Municipal Code

Title 17C Land Use Standards

Section 17C.124.210 Floor to Area Ratio

Purpose.
Floor area ratios (FARs) regulate the amount of use (the intensity) allowed on a site. FARs provide one means to match the potential amount of uses with the desired character of the area and the provision of public services. FARs also work with the height and setback standards to control the overall bulk of development.
FAR Standard.
The floor area ratios are stated in Table 17C.124.210-1. To determine the allowed gross floor area of all structures allowed on a site, the FAR in the Table 17C.124.210-1 below is multiplied by the area of the lot. The following are excluded from FAR calculations:
1. Floor area dedicated to parking.
2. Elevators, staircases, escalators, and mechanical spaces.
3. Exterior decks, porches, and arcades open to the air.
4. Floor area dedicated to public amenities.

Table 17C.124.210-1 Development Standards [1]
Standard	DTC (Downtown Core)	DTG (Downtown General)	DTU (Downtown University)	DTS (Downtown South)
Maximum FAR [2]	No Limit	6	6	4
Maximum height [3]	No Limit	12 Stories [3]	12 Stories [3]	12 Stories [3]
Minimum setback from street lot line [4,5]	0 ft.	0 ft.	0 ft.	0 ft.
Minimum setback from R-zoned lots [5]	10 ft.	10 ft.	10 ft.	10 ft.
Minimum setback from lot lines [5]	0 ft.	0 ft.	0 ft.	0 ft.
Minimum front lot line	10 ft	10 ft.	10 ft.	10 ft.
Landscaping required [6]	[6]	[6]	[6]	[6]
Parking required [7]	[7]	[7]	[7]	[7]
Notes: [1] Plan district or overlay zone standards may supersede these standards. [2] The FAR limits apply to non-residential development. There is no FAR limit for residential uses under the maximum height limit. [3] These standards apply within downtown zones that do not have a specific height specified on the zoning map. Additional height, massing, and bonus height standards are found within SMC 17C.124.220, Height and Massing. [4] These standards may be superseded by the required minimum sidewalk width. See SMC 17C.124.230. No permanent encroachments into the right-of-way are allowed at ground level. [5] Structure setbacks are measured from the lot line. [6] This part of the table is for general information purposes only; see chapter 17C.200 SMC, Landscaping and Screening, for the specific standards. [7] This part of the table is for general information purposes only; see chapter 17C.230 SMC, Parking and Loading, for the specific standards.

Date Passed: Monday, January 11, 2016

Effective Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2016

ORD C35346 Section 7

Spokane Municipal Code