Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17C Land Use Standards

Chapter 17C.350 Mini-storage Facilities

Section 17C.350.040 Design Considerations

The following exterior design requirements apply to a mini-storage facility when located adjacent to or across a right-of-way from a residentially zoned or developed property. The site development plan is subject to approval by the City design review board for a determination as to the consistency of the plans with the design guidelines adopted by the city council pursuant to Resolution No. 2000-84.

Table 17C.350.040-1 Coverage, Height and Length
Zone	Maximum Site Coverage	Building Length	Building Height
CB	50%	60 feet	2 stories or 24 feet
GC	100%	[1]	As limited in the base zone
Downtown	[2]	[2]	[2]
LI and PI	50%	60 feet	2 stories or 24 feet
HI	75%	100 feet	3 stories or 45 feet
[1] Building length subject to underlying zone requirements. [2] Coverage, height and length requirements of downtown zones apply.

1. Architectural Features.

Architectural features are to be consistent with the character of the surrounding neighborhood. The following are minimum standards.

1. 1. Minimum roof pitch is 4:12, except in the downtown zones.

1. 2. Colors are to be muted earth tones including but not limited to gray, off-white and beige.

1. 3. Exterior vertical surfaces require fifty percent of the area to be materials such as decorative brick veneer, stone, stucco, textured block, and other materials which reflect residential design elements.

1. 4. Unique architectural features such as towers, turrets and pergolas are subject to the standards of this subsection and are subject to review by the design review board for a determination of consistency with the neighborhood character.

1. 5. Access points, except for emergency access, may not be from a local access street.

1. 6. Fencing is required to be low-maintenance material and articulation at intervals no greater than twenty feet. Chain-link fencing is not permitted.

1. 7. Display and floodlighting is required to be constructed, shielded and used so as not to directly illuminate, or create glare visible from, adjacent property or public right-of-way.

1. 8. A building or series of buildings parallel with and adjacent to residentially zoned or developed property or street frontage must have staggered setbacks for every seventy feet of lineal development, except in the downtown zones. The setback alternates between the minimum and the minimum plus ten feet for every seventy feet of lineal development. There must be at least ten feet of separation between buildings.

2. Signs.

Signs are subject to chapter 17C.240 SMC except as provided in this subsection.

1. 1. Roof signs and flashing or animated signs are prohibited.

1. 2. Signs may be illuminated to low intensity only.

1. 3. One wall sign, not to exceed one hundred square feet, is permitted on each street frontage except a sign visible from a local access street is not permitted.

1. 4. One freestanding sign, not to exceed twenty feet in height nor forty square feet in area, is permitted at the main entrance.

1. 5. A site abutting Interstate 90 may have one freeway sign on-site advertising the facility if no higher than seventy feet, no larger than sixty square feet, and located so as to minimize impacts on residential areas.

3. Landscaping and Screening.

The following landscaping and screening requirements apply to all mini-storage facilities:

1. 1. All setback areas shall be landscaped with a variety of trees, shrubs and ground cover plants consistent with L2 landscaping as defined under chapter 17C.200 SMC, Landscaping and Screening.

1. 2. A solid wall, a screening fence or a combination of both achieving a perimeter screening to a minimum of six feet in height is required and shall be located so that a minimum of seventy-five percent of the landscaping area is outside the fence.

1. 3. A landscape plan prepared by a landscape architect licensed by the state of Washington and approved by the planning and economic development services department shall be required prior to the issuance of any building permits for a mini-storage facility.

1. 4. A performance bond or other device acceptable to the City, in the amount of twenty-five percent of the estimated value of the required landscaping, to remain in effect for two years to assure full establishment of the plantings must be tendered before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

1. 5. All use of the site shall comply with the City noise standards stated in Title 10 SMC, Regulation of Activities. In addition, the department of ecology has standards, which apply to environments within which maximum permissible noise levels are established.

1. 6. In the CB and GC zones, outdoor storage of vehicles shall be allowed only if it can be demonstrated that the storage items will be screened from view of the adjoining right-of-way or adjacent residences.

Date Passed: Monday, December 14, 2009

Effective Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Ordinance C34530 Section 21