11-04-04: OFFICE DISTRICTS:

   1.   General Purpose Of Office Districts:

      A.   Residential Office (R-O) District:

         (1)   Provide a buffer between high-intensity commercial areas and higher density residential areas or institutional and government uses;

         (2)   Facilitate mixed-use development in areas identified for mixed-use in the Comprehensive Plan, the Downtown Boise Plan, and the River Street-Myrtle Street Urban Design Plan; and

         (3)   Provide for higher density residential and office uses with an emphasis on high quality urban design and pedestrian orientation.

      B.   Standards:

         (1)   Certain conditional uses in the R-O district as indicated in the use table in Chapter 11-06, Use Regulations, may only be approved as part of a larger mixed- use project of principally allowed uses such as office or residential and shall not exceed 30 percent of the gross floor area of the mixed-use project within which they are included.

         (2)   The conditional uses may be included within a principally permitted use building or as a separate building within a multi-building, mixed-use project. The conditional use may not be occupied until an equal amount of floor area of the principally allowed uses have been constructed to the core or shell stage and are available for tenant finish.

         (3)   Conditional use applications shall not be accepted in the R-O districts for stand-alone commercial uses, except for a grocery use. Flexible development standards and the application of design review principles are intended to be used in this district to stress residential and mixed-use design principles.

      C.   Setback Exceptions: The following special setback encroachment provisions apply in the R-O zoning district.

         (1)   Detached accessory structures may occupy a required rear yard setback area, provided five-foot side yard setback is provided on one side of the lot. In the case of a corner lot, a detached accessory structure shall meet both street side yard setback and clear vision triangle.

         (2)   For the encroachments set forth in Table 11-04-5, the following rules apply.

 

Table 11-04.5: Encroachments into Setbacks in R-O Zoning District
Feature	Coverage	Standard/ Setback	Encroachment
Modulated Facade (see (a) below)	Front, Street, or Interior Side Yard	50%	80%
Decks, Patios, or Similar Types of Features Located Above the Ground Floor	Front or Street Side Yard	100%	50%

 

            (a)   For a modulated facade, encroachment into and coverage of a required setback shall be allowed for facade (wall of building) modulation, provided the maximum facade length without wall modulation does not exceed 20 feet and a minimum wall modulation depth of three feet is provided within that length.

            (b)   "Encroachment Coverage" means the maximum percentage of land area within the permitted setback encroachment(s) that may be covered by structure.

            (c)   Modification of setback or height requirements, except those meeting the standards of this Section, shall require a conditional use permit.

      D.   Neighborhood Office (N-O) District: To allow office uses serving nearby neighborhoods in buildings and on sites that are small relative to office developments in other zoning districts. The zone also provides for residential development.

      E.   Standards: Development shall be of a scale and character similar to nearby residential development to promote compatibility.

      F.   Limited Office (L-O) District:

         (1)   Purpose: The Limited Office (L-O) District is intended to accommodate office space in locations that are served by primary access, but that are inappropriate for commercial development because of proximity to residential uses. The zone also provides for residential development.

         (2)   Standards: Office uses permitted in the L-O District shall be located and designed so as to be compatible with adjacent residential uses.

   2.   Dimensional Standards For Office Districts:

Dimensional Standard		R-O	N-O	L-O
Lot Area, Minimum (square feet)	Residential	2,500	3,000	5,000
	Non-Residential	5,000
	Per Dwelling Unit	500	None	1,000
Average Lot Width, Minimum (feet)	Interior Lots	25 for residential; 50 for non-residential	50
	Corner Lots
Street Frontage, Minimum (feet)		25	30
Density, Maximum (units/acre)		87.1	14.5	43.5
Building Height, Maximum (feet)		65; 45 when adjacent to R-1A, R-1B, R-1C, R-1M and SP-01 zones or any existing single family home.	35	45
Setbacks, Minimum (feet)	Front Yard/Side Yard, Street	10; 20 if fronting a principal or arterial street	10	10
	Side Yard, Interior	15 (total combined width)	5; 10*	1 story: 5 2 stories: 10 3+ stories: 15
	Rear Yard	5
Setbacks Maximum	Front Yard/Side Yard, Street	N/A
NOTES: * Applies when the property abuts a residential district.

 

   3.   Dimensional Standards For Parking In Office Districts:

Table 11-04.7: Setbacks for Parking Lots and Parking Structures
Dimensional Standards		N-O L-O
Front yard		20
Side Yard Street		20
Side Yard Interior	1 or 2-Story	5; 10*
	>2-Story
Rear Yard
Any yard adjacent to interstate or connector		10
NOTES: * Applies when the property abuts a residential district.

 

   4.   R-O Zoning District Parking Standards:

      A.   Open-air parking areas (including access driveways) shall be allowed within interior side yards provided that a minimum five foot wide landscaped area is maintained along the side property line. The street side yard setback area shall be landscaped to screen such parking areas.

      B.   If a lot's rear property line fronts on a public alleyway, open-air parking shall be allowed up to the interior side lot line for a depth of not more than twenty- four feet as measured from the rear lot line.

      C.   Shared parking shall be authorized by the Director upon application for review subject to meeting required findings as specified in Section 11-07-03.3.D.