022-17 Exhibit 1 - Ordinance - New Chapter 20.139 Single Family Residential, Duplex and Residential Fence Design Guidelines1
CHAPTER 20.139
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, DUPLEX, AND RESIDENTIAL FENCE DESIGN GUIDELINES
Sections:
20.139.010 Applicability.
20.139.020 Detached single-family residences.
20.139.030 Accessory buildings.
20.139.040 Duplexes.
20.139.050 Residential walls and fences.
20.139.010 Applicability.
The standards in this chapter shall apply to detached single-family residences, accessory buildings
(including accessory dwelling units), and duplexes, in any zone in which they are built. For existing
structures that are being modified or enlarged, the standards shall only apply to the portions of the
structure being modified and to any additions, unless the project valuation exceeds 50% of the taxable
value for the structure.
When the project valuation exceeds 50% of the taxable value for the structure, the entire structure shall
be brought into compliance with this chapter; except that for any portion of the existing building to
which an owner is not proposing structural changes, the city shall not require that portion of the existing
building to be modified in the following ways (except when required pursuant to the city’s building
codes):
Moving an existing exterior wall;
Adding additional windows to an existing exterior wall;
Enlarging an existing covered entry;
Relocating an existing garage or driveway;
Replacing existing siding material;
Modifying an existing roofline.
20.139.020 Detached single-family residences.
(1) Garage Placement and Design.
(a) Where lots front on a public street and where vehicular access is from the street, garages or carports
shall be set back at least five feet behind the ground floor front wall of the occupied portion of a house
or front edge of an unenclosed porch.
Exceptions:
(i) Garages may project up to six feet closer to the street than the ground floor front wall of the
occupied portion of a house or front edge of an unenclosed porch provided it is set back at least 18 feet
from the property line or sidewalk edge (when sidewalks are present) and incorporates at least two of
the design/detail features below. Garages placed flush with the ground floor front wall (or between 0
2
and 5 feet behind the front wall) of the occupied portion of the house shall incorporate at least one of
the design/detail features below:
• A decorative trellis or arbor over the entire garage face, above and surrounding the garage door.
• A balcony that extends out over the garage and includes columns.
• Two separate doors for two car garages instead of one large door.
• Decorative windows on the garage door.
• Decorative details on the garage door. Standard squares on a garage door will not qualify as a
decorative detail. Traditional visible hinges and handles (functional or decorative), and other
construction methods creating depth and texture on a garage door surface are acceptable forms
of decorative details. Examples of decorative details are shown in figure 2.
• A garage door color (other than white) that matches or complements the color of the house.
• Other design techniques that effectively deemphasize the garage, as determined by the
director.
(ii) Garages may be placed closer to the street than the front wall of the house or front edge of an
unenclosed porch, provided the garage door faces an interior lot line and features (a) window(s) facing
the street, so that it appears to be habitable.
(iii) Where lots abut an alley, the garage or off-street parking area shall take access from the alley,
unless precluded by steep topography. This requirement shall not apply to unopened alleys.
Figure 1. Garage placement/frontage standards and design.
3
Figure 2. Garage design/detail examples.
(2) Vehicular Access and Driveway Standards. All lots with alleys shall take vehicular access from the
alley. Standards for all lots without alleys:
(a) No more than one driveway per dwelling unit (not including accessory dwelling units which may not
have an additional driveway except when accessed from an alley or on lots wider than 120 feet) shall be
permitted on each street unless the lot has at least 120 feet of street frontage.
4
(b) Driveways for individual lots 50 feet or wider may be up to 20 feet in width. If a home will have a
garage with three or more vehicle bays, the driveway may be up to 28 feet in width.
(c) Driveways for individual lots less than 50 feet wide may be up to 16 feet in width. Tandem parking
configurations may be used to accommodate two-car garages. Garages with more than two vehicle bays
are not permitted on lots less than 50 feet wide except in tandem configurations.
Figure 3. Single and tandem garage examples.
(d) Shared driveways between two adjacent lots are permitted. No shared driveway shall exceed 24
feet in width for adjacent lots that are each less than 50 feet wide. When one or both lots are 50 feet or
more in width, a shared driveway may be up to 30 feet wide.
(e) Driveways shall be a minimum of 20 feet in length from the sidewalk (property line if no sidewalk is
present) to the garage door or wall of the structure.
(3) Building Design.
(a) Covered Entry.
(i) Front doors (excluding garage doors) should be protected by a deep recess, porch or other covered
element.
(ii) The front doors or windows (excluding windows on a garage door or above a garage door) shall be
designed as a focal point on the front elevation.
(b) Windows and Transparency.
(i) Transparent windows and/or doors facing the street are required. To meet this requirement, at least
8 percent of the facade must be transparent. The facade is measured from the base of the house to the
start of the roofline and any other vertical walls facing the street, except for gabled portions of the
facade not containing livable floor area (see Figure 4 for clarification). Garages located on the street
facing wall of the house shall count as part of the facade.
5
Figure 4. Facade transparency.
(ii) Building facades visible from a public street shall employ techniques to recess or project individual
windows above the ground floor at least two inches from the facade or incorporate window trim at least
3.5 inches in width that features color that contrasts with the base building color. Exceptions will be
considered where buildings employ 2 or more other distinctive window or facade treatments that add
depth and visual interest to the building. Examples of distinctive window or façade treatments are
shown in Figure 6. Distinctive window or facade treatments include:
1. Shutters on all street facing windows.
2. A keystone above a window (on masonry homes)
3. Windows containing more than 2 glass panes (or that give the appearance of multiple panes.
4. Stained or custom glass.
5. Exterior window sills.
6. Other design techniques that effectively emphasize windows as an architectural feature as
determined by the director.
Figure 5. Acceptable (left and middle) and unacceptable (right) window design.
6
Figure 6. Examples of distinctive window or façade treatments.
(4) Architectural Details. Provide for architectural details that add visual interest to the neighborhood
and are well proportioned to achieve good human scale. Specifically, incorporate at least three of the
following detail elements into the facade of the house:
• Decorative porch design, including decorative columns or railings.
• Bay windows or balconies.
• Decorative molding/framing details around all ground floor windows and doors.
• Decorative door design including transom and/or side lights or other distinctive feature.
• Decorative roofline elements including brackets, multiple dormers, and chimneys.
• Decorative building materials, including decorative masonry, shingle, brick, tile, stone, or other
materials with decorative or textural qualities.
• Landscaped trellises or other decorative elements that incorporate landscaping near the
building entry.
• Distinctive paint schemes (such as a paint scheme consisting of 3 or more colors).
7
• Other decorative facade elements or details that meet the intent and standards as determined
by the director.
Figure 7. Examples of how houses can meet architectural detail criteria. Image A includes decorative
windows, building material treatment, and roofline elements. Image B includes decorative brick use,
window treatments, entry design, and ventilation circles. Image C includes decorative building
materials, door/entry feature, windows, and roofline elements.
(5) Architectural Variety. Developments shall achieve architectural variety by accommodating a variety
of architectural styles, variations of the same architectural style, and through the use of multiple design
elements. Specifically:
(a) Duplicative house designs adjacent to each other are prohibited. Simple reverse configurations of the
same house design on adjacent lots are not sufficient to meet architectural variety goals. Exceptions
may be granted by the director in special circumstances where similar architectural consistency provides
a distinct character for a cluster of homes surrounding an open space or on a particular street (cottage
homes around a common open space are an example).
(b) Generally, the more houses in a subdivision or on a street block, the greater the number of different
facade elevations will be required. Specifically the following subdivision and street block variety
standards shall apply:
Subdivisions:
• Ten to 19 homes, a minimum of four different facade elevations shall be used.
• Twenty to 39 homes, a minimum of five different facade elevations shall be used.
• Forty to 69 homes, a minimum of six different facade elevations shall be used.
• Seventy or more homes, a minimum of seven different facade elevations shall be used.
Street Block:
• <6 homes, a minimum of three different façade elevations shall be used.
8
• 7-10 homes, a minimum of four different façade elevations shall be used
• 11-14 homes, a minimum of five different façade elevations shall be used.
• 15+ homes, a minimum of six different façade elevations shall be used.
Figure 8. Examples of homes featuring different facade elevations. Notice the different rooflines,
entry features, window designs/locations, exterior materials, and colors.
(c) In order to qualify as a different facade elevation, dwellings shall have different roofline
configurations, different color palettes, and different porch/entry design. In addition, a minimum of two
of the following alternatives shall be utilized:
• Different window openings (location and design).
• One and two story houses.
• Different exterior materials and finishes.
• Different garage location, configuration, and design.
• Other different design element that helps to distinguish one facade elevation from another as
determined by the director.
(6) Exterior Materials.
(a) Traditional materials consistent with local and regional architectural styles are encouraged
(including, but not limited to, horizontal wood siding, shake siding, and brick).
(b) It is encouraged but not required that stucco and other troweled finishes should be trimmed in
masonry or wood.
(c) Mirrored glass and exposed concrete block (except for foundation/crawl space walls where not
visible from the street) are prohibited. Board form concrete is acceptable.
(d) T-111 siding and other plywood types of siding (board and batten with a brick, stone, or horizontal
lap siding lower portion of the building is an exception) shall not be used for facades adjacent to or
directly viewable from a street or public place.
(7) Roof Design.
9
(a) A variety of articulated roof forms shall be provided for each individual home that emphasize
building form to create visual interest to the neighborhood and to avoid a monotonous series of
rooflines. Roof should exhibit variety between different plans by using front-to-rear and side-to-side
gabled and hipped roofs, and/or by the introduction of single-story elements. Roof materials, colors and
treatments should correspond to the individual character or style of the home and should be compatible
with the overall look of the neighborhood.
(b) All buildings with pitched roofs shall have a minimum slope of four (4) feet vertical rise for every
twelve (12) feet of horizontal run on the primary roof of the building. A continuous pitched roof shall
extend no more than 40 linear feet unless it contains roof elements. Roof elements may include at least
one of the following:
• Dormers
• Cupolas
• Gable or hip projection
(c) Hipped roofs or similar construction are encouraged alongside yards in neighborhoods with closely-
adjacent homes to maximize solar access to neighboring homes and/or private open space, as shown
below.
Figure 9. Encourage rooflines along the side yard that maximize solar access to adjacent homes and/or
private open space.
20.139.030 Accessory Buildings.
Accessory buildings (including detached garages) with more than 200 square feet of floor area shall be
designed to be compatible with the house in scale, size, materials, detailing, and roofline, as determined
by the director. Accessory buildings of any size that have more than one story (such as a loft,
10
mezzanine or attic space), and accessory buildings that will be located within a required fire separation
according to the IRC, may require a building permit.
20.139.040 Duplexes.
Duplexes should be designed similar in nature to single-family homes and shall feature a visible
pedestrian entry and windows facing the street. Specifically, duplexes shall comply with all detached
single-family design standards in this section with the following exceptions and additional provisions:
(1) For sites without alleys, duplexes may include a 20-foot-wide shared driveway or two 12-foot
driveways on opposite ends of the lot.
(2) Separate covered entries for each unit are required with a minimum dimension of four feet by six
feet. Porches up to 200 square feet may project into the required front yard by up to six feet.
(3) Duplexes on corner lots shall place pedestrian entries on opposite streets.
(4) At least 10 percent of the street-facing facade shall be windows or other glazing (e.g., door glazing).
Figure 10. Duplex design standards.
11
20.139.050 Residential walls and fences.
(1) General Standards.
The following standards shall apply to all residential development:
(a) Fences and walls shall either be finished (i.e. without exposed supports or stringers) on both sides,
or else shall be installed so that the finished side faces any street.
Figure 11: Fence with finished side facing a street (left); Fence finished on both sides (center); Fence
with finished side not facing a street (right).
(b) Fences and walls shall follow the contour of the ground as far as practicable. Fences on sloped
ground may be installed on an incline, or may be installed in stepped sections, with or without an
accompanying retaining wall; however, inclined fences and stepped fences and/or walls shall have the
fence and/or fence section height measured in the same manner as level fences and shall comply with
the maximum height restrictions as provided in this section. Adjustments for grade shall occur at the
bottom of the fence to every extent possible. See Figure 12.
Figure 12: Fences on slopes.
(c) Solid fencing or wall sections more than 200 feet long located along a street shall include
architectural features, such as masonry, brick or wood-framed columns to break up the street facing
side of the fence. The minimum separation between those features shall be no less than 15 feet.
12
Examples of acceptable (upper rows) architectural features and unacceptable (bottom row)
architectural features are shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13. Fences that are broken up with architectural features (top 2 rows) and those that are not
broken up (bottom row).
(d) Approved columns or posts may exceed the height of the fence by 1 foot and must meet all permit
and setback requirements.
(2) Fence Height. The following standards shall apply to all residential development:
(a) If a minimum linear distance of 10 feet separates a fence and retaining wall, a fence may be erected
to a height of 6 feet above the highest finished grade within the 10 foot distance.
(b) All fences in the primary front yard of single-family, duplex and attached residential uses shall not
exceed 4 feet in height and a minimum 35 percent open area (See Figures 10, 14).
13
Figure 14. Fence Type and Height – Front vs. Side and Rear Yard.
Figure 15: Fences with at least 35% open area – open type fence.
14
(d) All fences in the rear yard, side yard, non-primary front of single-family, duplex, attached residential,
and multifamily uses may be solid and shall not exceed 6 feet in height.
(e) A combination fence and retaining wall may be erected to a height of 6 feet above the highest
finished grade or 8 feet above the lowest finished grade, at the location of the fence, except that at no
time shall the fence portion exceed 6 feet above the highest finished grade at any point (See Figure 16).
Figure 16.
(f) A retaining wall may not elevate a fence to any height more than allowed by this section.
(g) An entry feature or trellis may have a maximum height of 10 feet and maximum width of 10 feet.
(3) Fence and Wall Placement.
The following standards shall apply to all residential development:
(a) No portion of a fence shall extend beyond the property line of the fenced property into the public
right-of-way unless allowed by a right of-way use permit.
(b) All fences and walls including fence support systems such as posts, pillars and columns shall be set
back at least to the property line and a minimum of 2 feet from the back edge of the sidewalk to allow
for safe passage by persons on a sidewalk or traveled walkway or where no sidewalk exists then 2 feet
behind the edge of asphalt.
(c) Vehicular gates must be setback at a minimum 20 feet from the travel surface of the street or back
of curb in order to meet vehicle stacking requirements.
(d) Gates adjacent to sidewalks, alleys and public rights-of-way shall open inward to the private
property.
(e) A fence along common property lines maybe be placed at the furthest point forward of the adjacent
property if the adjacent property allows for fence placement that differs from the neighbors.
15
(g) Solid fences and walls may be erected to a height of 8 feet to separate a property from an arterial
street or a frontage road adjacent to a highway. The Director shall consider the aesthetic, visual, and
noise reduction characteristics of the fence or wall. A building permit may be required for fences
exceeding 6 feet in height and for walls.
(h) Where a corner lot is permitted to have a solid fence along a non-primary front property line that
coincides with an adjacent property’s primary front yard, no fence will be permitted that creates a site
distance hazard for vehicles exiting that property or for pedestrians walking along a sidewalk or traveled
walkway.
(4) Residential Fence and Wall Materials.
(a) Approved materials for fence construction include, but are not limited to, commercial quality wood,
brick, masonry, metal, stone, wrought iron, manufactured vinyl or PVC fence material or any other
material approved by the Director, unless otherwise prohibited by this ordinance.
(b) Barbed wire or razor wire is not allowed on any property used for residential purposes or any
property that has residential zoning.
(c) Electrical fencing is allowed only on properties where legal agricultural uses exist and shall be used
solely for the enclosure of livestock. This provision does not prohibit invisible fences.
(d) Combination fences of lattice and other decorative materials may be used in conjunction; however,
at no time shall the combination exceed the overall fence height limitation.
(e) Prohibited fence materials shall include, but are not limited to, aluminum siding, vehicle parts,
smooth face concrete masonry units/blocks, cloth or plastic tarps, scrap wood or any other material not
customarily sold for fencing.
(f) Plastic or temporary construction fence may not be used as a permanent fence material.
(g) Approved materials for wall construction include, but are not limited to: stone, commercial quality
brick, decorative masonry units, or decorative concrete or any other material approved by the Director
unless otherwise prohibited by this ordinance.
(h) Fences shall be maintained in good repair. It shall be a violation of the zoning code to allow a fence
to fall into disrepair.