Commercial Design Standards Adopted

Following discussions and public input at the June 4^th City Council meeting, and after further discussions and public input at a June 11^th public hearing, the City Council passed the Commercial Design Standards on a vote of 4-2, with Councilors Tiffany, Claassen, Procetto, and Drew voting in favor, and Councilors Powell and Briscoe voting in opposition. Since it was not a tie vote, Mayor Schamehorn could not vote.

The final Commercial Design Standards, as amended by the City Council, generally include regulations regarding landscaping; building design, mass, scale, and use of materials; and lighting for commercial construction in the General Commercial (C-2) Zone, and on those properties zoned Light Industrial (LI) abutting Highway 101. The regulations apply to new buildings over 2,500 square feet, but exempt buildings existing at the time the ordinance was adopted which are less that 5,000 square feet, unless such existing buildings are enlarged such that the resulting building is greater than 5,000 square feet. In addition to perimeter landscaping requirements for all parking lots, the new regulations require additional landscaping and tree planting for all parking lots with more than 40 spaces. The ordinance adopting the regulations contained an emergency clause, and therefore took effect immediately upon their adoption.