The following standards and requirements shall govern the development of townhouses:
(A) Design standards. These standards are intended to control development scale; avoid or minimize impacts associated with traffic, parking, and design compatibility; and ensure management and maintenance of common areas.
(1) Building mass supplemental standard. The maximum number and width of attached townhouses (i.e., with attached walls at property line) shall not exceed six units.
(2) Alley access. Where a dwelling abuts a rear or side alley, or a shared driveway, the garage or carport opening(s) for that dwelling shall orient to the alley or shared drive, as applicable, and not a street.
(3) As necessary, the city shall require dedication of right-of-way or easements and construction of pathways between townhouse lots (e.g., between building breaks) to provide for pedestrian connectivity.
(4) Street access developments. Townhouses receiving access directly from a street shall comply with all of the following standards, in order to minimize interruption of adjacent sidewalks by driveway entrances, slow traffic, improve appearance of the streets, provide more on-street parking area, and minimize paved surfaces for better storm water management.
(a) When garages face the street, they shall be flush with, or recessed behind the front elevation (i.e., living area or covered frontporch).
(b) The maximum allowable curb cut and driveway apron width is 18 feet per dwelling unit. The remainder of the driveway facing the street may not exceed the width of the garage door plus an additional four feet. The maximum combined garage width per unit is 50% of the total building width. For example, a 24-foot wide unit may have one 12-foot wide recessed garage facing the street.
(c) Two adjacent garages shall share one driveway when individual driveways would otherwise be separated by less than 20 feet (i.e., the width of one on-street parking space). When a driveway serves more than one lot, the developer shall record an access and maintenance easement/agreement to benefit each lot, prior to building permit issuance.
(5) Common areas. Common areas (e.g., landscaping in private tracts, shared driveways, private alleys, and similar uses) shall be maintained by a homeowners association or other legal entity. A homeowners association may also be responsible for exterior building maintenance. A copy of any applicable covenants, restrictions and conditions shall be recorded and provided to the city prior to building permit approval.
(B) Approval standards.
(1) The project shall comply with all other applicable provisions of the ZDO. The project will accommodate the traffic generated by providing adequate off- street parking, access points and additional street right-of-way and improvements and other traffic facilities as required.
(2) All public and private improvements shall be developed to applicable city public works standards.
(3) Pedestrian walkways shall be provided for adequate pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
(4) The overall housing density of the project shall comply with that permitted in the underlying zone.
(5) If proposed, private streets shall be owned and maintained by the owners of the lots which access the private street. A maintenance agreement shall be recorded which provides for the maintenance of the private street.
(Prior Code, §16.100.010) (Ord. 451, passed 6-4-2018; Ord. 477, passed 2-22-2022)