14.60.110 Street frontage improvements.
A. The installation of street frontage improvements is required for all new development, subdivisions, and short subdivisions as a condition of development approval in order to incorporate transportation improvements that are reasonably necessary to mitigate the direct impacts of the development. Installation of street frontage improvement is also required when necessary for the mitigation of adverse environmental impacts identified pursuant to the State Environmental Policy Act. For additions and remodels to existing buildings see LUC 20.20.560 and 20.25D.060. This requirement shall not apply to single-family dwellings.
B. Complete street frontage improvements shall be installed along the entire street frontage of the property at the sole cost of the developer as directed by the review engineer. Street frontage improvements may include curb, gutter, sidewalk, storm drainage, street lighting, traffic signal equipment, public utility relocation, franchise utility relocation, landscaping strip, street trees and landscaping, irrigation, street pavement widening, bicycle lanes, safety railings, street signs, pavement marking, and channelization. Storm drainage may include bioretention swales or other vegetation-based LID BMPs. For additional requirements regarding franchise utility relocations, see BCC 14.60.230. Beyond the property frontage, the developer shall provide ramps or other appropriate transition from the new sidewalk or walkway to the existing shoulder, and pavement and channelization tapering back to the existing pavement and channelization as needed for safety. The street frontage improvements shall be continued off-site if, and to the extent, deemed necessary by the review engineer in order to provide a safe condition.
C. The installation of street frontage improvements is required prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy (including temporary certificate of occupancy) for new construction other than single-family dwellings, or prior to final approval for subdivisions or short subdivisions. Exceptions to this requirement are allowed pursuant to BCC 14.60.260.
D. When (due to site topography, city plans for improvement projects, or other similar reasons) the review engineer determines that street frontage improvements cannot or should not be constructed at the time of building, subdivision, or short subdivision construction, the developer shall, prior to issuance of the building permit or final approval for subdivisions and short subdivisions at the direction of the review engineer, and as authorized by and in a manner consistent with RCW 82.02.020:
1. Pay to the city an amount equal to the developer’s cost of installing the required improvements prior to issuance of a building permit, such construction value to be based on reasonable estimates of costs, as approved by the director in consultation with the director of the utilities department; or
2. Record an agreement that provides for these improvements to be installed by the developer by a date acceptable to the city; or
3. Record an agreement to not protest a local improvement district to improve the street frontage.
E. If, at a time subsequent to the issuance of a building permit, a local improvement district is established that includes the property for which the building permit was issued, and if such condition or agreement as prescribed in this section has been performed by the developer, the condition or agreement may be considered in the compilation of the local improvement district assessment roll as a preexisting contract with the city, for which the developer may be credited against the assessment with the appropriate amount of costs of construction expended by the developer.
F. The requirement for installation of frontage improvements may be waived or modified by the review engineer if:
1. Adjacent street frontage improvements are unlikely to be installed in the foreseeable future; or
2. Installation of the required improvement would cause significant adverse environmental or safety impacts. (Ord. 6319 § 1, 2016; Ord. 6181 § 2, 2014.)