City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 17C
Chapter 17C.111
Section 17C.111.325
 

Title 17C Land Use Standards

Chapter 17C.111 Residential Zones

Section 17C.111.325 Building Articulation
  1. Purpose.

To ensure that buildings along any public or private street display the greatest amount of visual interest and reinforce the residential scale of the streetscape and neighborhood.

  1. Applicability.

The following standards apply to all building facades that face a public or private street, except those that are separated from the street by another building. The standards apply to facades of attached housing irrespective of underlying lot lines.

  1. Building Articulation Implementation.
  1. Buildings must be modulated along the street at least every thirty feet. Building modulations must step the building wall back or forward at least four feet. See Figure 17C.11325-A. (R)
  1. The scale of buildings must be moderated to create a human scale streetscape by including vertical and horizontal delineation as expressed by bays, belt lines, doors, or windows. (P)
  1. Horizontal street-facing facades longer than thirty feet must include at least four of the following design features per façade. At least one of these features must be used every thirty feet. (P)
    1. Varied building heights.
    1. Use of different materials.
    1. Different colors.
    1. Offsets.
    1. Projecting roofs (minimum of twelve inches).
    1. Recesses.
    1. Bay windows.
    1. Variation in roof materials, color, pitch, or aspect.
    1. Balconies
    1. Covered porch or patio.
    1. Dormers

Figure 17C.111.325-A. Building Articulation for Long Facades

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  1. The following standard applies when detached housing units or individual units of attached housing have street-facing facades that are thirty feet or less in width. Each such unit shall provide variation from adjacent units by using one or more of the following design features (see Figure 17C.111.325-B):
    1. Street setbacks that differ by at least four feet.
    1. Building heights that differ by at least four feet.
    1. Use of different materials for the primary façade.
    1. Variation in roof materials, color, pitch, or aspect.

Figure 17C.111.325-B. Building Variation for Narrow Facades

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  1. Development should reduce the potential impact of new housing on established and historic neighborhoods by incorporating elements and forms from nearby buildings. This may include reference to architectural details, building massing, proportionality, and use of high-quality materials such as wood, brick, and stone. (C)

Date Passed: Monday, November 20, 2023

Effective Date: Monday, January 1, 2024

ORD C36459 Section 16