Cle Elum City Zoning Code
17.20 MFR
Multiple-Family Residential District
There shall be a front yard having a minimum depth of ten feet.
17.20.005 Purpose.
The purpose and intent of the multiple-family residential district is to provide for and protect higher density urban residential areas where a mixture of residential uses may occur. The multiple-family residential zone may include single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhouses, zero lot line, common wall or multiple-unit dwellings with a higher allowed density per acre than the single-family residential zone. The multiple-family residential district should also protect sensitive natural areas, provide for the efficient use of land and public services, reinforce more intense adjacent land uses such as retail, and provide appropriate vehicular and pedestrian access.
17.20.030 Front yard.
There shall be a front yard having a minimum depth of ten feet.
17.20.040 Rear yard.
There shall be a rear yard having a minimum depth of twenty feet. When a lot is served by an alley the parking, carport or garage may be set back a minimum depth of five feet.
17.20.050 Side yard.
A side yard abutting a street or right-of-way shall have a minimum width of fifteen feet. In the MFR zoning district, the standard setback requirement from the side property line shall be ten feet. However, the following uses may have a reduced setback of five feet from the side property line: single-family homes, duplexes, common-wall structures, and accessory structures. Side yard setbacks shall be measured from the drip line of the principal structure’s eave to the property line.
17.20.060 Minimum lot size/density.
Within the multiple-family residential district, the minimum lot size for single-family dwellings, duplexes, zero lot line, common wall, and townhouses shall be five thousand square feet. The minimum density shall be seven dwelling units per acre and the maximum density shall be determined by the ability to meet the required development standards.
The maximum number of units permitted on a site = [(the total site area in acres) – (the area of streets, rights-of-way, and access easements, in acres)] × (the maximum number of dwelling units permitted per net residential acre).
(Any fraction of a dwelling unit shall be rounded up to the next whole number if one-half or over or down to the next whole number if less than one-half.)
17.20.070 Height limit.
No building hereafter erected or structurally altered within or moved into the district shall exceed thirty-five feet.
17.20.080 Lot coverage.
The impervious surfaces on the lot or development site, including structures, sidewalks, and driveways, shall not cover more than eighty percent of the total lot area.
17.20.090 Design review and design guidelines.
All buildings except single-family dwellings, duplexes and their accessory structures shall be subject to the city’s site and design review process (CEMC Section 14.30.140) and the following design guidelines for the MFR district:
A. Front Facades. Modulation shall be required if the width of the front facade exceeds thirty feet.
B. Side Facades. On corner lots, side facades that face the street shall be modulated if greater than forty feet in width.
C. Modulation Standards. Minimum depth of modulation shall be four feet. Minimum width of modulation shall be five feet. Maximum width of modulation shall be thirty feet.
D. Landscaping. A minimum landscaped area equal to fifteen percent of the lot area shall be provided. In addition, a landscaped area at least five feet in depth shall be provided along street property lines; property lines which abut a single-family zoning district; alleys across from single-family zoning district. Street trees will be required consistent with the landscape ordinance of the city.
E. Light and Glare Standards. Exterior lighting shall be shielded and directed downward, away from adjacent properties. Exterior lighting fixtures shall be consistent with the character of the structure.
F. Parking and Access. If alley access is available and not incompatible with adjacent single-family development, access to parking shall be from the alley. When access is provided from the street, the driveway width and location shall be approved by the city engineer.
Parking may be located in or under the structure, or in the required rear and side yards (other than a side street side yard). Parking may not be located in the required front or side street side yards except for single-family dwellings, zero lot line, common wall, and duplexes. Driveways and parking areas for more than four vehicles shall be screened from adjacent residential properties by a wall or solid evergreen hedge at least five feet in height. If parking is located in or under the structure, the parking must be screened by a front facade and a view-obscuring facade or fence along the side of the structure.