Low-Impact Development Code Update: UGAs PUBLIC HEARING Thurston - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Low-Impact Development Code Update: UGAs PUBLIC HEARING

Thurston County Planning Commission August 17, 2016 Allison Osterberg, Senior Planner Resource Stewardship Department

What is LID?

• Ecology definition:

Low-impact development (LID) is a stormwater and land use management strategy that strives to mimic pre-disturbance hydrologic processes of infiltration, filtration, storage, evaporation, and transpiration by emphasizing conservation, use of on-site natural features, site planning, and distributed stormwater management practices that are integrated into a project design.

• Key LID Principles
• Conserve vegetation
• Reduce and disconnect impervious surfaces
• Infiltrate runoff on site

Thurston County http://www.co.thurston.wa.us

LID Best Management Practices

Bullet Points? Information? Photos? Rain Garden Porous Pavement Bioretention Area

Why do we need to update the codes?

• NPDES Municipal Stormwater Permit, reissued in 2013
• Review codes to make LID the “preferred and commonly-used

approach to site development”

• Should consider measures to minimize:
• Impervious surfaces
• Loss of native vegetation
• Stormwater runoff
• Deadline: December 31, 2016

How are the codes reviewed?

• Interjurisdictional Work Group
• Discussed codes for Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and UGAs
• City Review Process
• City staff propose initial changes
• Routed through City Planning Commissions and Councils
• Internal County Workgroup
• Multiple county departments
• Reviewed recommended changes from cities
• Thurston County Planning Commission
• Board of Commissioners – Final Adoption

Lacey UGA – TCC 21

Changes Related to LID

• Adds definitions for LID facility, LID principles, native vegetation,

permeable paving, rain garden, vegetated LID facility, vegetated roofs

• LID facilities are explicitly permitted within front, side, and rear yard

setbacks

• Landscaping requirements are removed from individual zoning

chapters and consolidated in the Landscaping chapter (21.80)

• Requirement that screening and landscaping use native or drought

tolerant vegetation

• Additional specificity on what to include in a landscape plan

Lacey UGA (TCC 21)

Consistency Changes

• Update lot size, yard setbacks, and coverage limits
• Low-density residential 0-4
• Low-density residential 3-6
• Moderate density residential
• High density residential
• Update permitted uses
• Moderate Density Residential: 6-12 units per parcel; parcels >10 acres

must provide a mix of housing types with 50% multifamily

• High Density Residential: 12-24 units; parcels >10 acres must provide a

mix of housing types with 50% multifamily

• Removes zoning street types – to consolidate into street standards

Lacey UGA (TCC 21)

Consistency Changes

• Update parking standards
• Makes minimum required parking optional
• Establishes standards for required bicycle parking
• Allows discretion for parking spaces above or below the min/max
• Establishes parking ratio for mixed use development
• Update landscaping standards
• Shifts focus on native plant materials, rather than emphasis on grass
• More enforceable standards for different types of landscaping
• Removes standards for open space in multifamily projects

Tumwater UGA (TCC 22)

LID-related Changes

• Add definitions for hardscape, impervious surface, native vegetation,

permeable pavement, pervious surface

• Encourage use of LID stormwater management facilities in site design
• Landscape plan required to be prepared by a licensed WA landscape

architect, certified nurseryman, or certified landscaper

• Landscaping required to use native plants and soils whenever possible
• Pervious materials allowed and preferred for surface parking
• Parking: Allow a maximum of 15% compact stalls, 8 x 15 feet
• Multifamily High Density Residential Zone: Sets impervious coverage
• f 70% (previously building coverage only)
• Mixed Use Zone: Limit impervious surface coverage to 85% (previously

building and parking coverage)

Tumwater UGA (TCC 22)

Consistency Changes

• Update parking standards
• Updated intent section, more design emphasis on pedestrian use
• Establishes standards for required bicycle parking
• Remove credit for on-street parking
• New process for allowing increases to parking
• Exempt parking in structures from required limit
• Revised parking space requirements for some uses (multifamily, banks,

shopping centers, warehouses, medical clinics, etc

• Update landscaping standards
• Landscaping plan required for multifamily or manufactured homes (5+

units), or building expansions over 4,000 sq ft or 25%

Olympia UGA (TCC 23)

LID-related Changes

• Adds definitions
• Decreases allowed max impervious surfaces
• Sets limits for hard surfaces
• Credit for optional clustering, 65/10
• Credit for vegetated roofs (NR zone)
• “Soil and vegetation plan” rather than tree plan
• 60% native vegetation required in landscaping
• “Small space” rather than compact space
• New process for increasing or decreasing allowed parking
• Pervious materials allowed for all parking areas, not only overflow
• Smaller aisle widths

Olympia UGA (TCC 23)

Consistency Changes

• Update landscaping standards
• Updates screening standards for waste containers and storage
• Requires landscaping plans for four or fewer multifamily units
• Update parking standards
• Expands credit for on-street parking for all non-residential uses
• Updates bicycle parking requirements and design standards
• Encourages location of surface parking at rear of building

Questions?

Staff Contact

Allison Osterberg

• sterba@co.thurston.wa.us

(360) 754-3355 x7011

Project Website

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/waterresources/lid