City of Bellingham Municipal Code

20.37.230 - FOUNTAIN DISTRICT URBAN VILLAGE - DEVELOPMENT

A. Applicability. The regulations of this Section shall apply to the development of any principal and/or accessory use within any area in the Fountain District Urban Village except as follows:

Development in Residential Transition Areas shall comply with BMC 20.28 Infill Housing, or BMC 20.30 Residential Single Development and with Table .230-A.

Table .230-A: Development Standards

Development Standards	Area
	Commercial Core	Commercial Transition	Residential Transition
			BMC 20.28 Infill Housing	BMC 20.30 Residential Single Development
Minimum lot size	None	None	(1)	5,000 SF
Maximum Density	None	None	2,500 SF per unit	5,000 SF per unit
Setbacks from property lines	None (3)	None (1, 2)	(1)	(2)
Maximum Height	45’ (4, 5)	35’ (4)	(1)	(2)
Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR)	1.5 (5)	.6 FAR	(1)	N/A
Notes: (1) Subject to BMC 20.28 Infill Housing (2) Subject to BMC 20.30 Residential Single Development. (3) See Subsection C.2 for setback and height adjacent residential zones and areas. (4) Height is measured per Height Definition #1 as per BMC 20.08.020 H 1 (a). (5) See Figure .210-A. for Commercial Core “opportunity site.” Maximum Height shall be 55’ and a maximum FAR of 2.5.

1. Purpose. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) standards are intended to accomplish several purposes of the Fountain District Subarea Plan. Combined with the established height limits herein, the FAR allows for greater flexibility in the massing of buildings on sites, and relates projects to unique on and off site features.

2. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Standard.

a. The maximum FAR in the Commercial Core is 1.5, except for indicated “opportunity site” shown in Figure .210-A. where the maximum FAR is 2.5.

b. The maximum FAR in the Commercial Transition area is .6.

1. Commercial Street Frontage

a. Intent: Street front uses, along Meridian Street as described in (b), are compatible with intensive commercial activity and provide opportunities for visual or interactive links between businesses and pedestrians.

b. Standard: Along Meridian Street between Broadway Avenue and W. Illinois Street, ground floor commercial space (including retail, service, office, government, or similar non-residential uses) shall be provided along the full building street front for a depth of at least 20' measured from the front face of the building. Lobbies for residential uses and hotels and parking garage entries shall qualify as ground floor commercial, however hotel/motel guest rooms, dwelling units and structured parking shall not qualify.
2. Massing and Articulation

a. Intent: Provide appropriate transitions between Commercial and Residential areas. The scale of those portions of a building facing an existing developed neighborhood should conform to the scale established in the neighborhood or the scale identified for the district.

b. Standards: Minimum setbacks and maximum height limits within 25’ of a property line abutting or across an alley from a Residential Single Zone or a Residential Transition area shall be as shown in Figures 230-A or B.

Figure .230-A OR Figure .230-B

3. Consolidate Curb Cuts

a. Intent: Provide a safe and attractive pedestrian experience, while increasing the inventory of public street parking.

b. Guideline: Curb cuts on streets should be consolidated whenever possible.
4. Parking

a. Intent: Encourage compatible design by preventing garages from being built on the front of residential homes.

b. Guideline: For new residential construction when an alley exists, parking shall be accessed via the alley except when the Director determines that alley access is impractical or environmentally constrained.

5. Additions and Modifications to Existing Single-Family Building Forms

a. Applicability: The following provisions apply to additions and modifications to existing structures originally built for single-family residential use. The specific design standards in BMC 20.25.070.B. do not apply.

b. Site Design:
(1) Intent: Encourage architecturally compatible additions and modifications to existing buildings in both the Commercial Core and Commercial Transition areas.

(2) Guideline: On Meridian Street, additions designed for the front of existing buildings are encouraged to set back a minimum of two feet from the front property line to allow for a wider sidewalk and the planting of street trees.

(3) Guideline: For commercial uses, landscaping should be integral with the site design and provide privacy for neighbors.

(4) Guideline: Fencing, especially when seen from the street, should be designed to integrate with the architecture of the building and add visual interest in its detail, materials or color.

(5) Standard: Parking shall be located to the rear or side of the building and shall not be located at intersections.
c. Building Design:

(1) Location of Additions:

(a) Intent: Minimize the impacts of additions and modifications to existing buildings.

(b) Guideline: If two existing buildings are to be joined by a mutual addition, when possible, the distinction between the two original buildings should be retained.

(c) Standard: Additions to the front of the building are prohibited in the Commercial Transition area if the existing building is residential in form. Additions should be located to the side or rear of the property following the principles in Fig.230-C.




Figure .230-C. Four examples showing appropriate methods of locating an addition on an building, to the side and rear. (New addition shown shaded.) Each example builds off from the original building in such a way that it is offset from the existing facades slightly, which helps integrate it with the scale and character of the original building.
(2) Architectural Details:

(a) Intent: Augment the architectural character of the original building when designing additions, upper stories, dormers, and other modifications.

(b) Guideline: A new addition should relate to the design, materials, ornamental detail, and follow the roof shapes and slopes of the existing building.

(c) Guideline: Window and door proportions (including the design of sash and frames), floor heights, roof shapes and pitches, and other elements of the addition’s exterior should relate to those of the existing building. Windows should be of similar type, materials, pane pattern and quality as those in the existing building.

(d) Guideline: Whenever possible, retain existing siding and features of buildings when making improvements and adaptations.

(e) Guideline: A change of materials, colors or textures on different elements is encouraged to provide further articulation and additional variety and character.

(f) Guideline: The primary entrance should face the public street.

6. Additions and Modifications to Existing Development on the Opportunity Site

a. Applicability: The following applies to the existing development located on the Fountain District Opportunity Site

b. Additions and other exterior modifications to the existing building shall not be subject to the design standards of this chapter provided a grocery store/supermarket use is retained and provided further that any such addition(s) or exterior modification(s) meets the following:

(1) The design character of the existing building and the landscape character of the site are maintained.

(2) Any proposed addition(s) does not increase the building footprint by more than 25 percent nor exceed the height of the existing structure.

(3) The addition(s) maintains a 10 foot setback from exterior property lines.

(4) The visual impact of any blank-wall additions at the building set back line shall be reduced using similar architectural and landscaping methods as those used along the rear of the existing building.
c. Additions or modifications that do not meet the criteria in Subsection b above shall be subject to review and approval of the Director under the applicable provisions of Section 20.14.010 BMC.