The NC neighborhood conservation overlay district is intended for property owners to initiate and implement programs for the revitalization or conservation of older areas or districts possessing distinctive features, identity, or character worthy of retention and enhancement. The NC district takes effect through adoption of a plan and a set of regulations that will facilitate maintenance and upgrading of the neighborhood and development of vacant or underused lots while reducing or eliminating incompatible mixes of uses.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)
Each NC overlay district shall include a minimum contiguous area of four acres, including intervening streets and alleys, and shall contain at least three separate parcels.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)
A. 
Owners of 51 percent or more of the land in an area meeting the area requirements of BMC § 17.62.020 and one or more of the criteria of BMC § 17.62.040(C) may file an application with the city for the designation of the area as an NC neighborhood conservation overlay district. The application may include lots within one or more base zoning districts.
B. 
The application shall include the following:
1. 
A statement of purpose and explanation of how the criteria of BMC § 17.62.040(C) are met;
2. 
A map indicating the boundaries of all lots in the proposed NC neighborhood conservation overlay district and the base district(s) contained within the proposed NC district;
3. 
A neighborhood conservation plan consisting of a map and such other textual and graphic material as may be necessary, indicating land uses, building types and designs, site development regulations, signing, circulation, off-street parking, and modifications in base district regulations.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)
A. 
The planning commission shall hold a duly noticed public hearing on the application in accord with the provisions of Chapter 17.120 BMC. Following the hearing, the commission may approve the neighborhood conservation plan if it implements the purposes for which designation of the NC district is proposed, and shall transmit the application and the approved plan to the council.
B. 
The city council shall hold a hearing as provided by BMC § 17.120.070 on any application and plan transmitted to it by the planning commission.
C. 
Following the hearing, the city council may adopt an NC neighborhood conservation overlay district for the area described in the application if the area meets one or more of the following criteria:
1. 
Distinctive building features, such as period of construction, style, size, scale, rhythm, mass, color and material;
2. 
Distinctive features or articles associated with the streetscape, such as light fixtures and devices, signs, benches, curb markers, kiosks, and bollards;
3. 
Distinctive site planning and natural features, such as lot platting, street layout, setbacks, alleyways, sidewalks, creek beds, parks, and gardens;
4. 
Distinctive land uses or land use patterns, such as mixed or unique uses or activities, not permitted by base district regulations without modification.
D. 
The city council shall adopt each neighborhood conservation overlay district by ordinance pursuant to Chapter 17.120 BMC. The adopting ordinance shall include a reference to the approved neighborhood conservation plan for the district, a statement of purposes, and a list of the modifications to the base district regulations.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)
Each NC neighborhood conservation overlay district shall be shown on the zoning map by an "-NC" designator applied to the base district designations, numbered and identified sequentially by order of enactment and referenced to the enacting ordinance.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)
Building permits approved in an NC neighborhood conservation overlay district shall be consistent with the adopted NC district ordinance and the approved neighborhood conservation plan.
(Ord. 87-4 N.S., 1987)