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Resolution 264PLANNING COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 264 A RESOLUTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS RECOMMENDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE OFFICIAL ZONING ORDINANCE, SECTION 12.14.020 H, TO ESTABLISH LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS FOR PARKING LOTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLANNING COMMISSION FILE NO. ZO-6-67. WHEREAS, the Planning Commission of the City of Edmonds, pursuant to proper notice and publication, held a public hearing on a proposed amendment to Section 12.14.020 H of the Official Zoning Ordinance of said City to establish landscaping requirements for parking lots; and WHEREAS, having made the findings set forth in Exhibit "A" attached hereto, the Planning Commission determined that the Official Zoning Ordinance, Section 12.14.020 H, should be amended to require landscaping of parking lots as set forth in Exhibit "B" attached hereto; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of said City that recommendation be and the same hereby is made to the City Council of the City of Edmonds that Section 12.14.020 H of the Official Zoning Ordinance be so amended. DATED as of the 17th day of January, 1968. Chairman Pro Tem. Edm6nds Planning Commission Edmonds City Planner File No.: ZO-6-67 Initial Request by: Planning Department Date of Hearing: January 17, 1968 Resolution No. 264 EXHIBIT "A" Apartment and business parking lots occupy about two-thirds of their respective sites and their development has a significant impact on the overall character of the area. Developers are presently giving inadequate consideration to those improvements which promote long- term, quality site development with the result that asphalt deserts are rapidly being constructed throughout the Gity's apartment and commercial areas. The proposed regulations are essential for the development of a pleasing environment which promotes the general welfare of the public. Resolution No. 264 EXHIBIT "B" Section 12.14.020 H shall be amended as follows: PLANS: Three copies of the plot plan of the proposed parking area shall be submitted to the Building Official at the time of the application for the building for which the parking area is required. Proposed parking areas containing five or more spaces shall be reviewed by the Planning Department for compliance with the parking and landscaping requirements, and occupancy permits shall be withheld until the actual improvements conform to the approved plot plan. Said plan shall be drawn to a scale of about 1" = 20' and shall include the following: a. North point and scale; b. All adjacent streets, alleys, sidewalks, and curbs; c. Existing trees over one foot in diameter; d. Entire ownership of lot or parcel being developed; e. The outline of all existing and proposed structures; f. Dimensions and height of building in number of stories or feet and total floor area, existing and proposed; g. Completely dimensioned parking layouts, clearly showing all spaces; h. Elevations of the lot corners. 1. Required Control Devices and Paving: No change from the present Code. 2. Dimensions: No change from the present Code. 3. Landscaping Requirements in Parking Lots: a. Purpose of landscaping provisions: (1) To break up the visual blight.created by large expanses of barren asphalt which makes up the typical parking lot; (2) To encourage the preservation of mature evergreens and other large trees which presently grow throughout the city; Exhibit "B" (Page 2) (3) To develop a safe, healthy, and open environment in the apartment and commercial areas of the city for apartment residents, shoppers, and the motoring public. b. Parking areas fronting on a street right-of-way shall provide a five (5) foot planting area along the entire street frontage except for driveways, provided that the plantings shall not obstruct the sight distance at street intersections. Where the boundary of such parking area sets back from the street, a planting bed width in excess of 8 feet cannot be used to satisfy the area requirements of Section 3.d. In districts not requiring a front yard, garages and carports built on the front of the property shall provide a five (5) foot planting area along the street frontage. c. In addition, planting may be placed on street right-of-way with the approval of the City Engineer if the property owner provides the City with a written release of liability for damages which may be incurred to said planting area from future street expansion or utility installation. d. Ten percent (100) of parking area to be in landscaping, PROVIDED THAT: (1) No landscaping area shall be less than 100 square feet in area or less than 5 feet in width; (2) Landscaping areas shall be proportionately distributed through- out the parking area in a manner which best fulfills the objec- tives set forth in the stated purposes of this section. The maximum distance between the center of a parking stall and the edge of a landscaped area as defined in this section shall be forty-five (45) feet. (3) All landscaping must be located between parking stalls or between parking stalls and the property line. Landscaping Exhibit "B" (Page 3) which occurs between parking stalls and buildings or between parking stalls and apartment recreation areas shall not be considered in the satisfaction of these landscaping require- ments. (4) These requirements shall apply to gas stations and shall be waived for the viewer parking areas of drive-in movie theaters. e. The planting design shall mainly specify trees with ground cover and some shrubs beneath. Ground covers alone are not acceptable. The majority of plants shall be evergreen unless there is a special problem involved. Specific plant names are not required; however, shrub beds must include a note indicating the mature height of shrubs within the beds. Plants selected for the design shall be checked for suitability in regard to eventual size and spread, susceptibility to diseases and pests, and adaptability to existing soil and climatic conditions. Trees should be avoided with low -growing branches which may scrape cars, with gum or moisture which may drop on cars, or with blossoms, seeds, or pods which may clog drainage or tend to produce accumulations of vegetable litter or debris. f. Street trees will be required within the front planting strip where a parking lot adjoins a public street for a distance greater than 70 feet. Tree varieties will be specified by the Planning Department and will be planted about 40 feet apart. 4. Sight Screening: Where a parking area abuts a side or rear property line, a four (4) to five (5) foot high decorative, sight -obscuring fence or wall shall be installed within a foot of the property line and planted with some variety of climbing ivy. It is preferred that non -masonry fences be stained or painted some shade of brown or green in order to avoid a gray appearance. A protective curb shall be installed two (2) feet away from Exhibit "B" (Page 4) the fence or wall. Where an upward slope on the adjoining property exceeds forty-five percent (45%) for a distance of three (3) feet from the property line, this sight screening requirement may be waived. 5. Parking Area Grades: In order to discourage the construction of unuseable, inconvenient, and hazardous parking areas, a maximum pavement slope of six percent (6%) and a minimum slope of one percent (1%) will be permitted. The maximum slope of fourteen percent (14%) will be permitted for drive- ways or aisles between separated parking areas. The long dimension of a parking stall shall lay perpendicular to ground contours. If existing ground slopes in a proposed parking lot exceed ten percent (10%), the Planning Department may require the submission of a topographic survey showing existing and proposed contours. Parking lots depressed two or three feet below the level of the street will be encouraged wherever possible. Also, the installation of landscaped berms will be encouraged wherever possible. Plans for adequate drainage will be approved by the Engineering Department. 6. Lighting of areas. . . . (formerly No. 5) No change from present Code. 7. Maintenance of all areas. . . (formerly No. 6) No change from present Code.