City of Bellingham Municipal Code

20.25.050 - CITY CENTER DESIGN

A. The standards in this section apply to projects within the City Center Design Review District (Figure 25-1) when design approval is required under BMC 20.25.020 C.

B. Departures from design requirements. The Director may approve departures from the design requirements contained in BMC 20.25.050. All requests for departures shall be identified in the application and reviewed by the Design Review Board following the process in BMC 20.25.030.A.1.b. unless the request involves a building on the City, State or National register of historic places, in which case it shall be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission. A departure may only be allowed if the Director determines that the applicant has demonstrated that either:

1. In response to difficult physical circumstances relating to the size, shape, topography, location or surroundings of the subject property, an alternative solution is required that meets the intent of the requirement to the greatest extent practical, or

2. An alternative design will provide an equal or better solution that:

a. Meets the intent of the standard;

b. Is consistent with the City Center Design Standards and/or Residential Multi-Family Design Standards, as applicable;

c. Enhances the character and livability of Bellingham's city center;

d. Enhances the character and environment for pedestrians;

e. Enhances or protects the character of the neighborhood or vicinity by protecting natural features, historic sites, open space, or other resources; and

f. Will not have any substantial detrimental effect on nearby properties and the City or the neighborhood.

a. Intent: Along the pedestrian-oriented commercial streets identified in Figure 25-2, street front uses should be compatible with intensive commercial activity and provide opportunities for visual or interactive links between businesses and pedestrians.

b. Standards: Along those streets identified in Figure 25-2, 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. Commercial Space Ceiling Height

a. Intent: To maintain traditional floor to floor heights and provide quality commercial floor space.

b. Standards: Commercial ground floor space shall have a minimum floor to floor height of 12'.

3. Pedestrian-Oriented Street Walls

a. Intent: Windows should be provided on the ground floor facade of a commercial space facing a street in order to provide a visual link between the business space and the public sidewalk.

b. Standards: A minimum of 60% of the building wall between 2' and 7' above the sidewalk and facing a street shall be transparent or lightly tinted glazing. Windows into parking garage space shall not qualify. If windows are not appropriate, glass display cases, decorative art (for example, murals or relief sculpture), significant architectural detailing or wall-covering landscaping may be used.

4. Blank Walls

a. Intent: Provide visual interest at the pedestrian level.

b. Standards: A blank wall is a ground floor wall or portion of a ground floor wall over 6' in height with a horizontal length greater than 15' that does not include a window, pedestrian entry door, building modulation or other architectural detailing.

Any ground floor blank wall within 50' of, and visible from, a public street or public park or trail shall be treated with at least one of the following:

i. Artwork, such as bas relief sculpture, mural or similar feature.

ii. A landscaping bed containing trees, shrubs and/or vines on a trellis that will cover at least 60% of the wall within 3 years. Irrigation shall be provided unless the bed is at least 5' in width, open to the sky and draught resistant plants are used.

iii. Architectural detailing incorporating trims, textures, reveals, contrasting materials, or other special detailing that provides visual interest.

iv. An alternative method of providing visual interest at the pedestrian level approved through design review.

5. Weather Protection

a. Intent: Awnings and overhangs are encouraged in order to provide pedestrians rain protection, contribute to the integration of individual buildings with the streetscape, and help define the pedestrian zone.

b. Standards: Within the Central Commercial Core as shown on Figure 25-1, buildings shall provide pedestrian weather protection covering at least a 4' width of sidewalk along at least 75% of the street level frontage. Minimum adjustments needed to accommodate trees or other objects may be allowed. Materials shall be limited to metal, glass, plexiglass or equivalent "hard" materials. Wood may be allowed on historic buildings. Fabric and vinyl fabric may only be used on retractable awnings.

c. Applicability: Compliance is required for new buildings and reconstruction when (1) the construction cost of the remodel project is more than 50% of the estimated replacement cost of the building and (2) facade renovation will be done other than painting and routine maintenance and repair.

6. Whatcom Creek

a. Intent: Buildings adjacent to Whatcom Creek shall be oriented to promote activity and interaction along the creek, and provide visual interest to buildings along the creek so as to avoid the back-of-building effect.

b. Standards: Locate some ground level features such as entries, windows, decks, patios or similar features on buildings that interface with the creek.

7. Sidewalks

a. Intent: Provide an interconnected pedestrian sidewalk system consistent with City standards.

b. Standards: Public sidewalks per City standards shall be installed along the entire frontage of all abutting public street rights-of-way unless the Planning and Public Works Directors determine that such construction is not feasible or is not desired as part of the pedestrian circulation system. The sidewalk design shall include street trees within the right-of-way.

c. Applicability: Compliance is required for new buildings and reconstruction when the construction cost of the remodel project is more than 50% of the estimated replacement cost of the building.

8. Projections Into the Public Right-of-Way

a. Intent: Building elements should not extend into the right-of-way if they would have a negative effect on the pedestrian environment. Provide adequate separation between private residential spaces, such as balconies, and the public walkway in order to make both the private and public spaces comfortable. Projections should not interfere with street amenities such as street trees, lighting or important public views. (User note: Street encroachments are also regulated by the building code and BMC Tile 13.)

b. Standards:

i. In zones with only a Residential General Use Type, no portion of the building shall extend into the street right-of-way other than unroofed stairs and steps and roof eaves.

ii. In zones with a Commercial or Industrial General Use Type, no portion of a building may extend into the street right-of-way other than:

(1) Decks and balconies that do not project more than 2' into the right-of-way unless a fixed awning covers the entire space directly below the deck or balcony at the ground floor level. A deck or balcony may not in any case project more than 4' into the right-of-way.

(2) Bay windows and similar architecture features with a horizontal width of not greater than 12' that project no more than 4' into the right-of-way from the face of the exterior wall, provided they are separated from like features by at least an equal width may protrude into the right-of-way.

(3) Columns, cornices, trellises, eaves and similar minor and/or decorative features, provided that arcades shall not be located in the street right-of-way.

(4) Steps, stoops and similar ground level features provided there is a minimum 12' of horizontal clearance to the street curb edge.

(5) Awnings, marquees and signs, subject to compliance with other codes, provided no ground mounted support structures for these features shall be located in the right-of-way.

9. Residential Design

a. Intent: Residential projects should have an active and direct link to the street pedestrian system while maintaining an appropriate transition from public to private space.

b. Standards:

i. Buildings containing residential uses shall have at least one covered front residential entryway facing a public right-of-way and accessed directly from the adjoining sidewalk.

ii. Open exterior entry/exit balconies that face a right-of-way are prohibited.

iii. Residential units built within 10' measured horizontally of an adjoining right-of-way (property line) shall be constructed so that the finished floor elevation is at least 30" above the adjoining sidewalk. This is in order to reduce visual intrusion into private living spaces by providing vertical separation between the public and private space.

iv. Ground floor residential units fronting on a street shall have a private main entry to the sidewalk consisting of a stoop or porch. Patio access doors shall not be considered a main entry.

v. When private interior courtyards interface the street edge, use a landscape hedge, ornate fencing, architectural walls, or a combination of the above to carry the wall line at the street edge and define the private space.

10. Surface Parking

a. Intent: Minimize the impact of surface parking on the pedestrian environment.

b. Standards:

i. A wall or evergreen hedge designed to be maintained at a height of at least 2.5 feet and not more than 3.5 feet is required along the street frontage of any street level open parking lot. Open trellis work or similar features that can be seen through may extend above the wall. Street trees with canopies above pedestrian height may be included. When a hedge is used, the planting bed must be at least 5' wide.

ii. Surface parking lots with 15 or more parking spaces shall provide internal landscaping at the rate of 20 square feet of landscaped area per parking stall. The landscaping shall include at east one shrub for every 20 square feet of landscaped area and 1 shrub per enclosed bed. One tree shall be required for every 10 open parking spaces. Vegetation ground cover shall be provided for all landscaped areas that will provide 90% coverage within 2 years.

iii. Drought tolerant materials shall be used for all plantings unless an irrigation system is provided. A 2-year maintenance bond or other financial guarantee acceptable to the City shall be provided in the amount of 50% of the value of the landscaping materials and installation.

iv. Pedestrian access that is separated from vehicle access shall be provided between the building main entry and the public sidewalk. If walkways cross parking or driveways, the walkway shall be separated from parking by landscaping or by raised pavement, or when crossing driving lanes, by a change in texture or material.

11. Drive-Through Facilities

a. Intent: To diminish the impact of automobiles on the pedestrian environment.

b. Standards: Access and stacking lanes for drive-through services shall not be located between the street and the building.