Note: Former Ch. 18.24, Regional Commercial Center (RC) District, derived from Ord. 2741; Ord. 2758; and Ord. 2765, was repealed by Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025.
A. 
This district implements the Regional Commercial (RC) Comprehensive Plan designation. It is intended to provide for areas characterized by residential, mixed-use, commercial services, offices, lodging, entertainment, and retail uses.
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)
A. 
Refer to TMC Chapter 18.09, "Land Uses Allowed by District." Parcels within a Commercial Redevelopment Area may be permitted to aggregate with, and use the development standards and permitted uses of, any adjacent parcel within the RC zoning district, pursuant to TMC Section 18.60.100.
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)
A. 
No on-site hazardous substance processing and handling, or hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities shall be permitted, unless clearly incidental and secondary to a permitted use. On-site hazardous waste treatment and storage facilities shall be subject to the State siting criteria (Chapter 70.105 RCW). See TMC Chapter 21.08.
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)
A. 
All development within the RC zoning district shall be subject to design standards and procedures in accordance with the provisions found at TMC Chapter 18.60, "Design Review."
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)
A. 
Applicability:
In addition to all projects required to install frontage improvements by any other section of the TMC, all projects that propose to construct new structures that will feature any use that is not an accessory use shall install frontage improvements in accordance with this section. These requirements may be waived by the Director via a Type 2 Design Review application if the applicant demonstrates the following:
1. 
That the proposed project is located on a site for which the frontage was previously improved but does not comply with the standards of this section, and the project will not result in an increase of multi-modal visitors to the site of greater than 25% from the previously approved use. The Director may require the provision of a multi-modal traffic study that compares total site-visitation both before and after construction.
B. 
Standards:
All projects subject to this section shall install improvements on all frontages. In addition to the following listed standards, improvements shall conform to the street designation determined by the Department of Public Works or the Department of Community Development, and shall meet the minimum standards of TMC Section 17.20.040H, "Street Components and Improvement Requirements," and the "Tukwila Infrastructure Design and Construction Standards." In areas of conflict, priority shall be given to this section (TMC Section 18.24.050), then TMC Section 17.20.040H, then the "Tukwila Infrastructure Design and Construction Standards." The improvements required in this section shall be installed only at the back-of-curb. Required improvements may be located on private property if permanent public easements are provided, in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Public Works.
1. 
Sidewalk Zones and Widths:
Frontages in the RC zoning district shall feature the following zones:
a. 
Frontage Zone:
This area is defined as the area between the property line and pedestrian clear zone. This zone may be able to accommodate sidewalk cafes, store entrances, retail display, landscaping, transit stop amenities, or other features that activate and enhance the pedestrian environment. Wider frontage zones provide more room for future tenants and residents to activate the public right-of-way in a manner compatible with street trees and other required features between the frontage zone and curb.
(1) 
Minimum Width: Two feet.
b. 
Pedestrian Clear Zone:
This area is defined as the area of the sidewalk corridor that is specifically reserved for pedestrian travel. Street furniture, street trees, planters, and other vertical elements such as poles, fire hydrants and street furniture, as well as temporary signs and other items shall not protrude into the pedestrian clear zone. The minimum width shall be as follows:
(1) 
Minimum Width:
(a) 
Tukwila International Boulevard and Southcenter Boulevard: Eight feet.
(b) 
All Other Streets: Six feet.
c. 
Landscape/Furniture Zone:
This area is defined as the area between the roadway curb face and the front edge of the pedestrian clear zone. This zone buffers pedestrians from the adjacent roadway and is the appropriate location for bioretention cells, rain gardens, street furniture, art, street trees and vegetation, and includes the 6 inch curb in its dimensions. It is also the preferred location for other elements such as signage, pedestrian lighting, hydrants, and above and below grade utilities. Clearance and setback requirements apply to many elements located in the landscape/furniture zone. In transit areas, the landscape/furniture zone may be utilized for transit patron waiting, boarding and alighting and may include transit signage, shelters, benches, litter receptacles, real-time display, off-board payment, and pedestrian scaled lighting.
(1) 
Minimum Width:
The minimum widths shown below may be increased by the Department on frontages with unique features, including transit stops.
(a) 
Tukwila International Boulevard and Southcenter Boulevard: Eight feet.
(b) 
All Other Streets: Six feet.
(2) 
Trees:
Street trees shall be spaced to maximize tree growth based on size. Species shall be chosen from the City of Tukwila Approved Tree List. Other species may be approved by the Department. Chosen street tree species shall be non-columnar and shall be chosen from among large species if the planting location is along Tukwila International Boulevard or Southcenter Boulevard, or from among the medium or large species if the planting location is along any other street. Planting shall meet the minimum standards of TMC Chapter 18.52.
C. 
Alternative Sidewalk Designs:
Alternative sidewalk designs may be approved by the Department if the alternative design meets the following standards:
1. 
The alternative design provides a barrier free, safe pedestrian route; and
2. 
The alternative design accommodates all required elements of the sidewalk in the area, such as transit waiting areas or bicycle parking; and
3. 
The alternative design results in fewer removals of existing mature vegetation than would be required with strict compliance; and/or
4. 
The alternative design enables green stormwater infrastructure above stormwater code requirements; and/or
5. 
The alternative design will avoid costly utility relocations that are not recommended by the Department of Public Works; and/or
6. 
The alternative design allows for more extensive sidewalk improvements (one block minimum) compared to strict compliance with the sidewalk standards; and/or
7. 
The alternative design better aligns with a separate project that will modify the project site's frontage within the next five years, as determined by the Department.
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)
A. 
Development within the RC district shall conform to the following listed and referenced standards.
RC DIMENSIONAL AND DENSITY STANDARDS
Minimum Lot Area
None
Residential Density
No Maximum
Setbacks1
Fronts, Sides, Rear - Portions of Structure Below 85 feet
Fronts, Sides, Rear - Portions of Structure Above 85 feet
Entrances of Street Facing First-Floor Homes
Minimum: 6'
Maximum Average: 10'
All other Uses:
Minimum: 0'
Maximum Average: 10'
Abutting Street or Alley
Minimum: 10'
Abutting Adjacent Property
Minimum: 20'
Maximum Development Coverage
Portions of Buildings Above 90 Feet:
65%
Maximum Floorplates
Floorplates at or Above the 9th Story:
Average must not exceed 13,500 square feet
Ground Floor Uses
Parcels with any frontage on Tukwila International or Southcenter Boulevards: Non-residential uses required on a minimum of 60% of the ground floor. As part of a Type 2 Design Review permit, this requirement may be waived if at least 60% of the ground floor is designed such that it may be "Easily Adaptable". See TMC Section 18.06.249.
Minimum Building Heights
30 feet
Maximum Building Heights
Parcels south of S 148th St
Parcels north of S 148th St & south of S 146th St
Parcels north of S 146th St
Base Height:
85 feet
Base Height:
65 feet
Base Height:
65 feet
Incentive Height2:
No Maximum3
Incentive Height2:
130 feet
Incentive Height2:
90 feet
Tower Separation
Portions of Buildings Above 90 Feet:
60 feet
N/A
Notes:
1
Maximum setback standards may be altered by the Director via a Type 2 Design Review application, provided the applicant demonstrates that: (i) strict adherence to setback rules will result in costly utility relocations that are not recommended by the Department of Public Works; or (ii) required sight distance triangles prohibit structures from compliance, and the issue is not mitigatable by enhancements to the project's frontage; or (iii) the proposed structure(s) exhibits a unique design or use that is incompatible with the setback requirement, or that would be better served by an alternative setback. In such cases, the required setback alteration shall be the minimum necessary to avoid the identified impacts and accomplish the project's goals.
2
Projects may use incentive standards only if the project opts in to and is compliant with the provisions of the Development Incentive Program found at TMC Chapter 18.47.
3
Maximum heights are not established by the City of Tukwila for projects on parcels south of S 148th Street that participate in the Development Incentive Program found at TMC Chapter 18.47. Maximum heights may be limited by other standards, including those of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(Ord. 2770, 10/20/2025)