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.

Home
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.

These standards apply to all facades that face a public or private street

    1. Attached Housing.

These standards apply to facades of attached housing. For purposes of this section, a grouping of attached houses shall be considered as a single building.

    1. Exceptions.
      1. These standards do not apply when a façade or portion of façade is not visible from a public or private street or further than 60’ away from a street lot line. See Figure 17C.111.325-A.
      1. These standards do not apply to a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit above a detached garage.

Figure 17C.111.325-A. Façade Exemption.

Diagram Description automatically generated with low confidence

  1. Building Articulation Implementation.
    1. Street-facing Facades shall be modulated along the street at least every forty feet. Building modulations may be achieved in any one of the following ways. (R)
      1. A step back or forward in the building wall of at least four feet. See Figure 17C.111.325-B.
      1. For facades no more than two stories high, a bay window or cantilevered bump-out at least four feet (4’) wide and two feet (2’) deep on the ground floor.
      1. A cantilevered bump-out at least four feet (4’) wide and two feet (2’) deep that extends vertically the entire height of the facade.
      1. A covered porch at least ten feet (10’) wide and six feet (6’) deep.
    1. The scale of buildings 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. In addition to the requirement of subsection (C)(1), street-facing Facades thirty feet (30’) or longer shall include at least one of the design features listed below, or a similar treatment, every thirty feet (30’). The modulation implemented to meet subsection (C)(1) may be counted in meeting this requirement. (P)
      1. Design Features.
        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 or bump-outs.
        1. Variation in roof materials, color, pitch, or aspect.
        1. Balconies
        1. Covered porch or patio.
        1. Dormers

Diagram Description automatically generated


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

TABLE 17C.111.325-1

BUILDING ARTICULATION

Street-Facing Facade Width

Requirements

Total Number of Elements

Less than 30 feet

No modulation required from subsection (C)(1)

No design features required from subsection (C)(3)

0

30-40 feet

(not including 40 feet)

No modulation required from subsection (C)(1)

One design feature required from subsection (C)(3)

(modulation feature under (C)(1) may also meet this requirement)

1

40-60 feet

(not including 60 feet)

One modulation required from subsection (C)(1)

One additional design feature required from subsection (C)(3)

2

60-80 feet

(not including 80 feet)

One modulation required from subsection (C)(1)

Two additional design features required from subsection (C)(3)

3

80-90 feet

(not including 90 feet)

Two modulations required from subsection (C)(1)

One additional design feature required from subsection (C)(3)

3

90 feet or more

Two or more modulations required from subsection (C)(1), see subsection (C)(1) for further guidance

Two or more additional design features required from subsection (C)(3), see subsection (C)(3) for further guidance

4+
  1. Consideration for Historic Features.

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, January 27, 2025

Effective Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025

ORD C36629 Section 9