Kenmore City Zoning Code

Defining in quantified terms the public benefits that can be used to earn density incentives;

Providing rules and formulas for computing density incentives earned by each benefit.

Sites containing critical areas or of unique size or shape;

Specific sites preserved in order to achieve comprehensive plan goals as identified by the city council.

Calculate the number of dwellings permitted by the base density of the site in accordance with Chapter 18.30 KMC;

Calculate the total number of bonus dwelling units earned by providing the public benefits listed in KMC § 18.80.040;

Add the number of bonus dwelling units earned to the number of dwelling units permitted by the base density;

Add the number of dwelling units permitted by the base density of the site sending TDCs, if any;

Round fractional dwelling units to the nearest whole number; 0.49 or less dwelling units are rounded down; and

On sites with more than one zone or zone density, the maximum density shall be calculated for the site area of each zone. Bonus units may be reallocated within the zones in the same manner set forth for base units.

When the primary proposal requires a public hearing under this code or KMC Title 17, the public hearing on the primary proposal shall serve as the hearing on the RDI proposal, and the reviewing authority shall make a consolidated decision on the proposed development and use of RDI;

When the primary proposal does not require a public hearing under this code or KMC Title 17, the RDI proposal shall be processed as a Type 2 land use decision, unless otherwise authorized by KMC § 18.77.060(A), subject to the decision criteria for conditional use permits outlined in Chapter 18.115 KMC; and

The notice for the RDI proposal also shall include the development’s proposed density and a general description of the public benefits offered to earn extra density.

When 75 percent or more of the units in the RDI development consist of townhouses or apartments, the development shall provide perimeter landscaping and tree retention in accordance with Chapters 18.35 and 18.57 KMC for townhouse or apartment projects.

When less than 75 percent of the units in the RDI consist of townhouses or apartments, the development shall provide landscaping and tree retention in accordance with Chapters 18.35 and 18.57 KMC for townhouses or apartments on the portion(s) of the development containing such units; provided, that if buildings containing such units are more than 100 feet from the development’s perimeter, the required landscaping may be reduced by 50 percent.

All other portions of the RDI shall provide landscaping or retain trees in accordance with Chapters 18.35 and 18.57 KMC.

Projects with 100 percent affordable housing shall provide one off-street parking space per unit. The city manager may require additional parking, up to the maximum standards for attached dwelling units, which may be provided in common parking areas.

All other RDI proposals shall provide parking for:

Projects with 100 percent affordable housing shall provide recreation space at 50 percent of the levels required in Chapter 18.30 KMC.

All other RDI proposals shall provide recreation space for:

The number of density credits that a sending site is eligible to send to a receiving site shall be determined by applying the base density of the zone the sending site is located in to the total sending site area, less any portion of the sending site already in a conservation easement or other encumbrance, or any land area already used to calculate residential density for other development on the sending site. A plot plan showing critical areas and buffers, conservation easements or other encumbrances shall be submitted as part of the development application to demonstrate compliance with the density calculation rules set forth in Chapter 18.30 KMC.

Sending sites with critical areas that have been declared unbuildable under Chapter 18.30 KMC shall be considered to have a base density calculated in accordance with that chapter, except that the areas of the sending and receiving sites shall be combined to calculate the overall site percentage of critical areas and buffers necessary for determining the allowable density credit as set forth in Chapter 18.55 KMC.

When the sending site consists only of a portion(s) of an unsubdivided parcel, said portion(s) shall be segregated from the remainder of the lot pursuant to KMC Title 17 or deed restrictions documenting the density credit transfers shall be recorded with the title to both the sending and receiving sites. A parcel need not segregate a sending site from the remainder of the parcel when the entire parcel is subject to a conservation easement pursuant to subsection (A)(4) of this section.

Conservation easements shall be required for land contained in the sending site, whether or not such land is dedicated, as follows: a conservation easement shall be recorded on the sending site to indicate development limitations on the sending site.

As of April 23, 2019, the city council has determined that unused density may be transferred from a property zoned MHC to a receiving site if long-term preservation of the manufactured housing community is assured. Unused density shall be defined as the number of dwelling units allowable under existing zoning as of April 22, 2019, less the number of existing dwelling units on the property as of April 23, 2019, multiplied by two and one-half.

Density shall not be transferred to projects in the R-1, R-4 or R-6 zoning districts.