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Residential Design Standards Single-family and Middle Housing City of Kennewick, WA November 5, 2025 ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards Objectives 1. Simplicity The document should be brief and to the point. 2. Clarity It should be easily understood by a wide range of users. 3. Creativity It should encourage creativity in development and design. 4. Flexibility The provisions should offer choices. 5. Quality It should produce higher quality development. 6. Vitality It should promote a vibrant community. 7. Vision The document should express a strong, long-term vision for development ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards Over-Arching Design Principles 1. Build on the Inherent Attributes of Kennewick Development should respect and add to those attributes that comprise a positive city character and identity. 2. Compatibility with Sensitivity New residential development should reflect the proportions, roof forms, details and materials, as well as vegetation associated with nearby single-family residential areas. 3. Sustainability Development should reflect attributes of sustainability, such as xeriscaping, storm-drainage system as part of the design element, less impervious surface for ground cover, etc. 4. Many Choices of Movement Development should contribute to the network of sidewalks, walkways, and trails along with vehicular circulation. 5. Pedestrian Realm The sidewalk environment should be a safe, convenient, and attractive setting for people on foot. Garages should not be the prominent element in overall design. 6. Many Choices of Living Development should provide variety by encouraging houses of different size, shape, type, and style in different settings. 7. Variety in Site and Building Design Monotonous uniformity is not desired; rather, development should display variation in mass, form and color. 8. Streetscape Elements Paving materials, landscape, lighting and site furnishings should contribute to the character and scale of the pedestrian environment without adding excessive cost, maintenance or security concerns. ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards Scope and Applicability These standards are applicable to all new single-family and middle housing residential developments within the City limits. The mandatory standards will be made available in the Kennewick Municipal Code. These standards shall take precedence in case there is a conflict in the KMC. The Director of the Community Planning Department shall have the final authority to resolve any conflicts in the standards in order to protect the City’s objectives and goals. All mandatory standards are to be strictly followed throughout the subdivision design and platting. Although a developer is not bound to follow the recommended standards, recommended standards allow more flexibility than the existing code and promote better aesthetics and design solutions. ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards Index 1. Fences 1 2. Open Spaces 3 3. Subdivision Signage 4 4. Residential Street Lights 5 5. Arterial Street Landscaping 7 6. Residential Street Landscaping 9 7. Recreational Vehicle Storage 11 8. Architectural Features 12 9. Setbacks 14 10. Shared Street Frontages 15 11. Alleys 16 12. Pedestrian Walkways 17 ---PAGE BREAK--- Flanking street 10 ft Fence Line Property Line 15 ft Address street Intent: Fences To provide setbacks that minimize the domination of fences in the streetscape, improve pedestrian safety on sidewalks, and improve the aesthetic appearance of public streets and fences. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory DO 1. Limit the maximum height to six feet. 2. Fences along alleys, and walkways open to the public shall be no more than 4 feet solid or 6 feet open in height or a combination of both with a maximum of four feet solid portion starting from the ground level. 3. For corner lots - fencing over 36 inches in height must be setback 10 feet from the flanking street property line. 4. For lots with triple street frontages - fences over 36 inches are permitted at the property line of one non-addressed street side. 5. Masonry columns minimum 2 feet wide must be included along arterial streets at every 50 feet maximum. Corner lots - fence over 36 inches 6. Razor wire, barbed wire and electric wire are not permitted in any residential zone. 7. Chain link fencing with slats is not permitted when visible from a public or private street. 8. The support posts and stringers must be on the interior & not face the street. 9. Non-conforming fences installed without a building permit are not vested. 10. Amortization - minor repair of less than 25% of the linear feet of a legal non-conforming fence does not trigger compliance with the new code; however, the cumulative repair of 100% within a two-year period or less shall trigger the necessity for compliance. (Continued to the next page) City of Kennewick, WA Triple frontage lot - fence over 36 inches Residential Design Standards I Fence Page 1 Open fence with masonry posts Property Line 15 ft Fence Line 10 ft Flanking street Address street Flanking street ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Fence Page 2 Fences (Cont’d) Recommended 11. Use of durable materials (e.g. masonry) is strongly encouraged. 12. Fences in public rights of way or easements may be approved only after a license agreement or encroachment permit has been approved. DO Example of fence setback on a regular lot Example of fence setback on a corner lot DO NOT No maintenance Fence on the edge of the sidewalk ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Open Spaces Page 3 Intent: Open Spaces To provide for open spaces that enhance visual and environmental quality of neighborhoods, protect natural features, are safe to see and use and serve as gathering points that enhance the livability of neighborhoods. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Fences surrounding open spaces shall be open type to allow visual connection and should be 4 feet or less in height. Examples include split rail and wrought iron fences. 2. Privately owned open spaces must include provisions for perpetual maintenance by the individual homeowner or by the homeowners association. 3. Open spaces must be protected from future development with easements and deed restrictions to ensure their long-term existence. Recommended 4. Open spaces and common areas are strongly encouraged in a residential neighborhood. 5. Open spaces should be incorporated with the overall storm water plan. 6. Open spaces should be visible and accessible from roads, walkways and homes. 7. Open spaces should abut roads wherever possible. 8. Open spaces are encouraged to have pedestrian access. 9. Open spaces should include sitting and viewing areas. DO Neighborhood park - Hawthorne Park Open type fence surrounding the critical area at Pheasant Run neighborhood Open space abutting road - visible and accessible Open space offering sitting and recreational amenities ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Subdivision Signage Page 4 Intent: Residential Subdivision Signage To provide the opportunity for the identification of individual neighborhoods while placing reasonable restrictions on the size, number, location, height and physical quality of subdivision signage. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Signs must be a maximum of 6 feet in height. 2. Signs must be located at the entrance to the subdivision and not be located off site. Location of signage must be incorporated with landscaping tracts. 3. There must be provisions for long-term maintenance of signs by a homeowners association. 4. Signs must be made from durable materials such as masonry, cultured stone, rock or metal. Wood signs are not permitted. 5. A maximum of 32 square feet in area per sign is allowed unless a master signage plan has been approved by the City for the entire subdivision. 6. Lighting of the sign must comply with the City’s Outdoor Lighting Ordinance (KMC 18.39). 7. Sign must be designed to minimize the potential for vandalism and to prevent them from falling into disrepair. 8. The number of signs is limited to one per entrance from an arterial street, with a maximum of one sign if the subdivision has no arterial street frontage. DO Signage incorporated with landscaping tract and open space Poorly maintained sign Masonry sign in Hansen Park development DO NOT ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Residential Street Lights Page 5 Intent: Residential Street Lights To establish streetlights in residential areas that are appropriately scaled to neighborhood and residential streetscape. To promote pedestrian and vehicular safety, and to improve the aesthetic appearance of public and private streetlights without creating undue maintenance burden. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. All lighting features must be shielded to prevent stray upward light in order to comply with the City’s Outdoor Lighting Ordinance (KMC Chapter 18.39). Recommended 2. Pedestrian-scale street lighting consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood should be implemented. Background Information • Public street lights are either owned by the City of Kennewick or the Benton PUD. All light fixtures are maintained by the Benton PUD via contractual maintenance agreement. In nearly every case the City owned street lights have aluminum poles. • The City’s current specifications for residential street light poles are 30.5 feet in height and spaced 300 feet apart on alternating sides of the street. Shorter street light poles will result in closer street light spacing. The 30.5 ft. pole height and 100 watt luminaire were chosen to cast a minimum amount of light onto the street and to minimize the amount “backwash” light into the abutting homes. Nearly all new intersections have at least one street light. • The Benton PUD would prefer that the City approve only one type of street light so as to simplify the process of ordering and stocking of replacement parts. • The Benton PUD is open to the concept of the City allowing an alternate type of street light. Current City Standards Street light at PineWood neighborhood Street light at Washington Street (towards Clover Island) ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Residential Street Lights Page 6 Residential Street Lights (Contd.) Background Information • Many street lights are made by manufacturers that have designed families of different type of lights that can be maintained with interchangeable parts. • Several developers have proposed shorter, decorative poles because the street light required by the City’s standards are less aesthetically appealing. Street light at Canyon Lakes Meadow Hills subdivision street lights Downtown Kennewick street lights ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Arterial Street Landscaping Page 7 Intent: Arterial Street Landscaping To reduce the impact of heavy traffic by using landscaping buffer and provide safe walking environment for the pedestrian. To ensure low maintenance and high performance landscaping and street trees that are appropriate for this climate in conjunction with existing utility poles; and to ensure the appropriate maintenance of landscaping areas. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. A minimum 10 feet of landscaping/ planting strip must be provided along the arterial streets between street edges and sidewalks. 2. Plant materials shall be a mixture of drought tolerant deciduous and evergreen trees. Drought tolerant plant materials may contribute up to 50% of the required landscaping ground cover and street trees. Selection of trees and plant materials shall be approved by the City. 3. Street trees must meet standards contained in KMC 18.21 and must be allowed to mature and maintained at a minimum height of 20 feet. Any alternative must be approved by the Director. 4. Street trees shall be planted at least every 40 linear feet or can be planted in groups in the planting strip. A detail landscape plan designed and signed by a licensed Landscape Architect must be submitted for approval by the Planning staff. 5. Sidewalks shall be minimum five feet wide. 6. All landscaping elements, plant materials and street trees shall be planted or installed by the developer and maintained by a Homeowner’s Association. In absence of a Homeowner’s Association, landscaping shall be planted and maintained by the individual property owner per KMC 5.56.360. 7. A separate irrigation system designed for the health of the street trees on arterial streets (e.g. drip system) maintained by the Homeowner’s Association or individual owner shall be required. (Continued to the next page) DO Street trees in the planting strip between sidewalk and street - 4th Ave. on Hansen Park Landscaping median and street trees on Kellogg Street - Creekstone Development 10 ft wide Landscaping strip Street side 5 ft sidewalk Lot side ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Arterial Street Landscaping Page 8 Arterial Street Landscaping (Contd) Recommended 8. Landscaping strip can be a mixture of hardscape and living plant material with hardscape consisting maximum 50% of the total planting strip area. 9. Planting strips are encouraged to be incorporated with the overall storm water plan. 10. Incorporation of artwork with the hardscape is encouraged. DO NOT No street trees in the planting strip Poorly maintained, no sidewalk or planting strip ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards / Residential Street Landscaping Page 9 Intent: Residential Street Landscaping To provide adequate width for planting strips and sidewalks in a way that creates buffer between residential streets and houses; to provide street side landscaping of home sites; to ensure low maintenance and high performance landscaping and street trees that are appropriate for the local climate, and to ensure the appropriate maintenance of landscaped areas and improve the physical environment of the neighborhood. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory Option A: 1. A minimum 5 feet of landscaping/ planting strip must be provided along subdivision streets between street edge and sidewalks. Minimum of 5 feet will be allowed to accommodate meandering pathways. Option B: 2. A “curb tight” sidewalk may be provided on residential streets (not including collectors or arterials as designated by the City Traffic Engineer.) Street trees are still required to be planted within 5 feet of the back of sidewalk and shall be a minimum of 2 ½ inch caliper at the time of planting in the case of deciduous trees and a minimum of 8 feet in height in the case of evergreen trees. Mandatory for Options A & B: DO Planting strip between street and sidewalk 3. Plant materials shall be a mixture of drought tolerant deciduous and evergreen trees. Drought tolerant plant materials may contribute up to 50% of the required landscaping and street trees. Selection of trees and plant materials shall be approved by the City. 4. Trees must meet minimum standards contained in KMC 18.21 and must be allowed to mature and be maintained at a minimum height of 20 feet. Any alternative must be approved by the Director. 5. City’s recommended street trees shall be planted every 40 linear feet or can be planted in groups. All landscaping must be designed and signed by a licensed landscape architect. 6. Minimum width of the sidewalk shall be 5 feet. Big trees in Canyon Lakes Village Street trees on wide planting strip ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards / Residential Street Landscaping Page 10 7. All landscaping elements, plant materials and street trees shall be planted by the developer and maintained by the homeowner’s association. In absence of a homeowner’s association, landscaping shall be planted and maintained by the individual property owner per KMC 5.56.360. 8. Front yards of residential lots must be landscaped within 180 days of the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy, with the exception of residential street tree that must be planted prior to issuing the Certificate of Occupancy. 9. A separate irrigation system designed for the health of the street trees on residential streets (e.g. drip system) maintained by the Homeowner’s Association or individual owner shall be required. Recommended 10. Landscaping strip can be a mixture of hardscape and living plant material with hardscape consisting maximum 50% of the total planting strip area. 11. Landscaping elements and plant material should include: a) pedestrian lighting, b) bollards, c) sitting areas and d) special interest planting. 12. A combination of brick paving and/or colored stamped concrete or similar paving material is encouraged for sidewalks. A variation in design with meandering sidewalks compatible with the subdivision design is also encouraged. 13. Planting strips are encouraged to be incorporated with the overall storm water plan. DO pickleball pen Street trees and street lighting on the planning strip No landscaping strip or street trees – fence on the edge of the sidewalk Small street trees – sidewalk on the edge of the street DO NOT ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Recreational Vehicle Storage Page 11 Intent: Recreational Vehicle Storage To provide well-designed locations for RV storage and minimize adverse effects of RV storage on adjacent individual lots. Common RV storage areas for the use of owners and residents within a subdivision Mandatory 1. RV storage area must be developed as a separate tract and incorporated into the subdivision’s maintenance bylaws, which includes provisions for perpetual maintenance if the mechanism for maintenance by the homeowners association fails. 2. Must be screened from view with a vegetative buffer as required in KMC Chapter 18.12.130 and maintained with a six-foot minimum height. 3. Must be lighted by standards that are not more than 15 feet above ground level and there shall be no direct light visible from outside the storage area. Verification by a qualified professional is required prior to final approval. 4. Must be paved with a storm drainage system design to the City’s requirements. RV’s storage on lots when accessory to a home Mandatory 1. Must be screened by a 6-foot solid fence, wall or vegetative hedge. 2. Must not be in the front yard setback (forward of front wall of the building structure). 3. Must not be parked on a public street for more than 72 consecutive hours. Recommended 4. Homeowners Association should be responsible to ensure that RVs stored in individual lots are in compliance with the City standards. DO Common RV storage area screened behind the wall DO NOT RV, boat on a lot - no screening, stored in the front yard setback area RV on a lot - screened and fenced ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Architectural Features Page 12 Intent: Architectural Features To increase architectural variation along streetscapes and allow full use of open areas for outdoor living activities, increase architectural interest, and allow for greater flexibility in the design of homes. Standards to implement the intent: Recommended DO Porches, over-hangs, covered decks, canopies, bay windows – have specific requirements that need to be considered: 1. Architectural features such as porches, stop over-hangs, carports, cornices, canopies and bay windows may project into a required street yard a maximum of five feet if the main living unit has at least a 15-foot front yard setback. 2. Covered decks with at least three open sides may project into required rear yards a maximum of five feet. 3. Uncovered decks less than 30 inches above the ground may extend into required rear yards a maximum of ten feet. DO ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Architectural Features Page 13 DO DO NOT Architectural Features (Contd.) DO DO NOT ---PAGE BREAK--- Residential Design Standards I Setbacks Page 14 City of Kennewick, WA Intent: Setbacks To minimize garage domination and encourage liveliness of a streetscape. To provide property owners with more side yard flexibility without unduly crowding dwellings in a way that would limit access to light and air. To provide for the creation of driveways that can accommodate larger vehicles without interrupting pedestrian movement on the sidewalk. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Side yards - lots with shared driveways with the adjacent lot - five feet on one side, ten feet on the shared driveway side. For shared driveways twenty feet or wider, the setback shall be fifteen feet. For lots with individual driveways, five feet on each side. Recommended 2. The living unit of a home may be setback from the back of the walk a minimum of 15 feet if the attached garage is setback at least 20 feet from the back of the walk. DO Sideyard setback for shared driveways Less setback for non-garage front DO Living unit in the front, garage is set back DO NOT Garage dominates the front side leaving inadequate driveway length Street side sidewalk 15ft 20ft Living unit Garage ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Shared Frontages Page 15 Shared Street Frontages Intent: To provide the opportunity for shared frontage lots that meet certain minimum standards, to increase diversity of housing styles within subdivisions, to promote the in-filling of vacant lands. And increase on-street parking by minimizing the number of driveways. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Private driveways shall not be required to be wider than 12’ and shall not be required to have unobstructed vertical clearance more than 13’6” except when it is determined to be in violation of the International Fire Code or other fire, life, and safety standards, such as site distance requirements. 2. Private driveway access shall be permitted for middle housing development with any number of units when a fire apparatus access road (20’ min.) is within 150’ of all structures on the lot and all portions of the exterior walls of the first story of the buildings, as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the buildings. 3. When a fire apparatus road (20’ min) is not within 150’ of all structures on the lot, item does not apply and one of the following conditions must be met: a. All residences shall be equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system meeting International Fire Code requirements. b. No more than two units are accessed via the same private driveway. c. Fire apparatus access roads cannot be installed because of location on property, topography, waterways, nonnegotiable grades or other similar conditions, and an approved alternative means of fire protection is provided. 4. Private drives exceeding 150 feet in length, unless otherwise permitted in the KMC, shall have an approved turn-around provided for emergency fire apparatus in accordance with City of Kennewick Standard DWG. NO. 2-1 Cul-De-Sac and Alternate Residential Street Turn- Around or alternative approved by the fire code. DO Shared driveway Lot 3 Lot 4 Property Line Lot 1 Shared driveway Lot 2 Public street ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Shared Frontages Page 15 5. Private driveway access, separate from access to an existing home, shall be permitted unless it is determined to be in violation of the International Fire Code or other fire, life, safety standards, such as site distance requirements. 6. A minimum 4 ft by 4ft sign with addresses shall be posted on the street side for all lots that do not abut any public or private street. Addresses must be posted on both public and private streets for each lot. 7. The shared driveway must be maintained by the Homeowners Association or by the adjoining property owners. A maintenance agreement must be recorded prior to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy. 8. This subsection is not intended to limit the applicability of the adopted International Fire Code, except as otherwise presented in this subsection. DO Two lots in the front and two behind Shared street frontage for sloped lots ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Alleys Page 16 Intent: Alleys To provide the opportunity for the creation of lots and homes with vehicular accesses from alleys in a way that enhances the visual quality of the neighborhood, are safe to see and use and provide emergency and utility vehicles access. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Alleys must be shown as a tract, and paved and maintained by the homeowner’s association for long-term maintenance. 2. Fences abutting the alley must be limited to 4 feet in height in order to create safe spaces that are visible from abutting homes while maintaining a reasonable degree of privacy for residents. 3. Alleys shall not be more than 24 feet wide except as determined by the Fire Marshall when topographical constraints may warrant a greater width. 4. Addresses must be posted on both the alley side and the front side of the lot. Alleys must not allow on-street parking and ‘no parking’ signs must be posted at each end of the alley. 5. Alleys need to be included in the storm water plan. Recommended 6. Allow garages (attached and detached) and detached accessory units near the rear property line facing the alley. 7. Include provisions for lighting in addition to that on garages. 8. Fences to be setback as far from the alley as accessory buildings are. 9. Garage access/drive aprons should be short enough to discourage parking outside of garages that would compromise use of the alley by emergency and utility vehicles. 10. Require planting consistent with the neighborhood character. DO Landscaping in alleys Low height fence to increase visibility and safety ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Pedestrian Walkways Page 17 Intent: Pedestrian Walkways To increase connectivity through a network of vehicular and pedestrian circulation, make pedestrian walkways safe, visible and convenient, and promote a pedestrian friendly environment. Standards to implement the intent: Mandatory 1. Clearly defined and identifiable pedestrian connections shall be provided within blocks when the length of a block is more than 600 feet. 2. Total width of the pedestrian walkways including the hard surfaced walkway and landscape shall be at least 10 feet. 3. Pedestrian walkways must be a combination of hard surface walkways, living ground cover (such as grass, shrubs) and trees. Other landscaping elements shall include the following: a) Pedestrian lighting, e.g. bollard and one of the followings: b) Special features like trellises c) Special pavement d) Special interest landscaping 4. Minimum width of a hard surfaced walkway shall be at least five feet. 5. Fences abutting alleys shall be no more than 4 feet solid or 6 feet open in height or a combination of both with a maximum of four feet solid portion from the ground. 6. Walkways must be protected from future development with easements and deed restrictions and must have the provision for perpetual maintenance by the homeowner’s association. DO Meandering walkways on a 20 ft wide tract Walkways (8 ft wide) with open space on one side (Continued to the next page) Walkway connecting the street crosswalk ---PAGE BREAK--- City of Kennewick, WA Residential Design Standards I Pedestrian Walkways Page 18 Pedestrian Walkways (Contd.) Recommended DO NOT 7. A combination of brick paving and/ or colored stamped concrete or similar paving material is encouraged. Incorporation of non-linear, meandering sidewalks compatible with the neighborhood design is also encouraged. 8. Pedestrian walkways are strongly encouraged to be connected with parks, open spaces and/ or common areas within the development or in the vicinity. Narrow walkway with 6 ft tall solid fences on both sides - creating tunnel effect