maximum roof length without variation shall be 48 feet;

(B) The minimum horizontal or vertical off-set shall be four feet;

(C) The minimum variation length shall be eight feet;

(D) All specialized senior housing buildings within the SSHO area shall have pitched roofs with a minimum pitch of 4/12.

(6) Building Materials. In addition to the preceding architectural features, all specialized senior housing developments within the SSHO shall utilize building materials similar in appearance and texture to those associated with Craftsman style houses and adjacent single-family residences. Building materials to be visually duplicated shall include:

(A) Building facade materials:

(1) Bevel, lap, or clapboard wood siding of a narrow dimension;

(2) Cedar shingles/shakes;

(3) Stone at the foundation, column bases, chimneys, or as siding;

(4) Brick; and

(5) Other materials may be approved by the hearing body as part of the conditional use process, provided the hearing body determines that the proposed material is representative of the Craftsman style, is visually representative of adjacent single-family residences, and the materials are visually compatible with materials used in the remainder of the specialized senior housing building.

(B) Roof materials shall have a composition or wood shake/shingle appearance.

(7) Wings. Specialized senior housing buildings shall provide wings within the transition zone which project toward existing and future single-family development (see Figures 12.66-12 and 12.66-13).

(A) The wings shall have a maximum width of 58 feet and a minimum distance or length of 25 feet;

(B) All wings shall be separated from each other by an exterior courtyard or landscaped area. The courtyard or landscape area shall have a minimum dimension of 25 feet deep by 25 feet wide; and

(C) Parking and driveways shall be prohibited within the courtyard; and

d. Sports and Recreational Facilities. Sports courts and other communal recreation facilities shall not be located within the transition zone. Decks or balconies associated with individual units shall be prohibited within the transition zone. Patios associated with individual first floor dwelling units may be located within the transition zone, provided the patios do not intrude into the mandatory 24-foot buffer.

4. Core Building Area. The area inward of the inside boundary of the transitional building area shall be the core building area in which the following shall apply:

a. Maximum building coverage of 50 percent calculated on the basis of the total land area not contained within a critical area between the inside boundaries of the transitional building area.

b. Maximum building height of three stories. For the purposes of the specialized senior housing overlay within this subarea, “story” shall be defined as that portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of any floor above, not including basements, provided no portion of such a basement is visible from any surrounding property or public right-of-way, except for access driveway openings for underground garages and associated pedestrian access. The highest story is that portion of the structure included between the highest floor surface and the ceiling or roof above. In no case shall the dimension between the first story finish floor and the top plate of the third story exceed 33 feet. The first story finish floor shall be no greater than five feet above the natural grade. Where the distance between the finish floor and the natural grade exceeds two feet, berming shall be installed against the foundation wall to create an effective two-foot dimension between the final finish grade and the first story finish floor (see Figures 12.66-8 and 12.66-9).

c. Wings may extend from buildings located in the core building area into the transitional building area, subject to the restrictions described in subsection (G)(3)(c)(7) of this section.

d. The provisions of subsection (G)(3)(c) of this section concerning horizontal and vertical massing, building facade modulation, key architectural features, additional architectural features, roofline variation, and building materials shall apply to all specialized senior housing buildings within the core area excepting only the requirements for wings as contained under subsection (G)(3)(c)(7) of this section, the prohibition on decks and balconies under subsection (G)(3)(d) of this section, and those modifications permitted under subsection (G)(5) of this section.

5. Where a specialized senior housing development would abut other specialized senior housing, the Northshore Senior Center or another use more intensive than single-family residences along a common property line, the following shall apply:

a. Buffer landscaping shall not be required along the common property line;

b. The minimum setback from the common property line shall be five feet;

c. The policies of the core building area shall apply to that portion of the property adjacent to the common property line; and

d. The multifamily residential modulation standards in BMC 12.14.190 may be substituted in place of the requirements of this section for building modulation.

H. Outdoor lighting fixtures within specialized senior housing developments shall be directed away from single-family residences and kept as low in elevation as is consistent with providing adequate light levels for safety and security while minimizing the impact on single-family residences.

I. Sports courts and other communal recreation facilities shall be screened from view from adjacent single-family residential development by intervening buildings within the specialized senior housing development, or where intervening buildings cannot legally or practically be placed, other substitute visual and sound barriers accomplishing essentially the same buffer to sight and sound as would be achieved by intervening buildings, as determined through the conditional use permit process. (Ord. 2200 § 2 (Exh. B), 2016; Ord. 2025 § 2 (Exh. C), 2009).

Figure 12.66-5

Figure 12.66-6

Figure 12.66-7

Figure 12.66-8

Figure 12.66-9

Figure 12.66-10

Figure 12.66-11

Figure 12.66-12

Figure 12.66-13

Figure 12.66-14

Figure 12.66-15