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Council refines draft form‑code to allow triplex conversions and façade standards, seeks public hearing
Summary
Councilors reviewed a redlined form‑code draft that would add a purpose statement, require minimum covered entries on new dwellings, allow conversions of legally established structures to triplexes with a 20% deviation allowance, and add articulation/modulation standards; staff will incorporate changes and schedule a public hearing.
Leavenworth — Councilors reviewed a redlined update to the city’s form‑based code intended to encourage modest multifamily options and improve building design, and staff asked for guidance to forward the draft to a public hearing after edits.
The staff presenter (identified in the meeting as Sharon) said changes include a new purpose statement, an applicability section for new dwellings, a proposed minimum covered front entry (4 feet by 3 feet) and modulation/articulation requirements for long façades. The draft also clarifies how conversions of legally established, nonconforming structures (for example, converting an existing house or garage into a triplex) could be allowed via an administrative deviation of up to 20% of the applicable setback, provided the structure is not expanded beyond its existing footprint.
"My hope is to get enough so that you feel comfortable moving this forward to a public hearing," the presenter said, asking council to indicate whether the redlines should be revised in‑place or reviewed section‑by‑section. Council members pressed for clearer language on whether the covered entry requirement applies regardless of whether the dwelling fronts the street, and whether certain modulation elements should count toward the façade articulation requirement; the presenter said she will clarify the wording and could simplify the covered‑entry language ("just say all new dwellings have a minimum entry of 4 feet by 3 feet") to remove ambiguity.
Council and staff also discussed utility availability in the urban growth area (UGA). The draft now ties the requirement for separate water and sewer service to whether city services are available at the project location. Staff said applicants can request a water/sewer availability form from the city that can be presented to the county if utilities are not available—an attempt to prevent UGA permitting conflicts where county staff has interpreted earlier language differently.
On nonconforming conversions, staff reiterated that the 20% deviation language applies to existing legally established structures being converted (not to allow expansions beyond the existing footprint). Council members asked staff to clean that section for clarity. Multiple councilors gave tentative support to scheduling a public hearing once the suggested edits are made; staff said the draft would be revised and returned for hearing placement rather than immediate adoption.
The discussion focused on textual clarity and practical attainability of façade requirements for narrower or deeper lots, and on aligning code language with county permitting practice in the UGA. No ordinance vote was taken; the next procedural step is to publish revised redlines and set a public hearing for the amended code.
