Seattle says no to auto courts

Town-houses try to pack it all in — living spaces in smaller lots and parking garages for individual units. The architectural result is sometimes awkward. In Seattle, that will change, according to the Seattle Times.

Last year, the Seattle City Council updated its multi-family building code with rules and incentives to discourage developers from utilizing the auto-court style. The City hopes to foster visible pedestrian entry doors and windows that face the street. Common outdoor spaces in town-house complexes are now allowed, and developments located in areas with superior access to transit service need not include individual unit parking.

Seattle has lagged behind Snohomish County, where the multi-family code was updated in 2009 to help create town-house complexes with better curb appeal. Bellevue has not had much of an issue with auto courts; it’s simply not been a design focus there.

For prospective home buyers who want town-house living with greater architectural aesthetics, the new code could mean multi-family neighborhoods where the garage is the back door.