What is Design Review?
Design Review is intended to identify and respect important visual patterns in Gig Harbor’s built environment and relate those to our natural backdrop of trees, hills and water. -- GIG HARBOR DESIGN MANUAL
What is Design Review?
Design Review is intended to be a forum for city staff, community representatives appointed to the 7-member Design Review Board, a neighborhood and a developer to work toward achieving a better community through attention to design principles. Those principles are presented in the Design Manual under Title 17 (Chapters 17.98 and 17.99) of the Gig Harbor Municipal Code (GHMC) and are intended to implement the goals and policies established in the design element of the City’s comprehensive plan.
Design Review is not intended to resolve disputes about zoning. The city’s Design Review process offers a flexible tool, an alternative to prescriptive zoning requirements, which will allow new development to respond better to the distinctive character of its surroundings. Designers and reviewers are encouraged to consider new designs, styles and techniques.
Who uses it?
- all single-family and multi-family structures
- all commercial or mixed use structures
- all industrial warehouses, business parks and storage facilities
- all public institutions and public properties
What’s the difference between a “DRB” Review and a “Staff (Administrative) Review”?
Strict conformance to the “specific requirements” listed in the Design Manual will permit a “Staff Review” decision. All other design decisions will be reviewed by the Design Review Board (DRB) according to the BOLD & UNDERLINED text in each section of the manual.
Through the DRB process, design departures may apply to bulk, scale, architectural elements, expression, and materials, pedestrian environments, public amenities, streetscapes and landscaping, vehicular access and parking.
Process Summary
The applicant may request one, PRE-APPLICATION MEETING with the Design Review Board at no charge. This informal design guidance meeting will provide early input at the beginning stages of the design process.
The meeting is attended by city staff, the applicant, the Design Review Board, and interested citizens. At the meeting, the applicant should present design and development objectives and citizens can ask questions relevant to the proposed development. After the meeting, the DRB will summarize the community’s design guideline priorities.
The applicant should be prepared to present the conceptual direction of the project with:
- A conceptual drawing of the site showing its proposed configuration and dimensions.
- A preliminary drawing showing the natural site conditions including topography and existing vegetation.
- Photographs (an excellent way to present existing interior site conditions and the surrounding properties or streetscape.)
During the Pre-Application meeting, the applicant should consider the following questions and similar ones when reviewing the site:
- What are the key aspects of the streetscape?
- Are there special site planning opportunities resulting from the site’s configuration, natural features, topography, etc.?
- Does the street have special landscape opportunities such as steep topography, significant trees, greenbelt or natural areas that should be addressed in the design?
- Are there special conditions related to a zone edge which should be addressed in the project’s design?
- Will this project be the first (in immediate the area) and will future development want to emulate your site design?
Immediately after or prior to the Pre-Application Meeting, the applicant may apply for a formal DRB meeting to obtain a binding recommendation from the Board. The Board will consider all design departures presented by the applicant.
Meetings are scheduled every 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the Month on a first come first serve basis. Contact Cindy Andrews at (253) 853-7608 for more information.