20.25F1.115 Factoria TownSquare Building/Sidewalk Design Guidelines.
In addition to the decision criteria in LUC 20.25F1.110 and 20.30F.145, the following guidelines govern the streetscape area and the design relationship between buildings and the sidewalk.
A. Applicability. The guidelines contained within this section apply to any development project that abuts a public right-of-way, on-site street or pedestrian path designated pursuant to LUC 20.25F1.015.
B. Intent. The intent of these guidelines is to ensure that the streetscape is pedestrian-oriented, comfortable, spacious, and safe, with a strong relationship to the ground floor of each building and the activities inside where appropriate. The intent from an auto perspective is to provide a rhythm set by the tree spacing. Nodes such as corners, intersections and pedestrian crossings are likely locations where the street tree pattern breaks and other design elements with more of an accent function are provided. The regular tree spacing provides a base from which other urban design elements such as planters, benches, lights, and accent elements can be related.
C. Perimeter Street Guidelines.
1. Type A – Retail Street with High Pedestrian Orientation.
a. Intent. Rights-of-way designated “Type A” have the highest orientation to pedestrians. This shall be achieved by emphasizing the design relationship between the first level of the structure and the horizontal space between the structure and the curb line. This relationship should emphasize to the greatest extent possible both the physical and visual access into and from the structure as well as the amenities and features of the outside pedestrian space.
b. Guidelines.
i. Street level edges shall incorporate retail or recreational activities.
ii. The following characteristics shall be incorporated into the design of the structure:
(1) Windows providing visual access.
(2) Streetwalls.
(3) Multiple entrances, with emphasis on retail entrances to the gateway area.
(4) Canopies, awnings or arcades.
iii. The following characteristics should be incorporated into the design of the gateway:
(1) Special paving treatment.
(2) Seating.
(3) Trash and recycling receptacles.
(4) Additional pedestrian furnishings such as raised planters, pots, public art, water fountains, bicycle racks and pedestrian lighting.
2. Type B – Retail Street with Moderate Pedestrian Orientation.
a. Intent. Streets designated “Type B” shall have moderate orientation to pedestrians. This shall be achieved by designing some relationship between exterior and interior activities with respect to visual access, or by designing landscape setbacks to be comfortable and inviting for pedestrians. Design attention should be given to sidewalk-related activities and amenities.
b. Guidelines.
i. Street frontage provided in lieu of landscaped setbacks required pursuant to LUC 20.25F1.050 shall incorporate the following characteristics:
(1) Provide a minimum 50 percent of ground level building elevations as tenant frontage spaces.
(2) In mixed use buildings, provide a 10-foot stepback at a height of 30 feet above the sidewalk grade or at the first floor that the mix of uses changes between parking or retail and residential above, whichever is less.
(3) Avoid blank facades. A blank facade consists of a windowless area that is larger than 1,000 square feet. In non-tenant space facades, mitigation for blank walls should be provided through the addition of planting, modulation, materials variation, artwork or other features that would cover at least 50 percent of the blank facade area.
ii. Street frontages with landscaped setbacks provided pursuant to LUC 20.25F1.050 shall incorporate the following characteristics:
(1) Provide ground floor building elements that are accessible and comfortable to pedestrians through use of human-scale design elements, such as planters, benches, variations in paving materials and lighting features.
(2) Provide weather protection at gathering places through use of sheltered walkways or sidewalks.
iii. Design entries to be clearly identifiable from the perimeter rights-of-way.
3. Type C – Neighborhood Streets.
a. Intent. Neighborhood streets shall complement residential uses. This shall be achieved by incorporating landscape features that soften building frontages by creating a relationship with the uses that occur inside. Housing should include front yard landscaped areas or private stoops and preserve existing mature trees. The appearance of large monolithic structures is avoided by use of a combination of setbacks, stepbacks and building modulation. Design attention should be given to amenities that complement the residential character and moderate the retail frontages located here.
b. Guidelines.
i. Screen existing surface parking lots in DA II prior to the introduction of residential dwelling units, utilizing street walls, landscaping and artwork to define the site edge. The screening shall be installed prior to occupancy of the first residential unit.
ii. Provide landscaping in the setback for retail frontages pursuant to LUC 20.25F1.050.
iii. Provide ground floor residential dwelling units with primary pedestrian access directly to the street.
iv. Provide landscaping in the setback for residential frontages that includes green borders, low garden walls, landscaping and pedestrian amenities to define the building edge at the back of the sidewalk.
D. On-Site Street Guidelines.
1. Type D – On-Site Streets.
a. Intent. On-site streets are pedestrian-oriented, comfortable, spacious, and safe, with a strong relationship to the ground floor of each building and the activities inside where appropriate. The on-site streets are intended to accommodate shared use by pedestrians and vehicles. Adherence to these guidelines will facilitate the transformation of driveways to infrastructure that operates and feels like streets with pedestrian-oriented frontage and amenities.
b. Guidelines.
i. Provide linkages to existing City of Bellevue street grid at every opportunity. On-site streets should be named to correspond with Bellevue City street grid. See grid depicted on the map entitled “F1 Land Use District Street Designation.”
ii. Provide weather protection in the form of canopies and other devices that are predominantly continuous for each retail frontage.
iii. Design streets to reduce vehicle speeds and increase pedestrian comfort. Design techniques can include on-street parallel parking or reduced street widths between opposing building walls or between building walls and parking area landscaping.
E. Pedestrian Paths.
1. Type E – Pedestrian Paths.
a. Intent. The intent of these guidelines is to provide connections between the retail center, gateways, stand-alone retail and perimeter sidewalks that are separated by surface parking areas and where there is not adjacent development.
b. Guidelines.
i. Provide weather protection at gathering spaces located on pedestrian paths where feasible.
ii. Utilize paving materials and patterns to differentiate the street and walkways from adjacent parking. (Ord. 5726, 3-19-07, § 3)