Buckley City Zoning Code
CHAPTER 19
24 COTTAGE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS CHDS
§ 19.24.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to: (1) provide housing types that are responsive to changing household demographics (e.g., retirees, small families, single-parent households, single-person households, dual-owner households); (2) provide opportunities for more-affordable housing within single-family neighborhoods; (3) encourage creation of functional, usable open space in residential communities; (4) promote neighborhood interaction and safety through design; (5) ensure compatibility with neighboring uses; and (6) provide opportunities for infill development consistent with goals of the Growth Management Act.
(Ord. 22-08 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008)
§ 19.24.020 Development standards.
CHDs shall be subject to the following development standards:
(1)
Cottage Housing Development Size.
(a)
CHDs are not permitted on sites less than one acre in size (a site may be composed of more than one contiguous lot).
(b)
CHDs shall contain clusters consisting of a minimum of four dwelling units and a maximum of 12 units, unless otherwise permitted by this chapter.
(c)
A CHD may be integrated into a larger conventional subdivision as long as the grid pattern is maintained.
(2)
Locational Criteria. A CHD in any zone shall be separated from another CHD by a minimum of 300 feet measured between the closest points of the subject properties. This provision may be waived or modified in a residential cluster.
(3)
Calculation of Cottage and Carriage Units.
(a)
The following steps shall be utilized in the R-6,000 and R-8,000 zones to determine the number of units permitted on a given site:
(i)
The applicant shall submit a pro forma site plan showing the number of conventional dwelling units that would be permitted by the underlying zoning classification.
(ii)
The number calculated in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section shall be multiplied by one and six-tenths. Fractional numbers of one-half or greater shall be rounded up. Fractional numbers less than one-half shall be rounded down. The resulting number is the number of dwelling units permitted on the site, subject to the maximum identified in subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(b)
In the HDR zone one dwelling unit is permitted for each 2,500 square feet of lot area, based on gross lot size.
(4)
Unit Size.
(a)
Cottage unit floor area shall be between 800 and 1,200 square feet.
(b)
Carriage unit living space floor area shall be between 800 and 950 square feet.
(c)
Floor area is the area within the surrounding exterior walls, but excluding space where the floor to ceiling height is less than six feet. Floor area does not include covered porches. The planning director shall use appropriate discretion, consistent with the intent of this chapter, in determining area to be counted in the calculation of maximum square footage.
(5)
Private Open Space. Each dwelling unit shall provide a minimum of 400 square feet of private front yard space. Examples include lawn area, courtyards and patios. No dimension of a private open space area used to satisfy the minimum square footage requirement shall be less than nine feet.
(6)
Common Open Space.
(a)
A minimum of 250 square feet of common open space shall be provided per dwelling unit.
(b)
Common open space within a CHD shall be a minimum of 3,000 square feet in size, regardless of number of dwelling units.
(c)
No dimension of a common open space area used to satisfy the minimum square footage requirement shall be less than 10 feet, unless part of a pathway or trail.
(d)
In subdivisions and short subdivisions, common open space shall be located in a separate tract or tracts.
(e)
Required common open space shall be divided into no more than two separate areas per cluster of dwelling units.
(f)
Common open space shall be improved for passive or active recreational use. Examples may include but are not limited to courtyards, orchards, landscaped picnic areas or gardens. Common open space shall include amenities such as seating, landscaping, trails, gazebos, barbecue facilities, covered shelters or water features. Surface water management facilities that provide LID techniques and enhance the overall quality of the space may be located in common open space areas, upon review and acceptance by the planning director.
(7)
Site Design.
(a)
At least 75 percent of the units shall abut common open space.
(b)
CHDs should be designed to fit seamlessly into a block on the grid pattern. The only allowed modification of the grid system is a 90-degree rotation of the alleyways to allow for vehicular access to the carriage units.
(c)
Common open spaces shall have dwelling units abutting at least two sides.
Siting of dwelling units or common open space in areas with slopes exceeding 15 percent is not encouraged. Dwelling units shall not be placed in such areas if extensive use of retaining walls is necessary to create building pads, or open space areas.
(d)
All carriage units must be alley-loaded and screened from view from other public right-of-ways.
(e)
Common open space areas may not include lands that are designated as sensitive areas.
(8)
Design Standards.
(a)
Dwelling units shall have a minimum 4:12 roof pitch. Portions of a roof with a pitch less than 4:12 shall be limited to architectural features such as dormers, porch roofs and shed roofs.
(b)
Each dwelling unit abutting a public right-of-way (not including alleys) shall have a primary entry and covered porch a minimum of 72 square feet in size, oriented towards the public right-of-way. If abutting more than one public right-of-way, the applicant, with city input, shall determine which right-of-way the entrance and covered porch shall be oriented towards.
(c)
Each dwelling unit abutting a public right-of-way (not including alleys) shall be a single-story dwelling unit.
(d)
Each dwelling unit shall have an entry and covered porch oriented towards the common open space. If subject to subsection (8)(b) of this section, this may be a secondary entrance with covered porch, a minimum of 48 square feet in size. If not subject to subsection (8)(b) of this section, this shall be a primary entrance with covered porch, a minimum of 72 square feet in size.
(e)
Covered porches shall be a minimum of six feet deep.
(f)
Dwelling units shall not have the appearance of "tall, skinny houses." As a guideline, dwelling units should not appear to exceed a ratio of one to one (ridge height to width) as viewed from off site.
(g)
Front doors of carriage units must front the common open space area.
(h)
Cottage units shall not include attached garages unless the garage abuts an alley or shared parking lot. The first 200 square feet of attached garage space shall not be counted towards maximum dwelling unit size allowance for cottage units.
(i)
Detached garages and carports associated with individual dwelling units shall not exceed 500 square feet in size (detached garages or carports shall not count towards maximum unit size allowance).
(9)
Parking.
(a)
A minimum of two off-street parking spaces per unit shall be provided.
(b)
Parking spots shall be distributed throughout the site so that two parking spaces are conveniently located per dwelling unit.
(c)
Carriage units must have a two-car garage.
(d)
No shared garage or carport may exceed 800 square feet in size.
(e)
Garages and carports shall have a minimum 4:12 roof pitch.
(f)
Garages and carports shall not be located between the common open space and the dwelling units.
(g)
Surface parking lots shall be broken into sub-lots of no more than four parking spaces. Sub-lots shall be separated by landscaped bulb-outs a minimum of 12 feet in width.
(h)
Parking in the form of garages, carports or surface lots may occupy no more than 40 percent of site frontage on a public right-of-way, except in the case of an alley, in which case no restriction applies.
(i)
Surface parking lots shall be set back 15 feet from front property lines and 10 feet from external side and rear property lines.
(j)
Surface parking lots of more than two spaces, visible from a public right-of-way (not including alleys) or adjacent single-family uses or zones, shall be screened by landscaping and/or architectural features.
(10)
Height. Cottage units shall not exceed 18 feet in height. Carriage units shall not exceed 26 feet in height.
(11)
Setbacks and Building Separation.
(a)
Nondwelling structures shall have a minimum setback from the public street of 10 feet.
(b)
Structures within the CHD shall have a minimum separation of 10 feet from each other. Where more than one detached dwelling unit is located on an individual lot the detached dwelling units must maintain a minimum of 14 feet setback from one another.
(c)
Structures shall be set back from their property lines on all sides a minimum of seven feet.
(12)
Lot Coverage. Lot coverage in CHDs shall not exceed 60 percent of gross site area. Lot coverage shall be calculated for the overall CHD, not for individual lots.
(13)
Common Area Maintenance. CHDs shall be required to implement a mechanism, acceptable to the planning director, to ensure the continued care and maintenance of CHD common areas. A typical example would be creation of a homeowners' association with authority and funding necessary to maintain the common areas.
(14)
General Provisions.
(a)
CHDs in the R-6,000 and R-8,000 zones are permitted as subdivisions, short subdivisions, and cluster or townhome developments. CHDs in the HDR zone are permitted as subdivisions, short subdivisions, townhome developments or multifamily developments.
(b)
A community building, not exceeding 2,000 square feet, may be provided for the residents of the CHD. Roof pitch, architecture, materials and colors shall be similar to that of the dwelling units within the CHD.
(c)
An existing single-family home incorporated into a CHD that does not meet the requirements of this chapter is permitted to remain on a site developed for cottage housing. Modifications or additions to the structure not consistent with the provisions of this chapter shall not be permitted.
(d)
Accessory dwelling units are not permitted in CHDs.
(Ord. 22-08 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008)
§ 19.24.030 Modifications.
Applicants may request modifications to the open space, site design, design standards, setbacks and parking provisions of this chapter. The planning director may modify the above-referenced provisions of this chapter if all of the following apply:
(1)
The site is constrained due to unusual shape, topography, easements or critical areas.
(2)
The modification is consistent with the purpose of the chapter as stated in BMC § 19.24.010.
(3)
The modification will not result in a project that is less compatible with neighboring land uses.
(Ord. 22-08 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008)
§ 19.24.040 Procedure for approval.
Applications for a cottage housing development will be processed as a Type C-2 application, as described in BMC Title 20.
(Ord. 13-19 § 3, 2019; Ord. 22-08 § 1 (Exh. A), 2008)
