HomeMy WebLinkAboutD_HEX_Decision_Renton_Prep_200121 1
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BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY OF RENTON
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9 RE: Renton Prep )
) FINAL DECISION
10 Conditional Use Permit )
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11 LUA19-000285, CU-H )
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14 Summary
15 The Applicant has applied for a conditional use permit for the expansion of a private school currently
16 operating on two floors of a multi-tenant commercial building at 200 Mill Ave S. The application is
approved subject to conditions.
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Testimony
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Alex Morganroth, City of Renton Associate Planner, summarized the staff report. In response to
19 examiner questions, Mr. Morganroth noted that students are not anticipated to be driving to the
20 project site. The former use of the expansion area involved more parking and traffic than the
proposed use.
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Exhibits
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Exhibits 1-4 identified at Page 2 of the January 20, 2020 staff report were admitted into the record
23 during the hearing. The following exhibits were also admitted during the hearing:
24 Exhibit 5: Staff PowerPoint
25 Exhibit 6: City of Renton COR maps
Exhibit 7: Google aerial photographs
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CONDITIONAL USE- 1 •
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2 FINDINGS OF FACT
3 Procedural:
4 1. Applicant. Dr. David Paul Zimmerman, Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, 200 Mill Ave S,
Renton, WA.
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2. Hearing. A hearing was held on the application on January 14, 2020 in the City of Renton
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Council Chambers.
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3. Project Description. The Applicant has applied for a conditional use permit for the expansion
8 of a private school currently operating on two floors of a multi-tenant commercial building at 200
Mill Ave S. No changes to the building or 3.53 site are proposed, except for a minor tenant
9 improvement that would not result in a square footage increase. A Hearing Examiner CUP was
10 approved in 2014 under LUA14-000669. The original CUP allowed for the use of two floors with up
to 125 students. The Applicant is seeking to expand into an additional floor and allow for the
11 enrollment of up to 240 students. The first and third floors of the building currently house classrooms
and other associated school services. The Applicant has proposed utilization of the fourth floor for a
12 makerspace in order to enable the students to gain hands-on experience in fields such as art, robotics,
virtual/augmented reality, and more. The proposal is considered a major revision to the original CUP
13 (and therefore requires a new CUP) due to the proposal involving more than a ten percent (10%)
14 increase in area or intensity of the use. Access to the site would remain off of Mill Ave S. The
proposed internal tenant improvements include the addition of a new interior exit door on the fourth
15 floor and various other improvements associated with the creation of a hands-on space. No trees or
vegetation are proposed for removal.
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4. Surrounding Uses. Surrounding uses are composed of the downtown library to the north,
17 railroad tracks and Interstate 405 to the east and west and the Renton Fire Station, Renton History
18 Museum and commercial uses to the west.
19 5. Adverse Impacts. There are no significant adverse impacts associated with the proposal.
Pertinent impacts are more specifically addressed as follows;
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A. Aesthetics.No impact, since there are no exterior alterations.
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22 B. Traffic. Internal circulation will remain unaffected No new curb cuts are proposed as part
of the tenant improvements and vehicular access would continue to be provided via entrances off of
23 Mill Ave S and Houser Ave S. An existing dedicated pedestrian-only pathway provides a direct
connect between the building and the public sidewalk along Mill Ave S, as well as to the adjacent
24 library. Therefore the existing site configuration provides for safe movement of vehicles and
pedestrians. In addition, the moderate increase in the intensity of the use (i.e. number of students) is
25 not anticipated to generate any traffic impacts on the surrounding areas due to the existing adjacent
26 high-traffic generating uses and the fact that the proposed use will generate less trips than the former
CONDITIONAL USE- 2
1 use of the expansion space. The existing site configuration provides for safe movement of vehicles
and pedestrians.by the change in use.
2 C. Noise/light/glare. According to the staff report, the proposed use is not expected to
3 generate any noise, light, or glare impacts outside of those typical in a commercial area. Given the
lack of exterior improvements and the intensity of surrounding uses, the staff findings on this issue
4 are taken as verities.
D. Parking. Staff and students of the school currently utilize the existing parking lot on site.
5 A previous tenant, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, terminated their lease in the fall of
2019. A total of approximately 120 shared parking spaces are available on the site. Even during the
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occasional vehicle overflow from the Renton Library parking lot to west created by events, the site is
7 significantly over parked. In addition, staff has observed on multiple occasions that the site
consistently has many open spaces available both during daytime and evening hours. According to
8 the Applicant, the lease authorizes the school to use 35 of the 120 spaces, with the potential for an
increase if needed. The Applicant contends that approximately 15 teachers utilize and spaces.
9 Students generally do not drive to school and are instead dropped off by parents or guardians.
10 Therefore adequate parking existing for the proposed expansion.
G. Critical/Environmentally Sensitive Areas. The project site is located within the shoreline
11 jurisdiction of the Cedar River as well as an aquifer recharge area, flood plain, seismic hazard area
and steep slope area. Since the proposal only involves interior alterations, the proposal does not
12 trigger any shoreline or critical area requirements.
H. Compatibility. As identified in Finding of Fact No. 4, there are no sensitive land uses
13 adjoining the site and as identified in this Finding of Fact, the proposed expansion will create no
14 adverse impacts. The project has also been designed to provide for adequate and safe pedestrian and
traffic infrastructure, assuring the safety of the students. For these reasons, the proposal is found to
15 be compatible with surrounding uses. No other schools are within the immediate vicinity of the
project,thus the project will not create an overconcentration of school use.
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17 Conclusions of Law
18 1. Authority. Hearing examiner conditional use permits qualify as Type III review pursuant to
19 RMC 4-8-080(G). As outlined in RMC 4-8-080(G), the Hearing Examiner is authorized to hold
hearings and issue final decisions on Type III applications subject to closed record appeal to the
20 Renton City Council.
21 2. Zoning/Comprehensive Plan Designations. The subject property is within Center Downtown
22 (CD) district, the City Center Sign Regulation Area Overlay District, the Downtown Business
District Overlay District and the Urban Design District A Overlay District. The comprehensive plan
23 land use designation is Commercial Mixed Use (CMU).
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3. Review Criteria. RMC 4-2-060 allows K-12 school facilities in the CD district as a
25 conditional use. A conditional use is required for the proposed expansion because it qualifies as a
26 major revision of a project requiring a new conditional use permit under RMC4-9-030G because the
expansion adds more than 10% of building area . Conditional use criteria are governed by RMC 4-9-
CONDITIONAL USE- 3
1 030(D). Applicable conditional use standards are quoted below in italics and applied through
corresponding conclusions of law.
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3 The Administrator or designee or the Hearing Examiner shall consider, as applicable, the following
factors for all applications:
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RMC 4-9-030(C)(1): Consistency with Plans and Regulations: The proposed use shall be
5 compatible with the general goals, objectives,policies and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the
6 zoning regulations and any other plans,programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton.
7 4. The proposal is consistent with all applicable comprehensive plan policies and development
standards as outlined in Findings of Fact No. 13 and 14 of the staff report, adopted by this reference
8 as if set forth in full.
9 RMC 4-9-030(C)(2): Appropriate Location: The proposed location shall not result in the
10 detrimental overconcentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area of the
proposed use. The proposed location shall be suited for the proposed use.
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5. The proposed use is compatible with surrounding uses and is not an overconcentration of
12 school use for the reasons identified in Finding of Fact No. 5(H). The site is also suitable for the
proposed use for the reasons identified in Finding of Fact No. 5(H).
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14 RMC 4-9-030(C)(3): Effect on Adjacent Properties: The proposed use at the proposed location
15 shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property.
16 6. As determined in Finding of Fact No. 5, there are no adverse impacts associated with the
proposal, so it will not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property.
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18 RMC 4-9-030(C)(4): Compatibility: The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and
character of the neighborhood.
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7. The proposed use doesn't involve any exterior alterations and will likely not be noticeable to
20 adjoining uses and for these reasons the proposed use is compatible with the scale and character of
the neighborhood.
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22 RMC 4-9-030(C)(5): Parking:Adequate parking is, or will be made, available.
23 8. Parking is adequate as determined in Finding of Fact No. 5(D).
24 RMC 4-9-030(C)(6): Traffic: The use shall ensure safe movement for vehicles and pedestrians and
shall mitigate potential effects on the surrounding area.
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26 9. The proposal provides for safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles and doesn't create
adverse traffic impacts as determined in Finding of Fact No. 5(B).
CONDITIONAL USE-4
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RMC 4-9-030(C)(7): Noise, Light and Glare: Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the
2 proposed use shall be evaluated and mitigated.
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10. As determined in Finding of Fact No. 5(C), the proposal will not result in any adverse light,
4 noise or glare impacts.
5 RMC 4-9-030(C)(8): Landscaping: Landscaping shall be provided in all areas not occupied by
buildings, paving, or critical areas. Additional landscaping may be required to buffer adjacent
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properties from potentially adverse effects of the proposed use.
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11. As shown in the aerial photograph of the staff report, all pervious surfaces of the project site
8 are landscaped.
9 DECISION
10 As conditioned, the conditional use permit satisfies all applicable review criteria for the reasons
1 identified in the findings and conclusions of this decision and for that reason is approved.
12 DATED this 15th day of January 2020.
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14 Phi A.Olbrechts
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City of Renton Hearing Examiner
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17 Appeal Right and Valuation Notices
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19 RMC 4-8-080(G) classifies the application(s) subject to this decision as Type III application(s)
subject to closed record appeal to the City of Renton City Council. Appeals of the hearing
20 examiner's decision must be filed within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the decision.
A request for reconsideration to the hearing examiner may also be filed within this 14-day appeal
21 period.
22 Affected property owners may request a change in valuation for property tax purposes
23 notwithstanding any program of revaluation.
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CONDITIONAL USE- 5
CITY OF RENTON
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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HEARING EXAMINER DECISION
EXHIBITS
Project Name:
Project Number:
Renton Prep CUP
LUA19-000285, CU-H
Date of Report
Staff Contact
Project Contact/Applicant
Project Location
January 14, 2020
Alex Morganroth
Dr. David Paul Zimmerman
200 Mill Ave S
Senior Planner
Amazing Grace Lutheran Church
200 Mill Ave S, Renton, WA
98055
The following exhibits are included with the Hearing Examiner Decision:
Exhibits 14:
As shown in the Staff Report to the Hearing Examiner
Exhibit 5:
Staff PowerPoint
Exhibit 6:
CDR Maps, huv,//ro.rentonwa.eov/Html5Public/Index.html?viewer=CORMaos
Exhibit ]:
Google Earth, httos,//www.google.com/earth/
Renton Prep School
Conditional Use Permit (Major Revision)
LUA19-000285, CU-H
Hearing Examiner Public Hearing
Alex Morganroth, Senior Planner
January 14, 2020
CITY '
Rentonz...k..
Approvals Requested
The applicant, Renton Prep School, is requesting approval of a
Major Revision to a Conditional Use Permit in order to expand a K -
12 Educational Institution in the CD zoning district.
• The application was accepted for review on November 12, 2019
and determined the application complete November 27, 2019.
• Staff received no public or agency comments.
Site Characteristics
• 200 Mill Ave S (Old City Hall Building)
• 3.8 acres (2 parcels)
• Existing Use— City offices, school, parking,
library
• Zoning District— CD,Commercial
Downtown
• Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designation —
CMU, Commercial Mixed Use
• Critical Areas —Special Flood Hazard Area,
Sensitive Slopes, High Seismic Hazards, and
Cedar River Reach B Shoreline High Intensity
Designation.
• Access via Houser Way S and Mill Ave S
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Proposed Expansion of K=12
Educational Institution
• Renton Prep School — pre-K-10, Microsoft Showcase School
• CUP approved in 2014 (LUA14-000285) to allow use to operate
on two floors with up to 125 students.
• Applicant seeking expansion into an additional floor (total of
three floors) and up to 240 students
• Major Revision: Project involves more than a ten percent (10%)
increase in area or intensity of the use
• No changes to site, minor changes to interior __
OS \`
SITE PLAN
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Site plan provided by applicant
Project Compliance with Standards
➢ Compliance with goals and policies established in Comp Plan
demonstrated
➢ Compliance with CD zoning standards demonstrated
➢ Compliance with Urban Design District D Standards demonstrated*
*Project exempt
➢ Compliance with C.U.P. criteria demonstrated
➢ Compliance with Critical Areas regulations demonstrated
➢ Adequate public services and facilities available (
Consistency with Plans and Regulations
Appropriate Location
Effect on Adjacent Properties
Compatibility
Parking
Traffic
Noise, Light, and Glare
Landscaping
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the Conditional Use Permit Major
Revision for the Renton Prep School, File No. LUA19-000285, CU-H.
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