§ 16.20.120.6. Development potential.

Development potential of property in the districts is appropriate for the character of each area. Achieving maximum development potential will depend upon market forces, such as minimum desirable unit size, and development standards, such as minimum lot size, parking requirements, height restrictions, and building setbacks.

Each property has a base intensity defined by the "base approval" row within the maximum intensity table. Development proposals may increase above the base intensity by adding allowed FAR bonuses. The total FAR requested, with bonuses, shall determine whether the project requires streamline or public hearing approval. The plan allows additional FAR pursuant to a multiplier in activity centers; however, in all the DC zoning districts, no additional FAR pursuant to the multiplier is allowed. Only the FAR specifically provided for in the following maximum intensity table, the FAR bonus table and the FAR exemptions table are allowed in the DC zoning districts.

Maximum Intensity

	DC-C	DC-1 (East of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St.)	DC-1 (West of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St.)	DC-2	DC-3	DC-P
Base approval (floor area ratio)	4.0	3.0	3.0	3.0	2.0	0.2 Over park segment where building is located
Bonus approval, streamline (floor area ratio)	Greater than 4.0 and equal to or less than 8.0	Greater than 3.0 and equal to or less than 7.0	Greater than 3.0 and equal to or less than 5.0	Greater than 3.0 and equal to or less than 5.0	Greater than 2.0 and equal to or less than 3.0
Bonus approval, public hearing (floor area ratio)	Greater than 8.0	Greater than 7.0	Greater than 5.0 and equal to or less than 7.0	Greater than 5.0 and equal to or less than 7.0	Greater than 3.0 and equal to or less than 4.0
There shall be no minimum lot area in any downtown center district. Maximum density in any downtown center district shall be limited by FAR. Units per acre do not apply.

 

16.20.120.6.1. Exemptions from FAR calculations.

All areas of a structure are counted to determine the FAR including gross floor area associated with stair and elevator towers and all enclosed common areas, unless noted otherwise. Stand alone parking garages, even with mixed use on the first floor, shall also be calculated toward FAR except those floors of the garage that are entirely underground.

FAR Exemptions	Maximum Exemption Up To:
All Districts
Structured parking areas are exempt from FAR; however, in the DC-2 and DC-3 districts, for any parking garage containing more than twice the minimum required number of parking spaces, the additional parking square footage shall be included in the calculation of the GFA, except those floors that are entirely underground.	Not limited
Square footage of a locally designated historic property which is retained and restored as part of the site is exempt from inclusion in the GFA.	Not limited
Square footage of workforce housing units or square footage (as set forth in the City's workforce housing program) or any inclusionary zoning requirement provided on site.	0.5 FAR
DC-Core Only
Retail uses located on the ground level and second floor when each individual retail unit is over 10,000 s.f. or when 80 percent of retail units has an average size of 10,000 s.f. per unit or when the total s.f. of retail units exceeds 50,000 s.f.	0.5 FAR
Office uses on the exterior of structured parking which make the parking not visible from a street.	0.25 FAR per level
Hotel uses located above the ground floor.	1.5 FAR
DC-1 Only
Retail or office uses located on the ground level.	0.5 FAR
Office or residential uses on the exterior of structured parking which make the parking not visible from a street.	0.25 FAR per level
Retail, restaurants, bars, museums, lobby entrances, hotel public function space or other publicly accessible, permitted nonresidential uses located on the ground level.	0.5 FAR
Hotel uses located above the ground floor.	1.5 FAR
DC-2 Only
Neighborhood scale retail, neighborhood scale cafe or office uses located on ground level.	0.5 FAR
DC-3 Only
Retail, restaurants, bars, museums, lobby entrances, hotel public function space or other permitted nonresidential uses located on the ground level.	0.5 FAR
Retail, restaurants, bars, office, or residential uses located above the ground level on the exterior of structured parking which make the parking not visible from a street.	0.25 FAR per level

 

(Code 1992, § 16.20.120.6.1; Ord. No. 985-G, § 32, 7-15-2010)