RESIDENTIAL ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT
The form of the MX zone is designed to provide a coordinated and attractive living environment that responds to local conditions and emphasizes a range of good circulation opportunities for walking, bicycling, using transit and driving personal vehicles. Essential development characteristics within the MX zone are: |
(a) | A mixing of residential housing types including single detached dwellings, apartments, residential flats, and townhouses. |
(b) | Studio apartment units in the same structure with single detached dwellings or their detached garage. |
(c) | A generally regular geometric network of streets, alleys and blocks arranged to provide easy orientation and alternative routes for each destination. |
(d) | A hierarchy of streets, including narrow streets convenient for a balanced mix of pedestrians and automobiles, and wider streets to carry greater traffic. |
(e) | Well-configured squares, gardens, and open spaces woven into street and block patterns and dedicated to collective social activity, recreation, and visual enjoyment. |
(f) | A built-up neighborhood area with an overall size small enough to permit residents and workers the option of walking or riding bicycles conveniently to workplaces and neighborhood shopping, schools, and recreation. The size and density of the MX zone/neighborhood is designed to create 10-minute maximum walking times to activities within the zone/neighborhood. |
Table 18.50.A Residential Density1, 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
Residential Zone | Minimum Density | Maximum Density |
RS | 4 du/acre | 6 du/acre |
RM | 7 du/acre | 16 du/acre |
RH | 17 du/acre | 24 du/acre |
MX | 9 du/acre | 20 du/acre |
Table 18.50.B Permitted Uses in Residential Zones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Use | Residential Zone | Notes | |||
RS | RM | RH | MX | ||
RESIDENTIAL USES | |||||
Single detached dwelling, new | P | P | N | P | |
Duplex | P | P | P | P | |
Triplex | N | P | P | P | |
Townhome | N | P | P | P | |
Multiple dwelling, less than 6 units | N | P | P | P | |
Multiple dwelling, 6 or more units | N | C | P | P | |
Cottage cluster | P | P | P | P | |
Accessory dwelling unit | S | S | S | S | See MCC § 18.30.030 |
Student housing (dormitory, fraternity, sorority, or similar) | N | N | P | P | |
Accessory uses and structures | P | P | P | P | |
Family daycare | P | P | P | P | |
Home occupations | S | S | S | S | See MCC § 18.30.010 |
Manufactured home | P | P | N | P | See MCC § 17.35.100 |
Manufactured dwelling park | N | C | C | C | See Chapter 17.35 MCC |
Residential home | P | P | P | P | |
Residential facility | N | P | P | P | |
Nursing home | C | C | P | P | |
Short-term rental, hosted | P | P | P | P | See MCC § 5.65.025 |
Short-term rental, not hosted2 | P/C | P/C | P/C | P/C | See MCC § 5.65.025 |
INSTITUTIONAL USES | |||||
Church or similar | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | |
Community or neighborhood club | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | |
Playground or park | P | P | P | P | |
Public utilities3 | P/C | P/C | P/C | P/C | |
Civic services4 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | |
Public or private parking lot or structure5 | N | N | C | C | |
School (elementary, middle, high) | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | |
COMMERCIAL USES | |||||
Bed and breakfast | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | P/C6 | |
Childcare facility | C | C | C | C | |
Garden, orchard, crop cultivation1 | P | P | P | P | |
Other commercial uses | N | S | S | S | See MCC § 18.30.060 |
MISCELLANEOUS | |||||
Planned unit development | C | C | C | C | See Chapter 17.30 MCC |
Notes: |
|---|
1. Maintaining cattle, horses, or livestock is not permitted. Maintaining poultry is allowed subject to the requirements of MCC § 6.05.045. The occasional sale or trading of plants and produce grown on the premises shall be permitted. |
2. Not hosted short-term rental use for 45 days or fewer in a calendar year that meets the standards set forth in MCC § 5.65.025 is permitted outright. Rental use for more than 45 days in a calendar year requires conditional use approval. |
3. Public utilities that provide service to the neighborhood in which they are located are permitted outright. Public utilities that do not provide service to the neighborhood in which they are located require conditional use approval. |
4. Such civic facilities shall include, but not be limited to, fire stations, libraries, and water storage tanks. Such facilities shall not include commercial plants for the generating of electrical power. |
5. Parking lot or structure shall be used in conjunction with a commercial office or industrial use on an adjacent lot provided said parking area is located within 300 feet of the main building, structure, or use. |
6. Use is permitted outright when it comprises less than 2,500 square feet of floor area. For uses with 2,500 square feet or more of floor area, conditional use approval is required. |
Table 18.50.C – Residential Development Standards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard | Residential Zone | |||
RS | RM | RH | MX | |
Minimum lot area (square feet) | ||||
Single detached and duplex | 5,000 | 4,000 | NA | None, except as controlled by density and lot coverage requirements |
Triplex | NA | 5,000 | 5,000 | |
Townhome | NA | |||
Interior lot | 1,800 | 1,800 | ||
Exterior lot | 3,000 | 3,000 | ||
Multiple dwelling | NA | 7,000 | 6,000 | |
Cottage cluster | 9,000 | 9,000 | 9,000 | |
Minimum lot frontage (feet)1 | 25 | 20 | 20 | See MCC § 18.50.040(3) |
Minimum lot width (feet) | 50 | 20 | 20 | None |
Minimum yards (feet)2 | ||||
Front yard | 10 | 10 | 5 | See MCC § 18.50.040(4) |
Side yard | 5 | 54 | 54 | |
Street side yard | 10 | 10 | 5 | |
Rear yard | 15 | 10 | 5 | |
Maximum building height (feet) | 303 | 353 | 45 | 3 stories or 35 feet, whichever is less |
Maximum lot coverage (percent of total lot area) | ||||
Single detached and duplex | 50% | 50% | NA | 50% |
Triplex | NA | 60% | 70% | 60% |
Townhome | NA | 70% | 80% | 70% |
Multiple dwelling | NA | 60% | 70% | 60% |
Cottage cluster | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% |
Notes: |
|---|
(1) For flag lots, minimum lot frontage shall be 20 or 25 feet, consistent with MCC § 17.25.060(6). |
(2) No main building shall be constructed, erected, or placed within a required yard. No main building shall be constructed, enlarged, altered, or repaired in such a way that it extends into any required yard except as may be authorized under the provisions of Chapter 18.140 MCC, Yards. When this title or any other ordinance requires a setback or yard of greater depth than is required in this section, the greater setback or yard requirement shall apply. |
(3) No building shall exceed the maximum height standard, except that a church, other religious assembly or institution or public service building may be built to a height not to exceed 45 feet. |
(4) Minimum side yard for interior townhome units is zero. |
Maximum | Minimum | |
|---|---|---|
Commercial | 250 feet | 16 feet |
Single-Family Residential | 100 feet | 25 feet |
Multifamily Residential | 30 feet/unit | 6 feet/unit, min. 24 feet |
Figure 18.50-A Building Form (Multidwelling example) ![]() |
Figure 18.50-B Examples of Architectural Details – Single Detached ![]() |
Figure 18.50-C Examples of Architectural Details – Townhome ![]() |
Figure 18.50-D Examples of Architectural Details – Multidwelling ![]() |
Figure 18.50-E Townhomes and Multi-Housing with Alley Access ![]() |
Figure 18.50-F Townhomes and Multi-Housing with Street Access ![]() |
Figure 18.50.060-1 Cottage Cluster Orientation and Common Courtyard Standards ![]() |
Figure 18.50.060-2 Cottage Cluster Parking Design Standards ![]() |