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Shrubs within the front yard area wrap around the sides of the end units into the courtyard area. <br />These shrubs, combined with additional shrubs adjacent to each of the unit entries in the courtyard <br />area are designed to soften the character of the built environment. Trees, shrubs, and groundcover <br />at the end of the driveway area also soften the courtyard environment and provide a screening <br />function that helps obscure the retaining wall and fence located along the north property line from <br />view, as well as to help screen the wall of the adjacent townhome structure to the north. <br />An ornamental pear tree is located in the backyard of each unit, along with several shrubs. Some <br />of the shrubs in backyard areas are shown on Landscape Plan sheet 1 of 2 where you could expect <br />townhome residents to construct fences. Additionally, the "mulch only" areas within the <br />backyards do not meet the landscape regulations for Type I perimeter landscaping areas (per TMC <br />Chapter 18.52), where living groundcover is required to cover 90% of the landscape area within <br />three years. Staff recommends two conditions of approval related to the sideyard perimeter <br />landscape areas within the backyards of the units: (1) to require that shrubs and trees within the <br />backyard areas be coordinated with backyard fence locations at the time of planting; and (2) to <br />require groundcover be planted to cover 90% of the landscaped area within three years. <br />Outdoor Space Design <br />Private outdoor space for each unit is located within the backyard area. Common outdoor space <br />area is located in the front yard of the project and the rear yard areas on the north side of units 3 <br />and 5. The lawn area of the front yard can accommodate temporary use of portable outdoor <br />furniture to allow residents to watch street activity, picnic, etc. The rear yard areas on the north <br />side of units 3 and 5 are large enough to allow gardening activities or small play equipment. <br />Additionally, the small size of the project limits the number of vehicles that will be using the <br />courtyard area, and could allow for short -term use of the shared courtyard area for recreation uses. <br />IV. MISCELLANEOUS STRUCTURES /STREET FURNITURE <br />Lighting <br />Lighting proposed for the Boulevard Townhomes consists of wall sconces at <br />building entries and recessed can lights within porch structures and <br />underneath the building modulation overhang areas within the shared <br />courtyard area. A picture of the design of the proposed wall sconces is <br />provided at right. The existing street lamp at the back of the sidewalk along <br />Southcenter Blvd. will provide lighting within the front yard area. <br />Fencing, Walls, and Screening <br />Retaining walls less than four feet high will be <br />located along the west property line, and portions of <br />the north and east property lines. Retaining walls will <br />be visible to residents of the Boulevard Townhomes <br />within backyard areas, and will be visible to the <br />public along the west and east property lines. The <br />material proposed for the retaining wall is split -faced <br />concrete modular units that include a brown sand <br />color (see picture at right). The four foot high cedar <br />JR Page 11 of 15 <br />W: \Users \Jaimie\BOULEVARD TOWNHOMBS \SR L13 -0063 PL14 -001 BoulevardTownhomes 4- 13- 14.doc <br />04/16/2014 <br />15 <br />