Form Based Code

The State Street Corridor

By: Katherine McDanold, Alyssa Ryan, Nick Bruno, Alyssa Bettinger, & Jared Cole

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Purpose of Form Based Code Chapter 2: Regulating Plan 2.1 Regulating Plan 2.2 Public Space Plan Chapter 3: Public Space Standards 3.1 Thorough-fare Standards 3.2 Civic Space Standards 3.3 Park Plan 3.3.1 Gateway Plaza- South Entrance 3.3.2 Herald Plaza 3.3.3 Dahlquist Square 3.3.4 Artist View Square 3.3.5 Gateway Plaza- North Entrance 3.4 Multi-Use Boardwalk Chapter 4: Urban Regulations 4.1 Frontage Types 4.2 Vision Sheets & Urban Form Standards 4.2.1 Transect 4.5: Residential Base 4.2.2 Transect 4.7: 4.2.3 Transect 5.0: Commercial Core 4.2.4 T5.2 Overlay Zone: Commercial Core/High Density Overlay Appendices A1. Parking A2. Circulation A3. Green Infrastructure

1.1: Vision

Chapter 1: Introduction

The new vision for State Street encompasses residential, commercial and retail uses mixed into the entirety of the main downtown arterial. The plan mimics the historic, small town feel of existing downtown Bellingham. An emphasis is put on a pedestrian friendly environment with the majority of infill occurring on open lots, built up to the sidewalk with parking located in the back of buildings. The multi-use boardwalk, bike lane and numerous parks dotted along State Street would attract alternative modes of transportation and provide opportunities for businesses to spill out onto the street creating a livelier environment.

1.2: Purpose of Form Based Code

The primary purpose of the State Street Form Based Code is to regulate new development in order to achieve a more dynamic and purposeful downtown. The plan includes one overlay zone in the center of State Street and three transect zones, beginning with smaller scale development on both ends of State Street with the core commercial area in the middle. This center overlay zone would enable other main downtown areas to easily expand onto State Street while maintaining primarily residential use on the Northern and Southern most ends of the street. This plan would accommodate higher density living and working areas concentrated in the already existing downtown area which would take pressure off Bellinghams urban growth boundaries and conform to Washington States Growth Management Act.

4.7 5.0 5.2 overlay

2.1: Regulating Plan

Chapter 2: Regulating Plan

N

Key 4.5 4.7 5.0 5.2 overlay

2.2 Public Space Plan

3.1: Through-fare Standards

Chapter 3: Public Space Standards

3.2: Civic Space Standards

1. Gateway Park Description Gateway parks are situated at the entrances of the corridor to welcome people into downtown. They shall consist of paths, benches, and way finding signs to allow visitors to orient themselves in the downtown area The plaza serves as a space for civic activities and for public recreation Size The northern Entrance Park will be 19,050 Sq Ft. The southern Entrance Park will be 90' x 90' (8100 Sq. Ft.) Location (With Current At the entrances to downtown, one by Whatcom Creek (current PSE property) and one on the South Bay Trail (by the Hub Bicycle Collective) Access Accessible from the street or trail on most sides along perimeter. Bicycle racks shall be provided to encourage access by bicycle. Park shall be visible from all entrances. Seating/Tables One seating space shall be provided for every 1000 sq. ft. of park area. One table space shall be provided for every 1,000 sq. ft. of park area. Interactive table spaces (game boards, etc.) are desirable. Ledges may be counted towards both seating and table requirements, but one space can not be counted as both table and seat Landscaping Landscaping shall be a mixture of hard surfaces and planting areas. Native plants are desirable in all areas, but are required to be planted to buffer sensitive areas (Whatcom Creek). Lighting Hours All pathways and Dawn until midnight seating areas shall be lit from dusk until dawn. All corners to open spaces shall be bathed in light to reduce chance of crime.

2. Plaza

The Plaza will Above the current parking be 145' x 117' lot next to the Bellingham (16965 Sq. Herald Building. Ft.)

Accessible from the sidewalk at grade and alley by generous stairs. The park interior shall be visible from the street, and no partitions will be installed to block view of those entering from the alley. Accessible from the sidewalk. A 6 wide footpath through the alley will connect the two areas, with pedestrians receiving priority over vehicles in the alley.

Seating shall be both formal and informal, with a formal seating area designated away from walkway connecting entrances. Moveable tables and chairs in formal seating area are desirable. Ample seating shall be provided. 20% of area may be used for restaurant seating taking up no more than 20% of the seating and tables provided. Additional seating must be provided in the form of ledges, benches, or chairs.

Area shall have a lush landscape setting with predominantly lawn surfaces and planting such as: trees, shrubs, ground cover, and flowers. Landscaping will consist mostly of hard spaces. Planter boxes shall be installed where needed and can double as seating if less than 30 tall.

All pathways and Dawn until midnight seating areas shall be lit from dusk until dawn. All corners to open spaces shall be bathed in light to reduce chance of crime. All pathways and Dawn until midnight seating areas shall be lit from dusk until dawn. All corners to open spaces shall be bathed in light to reduce chance of crime.

3. Square

Squares will allow for spill out dining from adjacent restaurants, as well as provide seating for other visitors to the area

4. Viewing Plaza

Viewing plazas allow visitors to view artists working in a centralized location. It is located in the center of the building with windows into each artists workspace.

Dalquist Alley will be 25' x 117' (2925 Sq Ft), Square between Cafe Dianna's and the PSE Building will be 70' x 117' (8190 Sq Ft.) The Viewing Plaza will be 50' x 50' (2500 Sq. Ft.)

At the current parking lot between Caf Diannas and the Copper Hog, as well as between the Dalquist Building and a new building at Holly and N State St.

In a new building at the corner of Laurel and N State St.

Accessible through one entrance on Seating can be ledges, benches, or chairs. side of building. Safety measures will Space is limited, so seating shall be need to be taken to ensure all areas limited to between 16-24 seats. are visible before entering viewing plaza

Landscaping shall consist mostly of hard surfaces. Planter boxes may be installed if possible.

All pathways and 7 AM to 9 PM seating areas shall be lit during open hours. All corners to open spaces shall be bathed in light to reduce chance of crime.

*All open spaces shall be accessible by emergency vehicles. * All lighting will be required to be done with LED lights.

3.3: Park Plan

3.3.1: Gateway Plaza-South Entrance

The State St corridor has beautiful, natural features at both of its ends. By creating parks by each of these ends, we can better capitalize on the natural wonders that are already present in the downtown. The park on the South Bay Trail allows for bay views for visitors to Size: 90 x 90 (8100 Sq. Ft.) enjoy as they enter downtown Bellingham.

Description

Location: South Bay Trail (by the Hub Bicycle Collective)

3.3.2: Herald Plaza

Description

As the downtown becomes friendlier to alternative forms of transportation, and as the Farmers Market continues to grow in popularity, new spaces will need to be created for people to enjoy their leisure time, as well as repurpose old parking facilities. This plaza, built over top of the parking lot next to the Herald Building, satisfies both those goals, allowing for ample seating for those enjoying a new dish, while still allowing parking below ground. Size:

Location: Above the current parking lot next to the Bellingham Herald Building. 145 x 117 (16965 Sq. Ft.)

3.3.3: Dahlquist Square

Public space can also be used to serve for private use. Allowing restaurants to spill out into the public space creates a vibrant area that encourages exploration. The area between the PSE Building and Cafe Diannas allows for such activities, while still encouraging pedestrians to stroll through.

Description

Location: Between Caf Diannas and the PSE Building; Dalquist Alley Size: 70 x 117 (8190 Sq. Ft.); 25 x 117 (2925 Sq Ft)

3.3.4: Artist Viewing Square

Location: In a new building at the The viewing plaza is a space that will allow for the public to view artists at work, while corner of Laurel and N also offering an escape from the elements. Pedestrians can enter from the corner of State and State St.

Laurel to take in the sights and sounds of local artists working on their craft, while also being Size: protected by a glass cover, which allows for natural light.

Description

50 x 50 (2500 Sq. Ft.)

3.3.5: Gateway Plaza- North Entrance

Description

The State St corridor has beautiful, natural features at both of its ends. By creating parks by each of these ends, we can better capitalize on the natural wonders that are already present in the downtown. The park next to Whatcom Creek welcomes drivers entering from the north, while also allowing pedestrians to sit and enjoy a flowing stream in the middle of the city.

Location: NE corner of York & State along Whatcom Creek Size: 19,050 Sq Ft.

3.4: Multi-Use Boardwalk

This intent of this zone is to allow for pedestrian activity and increased foot traffic in the commercial core. The area is designated as public space and therefore can be used by anyone at anytime. Local business owners may offer spill out seating but may not offer table side service.

Description

3.4: Multi-Use Boardwalk

Funding for the boardwalk will be provided by the city with cooperation from local business owners to provide regular maintenance. Public contact information will be provided to supply comments or concerns.

Description

Chapter 4: Urban Regulations

Stoop

4.1: Frontage types

This frontage is meant for residential homes and is therefore allowed only in transects 4.5 and 4.7. The frontage is considered behind the right of way, and is meant to fall in between the build to line and the right-of-way. Stairs and porches are allowed elements, however width of either must not exceed width of the building.

Pedestrian Right-of-Way line -->

This frontage is meant for commercial buildings and is therefore allowed in all transects. The frontage is considered to fall behind the right of way. If desired, the awning may fall in front of the ROW line, as long as the building adheres to the build-to line of the specific transect. In addition, a cut-out is allowed, as long as it adheres to the facade percentage specified in the design regulations for the transect.

Storefront/Awning

This frontage is meant for commercial or residential buildings and is therefore allowed in transects 4.5, 4.7, and 5.0. The frontage is considered to fall behind the right of way. A cutout of the building facade is the main element in this frontage type. However, the facade percentage must adhere to the building code in the specific transect.

Forecourt

4.1: Frontage types

This frontage is meant only for commercial buildings and is therefore allowed in transects 5.0 and 5.2 The frontage is considered to fall in front of the right of way. This frontage includes a permanent awning covering a portion of the sidewalk. The building frontage may fall into the right of way no more than 8 feet, in an attempt to cover the sidewalk and provide public benefit, and not to act as an obstruction.

Gallery

Arcade

This frontage is meant only for commercial buildings and is therefore allowed in transects 5.0 and 5.2 The frontage is considered to fall in front of the right of way. In this instance, the building itself sits on top of the ledge, again providing cover for the sidewalk, as well as more square footage for the building. The building frontage may fall into the right of way no more than 8 feet, in an attempt to cover the sidewalk and provide public benefit, and not to act as an obstruction.

4.2.1: Vision Sheet

Transect 4.5: Residential Base

This intent of this zone is to allow for residential development that will support a budding commerical core. While mostly residential, buildings will also have some commercial/retail use to provide residents with access to everyday amenities.

Description

Usage types: Residential, Commercial, Retail Civic Frontage Types: Forecourt Stoop Shopfront

4.2.1 Transect 4.5 Urban Form Standards

4.2.2: Vision Sheet

Transect 4.7: Residential/Retail

This intent of this zone is to allow for increasing commercial development in a residential setting. Buildings in this zone should move towards a near equal ratio of commercial and residential use, and should give a sense through architecture of proximity to a downtown core.

Description

Usage types: Residential, Commercial Retail Civic Frontage Types: Stoop Shopfront Forecourt

4.2.2 Transect 4.7 Urban Form Standards

4.2.3: Vision Sheet

Transect 5.0 Commercial Core

This intent of this zone is to function as a commercial core on State Street, leading further into downtown. This area should be primarily made up of commercial or retail space, with a smaller number of residential mixed in. Downtown architecture should also continue to be applied.

Description

Usage types: Residential Commercial Retail Civic Frontage Types: Shopfront Gallery Arcade

4.2.3 Transect 5.0 Urban Form Standards

4.2.4 Vision Sheet

Transect 5.2 Overlay: Commercial Core/High Density Overlay

This intent of this zone is to allow for higher density development on State Street. This area should consist of taller, larger buildings and higher priced residential. Buildings in this zone should be mostly commercial or retail in use.

Description

Usage types: Residential Commercial Retail Civic Frontage Types: Shopfront Gallery Arcade

4.2.4 Transect 5.2 Overlay Urban Form Standards

Appendices
A1. Parking
The development of new surface lots visible from the street will not be allowed. In order to accommodate parking in new buildings, it must be accessed from the alley. This shifts the disruption that coming and going from parking causes from the main thoroughfare and sidewalks to the alley. In some places, alley entry parking will not be feasible because of the steep grade change. This is particularly a problem between E Holly Street and E Rose Street. Access points to these parking lots are to be limited to prevent unnecessary curb cutouts and minimize the disruption of cars crossing the sidewalk. Parking Faade: Parking garage faade should not be exposed at ground floor level along State Street. Shared Parking: This type of parking is encouraged because it allows businesses to share the requirement; it works because different businesses have different hours of operation. An office may be open 9-5, whereas a restaurant will likely be the busiest from the dinner hour on. Goals: Reduce single purpose reserved parking in favor of shared parking that is convenient. Avoid adverse impacts on neighborhoods directly surrounding the downtown. Allow small redevelopment sites flexibility to achieve parking requirements. Requirements: Sites under 10,000 square feet have no minimum parking requirement. Additionally, sites under 15,000 square feet and less than 800 feet from the Downtown WTA Bus Station have no minimum parking requirement. Sites that do not meet the above regulations must adhere to the following: - A minimum of one parking space for each housing unit. Additionally, space per housing unit to be provided for shared parking. -A minimum of one space per 1,000 square feet of non-residential to be provided as shared parking. Miscellaneous: To meet the requirement, parking may be located up to 800 feet away from the building entrance. Parking must have proper signage; shared parking must be clearly marked. When possible, underground parking should be utilized.

A2. Circulation Plan

The focus of State Street should be on a comprehensive multi-modal system. This will shift the street from being dominated by automobiles to a more balanced, fair approach. Pedestrians The safety of pedestrians is very important to increasing the foot traffic that utilizes State Street. Pedestrians feel more comfortable when they know that they can cross the street in a reasonable amount of time. Midblock crossing are another important aspect to make State Street more human-scale. This is because the blocks along State Street are about 500 long. Mid-block crossing are to occur one per block in the middle onethird of the block. Bicycles Because bicycles are the most vulnerable users of the street section, the bicycle lane should be separated from the auto lanes. This will increase bicycle safety because bicycles will have much less interaction with auto traffic; with increased bicycle safety, the amount of riders along State Street should increase. State Streets bike lane will continue to be one-way in the direction that traffic travels.

 Transit The mass transportation that runs on State Street is in the form of a bus. The bus runs four times an hour at peak times, connecting the Downtown Station just off of State Street with the Fairhaven neighborhood. Frequent riders of the line are typically riding most of the lines entirety, rather than stopping along State Street. More frequent stops along the corridor might encourage riders to use the portion that runs along State; one difficulty is that the return route runs along Forest Street, which is a steep block away for most of the corridor. The Whatcom Transit Authoritys Downtown Station is a quick five minute walk from the northern section of State Street. From the station, riders can reach most every part of the city. This makes getting around easy for the residents of State Street; additionally, those who are traveling from other neighborhoods can reach downtown easily, allowing more people who work in the area to the downtown area by bus. The image below shows a pedestrian shed for the Downtown Station. The center of the circle is located at the Station; one quarter mile is the radius. The shed represents a five minute walk for pedestrians. The commercial

core of E. Chestnut is on the edge of the five minute walk. Automobiles State Street is a one-way that is coupled with Forest Street, which is located just to the east. The two lane road is currently made up of lanes that are much wider than they need to be; the reduction in lane size proposed in this plan will make the street-scape feel less wide-open as one drives. The replacement of parallel parking with back-in angle parking makes the process of parking into fewer steps. Back-in angle is more advantageous than pull-in because it eliminates the safety issue of drivers backing almost blindly into traffic.

A3. Green Infrastructure

State Street LED Street Light Plan LED light bulbs use about 1/10 of the energy as traditional light bulbs. Although LED bulbs are more expensive initially, they are more energy efficient and last much longer than traditional light bulbs making them more cost effective in the long run. LED bulbs are becoming more affordable and new technology is allowing for easy implementation along streets. The State Street plan will require all streetlights to use LED light bulbs. The height of street lights along State Street would be 20 feet in order to provide sufficient light for passing cars as well as a human scale feel for pedestrians. Street lights should be placed 40 feet apart rotating with the street trees as described below. Storm-water/ Vegetation Plan on State Street Rain gardens are planted with high absorbent, native vegetation in layers of soil and gravel that filter out water before it enters back into the stormwater system through an outlet at the bottom of the garden. Rain gardens are strategically placed in relatively flat areas with high amounts of runoff that help filter out some of the stormwater before it enters into the storm drain system. They typically are divided into three zones; the outer zone is planted with vegetation that prefers drier conditions while the plants in the middle can tolerate standing water. Rain gardens have proven to be extremely effective in increasing water quality in large bodies of water like Puget Sound. Rain gardens reduce the amount of impervious surface

along streets which reduces the amount of untreated, polluted storm water runoff that enters the bay. They would be an effective method of storm water management in Bellingham as there is currently no treatment for storm water before it enters Bellingham Bay. The added vegetation along streets also enhances the aesthetics of urban areas and encourages more pedestrian traffic. Bioswales are similar to rain gardens, but primarily filter out pollutants and silt rather than water. They have a swaled drainage course with gently sloped sides and are planted with high absorbent, native plants. There is typically an inlet that feeds runoff into the system where it then runs through a wide and shallow ditch to maximize filter time. The water is then discharged into an outlet that feeds into another body of water. Bioswales have also proven to be effective in increasing water quality in bodies of water such as Bellingham Bay. The State Street plan will include rotating rain gardens and bioswales on the four foot vegetation space on each side of the street. Our plan would allow for trees spaced 40 feet apart with potted plants as well as rain gardens and bioswales. In order to be most effective, they will be placed in areas with high runoff. The increased amount of vegetation would also add to the aesthetics of the street and attract pedestrian traffic. The picture below shows a rain garden on the four foot space beside the multiuse boardwalk.

Outdoor Space Plan Green roofs are becoming increasingly popular in major cities around the world as well as Bellingham where green roofs are being installed on many commercial and residential buildings. They have numerous environmental benefits that include providing building insulation and a habitat for wildlife, absorbing rainwater and reducing the urban heat island effect. A typical green roof is planted with vegetation over a waterproof membrane with thick layers of soil in between. In transect zones 4.5 and 4.7, the form based code plan would require 20% of new development be left as open space. Although the plan would not require them, it would encourage the use of green roofs which would count towards the open space requirement. Transect zone 5.0 and the 5.2 overlay zone do not have an open space requirement but the plan would encourage the installation of green roofs on all areas of State Street.