20.25J.080 Design review guidelines | Bellevue Land Use Code

20.25J.080 Design review guidelines.

In addition to the decision criteria in LUC 20.30F.145, the following criteria apply:

A. General Guidelines. Each structure and all proposed site development must comply with the approved Master Development Plan, where required. If the application for Design Review contains elements inconsistent with the approved Master Development Plan, the Director may not approve the Design Review until any required Master Development Plan is amended to include those elements.

1. Develop site improvements and amenities consistent with the phasing approved in a Master Development Plan;

2. Provide visual and functional connections between uses within the District by incorporating areas of vegetation, outdoor spaces and pedestrian connections;

3. Provide outdoor spaces to promote visually pleasing, safe and healing/calming environments for workers, patients and visitors. Solar access to and from the open space areas should be considered and maximized to the extent feasible;

4. Enhance the buildings and site with landscaping which includes living plant material as well as special pavements, trellises, screen wall planters, water, rock features and site furniture;

5. Convey an image of public use and identify each major medical institution within the Medical Institution District as a prominent landmark in the community through the location and configuration of major structures, gateways and landscaping;

6. Functionally relate the structures and site layout, including landscaping, gateways, internal circulation patterns, pedestrian connections, plazas and seating areas and provide physical connections to adjacent site development;

7. Locate vehicle entry points in safe, obvious and convenient locations to promote simple way-finding for new visitors;

8. Provide obvious and inviting pedestrian routes. Design connections to form logical routes from origins to destinations. Use trees and landscaping to provide definition and enclosure for pedestrian connections;

9. Coordinate vehicular and pedestrian access which minimizes interaction and avoids creation of unsafe crossings. Maximize the separation of vehicular traffic from pedestrian areas by means of level changes, space and distance or landscaping;

10. Locate vehicle drop-off areas in close proximity to building entries;

a. Design and locate outdoor spaces and gateways as part of a comprehensive system of spaces in the Medical Institution District;

b. Design outdoor spaces to be handicapped-accessible;

c. Design outdoor spaces and gateways to include landscape features, seasonal color planting areas, sculptures and/or water features;

d. In designing outdoor spaces and gateways, consider the following:

i. Orientation. Orient to sunlight to the maximum extent feasible and provide good physical and visual access to the sidewalk or walkway, so that the space is perceived as an extension of the sidewalk.

ii. Dimensions. Size is adequate for seating, planting, etc., but not so large as to appear barren and uninviting.

iii. Seating. Provide seating at comfortable height and depth, and appropriate arrangement appropriate for both single and group users.

iv. Pavement. Use nonglare, nonslip, and safe surface materials.

v. Trees and Planting. Consider provision for shade and sun. Use to create space and define human scale. Provide protection from wind.

vi. Amenities. Use pedestrian-scaled lighting, fountains or other water features, litter receptacles and sheltered waiting areas.

vii. Physical Access. Ensure ready physical as well as visual access with special attention to elevation differences.

viii. Enclosure. Use landscaping or structure to provide a sense of enclosure, while ensuring visual access for safety;

12. Recognize the transportation and recreation uses under consideration for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way and provide pedestrian and bicycle connections from private development adjacent to the corridor, when appropriate, to preserve the opportunity for future multi-modal transportation access.

1. Each structure must promote quality design and enhance the coordination of development within the Master Development Plan for multiple building developments. Materials, finishes, and details should be superior in quality;

2. Design roof forms and building massing that create a visual identity for the institution through interesting and unique shapes. In the Medical Office Development Area, buildings above 75 feet should provide a distinctive identity and sculptural effect on the campus skyline by shaping the upper floors through stepbacks and by utilizing distinctive and integrated rooftop appurtenances;

3. Ensure that vegetation, unique architectural forms and materials are the predominant image from the freeway by giving special attention to the structures facing freeway corridors;

4. Avoid blank facades on buildings facing I-405 and associated access ramps. Generally, a blank facade would consist of predominantly windowless areas. If such facades are necessary for functional reasons, they should be mitigated by the addition of planting, modulation, materials variation, artwork or other features;

5. Minimize the visual impacts of parking by integrating parking facilities into the site and with surrounding development;

6. Locate service areas for trash dumpsters, loading docks and mechanical equipment away from public rights-of-way where possible. Screen views of those elements if they cannot be located away from public frontages; and

7. Incorporate weather protection and pedestrian amenities for transit facilities.

1. Avoid blank facades on buildings located on the perimeter of the Medical Institution District or on buildings that are highly visible from public rights-of-way. Generally, a blank facade would consist of a windowless area that is larger than 1,000 square feet. If such facades are necessary for functional reasons, mitigation shall be provided through addition of planting, modulation, materials variation, artwork or other features that would cover at least 50 percent of the blank facade area unless a smaller coverage area is permitted through a Master Development Plan or Design Review where Master Development Plan approval is not required;

2. Provide ground floor building elements that are accessible and comfortable to pedestrians through use of human-scale design elements, such as recessed entries, entrance canopies, planters, benches, variations in paving materials and lighting features;

3. Provide weather protection through use of sheltered walkways or sidewalks, canopies, multiple building entrances, lobbies and entries of sufficient size and accessibility; and

4. Design entries to be clearly identifiable from the public rights-of-way adjacent to the Medical Institution District. (Ord. 5831, 8-4-08, § 2; Ord. 5587, 3-7-05, § 2)