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A. Except as provided below, all off-street parking shall comply with the parking standards in Chapter 14.235 SMC.

B. Parking shall be accessed by rear alleys wherever existing or new alleys are available.

C. Where no alley is available, access should be from a side street, wherever side streets are available, and access points should be consolidated to the extent feasible.

D. Where access to parking facilities is provided from side or front streets, the maximum number of curb cuts associated with a single development shall be one two-lane curb cut or two one-lane curb cuts. The width of the vehicle access across the frontage shall be as narrow as practicable. Where vehicle access is provided from a street, pedestrian access outside of vehicle lanes shall be provided. Only one access point shall be permitted for a lot with a detached single-family dwelling.

E. All accessible parking required pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act and Chapter 19.27 RCW shall be located on-site.

F. Provisions specific to Single-Family and Townhouse zones:

1. Where access is approved other than from an alley, driveways at frontages shall be no wider than 10 feet at the sidewalk and garage doors shall be located either less than 10 feet or more than 19 feet from a frontage line to avoid vehicle parking across sidewalks.

2. All parking garages and other parking areas shall be set back a minimum of five feet behind the front primary façade plane of the principal building.

3. For single-family dwellings, tandem parking may be counted toward minimum parking standards.

G. Provisions specific to the Center zone:

1. Parking shall be located behind or beneath the principal building unless it is demonstrated that site conditions preclude any location other than to the side of the building. In no case shall at-grade parking occur between the building and the public sidewalk along the principal frontage.

2. Vehicular entrances to parking lots, garages, and other parking structures shall be no wider than 24 feet if two-way and 12 feet if one-way at the frontage.

3. Parking lots, garages, and parking structures shall provide direct pedestrian access to a frontage line (i.e., not exclusively into a building) except underground levels which may provide exclusive pedestrian access through a building.

4. Open parking lots that contain greater than 20 vehicles shall provide pedestrian pathways. Pathways shall be constructed of concrete or unit pavers and shall have a minimum four-foot width of clear travel path exclusive of vehicle overhangs. The route and number of pathways required shall be determined based on the site plan and the direction of pedestrian travel; provided, that a minimum of one pathway shall conveniently connect the primary concentration of spaces and the building(s) served by the parking lot.

5. Parking garages on an Access Street or Community Corridor frontage shall have liner buildings lining the first story, except that podium parking levels that extend a maximum of six feet above the sidewalk may be screened with either landscaping or architectural hardscape, or a combination of the two.

6. For buildings greater than three stories in height, a minimum of 50 percent of required parking spaces shall be located within structured parking.

7. Driveways shall be set back a minimum of five feet from adjoining properties, unless a shared access easement crosses the common property line, and set back a minimum of three feet from any building.

8. Open parking areas shall be screened from the principal frontage by a building or a decorative wall between 3.5 and 4.5 feet in height.

9. Where noncontinuous with parking areas on adjacent properties, open parking areas shall be screened with a decorative wall, fence, or continuous, solid, evergreen hedge no more than 4.5 feet high along the common property line. Hedges shall be planted in beds with a minimum plantable dimension of two feet.

10. All parking areas shall be illuminated throughout the coverage area according to industry standards and CPTED guidelines. Light fixtures shall not exceed 20 feet in height and shall be shielded to prevent light spill onto adjacent properties or into second-floor windows. (Ord. 2451, 2022)