Edmonds City Zoning Code
16.100 Firdale
Village Mixed-Use Zoning Criteria
16.100.000 Introduction.
A. General Intent and Project Vision. The design vision for Firdale Village is to create a vibrant neighborhood village form of development that strikes a balance between commercial, retail and residential uses and contributes to the vitality of the neighborhood and area. The project is intended to support a variety of commercial and retail uses along with multifamily residential in an environment that is accessible to the pedestrian, visitor, tenant, motorist and public transit user. [Ord. 3760 § 1, 2009].
16.100.010 Purposes.
The Firdale Village mixed-use zone has the following specific purposes in addition to the general purposes for business and commercial zones in Chapter 16.40 ECDC:
A. To reserve and regulate areas for a “neighborhood center” type of mixed-use development that includes a mix of commercial and multiresidential housing types, and a range of greater densities than are available in the single-family residential zone.
B. To promote a mix of residential, commercial and other uses in a manner that is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan (i.e., 25 percent of heated floor area shall be commercial space).
C. To provide for those additional uses which complement and are compatible with multiple residential uses.
D. The codes contained within this chapter are to be used in conjunction with the Firdale Village design standards in Chapter 22.100 ECDC. [Ord. 3760 § 1, 2009].
16.100.020 Subdistricts.
See District Map at the end of this chapter for location of districts on the site.
A. District 1 – Commercial. The primarily commercial uses will be located in this district, which is located closer to Firdale Avenue and oriented to the street. The flexibility for each is written into the table, but not called out in the “mini-description.”
B. District 2 – Commercial/Multifamily Residential. Multifamily residential uses will be located more towards sides and rear of the site, behind the commercial uses, with possible commercial functions on the ground level. [Ord. 3760 § 1, 2009].
16.100.030 Uses.
A. Table 16.100.030-1.
Permitted Uses | District 1 Commercial | District 2 Multifamily |
|---|---|---|
Residential Uses | ||
X | X | |
X | A | |
Housing for low-income elderly and senior housing | X | A |
Retail stores or sales | A | A |
Offices (2nd floor or higher than retail space in the same building) | A | A |
Service uses including professional service offices, health clinics | A | A |
Retail uses including grocery stores, pharmacy/drug stores and bookstores | A | E |
Retail sales requiring intensive outdoor display or storage areas, such as trailer sales, used car lots (except as part of a new car sales and service dealer), and heavy equipment storage, sales or services | X | X |
Restaurants (excluding drive-through) | A | A |
A | X | |
Outdoor dining meeting the criteria of Chapter 17.75 ECDC | B | B |
Enclosed fabrication or assembly areas associated with and on the same property as an art studio, art gallery, shoe repair, restaurant or food service establishment that also provides an on-site retail outlet open to the public | A | E |
Automobile sales and service | X | X |
Dry cleaning and laundry plants which use only nonflammable and nonexplosive cleaning agents | C | E |
Printing, publishing and binding establishments | C | C |
Community-oriented open air markets conducted as an outdoor operation and licensed pursuant to provisions in the Edmonds City Code | A | A |
Bus stop shelters | A | X |
Churches, subject to the requirements of ECDC 17.100.020 | A | E |
Local public facilities subject to the requirements of ECDC 17.100.050 | C | C |
Off-street parking and loading areas to serve a permitted use | B | B |
Commuter parking lots in conjunction with a facility otherwise permitted in this zone | B | B |
A | C | |
Wholesale uses | X | X |
A | A | |
Amusement establishments | C | X |
Auction businesses, excluding vehicle or livestock auctions | X | X |
X | X | |
Laboratories | X | X |
Fabrication of light industrial products not otherwise listed as a permitted use | X | X |
C | C | |
Museums and art galleries of primarily local concern that do not meet the criteria for regional public facilities as defined in ECDC 21.85.033 | A | E |
Retail stores larger than 12,000 GSF | X | X |
Residential treatment facilities for alcoholics and drug abusers | X | X |
Light industrial | X | X |
Outdoor storage, incidental to a permitted use | D | D |
A = Permitted primary use
B = Permitted secondary use
C = Primary uses requiring a conditional use permit
D = Secondary uses requiring a conditional use permit
E = Permitted primary use on ground level floor only
X = Not permitted
[Ord. 4333 § 13 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 4314 § 49 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 3760 § 1, 2009].
16.100.040 Site development standards.
A. Development Standards – General. Development requirements can be summarized as follows: A minimum of 25 percent of the heated space of the overall development shall be in commercial and/or retail space usage. See District Map at the end of this chapter.
B. Building Scale and Building Height.
1. Intent. In order to provide a consistency of architectural scale for different sections of the development: The more commercial/retail area closer to Firdale Avenue shall be lower in scale than the multifamily buildings oriented to the rear of the site.
2. Building Height.
a. District 1 – Commercial/Office/Retail. One to three stories (lowest floor to be 12 feet floor to floor minimum); minimum height: 20 feet; maximum height: 39 feet. Commercial and office are not permitted on the ground level floor of the building.
b. District 2 – Multifamily Residential. Maximum: 39 feet; provided, that an additional story may be permitted to a maximum height of 48 feet in accordance with subsection (B)(2)(b)(i) of this section. Maximum height: 48 feet base height, for four stories, with possibility of an additional four feet, to allow for variation in rooflines, for a maximum building height of 52 feet. Elevator shaft enclosures can exceed this height only to meet building code. Guard railings required by and compliant with the state building code on roof decks can exceed the maximum roof height. See subsection (B)(2)(b)(ii) of this section.
i. A fourth story to a maximum height of 48 feet may be allowed in District 2, for multifamily uses, if the project integrates green design methods and technologies throughout the project. The project must achieve at least a four-star level of the Built Green of Washington program or a LEED gold certification, or equivalent. See also ECDC 22.100.090, Sustainable design.
ii. Building height may extend four feet above the maximum 39- or 48-foot height limit as applicable if all portions of the building above the stated height are modulated in design, or are designed as a hip, gable, arch, shed or other similar forms. Vertical parapet walls are not allowed to protrude above the 39- or 48-foot height limit unless they are part of an approved modulated design. For examples of permissible forms, see Figures C1, C2, C3, and C4 at the end of this chapter.
iii. Ground floor residential in District 2 shall be higher than the public sidewalk/way by a minimum of three feet, or accessed through a residential courtyard to segregate it from the public way.
3. Elevator shafts and/or stairway penthouse shafts may extend above the maximum building height by five feet when compliant with building code criteria.
4. Mechanical equipment may extend above this base building height a maximum of five feet.
C. Parking Standards.
1. Minimum Spaces Required.
a. Commercial Including Office, Retail and Restaurant Uses. Minimum: Provide one space for every 400 square feet. Twenty-five percent of parking places designated for office space must also be shared with multifamily residential uses, and shall be easily accessible to multifamily residential units.
b. Multifamily Uses. Minimum: Provide 1.5 spaces per unit. Additional parking for residential units shall be provided in a shared parking area for office/commercial and residential.
c. For guest parking, provide one space for every 10 units or 0.10 spaces for every unit as a minimum.
2. For shared parking arrangements, a binding covenant in readable format describing terms of the shared parking arrangement shall be required between the property management companies/owners of the residential and commercial uses describing the joint use of the parking areas, and shall be approved as to form by the city attorney.
D. Site Setbacks. See District Map at the end of this chapter for illustration of setbacks, buffers and related notes.
Setback distances refer to areas above ground.
Underground structures can be within the setback area as long as adequate soil depth is provided to support the existence of trees and vegetation; provided, however, that no below-ground structure may extend into or under the 20-foot setback at the north property line.
1. Minimum side setbacks are 15 feet.
2. The minimum setback on the northern boundary of the site is 20 feet. The required setback shall be landscaped and designed to provide a buffer to adjoining R-zoned property.
3. Where the proposed development abuts a single-family residential (RS) zoned property, the proposed development shall also modulate the design of any building facades facing the single-family residential (RS) zoned property. See subsection (F) of this section, Design Standards, for additional information.
4. SW Corner Setbacks. District 1 shall extend to street property line with no setback, and set back from the west property line by 15 feet. District 2 shall be set back on a per floor basis, with the second floor set back from the street property line by 30 feet, and the west property line by 35 feet. Third floor setback shall be 55 feet from the street property line and 35 feet from the west property line. All floors shall revert to minimum setback from the west property line of 15 feet when 80 feet from the street property line and greater.
E. Open Space.
1. Design Intent. The project shall include a comprehensive open space network that uses courtyard(s) and other open space elements to connect the residential and commercial uses.
2. Open Space Requirements. Minimum open space requirement for the development: Shall be 20 percent of the overall site area. The minimum open space requirement may include setback areas, all developed pedestrian areas including landscaped walkways, plazas, and courtyards and other passive open spaces in the commercial area. The calculation may also include public open space for the residential uses. The calculation shall not include parking areas, driveways, or service areas.
F. Design Standards. For more descriptive information on design standards and guidelines, please see Chapter 22.100 ECDC.
District Map.
Roof Diagrams.
[Ord. 3760 § 1, 2009].