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The BelRed Development Standards establish regulatory requirements for new structures, development, or activities and remodels or expansions on public and private parcels within the BelRed Subarea. These standards support and strengthen existing and planned infrastructure while establishing a hierarchy of use and a highly identifiable Subarea character. Deviations from the specific requirements set forth in this Section may be approved through the design review process consistent with the criteria set forth in LUC 20.25D.030.C.3.

A. Required Ground Floor Uses.

1. Purpose/Intent. Ground floor retail and commercial uses are an essential component of active and vital streets as well as transit station areas. Ground floor uses create a vibrant “18-hour” pedestrian environment where neighborhood services are within an easy walk, bike or transit trip.

2. Where Required. Figure 20.25D.130.A identifies those streets where ground floor retail and ground floor commercial uses are required for building frontages.

3. Applicable Standards for Ground Floor Retail Uses.

a. Ground floor retail uses shall satisfy the intent of subsection A.1 of this section and include uses such as:

i. Eating and drinking establishments;

ii. Merchandise sales (including but not limited to grocery, food retail, art, and clothing); or

iii. Personal services (including but not limited to laundry and beauty services).

b. Continuous retail storefronts shall be provided for 100 percent of the building frontage on a designated street.

c. Interruptions in storefronts shall be limited to residential lobbies and required emergency access. Lobby interruptions shall be limited to 25 percent of the building frontage.

d. All other uses are prohibited on the ground floor.

4. Applicable Standards for Ground Floor Commercial Uses.

a. Ground floor commercial uses shall satisfy the intent of subsection A.1 of this section, and include all ground floor retail uses permitted in subsection A.3 of this section and financial, real estate, insurance services, and hotels.

b. In the 122nd Avenue Node, at least 50 percent of the street level building edges shall incorporate ground floor commercial uses. The required ground floor commercial uses may be interrupted by lobby entrances to office, hotel or residential buildings and required emergency access. Lobby interruptions shall be limited to 25 percent of the building frontage.

c. In the 130th Avenue Node, 100 percent of the street level building edges shall incorporate ground floor commercial uses. The required ground floor commercial uses may be interrupted by residential lobbies or work-live units. Lobby interruptions shall be limited to 25 percent of the building frontage.

Required Ground Floor Uses

B. Required Build-to Lines.

1. Purpose/Intent. Build-to lines occur along select block faces to help establish a continuous “street wall”’ providing a sense of enclosure and visual interest for pedestrians. Build-to lines also contribute to the economic viability of retail and commercial uses by providing direct pedestrian access and visual exposure to potential drive-by customers.

2. Where Required. Figure 20.25D.130.B identifies locations of required build-to lines where the ground-floor facades must be built to the back of sidewalk.

3. Applicable Standards for Required Build-To Lines.

a. Except as provided in subsections B.3.d, B.3.e, and B.3.f of this section, buildings shall satisfy the intent of subsection B.1 of this section and be constructed along the entire block length where indicated in Figure 20.25D.130.B.

b. Entrances to buildings may be recessed a maximum of five feet behind the build-to line.

c. Windows and walls may be recessed up to 18 inches if columns, pilasters, walls or other architectural fenestration tie them together with the rest of the building frontage.

d. In the 122nd Avenue Node, required build-to lines may be interrupted only to accommodate public or private plazas, parks, or other publicly accessible spaces. Interruptions in the required build-to lines shall be limited to a maximum of 25 percent of the total project frontage on an individual block.

e. In the 130th Avenue Node, required build-to lines may be interrupted only to accommodate public or private plazas, parks, or other publicly accessible spaces. Interruptions in the required build-to lines shall be limited to 15 percent of the total project frontage on an individual block.

f. Vehicular access is limited pursuant to LUC 20.25D.140.F regarding restricted driveway access.

g. Surface parking is not permitted between the sidewalk and the building wall.

Required Build-to Lines

C. Required Sidewalk-Oriented Development.

1. Purpose/Intent. Sidewalk-oriented development is characterized as ground floor building frontages with direct entries from the sidewalk and/or building frontages with a high degree of transparency and activating land use. This increased visual and physical interaction between the people inside and outside the buildings results in “eyes on the street” while creating a greater degree of safety and a vibrant public realm.

2. Where Required. Figure 20.25D.130.C identifies where sidewalk-oriented development is required.

3. Applicable Standards for Ground Floor Retail and Commercial Uses. On street frontages where ground floor retail or commercial uses are required pursuant to Figure 20.25D.130.A, the following design standards apply:

a. One hundred percent of ground floor facades shall be transparent glass or screens that satisfy the intent of subsection C.1 of this section. Tinted, reflective, or other types of glass or window treatments that diminish transparency are prohibited.

b. Interruptions in the transparent glass or screens shall be limited to a maximum of 30 percent of the sidewalk-oriented development.

c. Primary entrances to all ground floor uses shall be oriented to the public right-of-way. Doors shall not be separated from adjacent public sidewalks by steps or ramps except where no feasible alternative exists.

4. Applicable Standards for Other Uses. On street frontages where ground floor retail or commercial uses are not required pursuant to Figure 20.25D.130.A, the following design standards apply:

a. Primary entrances shall be oriented toward the public right-of-way or open space.

b. Doors may be separated from adjacent public right-of-way or open space by a maximum of 36 inches grade separation.

c. A minimum of 40 percent of ground floor facades shall be transparent glass or screens.

Required Sidewalk-Oriented Development

D. Required Transition Edge Development.

1. Purpose/Intent. Transition edge development requires elements incorporated into the site and building design that soften the impact of BR-ORT, a more intensive land use district, where it is adjacent to single-family uses.

2. Where Required. All buildings on the south side of Bellevue-Redmond Road between 124th Avenue NE and 148th Avenue NE where abutting property is zoned single-family residential, R-1 through R-7.5.

3. Applicable Standards for Site Design.

a. Surface parking lots shall be screened from street level views and from ground level views of an abutting residential district per LUC 20.25D.110.B. In appropriate circumstances, surface parking lots should be located away from adjacent residential properties.

b. Mechanical equipment that is located on the roof shall be incorporated into a pitched or stepped roof form, and not appear as a separate penthouse or box.

c. All refuse and recycling containers shall be contained within structures enclosed on all four sides and utilize lids made of molded plastic or other sound-buffering material. The containers shall be located on a side of the building facing away from the abutting residential properties, but not between the street and the subject building.

4. Applicable Standards for Building Design.

a. Building facades shall incorporate elements including but not limited to stepbacks, offsets, roof overhangs, and recesses with a minimum depth of 18 inches. Incorporated recess and offset elements should generally occur along the building facade at intervals no greater than 30 feet.

b. A building facade visible from abutting residential properties shall not exceed 150 feet.

c. A primary structure shall be a minimum of 20 feet from another primary structure, provided this dimension may be modified pursuant to LUC 20.25H.040 on sites in the Critical Areas Overlay District.

d. The maximum building height of 45 feet above average existing grade may be reached only when incorporating pitched or stepped roof forms.

e. Communication dishes greater than 1 meter (3.28 feet) in diameter shall not be visible from adjacent residential districts.

f. Natural materials and neutral colors shall be used.

5. Signs.

a. Building design shall provide for architecturally integrated signage consistent with the scale and architecture of the building, and signage shall be installed so as not to obscure any architectural detail of the building.

b. Signs shall meet the requirements of Chapter 22B.10 BCC, Bellevue Sign Code.

c. Signs shall be located so that they are not visible from abutting single-family land use districts.

E. Building Materials. To ensure the BelRed District contains high-quality buildings of durable and sustainable materials, the following materials are not recommended on facades visible from the public right-of-way within the BelRed District unless expressly approved through design review:

1. Synthetic stucco;

2. Unfinished metal or plastic storefront window systems;

3. Unfinished concrete or cinder block;

4. Aluminum, plastic, or vinyl siding;

5. Simulated materials such as river rock or other faux cladding;

6. Clapboard, lap and shingle, or other types of residential siding;

7. Architectural foam detailing; and

8. Applied simulated divided light window systems.

These building materials limitations are not applicable in the BelRed General Commercial (BR-GC) Land Use District. (Ord. 6425, 10-1-18, § 19; Ord. 6197, 11-17-14, § 22; Ord. 5874, 5-18-09, § 1)