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A. The purpose of this section is to enhance the city’s ecological functions by promoting water conservation, restoring and preserving habitat, increasing energy efficiency, and creating value through significant economic, social, and environmental benefit. This requirement is designed to increase the quality and canopy of planted areas within the city while promoting flexibility in design of landscaped areas.

B. An applicant is required to comply with ecological score requirements below:

1. With the exception of the Marymoor and Northeast Design Districts, when a required landscaped area exceeds 500 square feet, an applicant shall achieve an ecological score of 20 or greater, based on the techniques listed in the table below, in any combination.

2. In the Marymoor and Northeast Design Districts, an applicant shall achieve an ecological score of 30 or greater, based on the techniques listed in the table below, in any combination.

3. Scoring of points is awarded on the basis of a technique’s overall ecological benefit.

4. Techniques listed with an “*” can achieve an additional score of one point for every increase of 10 percent. For example, using a technique that requires 40 percent of trees to be preserved, an additional point shall be awarded as follows:

Technique: 40% Tree Preservation

Additional Point: 10% of 40 = 44% Tree Preservation

5. Every landscape plan shall include a minimum of three different techniques to achieve the total score and any one technique cannot exceed a maximum score of 10 points.

6. Techniques incorporating stormwater solutions shall comply with RMC Chapter 15.24, Clearing, Grading, and Stormwater Management.

Table 21.32.060
Ecological Score Requirements

Technique

Points Awarded - Downtown

Points Awarded – Overlake Village

Points Awarded - MDD and NDD

Points Awarded – Other zones

1. 25% of the plants installed are Northwest adaptive and 25% of the plants installed are native.*

5 points

5 points

5 points

5 points

2. 40% of existing significant trees, including landmark trees, are retained.

3 points

3 points

7 points

7 points

3. Minimum of 25% of proposed trees are evergreens.

3 points

3 points

5 points

5 points

4. Minimum of 25% of evergreen trees are greater than 10 feet high at installation.

3 points

3 points

5 points

5 points

5. Minimum of 25% of deciduous trees are 3-inch caliper or greater at installation.

3 points

3 points

5 points

5 points

6. 10% increase over the minimum number of required replacement trees, street trees, or parking lot trees.*

3 points

3 points

7 points

5 points

7. Vegetated walls (including trellis, green tower or similar features) that have a minimum area of 300 square feet. Additional points in increments of three shall be awarded for every 300 square feet of vegetated walls provided.

5 points

5 points

5 points

3 points

8. Proposed water features use recycled water.

3 points

3 points

3 points

3 points

9. Minimum of 25% of landscaped areas are designed with long-term irrigation from harvested rainwater (such as rain barrels).*

3 points

3 points

5 points

5 points

10. Minimum of 25% of landscaped areas are designed with landscaping that does not require irrigation after a three-year period.

3 points

3 points

3 points

3 points

11. Minimum of 50% of landscaped areas where native soils are preserved on-site.

4 points

4 points

7 points

7 points

12. 5% of common open space or 25 square feet per unit, is reserved as a food garden.*

5 points

5 points

7 points

3 points

13. Green roofs that provide 10% of roof coverage.*

5 points

5 points

7 points

5 points

14. Landscape roofs that provide 10% of roof coverage.*

2 points

2 points

5 points

2 points

15. Installed trees that will attain an average 30-foot-spread canopy in 10 years within parking lots.

5 points

5 points

7 points

3 points

16. 10% of roof coverage dedicated to solar panel installation.*

5 points

5 points

5 points

5 points

(Ord. 2753; Ord. 2858; Ord. 2883)

Effective on: 6/17/2017