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PROJECT NARRATIVE and VARIANCE JUSTIFICATIONS
for the
SONIC DRIVE-IN and RENTON SHOPS MONUMENT SIGN
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South
Renton, Washington 98057
August 14, 2018
GENERAL INFORMATION
Applicant & Property Owner:
Bonnell Family Trust
Contact: Peter Bonnell 425-891-3529
10047 Main Street, Suite 509
Bellevue, WA 98004
bonnelllaw@aol.com
Architect:
Magellan Architects
Primary Contact: Dirk McCulloch 425-885-4300 ext.315
8383 158TH Avenue NE, Suite 280
Redmond, WA 98052
dirk@magellanarchitects.com
Stakeholder(s):
Sonic Drive-In (Olympic Cascade Drive Ins LLC)
Contact: Matthew Ramsey 206-899-6285
matthewr@ocdsonics.com
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Variance Application
Page 2 of 4
Project Location:
The proposed monument sign is located at:
Sonic Drive-In
791 Rainier Avenue South
Renton, Washington 98057
(Parcel 192305-9104)
The proposed monument sign would additionally benefit the “Renton Shops” building located at:
757 Rainier Avenue South
Renton, Washington 98057
(Parcel 192305-9029)
Zoning: CA – Commercial Arterial
Comp Plan Designation: CMU – Commercial Mixed Use
Case Type: Type II Administrative Variance
PROJECT NARRATIVE
The subject parcels are currently developed with a new Sonic Drive-In restaurant and a multi-
tenant retail building. Adjacent portions of the larger retail center include a Walmart store, Dutch
Brothers Coffee shop, Mobil fuel station, an auto-glass installer, Columbia Bank and Jimmy
Mac’s Roadhouse restaurant. Access to these businesses is primarily from a driveway off of
Rainier Avenue South between Sonic and the Mobil fuel station and via a driveway off of SW 7th
Street between Columbia Bank and Jimmy Mac’s Roadhouse.
This application proposes to construct a free-standing monument sign to serve the Sonic Drive-
In restaurant as well as to provide a much-needed signage presence for the retail strip building
referred to as the “Shops at 757 Rainier Avenue South” (or, informally, as the “Renton Shops”
building).
The parcel (192305-9029) containing the Renton Shops building is ‘landlocked’ and does not
benefit from frontage on any adjacent rights-of-way. Consequently, the businesses situated in
this building suffer from a lack of business visibility and identity.
The proposed sign incorporates a primary, entry-type sign that would normally be allowed when
associated with a business such as Sonic Drive-in into a free-standing monument sign that
includes individual tenant panels for the Renton Shops building. This will provide valuable
business identification for the tenants in the Renton Shops building as well as a way-finding
indicator assisting customers in locating the Renton Shops building.
This increased business identity will support the Renton Shops building tenants in their long-
term viability and success while still benefitting Sonic Drive-In as the primary tenant on the
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Variance Application
Page 3 of 4
subject parcel. By combining these functions into a single, cohesive element, the overall impact
of signage is mitigated while supporting all associated business enterprises.
The proposed sign design is highly detailed, of quality construction and employs an intentional
and relevant palette of colors towards a unified form that allows for individual business identity in
a cohesive sign design. Site disturbance is expected to be minimal and no trees are proposed
to be removed.
Estimated construction value for this project is $20,000.
VARIANCE REQUEST JUSTIFICATIONS
Pursuant to Renton Municipal Code section 4-9-250.5 Decision Criteria we present the
following justifications and supporting materials for this variance request:
[Criteria] a. That the applicant suffers practical difficulties and unnecessary hardship and
the variance is necessary because of special circumstances applicable to subject property,
including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings of the subject property, and the
strict application of the Zoning Code is found to deprive subject property owner of rights
and privileges enjoyed by other property owners in the vicinity and under identical zone
classification.
[Response/Justification]: The Renton Shops building (located at 757 Rainier
Avenue South) is landlocked (refer to Neighborhood Detail Map included as Exhibit
B) with no frontage on any adjacent rights-of-way and no opportunities for signage
or visibility from any right of way. Consequently, this building and the associated
tenants suffer from a lack of visibility and business identity.
The provisions of the code that prohibit “Off-Premises Signs” (ref. RMC 4-4-100-C-
10) put an unfair burden on this parcel and these tenants in that they do not
appreciate the same business identification and visibility opportunities as other
enterprises and buildings in this area and zoning.
[Criteria] b. That the granting of the variance will not be materially detrimental to the public
welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which
subject property is situated.
[Response/Justification]: Allowing the proposed monument sign does not
adversely impact the public welfare. The proposed monument sign has been sited
to maintain safe traffic sight distances and prescriptive setbacks and will not
obstruct other businesses, properties, access or improvements. Provision of this
sign will not diminish the subject property or other improvements therein. To the
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Variance Application
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contrary, this sign will improve way-finding and assist motorists in quickly and
safely establishing that they are in the right place to find a specific business or, in
general, the Renton Shops building.
[Criteria] c. That approval shall not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with
the limitation upon uses of other properties in the vicinity and zone in which the subject
property is situated;
[Response/Justification]: Approval of this Variance Request and the proposed sign
affords these properties and enterprises the same signage opportunities as other
similarly zoned properties and businesses in the area that benefit from having
frontage on a right-of-way.
Please refer to Exhibit A for examples of other signs in the area that employ off-
premises signage, as is sought here, and showcase the type of business
identification and wayfinding indicators that is requested here in support of the
Renton Shops businesses.
[Criteria] d. That the approval is a minimum variance that will accomplish the desired
purpose.
[Response/Justification]: The Sonic Drive-In portion of the proposed sign has been
designed to meet the intent of a Primary Entry Sign (ref. RMC 4-11-190-S Definitions)
with respect to sign area, massing and scale. The body of the Sonic Drive-In portion
of the sign is an iconic style and design established by, and associated with, that
brand and cannot be altered. The “Shops” portion of the sign provides the number
of tenant identification panels necessary for each of the tenant spaces. In that this
sign provides identification for a building and businesses (the Renton Shops
building) that are not immediately visible from the right-of-way a stylized directional
arrow and address identifying the Renton Shops building have been incorporated
into the design to assist motorists and patrons in safely locating the building and its
associated businesses.
These signage elements and goals have been thoughtfully incorporated into a single
monument structure to minimize sign footprint and site disturbance while providing
a visually cohesive design and presentation.
Tenants, building owners and the design team have w orked closely with City staff to
arrive at a sign configuration, size and style that meets the goals of all stake-holders
in order to present a design that can be supported and approved by the City.
End of Variance Request Justifications
EXHIBIT A
Context Imagery for Other Signage in the Project Vicinity
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit A
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The following are examples of other businesses and their associated signs in the project vicinity
to illustrate that this Variance Request does not constitute a grant of special privilege. It
illustrates that the proposed sign configuration is well within bounds relative to other existing
signs and that the sign design generally, and in many cases substantially, exceeds other nearby
instances in the quality of detailing and construction.
1. Sound Collision Center – 750 Rainier Avenue South, Renton
This enterprise, associated with South Ford and situated across Rainier Avenue South
from the project location, appreciates two large billboard type signs. The first is an off-
premises sign (located on a parcel separate from the addressed parcel on which the
business is located) at a driveway access point along South Grady Way (Photos 1A &
1C). The second is a similarly large and plain sign along the Rainier Avenue South
frontage (Photo 1B). These signs are exceedingly plain in design and construction –
essentially painted plywood billboards with vinyl lettering supported by unadorned timber
posts sunk into the surrounding asphalt. Based on the example photos (Photo 1C) we
would estimate this sign face to be roughly 8 feet tall by 16 feet wide (approx. 128 square
feet per sign face) with the overall height of the sign roughly 15 feet at its highest.
Photo 1A – South Grady Way
Photo 1B – Rainier Avenue South
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit A
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Photo 1C – South Grady Way
2. Evergreen Building – 15 South Grady Way, Renton
The the signage for this office building is currently a screened vinyl banner of plain black
lettering on a white background draped over a simple pole-sign type structure (Photo
2A). Even without the vinyl banner overlay this pole sign (situated on the southwest
corner of the intersection of Lake Avenue South and South Grady Way) consists of
unadorned steel posts supporting a simple square sign face. We estimate this sign to be
approaching, if not exceeding, 20 feet in height.
Photo 2A – South Grady Way and Lake Avenue South
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit A
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3. Renton Village – South Grady Way and Shattuck Avenue South, Renton
This retail center boasts a very large pole sign structure featuring a large retail center
identification sign (“Renton Village”) and large tenant panels for Rite Aid and Uwajimaya.
In this example, even a smaller tenant (“Watch Repair” in Photo 3A) is afforded a
relatively large sign panel on the structure. We would estimate that even the smallest
tenant panel in this example to be roughly 10 feet wide by 3 feet tall (30 square feet per
sign face).
Photo 3A – South Grady Way and Shattuck Avenue South
4. Curran Plaza – Hardie Avenue SW and SW 7th Street
This retail center provides a substantial identifying element for the overall retail center
(“Curran Plaza”) as well as numerous (10 panels in addition to the “King Buffet Chinese
Restaurant” panel immediately below the retail center name), smaller tenant identification
panels in a relatively unimaginative configuration (Photo 4A).
Photo 4A – Hardie Avenue Southwest and Southwest 7th Street
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit A
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Conclusion:
The sign design, massing and configuration presented with this Variance Request exceeds in
design quality, materials, detailing and construction of other existing signs in this zone and retail
area. The proposed design affords these businesses, at a minimum, the same opportunity for
business identity and visibility along the associated rights-of-way that other similar businesses
and retail centers in the area enjoy.
End of Exhibit A
8383 158th Avenue Northeast, Suite 280Redmond, Washington 98052Tel (425) 885-4300 Fax (425) 885-4303www.magellanarchitects.comageManllA R C H I T E C T SJOB NUMBER: E
EXHIBIT C
Project Site Context Photos
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit C
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Photo 1 – View southbound along Rainier Avenue South approaching site
Photo 2 – View southbound along Rainier Avenue South. Proposed sign location (near
base of Walmart sign); Sonic Drive-In construction visible on the right side of photograph
Sonic Drive-in - Renton Shops Monument Sign August 14, 2018
Hardie Avenue and Rainier Avenue South Exhibit C
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Photo 3 – Rainier Avenue South frontage in front of proposed sign location. Proposed
sign location is just out of frame to the left side of photograph.
End of Exhibit C