Agenda Item - 2022-01-10 - Number 06.1 - Staff Memo 12/23/21 PCWS-2 01/10/22 w-Attach (PP 19-0008) of LA os MEMORANDUM
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TO: Planning Commission/Commission for Citizen Involvement
FROM: Erik Olson, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: House Bills 2001 and 2003 Work Session-2
DATE: December 23, 2021 MEETING DATE: January 10, 2022
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY&ACTION REQUESTED
This memo provides background on the Commission's upcoming work session scheduled for
January 10, 2022, which will include a presentation from staff regarding options for
amendments to the Community Development Code ("development code", or "CDC") to apply
siting and design standards to duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses. These
amendments are a necessary part of the City's work to comply with the middle housing
requirements of House Bill 2001 (HB 2001).
The Council has directed staff to pursue development code amendments to meet the minimum
compliance provisions outlined in the administrative rules for middle housing contained within
Division 46 of Chapter 660 of the Oregon Administrative Rules ("Division 46"). An outline of
code amendments that will be required to be adopted in order for the City to comply with HB
2001 can be found in Attachment A. The purpose of the January 10 work session is for the
Commission to provide guidance to staff for drafting the amendments discussed below, under
Design and Dimensional Standards.
Staff is seeking the Planning Commission's direction on the development of these concepts into
draft code language, as well as direction on policy questions related to middle housing
implementation.
BACKGROUND
In late 2020, staff and consultants with Cascadia Partners initiated work to develop code
amendments compliant with HB 2001 that maintain consistency with Lake Oswego's sense of
place, neighborhood character, and livability. This work included extensive information
gathering, research, analysis, multiple public engagement opportunities, an ad-hoc Advisory
Committee, several Planning Commission Work Sessions, and several City Council meetings in
order to develop a set of recommendations for compliance with the bill.
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO BOX 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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At a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council held on November 16, 2021, the
Council directed staff to pursue a work plan to further develop these recommendations into
code language. The Council specified that staff should pursue the recommendations in
Attachment B that are required to be adopted by the state-mandated deadline of June 30,
2022
More recently, the Planning Commission held a work session on December 13, 2021, to discuss
an initial package of code amendments that are more or less prescribed by the state for
compliance with HB 2001. At the January 10, 2022 work session, staff is seeking further
direction from the Planning Commission on remaining policy questions related to minimum lot
size and design and dimensional standards for duplexes, triples, quadplexes, and townhouses.
MINIMUM LOT AREA
As discussed at the last work session, Division 46 limits the City's ability to apply maximum
density, or "minimum lot area", standards to middle housing. However, the rules do provide
cities with some flexibility to modify their minimum lot area requirements as an approach to
managing density for some middle housing types. Therefore, staff is seeking direction from the
Planning Commission on how to apply minimum lot area provisions based upon options
allowed by Division 46, consistent with City Council's direction that the code allow an equitable
distribution of middle housing throughout the City.
Division 46 allows for cities to decide the minimum lot size that will be required for triplexes,
quadplexes, and cottage cluster housing in the R-3, R-W, R-DD, R-5, and R-6 Districts. These
existing zoning districts are described below:
• The R-3 District is a high-density residential district that occupies small portions of the
Bryant, Forest Highlands, Lake Grove, Mountain Park, and Waluga neighborhoods.
• The R-W District is a high-density residential district located exclusively within a section
of the Evergreen neighborhood that fronts on Oswego Lake.
• The R-DD District is a medium-density residential district exclusively located within
residential areas of the Old Town neighborhood.
• The R-5 District is medium-density residential district that is widely distributed
throughout the city, covering much of the Oak Creek and Westlake neighborhoods as
well as portions of the Bryant, Forest Highlands, Holly Orchard, Lake Grove, McVey-
South Shore, and Waluga neighborhoods.
• The R-6 District is a medium-density residential district located exclusively within the
First Addition neighborhood.
The table below provides an analysis of minimum lot sizes in different zoning districts and how
they must be modified for each middle housing type:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Lake Oswego Use Dwelling,Single , Duplex Dwelling,AttachedI Dwelling,Mul#i Family None
Category Family Detached Townhorne
Division 46 ; Cottage
HausingType(sk N/A Duplex' Townhouse Trip lexA Quadplex Clristei•
R-15 15,D60 IN/A] [N/A] [N/A] [N/A1 [N/A]
R-10 10,000 1N/A1 [NSA] [N/A] [N/A] [N/A]
R-7.5 7,500 IN/A1 [NIA] [N/A] [WA] [N/A]
la R-0 6,000 IN/A] [N/A] [N/A] [N/A] [N/A]
M
11-5 5,000 10,000 5,000 15,000 20,000 [N/A]
a*
xfR-DD 5,000 5,000 5,000 15,006 15,000 [N/A]
La
,11-W 3,375 , 6750 3,375 10,125 135500 [N/A]
a.d 11-3 3,375 6,750 3,375 10,125 13,500 [N/A]
R-2 None None None None None [N/A]
R-0 None None None None None [N/A]
MU None None None None None [N/A]
_
Complies with Division 46 I Does not comply with Division 46
[N/A]=Housing type is not allowed in that districts°no applicable min iota rea standard
1 Duplex minimum lot area must be no greater than single-family detached minimum lot area.
P Townhouse minimum lot area must be no greaterthan 1,500 square feet
Triplex minimum lot area must be no greaterthan5,000 square feet,or single-family detached minimum lot area,
whichever is more
4 Qua dplexand Cottage Cluster minimum lot area must be no greater than 7,000 square feet,or single-family detached
minimum lot area,whichever is more
There are two conceptual options the City is considering:
• Concept 1: Larger Lots. Require lots that are generally larger than what is required for
single-family houses for triplex, quadplex, or cottage cluster. The minimum lot sizes
would range from 5,000 - 7,000 square feet.
Housing Type R-15 R-10 R-7.5 R-6 R-5 R-DO R-W R-3 R-2 R-0 MID
Single-famiky 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Duplex 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Triplex 15,000 '10,000 7,500 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 None None None
0uadplex 15,000 10,000 7,500 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 None None None
Cottage Cluster 15,000 10,000 7,500 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 7,000 None None None
Townhouse 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 None None None
Concept 1 would prohibit middle housing on lots where it may be more challenging to
minimize impacts on neighboring properties or to be compatible with neighborhood
character. This would mean that fewer lots would be allowed to be developed with
triplexes, quadplexes, or cottage clusters under Concept 1.
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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• Concept 2: Same Size Lots as Single-Family Houses. Allow triplex, quadplex, or cottage
cluster on generally the same size lot as a single-family house is allowed.The minimum
lot sizes would range from 3,375 - 6,000 square feet depending on the specific zone and
housing type. The table below provides examples of minimum lot sizes in different
zoning districts under Concept 2:
Housing Type R-15 R-10 R-1.5 R-6 R-5 R-Da R-W R-3 R-2 R-0 FMU
Single-family 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Duplex 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Triplex 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Wad 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 5,000 5,000 3,375 3,375 None None None
Cottage Cluster 15,000 10,000 7,500 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 None None None
Townhouse 1,5c0 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,5010 1,500 None None None
Concept 2 would provide the opportunity to build a triplex, quadplex, or cottage cluster
in more locations. This could result in more housing development and increased supply
of needed housing when compared to Concept 1.
As an illustrative example, consider the development of quadplexes in the R-5 District. Under
Concept 1, the minimum lot size for a quadplex in the R-5 District would be 7,000 sq. ft. Under
Concept 2, the minimum lot size for a quadplex in the R-5 District would be the same as the
minimum lot size for detached single-family residences, or 5,000 sq. ft. Because the R-5 zone is
already subdivided and developed with single-family homes for the most part, Concept 1 is
likely to yield fewer quadplexes as compared to Concept 2, which would allow a quadplex on
any existing conforming lot, including conversion of existing single-family homes to quadplexes.
Concept 1: Larger Lots
Minimum lot sizes are larger than what is -
required for single-family houses. �opo "000
4, sq
Fewer lots are allowed to be developed 9•
with a triplex, quadplex,or cottage cluster.
Concept 2:Same Size Lots as
Single-Family Houses " - �o
Minimum lot sizes are the same as what . �-s < soon o0 9
is required for a single-family house. s� ss' F
More lots are allowed to be developed
with a triplex, quadplex,or cottage cluster.
The map below helps to illustrate the impact of each concept by showing which lots would be
allowed to be developed with a quadplex:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
www.ci.oswego.or.us
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The lots in blue are large enough to allow a quadplex under Concept 1 or Concept 2. (Note that
some of the lots shown in blue are open space tracts and may not actually be developable.)
The lots in grnnr are the additional lots that would allow a quadplex under Concept 2. There
are approximately 850 of these lots. This difference in allowed lots is similar for triplexes and
cottage clusters.
The lots in green are too small to allow a quadplex under either option.
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONAL STANDARDS
As mentioned previously, the state provides cities with some flexibility to modify their design
and dimensional standards for middle housing, as long as the regulations are not more
restrictive than those that apply to single-family detached homes. Staff is seeking direction
from the Planning Commission on the options available to modify the existing design and
dimensional standards in the development code for detached single-family dwellings in order to
apply to duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhomes.
Existing Standards for Detached Single-Family Dwellings
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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At a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission on November 16, 2021, the
Council provided direction to staff to apply the existing design and dimensional standards for
single-family housing to middle housing. A high-level overview of existing design and
dimensional standards that apply to detached single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego is
included below for reference.
The City's development code allows currently for the construction of detached single-family
dwellings in the Foothills Mixed Use (FMU), R-W, R-0, R-2, R-3, R-DD, R-5, R-6, R-7.5, R-10, and
R-15 Districts. The code contains design and dimensional standards that are specific to each
district or groupings of districts; the standards include minimum setbacks, maximum height,
maximum lot coverage, maximum floor area ratio, front and side setback planes, and other
standards, which together establish the basic building "envelope" on a lot.
Minimum front yard setback regulations establish the minimum distance a structure may be
located from the front property line. Per the Dimensional Table in LOC 50.04.001, minimum
front yard setback regulations for detached single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego range from
0 feet in the R-W District to 25 feet in the R-7.5, R-10, and R-15 Districts.
Minimum side yard setback regulations establish the minimum distance a structure may be
located from a side property line. Side yard setbacks are determined based on whether the side
property line is adjacent to a street; in cases where the side property line is adjacent to a street,
the minimum setback is based on the classification of the adjacent street. Per LOC 50.04.001,
minimum side yard setback regulations for detached single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego
range from 0 ft. in the R-W District to 20 ft. for side yards adjacent to arterial/collector streets
in the R-7.5, R-10, and R-15 Districts.
Minimum rear yard setback regulations establish the minimum distance a structure may be
located from the rear property line. Per LOC 50.04.001, minimum rear yard setback regulations
for detached single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego range from 0 ft. in the R-W District to 30 ft.
in the R-7.5, R-10, and R-15 Districts.
Maximum lot coverage regulations generally establish the maximum percentage of a lot that
may be occupied by permanent structures over 30 inches in height. Maximum lot coverage is
usually determined based on the height of the building proposed; in most cases, the allowed lot
coverage percentage decreases as the height of a proposed structure increases. Per LOC
50.04.001, maximum lot coverage for detached single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego ranges
from 25%for primary structures over 34 feet in height in the R-15 district to 100%for primary
structures in the R-W District.
The graphic below illustrates existing regulations related to minimum front yard setbacks,
minimum side yard setbacks, minimum rear yard setbacks, and lot coverage:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Rear Yard Setback
Side Yard Setback %
Maximum Lot Coverage
Front Yard Setback
Side Yard Setback
Maximum building height regulations establish the maximum vertical distance permitted
between the roof of a structure and the adjacent at-grade elevation. Maximum building height
is partially determined based on whether a lot is a flat lot, sloped lot, or a lot with sloping
topography, with more height generally allowed on sloped lots due to site constraints. (These
terms are defined in LOC 50.10.003.) Per LOC 50.04.001, maximum building height for detached
single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego ranges from 28 ft. for flat lots in the in the R-0, R-2, R-3,
R-5, R-6, and R-7.5 Districts to 35 feet for sloped lots in the R-5, R-7.5, R-10 and R-15 Districts.
The City's development code also contains setback plane regulations that require buildings to
fit behind "planes" that extend upward for a set vertical distance before they begin to slope
inward toward the center of the lot to the maximum building height of the zone. These setback
planes apply to detached single-family dwellings in the R-0, R-2, R-3, R-5, R-6, R-7.5, R-10, and
R-15 Districts, but do not apply in the R-W or R-DD Districts.
Street front setback plane regulations establish that the profile of a structure that fronts on a
street shall fit behind a plane that starts at the setback line (either a front yard or a side yard
abutting a street) and extends upward to 20 ft. in height, then slopes inward toward the center
of the lot up to the maximum base height of the zone. Per LOC 50.06.001.2.b, street front
setback planes rise at a slope of 6:12, and street side yard setback planes rise at a slope of
12:12, above the 20 ft. vertical extension at the setback line. This illustrated in Figure
50.06.001-A: Street Front and Street Side Setback Plane, below:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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street front setback plane
slope- 5 12
'
12
I I �
i max.bass'might
required front ya rd setback
- abutting a street
street side yard
setback plane II
slope= 12:12 I max,base height
12
12
f fi
rsEside
— - k lard setDac�
—---- abutting a street
The development code also outlines that exceptions to the street front setback plane are
permitted for certain roof forms, subject to the requirements in LOC 50.06.001.2.c.
Side yard setback plane regulations establish that the side profile of a structure shall fit behind
a plane that starts at the side property line, extends upward to 12 ft., and slopes toward the
center of the lot at a slope of 12:12 up to the maximum allowed height at the peak of the roof.
This is illustrated in Figure 50.06.001-G: Side Yard Setback Plane, below:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Side Yard Setback Side Yard Setback
The code also includes some exceptions that allow for certain roof forms to penetrate the
interior side yard setback plane, as described in LOC 50.06.001.2.e.
The graphic below illustrates existing regulations related to maximum building height, street
front setback planes, and side yard setback planes:
Street Front Setback Plane
Max Building Height
1
Side Yard Setback Plane
I
Maximum floor area regulations establish the maximum amount of floor area allowed within a
proposed structure on a given lot, excluding features such as attics, vent shafts, courtyards, and
similar building elements.
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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As outlined in LOC Table 50.04.001-1, maximum floor area is calculated using the following base
calculation in the R-7.5, R-10, and R-15 Districts: 3,000 sq.ft. +[(actual lot size—5,800 sq.ft.)x
0.19]. Additional floor area allowances are provided for garages, which range between 600 and
850 sq. ft. depending on the district. Similar calculations are used to determine the maximum
floor area in the R-5 and R-6 Districts, as outlined in LOC Table 50.04.001-3.
The ratio of the floor area of a building to the lot size on which its located, or floor area ratio
(FAR), is used to calculate maximum floor area in other districts where detached single-family
dwellings are permitted. Per LOC Table 50.04.001-11, maximum floor area ratios for detached
single-family dwellings in Lake Oswego range from 1:1 in the R-3 District to no maximum FAR in
the R-W District.
The graphic below illustrates existing maximum floor area regulations while incorporating the
previously-described design and dimensional standards:
Street Front Setback Plane
Max Building Height
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Side Yard Setback Plane
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I '
Side yard appearance and screening standards apply to both interior side yards and side yards
that abut streets. These design standards are intended to mitigate the negative visual impacts
of large or uninterrupted wall planes on the side of a structure. LOC 50.06.001.2.f includes
three different options to reach compliance with side yard appearance and screening
standards:
• Treatment 1 —Maximum Side Yard Plane requires that the side elevation of a primary
structure be broken up into segments of no more than 500 to 750 sq. ft., depending on
the zoning district.
• Treatment 2—Side Yard Features requires that additional articulation be provided to
add visual interest to the side elevations of primary structures.
• Treatment 3—Screening requires a minimum amount of planted area in order to screen
the side elevations of primary structures.
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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The image below illustrates these side yard appearance and screening regulations while
incorporating the previously-described design and dimensional standards.
Option 1: Maximum Wall Plane (façade articulation, bay windows)
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ide Yard
Option 2:Side Yard Features (windows, bay windows)
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503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Page 12
Option 3:Screening (landscaping)
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wSideYard
Standards for Duplexes,Triplexes, and Quadplexes
City Council provided staff with guidance to pursue the following recommendations for design
and dimensional standards as applied to duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes:
• Apply existing bulk and massing standards (or "dimensional" standards) for single-family
housing to middle housing.
• Do not limit building width beyond existing setback regulations.
• Enhance existing single-family garage appearance standards to better address the
negative visual impacts of front-facing garages and driveways.
Based on this direction, the design and dimensional standards described above for detached
single-family residences would be modified in order to directly apply to duplexes, triplexes, and
quadplexes. In other words, the bulk and massing of middle housing would be subject to the
same requirements as detached single-family dwellings, and any additional density/dwelling
units would need to be located within the same bulk or mass currently allowed for single-family
dwellings.
The graphic below illustrates how these standards would be applied to the construction of a
quadplex:
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Page 13
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No modifications to these standards are necessary to move forward on Council's guidance to
apply existing standards and not add building width limitations, though Planning Commission
input is needed with regard to regulation of garage appearance and driveways.
As mentioned above, the Council also directed staff to enhance existing single-family garage
appearance standards to better address the negative visual impacts of front-facing garages and
driveways for duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes. See Garage Appearance and Location
Standards, below, for more discussion.
Townhomes
For the most part, the design and dimensional standards outlined above would also apply to
townhouses. However, there are some important distinctions that will need to be included in
the code in order to correctly apply these standards.
For background, Division 46 provides the following definitions for a townhouse:
(17) "Townhouse"means a dwelling unit that is part of a row of two or more attached
dwelling units, where each unit is located on an individual Lot or Parcel and shares at
least one common wall with an adjacent dwelling unit.
This definition stipulates that townhouses must be attached structures with each unit located
on its own individual lot, which makes them different from other middle housing types on a
conceptual level. In order to address this conceptual difference, townhouse standards are
typically applied to the entire site, rather than to individual townhouse lots.
Because the interior units in a townhouse development do not have side yards, and corner
townhome lots tend to be larger than interior townhome lots, it will be more challenging for
those units to meet the same lot coverage or FAR standard that applies to a single-family
detached dwelling. Division 46 minimum compliance requires that any limits on bulk and scale
cannot "cumulatively or individually limit the bulk and scale of the cumulative Townhouse
Project greater than that of a single-family detached dwelling" (OAR 660-046-0220).
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Applying the same lot coverage or FAR standard to each Townhouse lot that applies to single-
family dwellings places a greater effective limit on interior lots. The table below provides an
example of how applying standards to each lot unnecessarily restricts what can be built on an
interior lot and may result in more complex and expensive building forms:
Lot Lot Lot Standard Applied to Site Standard Applied to Each Lot
Unit or Site Width Depth Area
Bldg. Footprint Lot Coverage Bldg Footprint Lot Coverage
Unit 1 25 100 2500 700 28% 875 35%
Unit 2 15 100 1500 700 47% 525 35%
Unit 3 15 100 1500 700 47% 525 35%
Unit4 25 100 2500 700 28% 875 35%
Site 80 100 8000 2800 35°%a 2800 35°la
To address this issue, and to meet the minimum requirements in Division 46, it is
recommended that the City apply bulk and scale controls to the entire townhouse project, not
to individual lots, consistent with the definition of"townhouse project" in Division 46:
(18) "Townhouse Project"means one or more townhouse structures constructed, or
proposed to be constructed, together with the development site where the land has been
divided, or is proposed to be divided, to reflect the Townhouse property lines and the any
commonly owned property.
The graphic below shows the same set of dimensional standards described above but applied to
the townhouse project, rather than each unit.
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503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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As described on page 17 of Attachment A, the City will also need to amend the code to specify
that side setbacks are not required for townhouses along lot lines between attached units. In
the zones that currently do not allow townhouses, an exemption from side setbacks will need
to be added for lot lines between attached townhouse units.
DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE STANDARDS
The Council has directed staff to apply existing single-family housing design standards for
driveways and garages to duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses. These standards
include limits on the number of driveways per lot, maximum width of driveways, limited garage
width, requiring recessed garages, and requiring design treatments (including elevated garage
standards).
Driveway Standards
The provisions of LOC 50.06.003 (Circulation and Connectivity) regulate the location, number,
and width of driveways for single-family houses. In summary, the standards regulate driveways
for single-family houses as follows:
• A maximum of one driveway is allowed for every 75' of continuous street frontage.
• The maximum width of a driveway is 12 feet for every garage or carport stall, or surface
parking space, not to exceed 30 feet.
• For houses with side-loaded garages, the maximum width is 24 feet.
These standards currently only apply when there is a new use or an increase in trip generation
or parking requirements. Thus, as written, these standards would not apply to the replacement
of a single-family house with a new single-family house. Yet they would apply to the
replacement of a single-family house with middle housing. This would not comply with the
requirement under Division 46 that design standards be applied equally to single-family houses
and middle housing (unless the jurisdiction applies design standards of the DLCD Model Code).
Therefore, this standard must either be made applicable to a "one-for-one" replacement of a
single-family house and middle housing, or it must not be applicable to either. Staff requests
Planning Commission input on this issue.
Surface Parking in Front Yards/Between Buildings and the Street
The current standards that regulate driveways and parking for residential development do not
prohibit or limit surface parking spaces from being located between a building/house and the
street, so long as the parking space is not located within the front yard setback (see LOC
50.06.002.a.iii) and a pedestrian walkway is provided that connects multifamily dwelling
entrances to an abutting right-of-way. This means that a paved parking space could be sited 10-
25 feet back from the property line, depending on the setback requirement of the zone, but in
front of the building. This outcome occurs today with some single-family houses on large lots.
A middle housing development will require more parking spaces than a single-family house.
Therefore, it may be more likely that a builder will propose siting surface parking in front of the
building if space is constrained elsewhere on the site. In some cases, this may be incompatible
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with a neighborhood's existing character. Parking is usually provided in a garage, a driveway
leading up to a garage, behind the house (if served by an alley) or to the side of the house.
Staff requests Planning Commission feedback on whether this outcome should be regulated
and to what extent. Completely prohibiting parking between the building and the street is one
option, but that may be unnecessarily restrictive. There are cases in which this arrangement
may be appropriate. For example, if screening is provided (or mature trees preserved) between
the street and the subject parking. Another example may be where there is a limited amount of
surface parking, such as 1-2 spaces on a typical residential lot, which would be similar to a
single-family home with parking on a driveway. Staff can prepare specific code language if the
Commission generally agrees this issue should be addressed.
Applying the Driveway Standards to a Duplex, Triplex, or Quadplex
Applying these driveway standards to a duplex, triplex, or quadplex will mean that only one
driveway will be allowed per duplex/triplex/quadplex in most cases because the code limits the
number of driveways to one per lot (all units are on one lot). A single driveway will be required
to be shared by all residents to access their parking space or garage stall. However, two
driveways would be permitted on lots that have more than 75 feet of street frontage.
There are benefits and drawbacks to prohibiting multiple driveways on lots less than 75 feet.
One benefit is that it would result in more widely spaced driveways, which may reduce paving,
grading, and tree removal, consistent with existing character of most of Lake Oswego's single-
family zones. Another benefit is it reduces the number of access points to the street, which can
improve safety, especially for pedestrians. Lastly, it encourages more of the front yard to
remain unpaved and landscaped, which is also consistent with community character and highly
valued by residents according to recent surveys.
One drawback to prohibiting multiple driveways is that builders may perceive it as a barrier to
development of duplexes/triplexes/quadplexes. It is easier to create individual garages with
direct access to each dwelling unit if each garage has its own driveway connecting to the street;
this is particularly true for small development sites where there is not sufficient space to create
an alley. Another potential drawback is that the standard may encourage housing diversity as
builders would tend to create townhouse projects instead of a duplex/triplex/quadplex,
because townhouses would be allowed to have one driveway for each unit.
Applying the Driveway Standards to Townhouses
Applying the driveway and garage standards outlined above to a townhouse project would
allow for each townhouse unit/lot to have its own driveway. The graphic below shows this
outcome for a four-unit townhouse project on a common existing lot size in the R-7.5 or R-10
zones. The width of the driveways is limited to 12 feet because only one garage stall can be
accommodated while meeting the garage appearance standards, which limit the width of front-
facing garages to 60% of the dwelling.
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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However, if the project includes fewer townhouses or is located on a wider lot, then under the
existing code the driveway approach could potentially be wider than the width of the garages.
For example, a townhouse unit that is 25 feet wide could be allowed to have a 2-car garage
while meeting the maximum garage width standard. Two car garage doors can be as narrow as
14 feet. The max width of driveways is limited to 12 feet per garage stall. Therefore, because
the unit has a 2-car garage, a 24-foot wide driveway could be permitted on this 25-foot wide
lot, potentially resulting in excessive paving contrary to neighborhood character. To address
this issue, the driveway standards could be amended to place a limit on the width of driveways
on smaller lots. Staff requests Planning Commission input on this recommendation; any new
standard should be easy to understand and administer.
Corner Lots and Lots with Alley Access
The ideal solution to integrating driveways and parking for multiple dwelling units is to orient
them to the side or rear of the lot. Alleys are currently available in the First Addition and
Evergreen neighborhoods only. The R-6 zone, which applies to a portion of this area, currently
requires access from the alley or side of the lot. This is not required in other zones, but rear- or
side-loaded garages are generally exempt from most standards that regulate the width and
appearance of garages.
The creation of alleys/rear access is typically not practical or feasible in much of Lake Oswego
due to steep slopes. However, side or rear access is possible on lots with two street frontages
(corner lots) and on flag lots. On corner lots, the code could require that a side driveway be
provided that serves rear-loaded garages or surface parking in the rear of the site. The graphic
below from the DLCD Model Code shows how this type of access would work for a 4-unit
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townhouse project. Note that Lake Oswego's code currently limits access from a private access
lane to not more than 3 lotshould the code be amended to allow this configuration?
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Exceptions to this standard might be needed for when the "side" street is of a higher
classification, or the access would conflict with the City's general access and driveway
standards, particularly sight distance requirements near intersections (LOC 50.06.003).
Exceptions may also be appropriate when topography, existing mature trees, or existing
structures to be preserved would render side/rear access less desirable or appropriate.
Garage Location and Appearance Standards
The provisions of LOC 50.06.001.4 (Garage Appearance and Location) currently regulate how
garages are integrated with single-family houses, as well as duplexes, and zero lot line dwellings
where they are permitted in higher density zones. In summary, the key elements of the current
standards are as follows:
• All garage walls facing a street must have multiple planes or a minimum of 10%
windows.
• Front-facing garages must meet specific garage appearance standards, except where:
o The lot less than 50 feet wide;
o The lot is steeply sloping;
o The garage is set back behind the front of the dwelling by 20 feet; or
o The garage is at least 60 feet from the front lot line.
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• The Garage Appearance standards require that a garage:
o Be no closer to the street than the dwelling (one habitable room must extend in
front of the garage).
o Be no more than 60% of the width of the front facade. However, garages for
duplexes and zero lot line dwellings may be up to 75% of the front facade if they
meet several additional standards. See graphic below for an illustration of these
standards for duplexes and zero lot line dwellings. Note that this standard would
not meet the requirements of Division 46 because it scales by the number of
dwelling units and not by form-based attributes of the structure, so it must be
modified.
o Comply with at least two of four standards intended to minimize the appearance
of the garage. These include a deeper recess, individual garage doors, a more
limited width of less than 50%of the front façade, or a decorative trellis/other
feature above the garage.
• Generally, any house with more than two garage openings must have the any additional
garage doors recessed two feet behind the previous garage door.
Illustration of Garage Design Standards (Figure 50.06.001-L)
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Division 46 generally requires that cities either apply the same design standards that apply to
single-family houses to middle housing or apply the design standards of the DLCD Model Code.
The MHCAC generally was supportive of applying the same garage appearance and location
standards as apply to single-family and duplex housing, but some members were concerned
that this may result in more prominent garages that would be incompatible with community
character. This is a potential outcome given that a triplex, quadplex, or townhome building is
likely to be built with more garage stalls than a single-family house or duplex.
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The current design standards provide several options for minimizing the appearance of a
garage, but these options may not be equally effective in achieving that intent. For example,
recessing a garage significantly (3-5 feet) behind the front facade or a porch can be more
effective at minimizing the prominence of the garage than other techniques. Adding a trellis
across the top of a garage, or breaking up a garage into individual stalls, without also recessing
the garage opening, may be less effective. The images below illustrate the difference between a
significantly recessed garage and other techniques. Additionally, the current standards do not
scale up or down significantly depending on the width of the garage. Staff notes the difficulty of
writing effective clear and objective standards to regulate garage appearance.
Recessed Garages
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503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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Garages Divided into Individual Openings
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Given these findings, the following general approach is recommended for amending the garage
design standards. Staff notes that any new standards must be clear and objective:
• Modify the standards so they do not scale by the number of dwelling units (by not
applying separate standards for single-family/duplex versus triplex and fourplex
buildings) but by the size of the lot or structure.This is required for compliance with
Division 46.
• Remove the exemption to the standards for front-facing garages for lots less than 50
feet in width to ensure they are applicable to townhouses.
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• Continue to limit the overall width of garages to less than 60% of the width of the front
façade but allow exceptions to increase the width of the garage to 75% only for lots that
are narrower than 50-75 feet.
• To further minimize the prominence of garages in the context of middle housing while
balancing the need for flexibility, scale the design standards more aggressively
depending on the width of the garage relative to the facade. The table below offers an
illustration of this concept. The key idea is that if the garage would make up a larger
portion of the front facade, then more techniques and treatments must be used to
minimize the appearance of the garage from the street. These standards are illustrative
and need further refinement.
• Require garage recessing (at least 2 feet) behind the main façade or behind a porch
because this approach is more effective than other design techniques.
Garage width as percent of front Applicable design standards
facade
Less than 25% • Garage must be no closer to the street than dwelling
• Windows: Minimum 10%
25—50% • Garage must be recessed 2 feet behind dwelling
• Windows: Minimum 10%
• Incorporate 2 additional design features
50—60% • Garage must be recessed 3 feet behind dwelling
• Windows: Minimum 15%
• Incorporate 3 additional design features
60—75% • Garage must be recessed 4 feet behind dwelling
(Only allowed on narrower lots)
• Windows: Minimum 25%
• Incorporate 4 additional design features
* Design features would be like those currently offered: individual garage doors, decorative
trellis/pergola or overhanging eaves, a covered porch on the facade, or an enclosed front yard.
KEY POLICY QUESTIONS
In summary, the key policy questions for the Planning Commission on these topics are:
• Minimum Lot Sizes: What minimum lot size that will be required for triplexes,
quadplexes, and cottage cluster housing in the R-3, R-W, R-DD, R-5, and R-6? Should
these middle housing types be required to have larger lots than are required for
single-family houses (Concept 1)? Or should they be generally allowed on the same
size lot as a single-family house in that zone (Concept 2)?
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• Dimensional and Design Standards: Does the Commission have any concerns or
questions about the proposal to generally apply the same dimensional and design
standards to duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses as apply to single-
family houses in that zone?
• Driveways and Garages:
o Should duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes be subject to the same driveway
standards as single-family houses, which means they would be limited to one
shared driveway? Do the benefits of applying the current single-family
driveway standards outweigh the drawbacks?
o Should the maximum width of driveways be further limited to prevent
unnecessarily wide driveways on townhouse lots?
o Should developments on corner lots or lots with alley access be required to
have rear-loaded garages to further minimize garages facing the street? If
so, should the current limitation on the number of lots served by a private
access lane be 4 lots instead of 3 lots for townhomes in the corner lot
scenario?
o Should design standards for garages be applied to lots that are less than 50
feet wide, including townhomes and detached single-family homes, based on
the width of the garage as a percentage of the front facade?
o Should recessed garages be required rather than provided only as an option
for compliance with the garage appearance standards?
ATTACHMENTS (LINKS)
A. Plan and Code Audit Summary, 5/6/2021, click here
B. MHCAC Key Issues Summary Memo, 11/3/2021, click here
To view these documents and other documents in the public records file, visit the Planning
Project webpage: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/house-bills-2001-and-2003
503.635.0290 380 A Avenue PO Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034
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