BUILDING HEIGHTS The following diagram depicts the allowable building height in a +1 zone in an area with substantial topography. As the diagram demonstrates, the building has 4 floors (and would have 4 elevator stops), but is not more than 3 stories tall on either side. The following diagram depicts the maximum allowable building height in a +3 zone.
REGULATING PLAN The diagram on the left is a map of current Town Center sub areas and building heights. The map on the right is the proposed Town Center Regulating Plan developed by Seth Harry with feedback from the Stakeholder Design Workshop and the Town Center Liaison Group. The map of current sub areas has been highlighted to show areas of decreased (orange and green) and increased (pink and yellow) building height. For example, the yellow areas would increase from today s +1 height (3 stories) to the proposed +2 height (4 stories).
REGULATING PLAN SUB AREA DESCRIPTIONS TC Core Sub Area The TC Core Sub Area is intended to function as Mercer Island s principle commercial core, with robust pedestrian and vehicular connections to the rest of the island and regional transit access. The broadest mix of land uses is both permitted and encouraged, with buildings oriented toward the street, parking located behind the primary frontages, and with community scale public spaces of an urban form and character. This sub area is the most compact, and intensely developed of the Town Center sub areas, with ground floor retail uses forming a main street type mixed use shopping and commercial district within easy driving or walking distance of nearby residential neighborhoods. TC General Sub Area The purpose of the TC General Sub Area is to encourage low rise, higher density housing around the commercial core. A mix of housing types is anticipated including townhouses, condominiums and apartments as well as offices and retail uses, in the form of mixed use buildings, with ground floor retail. Though less intensively developed than the TC Core Sub area, it shares similar characteristics, and is intended to provide for many of the Island s daily needs and services. TC Edge (Transition) Sub Area The purpose of the TC Edge (Transition) Sub Area is to create an area of transition between the TC General Sub Area and the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The building types in this sub area begin the shift from more commercial/mixed use to residential character, with a greater flexibility in use, taking on a more service oriented character for surrounding neighborhoods, and the Island as a whole. It has a mix of retail/service/office and smaller scale, street oriented housing, including both multi unit and single family attached, at street level. TC Special Sub Area The purpose of the TC Special Sub Area is to provide a location for commercial uses that are more autodependent by both nature and design. Uses include mixed use, service/offices at street level, with limited provision for certain auto oriented conveniences, including drive through services, subject to certain restrictions. MUR (Multi Unit Residential) Sub Area The purpose of the MUR Sub Area is to provide for dedicated multi unit residential housing. Uses include street oriented housing and live/work units at street level, with some provision for home based occupations.
REGULATING PLAN DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Please discuss the following questions with the group at your table. 1. Are the sub area descriptions appropriate? Are there unique features or characteristics you would to include in any of the sub area descriptions? 2. Is the Special District appropriate as a separate sub area? If so, what sets it apart from other sub areas? If not, what should replace it? 3. Are the sub area boundaries correct? How should they be changed?
STREETS AND STREETSCAPES Based on input received at Stakeholder Group meeting #C and additional input from City engineering staff, Seth Harry is proposing the following revised streetscapes for 80 th Ave SE and 77 th Ave SE. The bike lanes have been moved back to 77 th and on street parking has been maintained/expanded on 80 th. 80 th Ave SE
77 th Ave SE
REQUIREMENTS AND INCENTIVES The updated code will include both requirements for ALL development (regardless of building height), and a series of incentive features that will enable developments to achieve bonus building height in exchange for providing public amenities and other features. These incentive features can include both mandatory elements and items which must be provided but give the designer some flexibility. For example, we could structure the code so that in order to gain a 3 rd floor, a developer would be REQUIRED to step back the upper floors, provide additional public parking AND provide a specified level of affordability. In addition, they would have to do ONE of the following: meet a green building standard, contribute to public open space/plaza, OR create a publically accessible courtyard.
DOT EXERCISE The intent of this exercise is to get Stakeholder feedback on which elements should be mandatory for all development and which elements should be elective incentives. Some potential elements are listed, based on the current code and prior Stakeholder Group feedback. You can add more items on the blank sheet that follows. Please place RED dots next to the features that should be MANDATORY for all development, +1, +2 and +3 floors. Please place BLUE dots next to the features that should be ELECTIVES for all development, +1, +2 and +3 floors. Affordable housing Building setbacks from sidewalk Mid block pedestrian connections Public parking Stepped back upper floors Additional building articulation Green building features Underground parking Public art (sculptures, murals, etc) Landscaping, planting areas, etc Arcades, awnings, pergolas, etc Water features/fountains Benches/seating areas Public access to courtyards Contribution to major public plazas Mercerdale Park improvements Contribution to street improvements Improved traffic light timing systems Additional turn lanes Parking meters Civic amenity (branch library/reading room) +3 Floors +2 Floors +1 Floors All Development
+3 Floors +2 Floors +1 Floors All Development