19.33.050 Exceptions to public sidewalk standards.
The following exceptions to public sidewalk standards are allowed:
A. Point Obstructions. Point obstructions, such as power poles, light poles and fire hydrants, may encroach into the pedestrian clear zone, but the sidewalk must have clear width remaining to meet accessibility requirements.
B. Steep Topography at Right-of-Way Line. Sidewalks may be located adjacent to the curb when there is inadequate right-of-way or in steep topography areas where grading to a full street width would cause too great of an impact.
C. Frontage and Landscape/Furniture Zone Shift. In areas where ground-level active uses are anticipated within the building frontage zone, such as sidewalk cafes or merchandise display, frontage zones should be designed to be wide enough to accommodate those uses. In no case can an active use encroach on the pedestrian clear zone. In rare cases, the furniture zone may be reduced in width when approved by the city engineer and planning director in order to maintain the minimum pedestrian clear zone and allow for activation of uses in the frontage zone.
D. Other Considerations at the Direction of the City Engineer. The city engineer may allow a modification or reduction of the public sidewalk standards in this chapter in the following circumstances:
1. The required sidewalk improvements would conflict with existing underground or aboveground utilities, including sewer, water, stormwater, or power poles;
2. A modification of the required sidewalk improvement is necessary to provide a smooth transition to an existing sidewalk on the adjacent property, or to an alley where the sidewalk intersects the alley; or
3. The required sidewalk improvement would create a traffic or pedestrian safety hazard, such as sight distance problems or conflicts with other ingress/egress locations. (Ord. 3774-20 § 5(S) (Exh. 3), 2020.)