Lacey City Zoning Code
16.36 Neighborhood
Commercial District
16.36.010 Permitted uses.
A. The following uses are permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial zone provided the use meets the requirements of this chapter and the design review standards of Chapter 14.23 LMC:
1. Neighborhood Commercial zones within the designated McAllister Springs Geologically Sensitive Area shall be limited to those uses the Thurston County Health Department determines are appropriate to the sensitive area.
Residential Uses above ground floor commercial (consistent with LMC 14.23.080) | ||
Ground Floor Multifamily Residential Uses (consistent with LMC 14.23.080) are permitted within Neighborhood Commercial Districts with a minimum of 15,000 square feet of commercial space. | ||
• | 20% of all residential units are required to meet affordable housing definitions as identified within RCW 36.70A.030(5). | |
o | Units must be maintained as affordable for at least 50 years and record a covenant or deed restriction that ensures continued affordability. | |
• | All residential uses within these districts shall comply with LMC 14.23.086; any exemption listed in LMC 14.23.086 shall not apply. | |
• | Required commercial space of a district containing ground floor residential uses shall be constructed within the initial phase of any proposed project. | |
Live/work, home occupations (the “work” component in live/work is limited to those uses permitted within this district). The commercial component of live/work units may account for up to one-third of required ground floor commercial minimums necessary for ground floor multifamily residential uses. | ||
Medical and health services | ||
Community and civic facilities | ||
Commercial uses, professional services, offices | ||
Brewpub and public house (consistent with RCW 66.24.580) | ||
Drive-through as an accessory use to a pharmacy, bakery, café, or coffee shop with indoor seating (not permitted between the street and building, or in locations where vehicles would impede pedestrian access to storefront). These uses are exempt from LMC 14.23.082(I)(4). | ||
Eating and drinking establishment (non-drive-through) | ||
Grocery stores and supermarkets | ||
Retail (retail uses are required to primarily conduct in-person, direct customer sales along the designated pedestrian street storefront) | ||
Services (all activities must occur within buildings) | ||
Rooftop Community Solar (as accessory to permitted use) | ||
Gasoline fueling stations existing or vested on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. These existing uses are exempt from Chapter 16.93 LMC. | ||
B. Uses similar to those listed above may be approved by the site plan review committee upon finding the use is consistent with the remaining sections of this chapter and the design standards of LMC 14.23.080, 14.23.082, 14.23.084, and 14.23.086. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.015 Prohibited uses.
16.36.020 Environmental performance standards.
A. Compliance. It shall be the responsibility of the operator and/or the proprietor of any permitted use to provide such reasonable evidence and technical data as the enforcing officer may require to demonstrate that the use or activity is or will be in compliance with the environmental performance standards of Chapter 16.57 LMC.
1. Failure of the enforcing officer to require such information shall not be construed as relieving the operator and/or the proprietor from compliance with the environmental performance standards of this title.
B. General Character. Developments in this district shall be characterized by small buildings that add visual interest and human scale through façade articulation, varied building materials, landscaping, covered walkways, art, and decorative elements. Additional defining characteristics include low traffic generation, considerable walk-in trade, moderate lighting, and quiet operations.
1. Operating hours for businesses shall be limited to the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. The site plan review committee has the ability to establish an expanded or reduced range of hours of operation for any activity based on potential impacts to the surrounding neighborhood.
C. Location. Neighborhood commercial districts shall generally not be located within less than a one-half mile radius from commercial districts providing similar services or facilities. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.030 Building scale.
The size of buildings shall be as follows:
A. Maximum gross floor area of an individual building for single commercial use, six thousand square feet;
1. Full-service grocery stores have a maximum building coverage of thirty thousand square feet provided they remain consistent with all other elements of this chapter.
2. Preschools have a maximum gross floor area of ten thousand square feet provided they remain consistent with all other elements of this chapter.
B. Maximum gross floor area of individual buildings for multi-commercial, seventeen thousand square feet; maximum individual building coverage of eight thousand five hundred square feet.
C. Maximum gross floor area of individual buildings for multifamily uses, twenty-five thousand square feet; maximum individual building coverage of eight thousand five hundred square feet.
D. Maximum gross floor area of individual buildings for mixed-uses (commercial and residential), forty thousand square feet; maximum individual building coverage of ten thousand square feet.
1. For districts greater than five acres, maximum gross floor area of individual buildings for multi-commercial and multifamily, thirty thousand square feet; maximum individual building coverage of ten thousand square feet.
2. For districts greater than five acres, maximum gross floor area of individual buildings, for mixed-uses (commercial and residential), sixty thousand square feet; maximum individual building coverage of fifteen thousand square feet.
E. Maximum total building coverage, fifty percent;
1. Fifteen Percent Bonus. Projects providing a shared pedestrian-oriented plaza of at least one hundred fifty square feet along a pedestrian walkway, at an intersection, corner, bus stop, or other key pedestrian area approved by the site plan review committee.
a. Such areas shall contain seating for at least six people, a trash and recycling receptacle, drinking fountain, bike rack, pedestrian scale lights, pavers or textured walkways, trees, and landscaping.
2. Maximum total building coverage may be increased by up to twenty-five percent proportional to the amount of required parking located on street, within the building, or below grade at a ratio of 2:1 consistent with the following table:
Table 16T-87.
Street/Below Grade Parking as Percentage of Required Parking: | Building Coverage Bonus: |
|---|---|
10% | 5% |
20% | 10% |
30% | 15% |
40% | 20% |
50% | 25% |
F. Maximum Development Coverage. Maximum coverage by impervious surfaces eighty percent, unless increased to a maximum of ninety percent consistent with the elements of subsection (E) of this section.
1. Note: Bonuses are to be added to the base allowable building coverage. The provisions of the Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual, landscaping requirements and design review requirements may place further limitations on these allowances reducing the maximum development coverage possible on an individual site.
G. Maximum building height, three stories up to a maximum of forty feet;
1. Heights may be increased to a maximum of fifty-five feet, provided the total number of floors is limited to four stories and the top two floors are reserved for residential uses. Below grade parking facilities are excluded from this calculation.
2. Elevations above thirty-five feet will be stepped back at a ratio of one and one-half feet of stepback for every one foot of elevation when located along a property line shared with a residential use.
3. Ground floor commercial and live/work uses must have a minimum height of fifteen feet to accommodate proposed and future commercial uses in the following instances:
a. All corner commercial building units.
b. For all district sizes: the first five thousand square feet of commercial space.
c. For districts greater than two acres: the first ten thousand square feet of commercial space.
d. For districts greater than four acres: the first fifteen thousand square feet of commercial space.
4. All rooftop patios and gathering spaces, utility boxes, antennas, and other rooftop fixtures shall be located away from the roofline in a way that reduces their visual impacts on adjacent residential uses.
5. Upper-story balconies facing existing single-family residential uses on buildings exceeding thirty-five feet shall be constructed with opaque sides a minimum of forty-two inches high.
H. Setbacks.
1. Front, maximum ten feet;
a. Setbacks may be increased to a maximum of fifteen feet to accommodate outdoor seating adjacent to eating establishments, a pedestrian-oriented plaza (subsection (E)(1) of this section), or for ground floor residential uses;
2. Rear, minimum fifteen feet;
3. Side, minimum ten feet.
a. Unless located on a corner lot with frontage on both adjoining streets, in which case, front yard setbacks and design standards shall apply. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.040 Public right-of-way, frontage.
A. Relationship to Public Right-of-Way. Land classified in this district shall be located on an arterial or collector, preferably on a collector cross street.
B. Weather Protection. Located along commercial frontage and residential entrances.
1. Protected area: five feet minimum depth dimension.
2. Awnings on a given block shall be the same or similar height.
3. Canopies, awnings, marquees and arcades may project into the public right-of-way with approval of the site plan review committee.
C. Commercial Windows. Transparent ground floor windows must be provided between two feet and seven feet above the sidewalk along a minimum of sixty percent of the ground floor, total street-facing facade area.
1. Required window areas shall allow views between the building and the street.
2. Reflective, dark, highly tinted or textured glass (below seventy percent visible light transmission) is not permitted.
3. The site plan review committee has the ability to establish different window coverage requirements for full-service grocery stores.
D. Primary Commercial Entry Doors. Shall face street. At least one building entrance shall be directly connected to the primary or secondary street with sidewalks and walkways measuring a minimum of six feet wide.
E. Minimize the number of vehicular access points by sharing driveways and linking parking lots between adjacent uses.
F. Ground floor residential units must be oriented towards a primary street, be elevated a minimum of two feet above primary street grade to increase residential privacy, and allow for primary driveway or vehicle approaches from the side or rear of the site or structure unless determined infeasible based on site characteristics by the site plan review committee.
G. Coordinate circulation drives and staging areas to accommodate routes needed by fire, refuse collection, delivery vehicles, moving vans, etc.
H. Consideration shall be given to load/unload parking zones near the entry of the building. These spaces shall be located in such a manner as to minimize interferences with the entryway.
I. Ingress and Egress. Access to a site which is a corner lot shall be limited to one driveway on each of the intersecting streets. Access to a site which is an interior lot shall be limited to one driveway unless the site plan review committee approves two driveways. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.050 Parking.
A. The number of parking spaces required shall be in accordance with Chapter 16.72 LMC and Table 16T-13 (Neighborhood commercial shopping area).
B. Parking allocations for affordable residential units shall be consistent with RCW 36.70A.040 -- Minimum residential parking requirements.
C. On-street parking can be provided to serve customers of commercial uses to help satisfy parking requirements provided street widths provide adequate room pursuant to city standards for on-street parking.
1. In all instances of on-street parking, curb extensions/bulb outs shall be used to improve sightlines and reduce crossing distances for pedestrians.
D. Parking spaces may be used for loading zones in this district, provided loading operations shall not obstruct driveways, sightlines, or direct pedestrian access to storefronts.
E. Off-street parking shall be provided to the rear or side of the structure. No parking shall be permitted between the building and the right-of-way.
F. All required bicycle parking shall be covered or sited in a way that provides weather protection. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.060 Landscaping.
A. Requirements of Chapters 14.32 and 16.80 LMC shall be satisfied.
B. A fifteen-foot buffer of Type 1 landscaping is required between the building wall and any abutting single-family residential property line and shall include a six-foot sight obscuring wall or fence.
C. Create common open spaces that are inviting to district patrons, residents, and the neighborhood in which it is located.
D. A plan of all proposed landscaping shall be submitted along with the site plan for review by the site plan review committee.
E. Minimum Tree Threshold. Multifamily lot standards consistent with Table 14T-18 shall apply to all portions of the district.
1. When evaluating sites with existing trees, site and project design shall be consistent with LMC 16.80.040, Preservation of significant trees. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).
16.36.070 Architectural compatibility and site design.
A. All requirements of Chapter 14.23 LMC for mixed use zones shall be satisfied. Specific attention will be given to how proposed uses align with the design standards of LMC 14.23.080, 14.23.082, 14.23.084, and 14.23.086. In the event of a conflict between this chapter and any other provision of any Lacey Municipal Code, the most restrictive section consistent with LMC 16.36.020(B) shall guide site plan review.
B. Corner Buildings. Buildings located at street corners are encouraged to utilize prominent building elements to emphasize these highly visible locations. This could include a corner facing building entry, public spaces, changes in building materials, atrium, or special roofline features with approval of the site plan review committee.
C. Site Continuity. When ground floor residential uses are included within a district, visual and physical continuity will be maintained. Residential and commercial uses will be integrated within a district without hard separations of use, physical barriers, or fencing intended to isolate or segment uses from the rest of the district.
D. Where applicable, ground floor residential uses will be located away from primary district corners and as a buffer between adjacent residential properties and commercial uses located within the district.
E. Development proposals contiguous to undeveloped parcels shall show conceptually how the adjacent property may be developed in relationship to the lot or parcel proposed for development. The plan should generally indicate how open space, parking, driveways, walkways, etc., will relate or connect to adjacent parcels.
F. Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building and shall comply with local building codes. The type of light source used on the exterior of buildings, signs, pedestrian walkways, and other areas of a site shall provide adequate light quality, while minimizing adverse impacts, such as glare and overhead sky glow, on adjacent properties and the public right-of-way. The site plan review committee may place additional requirements on outdoor lighting consistent with LMC 16.36.020(B)(1).
1. Light fixtures shall be of a pedestrian scale, provided lights within the interior of a parking lot may be at a greater height for security purposes. Facades shall be lit from the exterior, and, as a general rule, lights should be non-glaring and concealed through shielding, diffusion, or recessed behind architectural features. (Ord. 1662 §2, 2024).