Table of Contents

Hazard Mitigation

The city’s flood damage prevention regulations exceed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s minimum requirements (§8.24).  

These regulations require all new or rehabilitated structures in special flood hazard zones to be elevated to one foot above base flood elevations and all critical facilities to be elevated up to the 0.2 percent chance floodplain elevation. They also require all structures to be set back a minimum of 25 feet from all floodway boundaries (§17.60.090.E.).

Solar energy

The city's municipal code requires solar orientation in TOD districts and for planned unit developments. It establishes a transit oriented development (TOD) district and includes solar orientation as a criterion to be addressed in the development process: the main elevation of buildings should be within 25 degrees of due south, rooms and outdoor spaces should be appropriately located and sited for solar access, and shadow impacts should be avoided (§17.67.050.D).

For planned unit development applications, a solar orientation plan is required (§17.68.050.G.5), and density bonus may be awarded for design excellence including solar orientation (§17.68.100).