§ 17.45.010. Purpose.

The Infill Overlay Zone (IOZ) is designed to provide alternative zoning regulations that permit and encourage design flexibility through the implementation of smart growth practices to promote infill, maximum density, attainable housing, and functional innovation in developments that are both transit and pedestrian oriented and which blend into the character of the existing neighborhoods. It is intended that an IOZ will result in a residential environment of higher quality than traditional lot-by-lot development by use of a design process that includes within the site design all the components of an urban residential environment, such as walkability, access to transit, and a variety of building types, in a manner consonant with the public health, safety and welfare and results in a specifically approved site design.

IOZ's are aimed to implement smart growth practices on infill or redevelopment sites that are surrounded by existing development and infrastructure. It is also intended that an IOZ may combine a number of land use decisions such as conditional use permits, rezones, and subdivisions into a single project review process to encourage timely public hearings and decisions and to provide for attainable higher densities than is required or may be permitted between single-family and multi-family zones. The consolidation of permit reviews does not exempt applicant(s) from meeting the regulations and submitting the fees and applications normally required for the underlying permit processes.

Few nonresidential uses are allowed in this overlay zone and then only conditionally, because of land use impacts associated with nonresidential uses. Incorporation of conditionally permitted commercial neighborhood uses and mixed use developments can be achieved through the IOZ review. This overlay zone provides for the creation of infill developments and smaller self-contained residential neighborhoods that complement the existing neighborhood without following a standard system of public streets and lot design and with opportunities for residential and commercial neighborhood developments not usually permitted in residential zones.

(Ord. 3577 § 1, 3/21/2017; Ord. 3294, 8/31/2007)