18.31.320 Storefront block-frontage standards

(1) Purpose. Storefront block-frontages are located in the most vibrant and active shopping and dining areas within downtown. Blocks designated as storefront block-frontages include continuous storefronts placed along the sidewalk edge with small scale shops and many business entries.

Figure 18.31.320. Storefront Block-Frontages Vision and Key Standards

(2) Standards. All development on sites with a storefront block-frontage designation shall comply with the standards in Table 18.31.320(2) below:

Table 18.31.320(2). Storefront Block-Frontage Standards
The ⇒ symbol refers to departure opportunities in subsection (4) of this section.
Element	Standards	Additional Provisions and Examples
Ground-level
Land use	CMC 18.31.120 sets forth the basic permitted uses in downtown zones. However, only the uses listed below are permitted in the ground floor level of buildings on storefront block-frontages: • Personal services use • Eating and drinking establishment • Artisan manufacturing • Recreation, culture and entertainment • Retail uses • Live-work (interior space shall meet the dimensional standards of this section)	Lobbies and accessory uses associated with upper-floor hotel/motel, business service, and multifamily residential uses are allowed provided they are limited to 33 percent of all storefront block-frontages (measured separately for each block).
Floor-to-ceiling height	13 feet minimum	Applies to the area within the minimum retail space depth
Retail space depth	30 feet minimum ⇒	Applies to the entire width of the retail space
Building placement	Buildings shall be placed at the back edge of the required sidewalk. Additional setbacks may be allowed for a wider sidewalk than the minimum required by the applicable street type or public space (CMC 18.31.420).	Corner storefront building example.
Building entrances	Primary building entrances shall face the street. For corner buildings, primary entrances for ground-level uses may face either street or the street corner.
Facade transparency	At least 70 percent of the transparency area. ⇒	See CMC 18.31.315 for additional clarification on transparency standards.
Weather protection	Weather protection over the sidewalk is required along at least 80 percent of the building’s facade, and it shall be a minimum of 6 feet deep (drip lines shall be at least that far from the face of the building). Weather protection is encouraged to be continuous. ⇒ Weather protection shall have 10 feet to 15 feet of vertical clearance. Weather protection shall not interfere with street trees, utility poles, street signs, or extend beyond the edge of the sidewalk.	• Any canopy or awning over a public sidewalk should be a permanent architectural element. • The building’s architectural details should not be concealed by awnings or canopies. • Awning shapes should relate to the shape of the facade’s architectural elements. • Vinyl or plastic awnings or canopies are prohibited. • Transparent canopies and undercanopy signs and lighting are encouraged.
Parking location	New ground-level (surface or structured) parking adjacent to the street is prohibited, including parking lot and garage entries and driveways. Parking may be placed below, above, and/or behind storefronts.
Upper floor facade step-backs	See subsection (3) of this section for standards.

(a) On sites with a storefront block-frontage designation, a minimum 10 feet upper floor facade step-back is required for 100 percent of the length of all floors above the third story.

DEPARTURE: See subsection (4) of this section.

(b) To facilitate interesting building massing and improve space functionality of the step-back area, the total length of the required upper floor step-back may be reduced to 75 percent of the full length of the upper story facade, provided the remaining amount is applied elsewhere. For example, on a building 120 feet long, the third floor may have a step-back that is 90 feet long, and the fourth floor has a step-back that is 30 feet long.

(c) Step-back areas shall be accessible and designed as common private residential amenity space(s) meeting the standards of CMC 18.31.425 or an outdoor dining area meeting the standards of CMC 18.31.420. Mechanical and service functions are prohibited in the required step-back areas.

Figure 18.31.320. Upper Floor Facade Step-Back Examples

(4) DEPARTURE Criteria. Departures from the storefront block-frontage standards in Table 18.31.320(2) that feature the ⇒ symbol will be considered per CMC 18.31.040, provided the alternative proposal meets the purpose of the standards and the following criteria:

(a) Retail Space Depth. Reduced depths will be considered where the applicant can successfully demonstrate the proposed alternative design and configuration of the space is viable for a variety of permitted retail uses.

(b) Facade Transparency. Departures for facade transparency in the transparency area may be reduced to a minimum of 40 percent if the facade design between ground-level windows provides visual interest to the pedestrian and mitigates the impacts of blank walls.

(i) Weather-protection elements may be reduced in length to no less than 50 percent along building’s facade and to no less than four feet in depth, provided the proposed design is proportional to architectural features of the building and building design trade-offs (elements that clearly go beyond minimum building design regulations in this chapter) meet the purpose of the standards.

(ii) Smaller gaps are permitted if they are integrated into a larger facade articulation design, such as gaps associated with structural columns. Generally, structural columns are encouraged to be attached with higher or lower weather protection elements that help provide continuous coverage for pedestrians.

(d) Upper Floor Facade Step-Back. Other step-back designs will be considered, provided they are effective in receding floors above the third floor from the view of pedestrians on the street outside the building. (Ord. 08-21 § 3 (Exh. B))