state street form based code

7/28/2019 State Street Form Based Code

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Form Based Code

By: Katherine McDanold, Alyssa Ryan, Nick Bruno, Alyssa Bettinger, & Jared Cole

The State Street Corridor


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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction1.2 Purpose of Form Based Code

Chapter 2: Regulating Plan

2.1 Regulating Plan2.2 Public Space Plan

Chapter 3: Public Space Standards

3.1 Thorough-fare Standards3.2 Civic Space Standards3.3 Park Plan

3.3.1 Gateway Plaza- South Entrance

3.3.2 Herald Plaza3.3.3 Dahlquist Square3.3.4 Artist View Square3.3.5 Gateway Plaza- North Entrance

3.4 Multi-Use Boardwalk

Chapter 4: Urban Regulations

4.1 Frontage Types4.2 Vision Sheets & Urban Form Standards

4.2.1 Transect 4.5: Residential Base4.2.2 Transect 4.7:4.2.3 Transect 5.: Commercial Core4.2.4 T5.2 Overlay Zone: Commercial Core/High Density Overlay

Appendices

A1. ParkingA2. CirculationA3. Green Infrastructure


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1.1: Vision

1.2: Purpose of Form Based Code

Chapter 1: Introduction

e new vision for State Street encompasses residential, commercial and retail uses mixed into the entirety

of the main downtown arterial. e plan mimics the historic, small town feel of existing downtown Belling-ham. An emphasis is put on a pedestrian friendly environment with the majority of inll occurring on openlots, built up to the sidewalk with parking located in the back of buildings. e multi-use boardwalk, bikelane and numerous parks dotted along State Street would attract alternative modes of transportation andprovide opportunities for businesses to spill out onto the street creating a livelier environment.

e primary purpose of the State Street Form Based Code is to regulate new development in order toachieve a more dynamic and purposeful downtown. e plan includes one overlay zone in the center ofState Street and three transect zones, beginning with smaller scale development on both ends of StateStreet with the core commercial area in the middle. is center overlay zone would enable other maindowntown areas to easily expand onto State Street while maintaining primarily residential use on theNorthern and Southern most ends of the street. is plan would accommodate higher density living andworking areas concentrated in the already existing downtown area which would take pressure o Belling-hams urban growth boundaries and conform to Washington States Growth Management Act.


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N

4.5

4.7

5.0

5.2 overlay

Key

Chapter 2: Regulating Plan2.1: Regulating Plan

2.2 Public Space Plan


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Chapter 3: Public Space Standards3.1: Through-fare Standards


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3.2: Civic Space Standards

Description Size Location (With Current Access Seating/Tables Landscaping Lighting Hours

1. Gateway

Park

Gateway parks are

situated at the entrances

of the corridor to

welcome people into

downtown. They shallconsist of paths,

benches, and way finding

signs to allow visitors to

orient themselves in the

downtown area

The northern

Entrance Park

will be 19,050

Sq Ft. The

southernEntrance Park

will be 90' x

90' (8100 Sq.

Ft.)

At the entrances to

downtown, one by

Whatcom Creek (current

PSE property) and one

on the South Bay Trail(by the Hub Bicycle

Collective)

Accessible from the street or trail on

most sides along perimeter. Bicycle

racks shall be provided to encourage

access by bicycle. Park shall be

visible from all entrances.

One seating space shall be provided for

every 1000 sq. ft. of park area. One table

space shall be provided for every 1,000

sq. ft. of park area. Interactive table

spaces (game boards, etc.) are desirable.Ledges may be counted towards both

seating and table requirements, but one

space can not be counted as both table

and seat

Landscaping shall be a

mixture of hard surfaces and

planting areas. Native plants

are desirable in all areas,

but are required to beplanted to buffer sensitive

areas (Whatcom Creek).

All pathways and

seating areas shall be lit

from dusk until dawn.

All corners to open

spaces shall be bathedin light to r educe

chance of crime.

Dawn until midnight

2. Plaza The plaza serves as a

space for civic activities

and for public recreation

The Plaza will

be 145' x 117'

(16965 Sq.

Ft.)

Above the current parking

lot next to the Bellingham

Herald Building.

Accessible from the sidewalk at grade

and alley by generous stairs. The

park interior shall be visible from the

street, and no partitions will be

installed to block view of those

entering from the alley.

Seating shall be both formal and informal,

with a formal seating area designated

away from walkway connecting entrances.

Moveable tables and chairs in formal

seating area are desirable. Ample seating

shall be provided.

Area shall have a lush

landscape setting with

predominantly lawn surfaces

and planting such as: trees,

shrubs, ground cover, and

flowers.

All pathways and



All corners to open

spaces shall be bathed

in light to r educe

chance of crime.

Dawn until midnight

3. Square Squares wil l allow forspill out dining from

adjacent restaurants, as

well as provide seating

for other visitors to the

area

Dalquist Alleywill be 25' x

117' (2925 Sq

Ft), Square

between Cafe

Dianna's and

the PSE

Building will

be 70' x 117'

(8190 Sq Ft.)

At the current parking lotbetween Caf Diannas

and the Copper Hog, as

well as between the

Dalquist Building and a

new building at Holly and

N State St.

Accessible from the sidewalk. A 6wide footpath through the alley will

connect the two areas, with

pedestrians receiving priority over

vehicles in the alley.

20% of area may be used for restaurantseating taking up no more than 20% of the

seating and tables provided. Additional

seating must be provided in the form of

ledges, benches, or chairs.

Landscaping will consistmostly of hard spaces.

Planter boxes shall be

installed where needed and

can double as seating if less

than 30 tall.

All pathways andseating areas shall be lit


All corners to open

spaces shall be bathed

in light to r educe

chance of crime.

Dawn until midnight

4. Viewing

Plaza

Viewing plazas allow

visitors to view artists

working in a centralized

location. It is located in

the center of the building

with windows into each

artists workspace.

The Viewing

Plaza will be

50' x 50' (2500

Sq. Ft.)

In a new building at the

corner of Laurel and N

State St.

Accessible through one entrance on

side of building. Safety measures will

need to be taken to ensure all areas

are visible before entering viewing

plaza

Seating can be ledges, benches, or chairs.

Space is limited, so seating shall be

limited to between 16-24seats.

Landscaping shall consist

mostly of hard surfaces.

Planter boxes may be

installed if possible.

All pathways and


during open hours. All

corners to open spaces

shall be bathed in light

to reduce chance of

crime.

7 AM to 9 PM

*All open spaces shall be accessible by emergency vehicles.

* All lighting will be required to be done with LED lights.


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3.3.1: Gateway Plaza-South Entrance

3.3: Park Plan

L:

S B T (

H B C)

S:

90 x 90 (800 S. F.)

Description

S S , . B , . S B T j B.


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3.3.2: Herald Plaza

L:

A -

x B-

H B-

.

S:

x (696 S.

F.)

DescriptionA ,

F M , j , . , x H B, , j , .


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3.3.3: Dahlquist Square

L:

B C D

PSE B;

D A

S:

0 x (890 S. F.);

x (9 S F)

Description

P . A x. PSE B C D , - .


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3.3.4: Artist Viewing Square

L:

I

L N

S S.

S:

0 x 0 (00 S. F.)

Description

, . P S L , , .


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3.3.5: Gateway Plaza- North Entrance

L:

NE Y

S W

C

S:

9,00 S F.

Description S S , . B

, . x W C , j .


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3.4: Multi-Use Boardwalk

Description

is intent of this zone is to allow for pedestrian activity and increasedfoot trac in the commercial core. e area is designated as public spaceand therefore can be used by anyone at anytime. Local business owners mayoer spill out seating but may not oer table side service.


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3.4: Multi-Use Boardwalk

Description

Funding for the boardwalk will be provided by the city with cooper-ation from local business owners to provide regular maintenance. Publiccontact information will be provided to supply comments or concerns.


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Chapter 4: Urban Regulations4.1: Frontage types

is frontage is meant for residentialhomes and is therefore allowed only intransects 4.5 and 4.7. e frontage is

considered behind the right of way, and ismeant to fall in between the build to lineand the right-of-way. Stairs and porchesare allowed elements, however widthof either must not exceed width of thebuilding.

is frontage is meant for commercial build-ings and is therefore allowed in all transects.e frontage is considered to fall behindthe right of way. If desired, the awning mayfall in front of the ROW line, as long as thebuilding adheres to the build-to line of thespecic transect. In addition, a cut-out isallowed, as long as it adheres to the facadepercentage specied in the design regulationsfor the transect.

is frontage is meant for commercialor residential buildings and is thereforeallowed in transects 4.5, 4.7, and 5.0. efrontage is considered to fall behind theright of way. A cutout of the buildingfacade is the main element in this front-age type. However, the facade percentage

must adhere to the building code in thespecic transect.

Stoop

Storefront/Awning

Forecourt

Pedestrian Right-of-Wayline -->


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4.1: Frontage types

is frontage is meant only for com-mercial buildings and is thereforeallowed in transects 5.0 and 5.2 e

frontage is considered to fall in frontof the right of way. is frontage in-cludes a permanent awning covering aportion of the sidewalk. e buildingfrontage may fall into the right of wayno more than 8 feet, in an attempt tocover the sidewalk and provide publicbenet, and not to act as an obstruc-tion.

is frontage is meant only for com-mercial buildings and is thereforeallowed in transects 5.0 and 5.2 efrontage is considered to fall in frontof the right of way. In this instance, thebuilding itself sits on top of the ledge,again providing cover for the sidewalk,as well as more square footage for the

building. e building frontage may fallinto the right of way no more than 8feet, in an attempt to cover the sidewalkand provide public benet, and not toact as an obstruction.

Gallery

Arcade


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U :

R,

C,

R

C

F T:

F

S

S

4.2.1: Vision Sheet

Description

is intent of this zone is to allow for residential development that willsupport a budding commerical core. While mostly residential, buildings willalso have some commercial/retail use to provide residents with access toeveryday amenities.

Transect 4.5: Residential Base


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4.2.1 Transect 4.5 Urban Form Standards


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U :

R,

C

R

C

F T:

S

S

F

Description

is intent of this zone is to allow for increasing commercial develop-ment in a residential setting. Buildings in this zone should move towards anear equal ratio of commercial and residential use, and should give a sensethrough architecture of proximity to a downtown core.

4.2.2: Vision Sheet

Transect 4.7: Residential/Retail


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4.2.2 Transect 4.7 Urban Form Standards


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U :R

C

R

C

F T:

S

G

A

Description

is intent of this zone is to function as a commercial core on StateStreet, leading further into downtown. is area should be primarily madeup of commercial or retail space, with a smaller number of residential mixedin. Downtown architecture should also continue to be applied.

4.2.3: Vision Sheet

Transect 5. Commercial Core


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4.2.3 Transect 5. Urban Form Standards


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4.2.4 Vision Sheet

U :

R

C

R

C

F T:

S

G

A

Description

is intent of this zone is to allow for higher density development onState Street. is area should consist of taller, larger buildings and higherpriced residential. Buildings in this zone should be mostly commercial orretail in use.

Transect 5.2 Overlay: Commercial Core/High Density Overlay


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4.2.4 Transect 5.2 Overlay Urban Form Standards


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AppendicesA1. Parking

e development of new surface lots visible from the street willnot be allowed. In order to accommodate parking in new buildings, itmust be accessed from the alley. is shis the disruption that coming

and going from parking causes from the main thoroughfare and side-walks to the alley. In some places, alley entry parking will not be feasiblebecause of the steep grade change. is is particularly a problem betweenE Holly Street and E Rose Street. Access points to these parking lots are tobe limited to prevent unnecessary curb cutouts and minimize the disrup-tion of cars crossing the sidewalk.

Parking Faade: Parking garage faade should not be exposed at groundoor level along State Street.Shared Parking: is type of parking is encouraged because it allowsbusinesses to share the requirement; it works because dierent businesseshave dierent hours of operation. An oce may be open 9-5, whereas arestaurant will likely be the busiest from the dinner hour on.

Goals: Reduce single purpose reserved parking in favor of shared parking

that is convenient. Avoid adverse impacts on neighborhoods directly surrounding the

downtown.

Allow small redevelopment sites exibility to achieve parking require-ments.

Requirements: Sites under 10,000 square feet have no minimum parking require-

ment. Additionally, sites under 15,000 square feet and less than 800feet from the Downtown WTA Bus Station have no minimum parkingrequirement.

Sites that do not meet the above regulations must adhere to the fol-lowing:

- A minimum of one parking space for each housing unit. Addi-

tionally, space per housing unit to be provided for shared parking.-A minimum of one space per 1,000 square feet of non-residential

to be provided as shared parking.

Miscellaneous: To meet the requirement, parking may be located up to 800 feet away

from the building entrance. Parking must have proper signage; shared parking must be clearly

marked. When possible, underground parking should be utilized.

A2. Circulation Plane focus of State Street should be on a comprehensive multi-modal sys-tem. is will shi the street from being dominated by automobiles to amore balanced, fair approach.

Pedestrianse safety of pedestrians is very important to increasing the foot tracthat utilizes State Street. Pedestrians feel more comfortable when theyknow that they can cross the street in a reasonable amount of time. Mid-block crossing are another important aspect to make State Street more

human-scale. is is because the blocks along State Street are about 500long. Mid-block crossing are to occur one per block in the middle one-third of the block.

BicyclesBecause bicycles are the most vulnerable users of the street section, thebicycle lane should be separated from the auto lanes. is will increasebicycle safety because bicycles will have much less interaction with autotrac; with increased bicycle safety, the amount of riders along StateStreet should increase. State Streets bike lane will continue to be one-wayin the direction that trac travels.


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Transite mass transportation that runs on State Street is in the form of a bus.e bus runs four times an hour at peak times, connecting the DowntownStation just o of State Street with the Fairhaven neighborhood. Frequentriders of the line are typically riding most of the lines entirety, rather thanstopping along State Street. More frequent stops along the corridor might

encourage riders to use the portion that runs along State; one diculty isthat the return route runs along Forest Street, which is a steep block awayfor most of the corridor.

e Whatcom Transit Authoritys Downtown Station is a quick ve min-ute walk from the northern section of State Street. From the station, riderscan reach most every part of the city. is makes getting around easy forthe residents of State Street; additionally, those who are traveling fromother neighborhoods can reach downtown easily, allowing more peoplewho work in the area to the downtown area by bus.

e image below shows a pedestrian shed for the Downtown Station. ecenter of the circle is located at the Station; one quarter mile is the radius.e shed represents a ve minute walk for pedestrians. e commercial

core of E. Chestnut is on the edge of the ve minute walk.

AutomobilesState Street is a one-way that is coupled with Forest Street, which is locat-ed just to the east. e two lane road is currently made up of lanes thatare much wider than they need to be; the reduction in lane size proposedin this plan will make the street-scape feel less wide-open as one drives.

e replacement of parallel parking with back-in angle parking makesthe process of parking into fewer steps. Back-in angle is more advanta-geous than pull-in because it eliminates the safety issue of drivers backingalmost blindly into trac.

A3. Green Infrastructure

State Street LED Street Light PlanLED light bulbs use about 1/10 of the energy as traditional light bulbs. Al-

though LED bulbs are more expensive initially, they are more energy e-cient and last much longer than traditional light bulbs making them morecost eective in the long run. LED bulbs are becoming more aordableand new technology is allowing for easy implementation along streets.e State Street plan will require all streetlights to use LED light bulbs.e height of street lights along State Street would be 20 feet in order toprovide sucient light for passing cars as well as a human scale feel forpedestrians. Street lights should be placed 40 feet apart rotating with thestreet trees as described below.

Storm-water/ Vegetation Plan on State StreetRain gardens are planted with high absorbent, native vegetation in layersof soil and gravel that lter out water before it enters back into the storm-water system through an outlet at the bottom of the garden. Rain gardensare strategically placed in relatively at areas with high amounts of runothat help lter out some of the stormwater before it enters into the stormdrain system. ey typically are divided into three zones; the outer zoneis planted with vegetation that prefers drier conditions while the plantsin the middle can tolerate standing water. Rain gardens have proven tobe extremely eective in increasing water quality in large bodies of water

like Puget Sound. Rain gardens reduce the amount of impervious surface


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along streets which reduces the amount of untreated, polluted storm wa-ter runo that enters the bay. ey would be an eective method of stormwater management in Bellingham as there is currently no treatment forstorm water before it enters Bellingham Bay. e added vegetation alongstreets also enhances the aesthetics of urban areas and encourages morepedestrian trac.

Bioswales are similar to rain gardens, but primarily lter out pollutantsand silt rather than water. ey have a swaled drainage course with gentlysloped sides and are planted with high absorbent, native plants. ereis typically an inlet that feeds runo into the system where it then runsthrough a wide and shallow ditch to maximize lter time. e water isthen discharged into an outlet that feeds into another body of water.Bioswales have also proven to be eective in increasing water quality inbodies of water such as Bellingham Bay.

e State Street plan will include rotating rain gardens and bioswales onthe four foot vegetation space on each side of the street. Our plan wouldallow for trees spaced 40 feet apart with potted plants as well as raingardens and bioswales. In order to be most eective, they will be placedin areas with high runo. e increased amount of vegetation wouldalso add to the aesthetics of the street and attract pedestrian trac. epicture below shows a rain garden on the four foot space beside the multi-use boardwalk.

Outdoor Space PlanGreen roofs are becoming increasingly popular in major cities aroundthe world as well as Bellingham where green roofs are being installed onmany commercial and residential buildings. ey have numerous envi-ronmental benets that include providing building insulation and a hab-itat for wildlife, absorbing rainwater and reducing the urban heat islandeect. A typical green roof is planted with vegetation over a waterproof

membrane with thick layers of soil in between.In transect zones 4.5 and 4.7, the form based code plan would require20% of new development be le as open space. Although the plan wouldnot require them, it would encourage the use of green roofs which wouldcount towards the open space requirement. Transect zone 5.0 and the 5.2overlay zone do not have an open space requirement but the plan wouldencourage the installation of green roofs on all areas of State Street.


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