Council agrees on heights

  • Sue Waldburger<br>Enterprise writer
  • Monday, March 3, 2008 11:28am

After two years of back-and-forth on building heights in the downtown business zone, Edmonds looks to be close to agreeing on a height limit of 25 feet plus 5 additional feet for alternative designs.

The Edmonds City Council decided Tuesday night, March 21, to discuss in detail and likely vote on the building-heights issue during the March 28 council meeting.

The decision followed a presentation by planning manager Rob Chave, whose easy-to-follow visual examples drew compliments from council members. His suggested implementation rules, along with “decision points” shared by Duane Bowman, development services director, will be the focus of the March 28 discussion.

Chave’s presentation zeroed in on these height-determination factors:

• A base height of 25 feet

• Maximum building height at the street/opposite property line of 25 feet above grade (average grade at back of sidewalk) or 30 feet above average grade, whichever is less

• Allow an additional five feet for step backs for all parts of the building exceeding the 25-feet base height

• Make provision for decorative cornices, parapets or features such as roof-top decks, clock towers or steeply pitched roofs

With the decision points, Bowman suggested the council consider including confirmation of at least 12-foot first-floor heights in downtown commercial areas, confirmation of at-street-grade first-floors and entries in the commercial areas and that there be a maximum of two stories at the street with a possible third story if set back from the street front.

Parking requirements also could be waived for small commercial buildings, Bowman suggested.

The goal of the implementation rules, according to staff, is to allow originality and diversity of design while adhering to structural basics that convey the aesthetic and practical considerations the council — through input from the public — considers most important.

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