This chapter implements the Port Orchard comprehensive plan. Overall, the purpose of this chapter is to:
(1) 
Provide clear objectives for those embarking on the planning and design of development projects in Port Orchard.
(2) 
Preserve and protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Port Orchard.
(3) 
Ensure that new commercial and multi-household development is of high quality and beneficially contributes to Port Orchard's character.
(4) 
Upgrade the visual appearance of Port Orchard's principal vehicular corridors.
(5) 
Ensure that new developments within existing neighborhoods are compatible with, and enhance the character of, Port Orchard's neighborhoods.
(6) 
Promote an increase in walking and bicycling throughout the city.
(7) 
Enhance the livability of Port Orchard's residential developments.
(8) 
Maintain and enhance property values within Port Orchard.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))
(1) 
Applicability. The provisions of this chapter apply to all development within Port Orchard, except:
(a) 
Detached houses and middle housing as defined in Chapters 20.12 and 20.32 POMC shall not be required to comply with this chapter. Design standards for detached houses and middle housing are found in their respective building types in Chapters 20.32 and 20.139 POMC. Subdivision design standards are found in Chapter 20.100 POMC.
(b) 
Properties within the designated Old Clifton Industrial Park. See the figure below for a map clarifying the location of properties which are exempt.
Figure 20.127.020(1)
Old Clifton Industrial Park
(c) 
Open-air structures such as pavilions, stages and gazebos for ornamental, performance or recreational use.
(d) 
The director may waive these provisions in other employment – industrial/office zoned properties where they are screened from view from the public right-of-way and adjacent nonemployment – industrial/office properties by a minimum 20-foot-wide landscaped buffer meeting the requirements of Chapter 20.128 POMC – full screening or by preservation of comparable existing landscaping on the site.
(2) 
Relationship to Other Codes and Documents. Where provisions of this chapter conflict with provisions in any other section of the Port Orchard design standards, this chapter prevails unless otherwise noted herein.
(3) 
For building additions, remodels, and site improvements, three different thresholds have been established to gauge how the design standards in this chapter are applied to such projects. See Figure 20.127.020(3) below for examples of site development and the respective types of improvements required under each of the three levels of improvements.
(a) 
Level I improvements include all exterior remodels, building additions, and/or site improvements that affect the exterior appearance of the building/site or cumulatively increase the gross floor area by up to 20 percent of the gross square footage that existed three years prior to the date of permit issuance. The requirement for such improvements is only that the proposed improvements meet the standards and do not lead to further nonconformance with the standards.
For example, if a property owner decides to replace a building facade's siding, then the siding must meet the applicable exterior building material standards, but elements such as building articulation (see POMC § 20.127.430) would not be required.
(b) 
Level II improvements include all improvements that cumulatively increase the gross floor area by 20 percent or more, but not greater than 75 percent, of the gross square footage that existed three years prior to the date of permit issuance. All standards that do not relate to repositioning the building or reconfiguring site development apply to Level II improvements. For example, if a property owner of an existing home in the BP zone wants to convert the home to an office and build an addition equaling 45 percent of the current building's area, then the following elements would apply:
(i) 
The location and design of the addition/remodel must be consistent with the block frontage standards (see Article II of this chapter), to the extent possible given the location of the existing building. For such developments seeking additions to buildings where an off-street parking location currently does not comply with applicable parking location standards, building additions are allowed provided they do not increase any current nonconformity and generally bring the project closer into conformance with the standards. See Figure 20.127.020(3) for an example of this.
(ii) 
Comply with applicable site planning and design elements (see Article III of this chapter).
(iii) 
Comply with all building design provisions of Article IV of this chapter, except architectural scale and materials provisions related to the existing portion of the building where no exterior changes are proposed. The entire building must comply with building elements/details, materials, and blank wall treatment standards of POMC § 20.127.440 through § 20.127.460.
(iv) 
The proposed improvements shall comply with the off-street parking, landscaping, and signage provisions of Chapters 20.124, 20.128, and 20.132 POMC.
(c) 
Level III improvements include all improvements that cumulatively increase the gross floor area by more than 75 percent of the gross square footage that existed three years prior to the date of permit issuance. Such developments must conform to all applicable standards.
Figure 20.127.020(3)
Examples of Improvement Types and Required Compliance
(4) 
Review for Compliance. Proposals for development, including design standard departure requests, shall be reviewed for consistency with the design standards as found in this chapter in conjunction with every underlying permit application(s) (i.e., building permit, stormwater drainage permit, conditional use permit, binding site plan, etc.) at each stage of the development. The city recognizes that every project is unique and that permits are not always submitted in a single package simultaneously. For instance, a project may require a conditional use permit, building permit, land disturbing activity permit, and stormwater drainage permit. It is common that a building permit application be submitted after site development activities have begun. It is also common to develop building pads for future construction as part of an approved development.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 6 (Exh. 3); Ord. 056-19 § 22; Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))
Applicants for development subject to the design standards contained in this chapter may optionally request that the city's design review board provide project review and a recommendation on the application.
When requested by the applicant, the design review board shall review permit applications for consistency with this chapter and make a recommendation to the director or hearing examiner, as appropriate to the permit type, who shall give substantial weight to the recommendation of the design review board as long as that recommendation does not conflict with the provisions of this chapter and is consistent with its purposes. Requests for optional design review board project recommendations shall be made at the time of permit application submittal.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))
A preapplication meeting is strongly recommended to determine which of the below listed supplemental application materials are needed for a specific development in order to determine compliance with the design standards. Applications subject to review under this chapter may be deemed incomplete if they are missing any of the following materials, as needed to determine compliance with the design standards:
(1) 
Block Frontage Standards.
(a) 
Identification of the block frontage type(s) applicable to the development.
(b) 
A site plan and/or other plans illustrating proposed improvements and how the block frontage standards are being met, including (where applicable):
(i) 
Building envelope location and setbacks/dimensions.
(ii) 
Site elevation/topography at minimum two-foot intervals.
(iii) 
Parking location and vehicular access design.
(iv) 
Percentage of street frontage that is occupied by parking areas and garage entries.
(v) 
Weather protection elements and dimensions/percentages.
(vi) 
Facade transparency elements and dimensions/percentages.
(vii) 
Storefront interior dimensions, including floor to ceiling height and storefront depth.
(viii) 
Landscaping elements (common or scientific name and size) and design (layout and location).
(ix) 
Right-of-way improvements and dimensions (including planting strip and sidewalk).
(x) 
Undeveloped areas, including critical areas and associated buffers).
(2) 
Site Planning Standards. A site plan and/or other plans illustrating proposed improvements and how the site planning standards are being met, including (where applicable):
(a) 
Building envelope location and setbacks/dimensions.
(b) 
Site elevation/topography at minimum two-foot intervals.
(c) 
Building elevations of all facades, including the location of doors, windows, and balconies.
(d) 
The location and height of adjacent structures within 25 feet of the property proposed for development.
(e) 
Nonmotorized circulation elements, including materials, dimensions, and necessary details.
(f) 
Parking location and vehicular access design, including materials, curb edge, lane configurations, dimensions, and other relevant details to support compliance.
(g) 
Existing and proposed pedestrian-oriented space, usable residential open space, and other recreational features, including design elements, materials, and necessary details.
(h) 
Location, design, and configuration of service areas and mechanical equipment.
(i) 
Landscaping elements (common or scientific name and size) and design (layout and location).
(j) 
Right-of-way improvements and dimensions (including planting strip and sidewalk).
(3) 
Building Design Standards. Graphics illustrating proposed improvements and how the building design standards are being met, including (where applicable):
(a) 
Building elevations showing:
(i) 
Exterior materials.
(ii) 
Doors and windows and associated design details.
(iii) 
Roofline design and dimensions.
(iv) 
Details on proposed exterior materials and finish.
(v) 
Blank wall treatment details.
(b) 
Building plan view drawings showing:
(i) 
Facade articulation and dimensions.
(ii) 
Entry locations and design.
(c) 
Three dimensional graphics emphasizing:
(i) 
Building massing and articulation.
(ii) 
How the development (proposed improvements) fit within the surrounding context. The graphic must illustrate the general massing of buildings within 50 feet of the site.
(4) 
Departures. If any departures are requested, such elements must be clearly identified in the above materials. Documentation to support how such proposed departures meet the applicable approval criteria must be included.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))
(1) 
It is the city's intent to offer a pre-submittal design review process to allow applicants to vet their building and site designs prior to completing full architectural and engineering construction plans required for technical plan review and permit application submittal. Applicants seeking pre-submittal design review may request that a preliminary review of conceptual site and/or building plans be conducted by the director to evaluate consistency with the design standards found in this chapter.
(2) 
Anyone seeking pre-submittal design review shall:
(a) 
Complete an application form.
(b) 
Pay the appropriate fee as set by resolution.
(c) 
Submit conceptual plans along with the materials listed in POMC § 20.127.040 to the department of community development.
(3) 
The director shall review the request for pre-submittal design review and provide a pre-submittal design review letter and/or marked up plans describing which portions of the conceptual design meet and do not meet the design standards.
(4) 
Any letter and/or marked up plans generated in a pre-submittal design review shall not be considered a final decision and are only intended to assist an applicant in the preparation of complete application materials.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))
(1) 
Overview and Purpose. This chapter provides for a number of specific departure opportunities to development standards. For brevity in tables, departure opportunities are noted with the ➲ symbol. The purpose of this section is to provide applicants with the option of proposing alternative design treatments, provided such departures meet the "purpose" of the particular standard and any additional departure criteria set forth for the particular departure opportunity.
(2) 
Departures Are Voluntary. This provision allows the flexibility for applicants to propose alternative designs on a voluntary basis as provided herein.
(3) 
Variances Versus Departures. Variances, as set forth in Chapter 20.28 POMC, require conditions in place on the property, not created by the property owner, that create practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships in complying with the applicable development regulations. Such conditions are not necessary in order to qualify for departures, which can be proposed as an alternative to complying with specific design standards in this chapter provided they comply with approval criteria listed in subsection (6) of this section.
(4) 
Applicability. Departure opportunities are available only to those specific standards that allow for departures.
(5) 
Review Procedures. Departure requests are to be reviewed in conjunction with the underlying development permit and processed as set forth in POMC § 20.127.020(1) and Chapters 20.22, 20.24 and 20.25 POMC.
(6) 
Approval Criteria. Project applicants must successfully demonstrate to the reviewing authority (the director or hearing examiner, as appropriate to the permit type) how the proposed departure meets the purpose(s) of the standard and other applicable departure criteria that apply to the specific standard.
(7) 
Documentation. For each departure approved, the reviewing authority must make findings that document the manner in which the departure satisfies the approval criteria in subsection (6) of this section. The findings are to be maintained with project application records for the purpose of providing consistency in decision-making by the city.
(Ord. 008-18 § 2 (Exh. 1); Ord. 008-25 § 16 (Exh. O))