Draft code moves to fixed site-percentage amenity standards for multifamily developments

County staff proposed moving from a per-unit recreation-area calculation to a site-percentage approach for landscaping and amenity areas in multifamily developments. Elizabeth Decker said the draft reduces a now-common counting overlap and emphasizes quality: instead of the previous 20% landscaping plus square footage per unit, the draft would set 15% of the site as landscaping and 5% as distinct amenity area, measured separately to avoid double-counting.

Decker said the change is intended to stop low-quality, double-counted amenity proposals ("isolated strips or corners of the site ... fields of bark chips") and instead require usable amenities such as play areas, community gardens, seating, pet areas with fencing and surfacing, or indoor community rooms. She also said balconies or rooftop gardens could count toward the 5% amenity requirement if they provide equivalent quality and accessibility.