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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHEX Decision_Maplewood Heights ES CUP Decision_16-0003781 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 1 1 BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY OF RENTON RE: Maplewood Heights Elementary School Portable Classrooms Conditional Use Permit LUA16-000378 CU-H ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) FINAL DECISION Summary Maplewood Heights Elementary School is requesting conditional use permit approval to install two double portable classrooms near existing portable classrooms on the school campus. The conditional use permit is approved with conditions. Testimony Jill Ding, Senior Planner, summarized the staff report. In response to the examiner, Ms. Ding stated the conditional use permit is required because the request would bring the total number of portable classrooms above the administrative threshold of four total portable buildings. Brad Medrud, AHBL, is the consultant for the Renton School District. He praised the City staff for their timely review and stated the District hoped to install the portables before the upcoming school year begins. The applicant agrees with the recommendation and conditions of approval. Exhibits The June 21, 2016 Staff Report Exhibits 9 identified at part 2 of the Staff Report itself were admitted into the record during the hearing. In addition, the following exhibits were admitted 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 2 2 during the hearing. Exhibit 10 Staff PowerPoint Exhibit 11 SEPA Exemption Letter Exhibit 12 COR Maps FINDINGS OF FACT Procedural: 1. Applicant. Renton School District #403. 2. Hearing. The Examiner held a hearing on the subject application on June 21, 2012 at 11:00 am in the City of Renton Council Chambers. Substantive: 3. Project Description. The Renton School District is requesting conditional use permit approval to install two double portable classrooms at Maplewood Elementary School before the start of the 2016-2017 school year. The project site totals 8.67 acres in area and is within the Residential-4 (R-4) zoning designation. Each double portable classroom totals 1,792sf in area with a height of 14.5 feet. One double portable classroom will be located on a grassed area immediately west of the existing four double portable classrooms on the site and the other double portable classroom will be located on a grassed area immediately east of the existing four double portable classrooms. Paved paths will connect the new portable classrooms to the existing school and metal stairs and ramps will be included for access. No changes to existing onsite parking or access are proposed. No critical areas are mapped on the project site. The subject is zoned R-4. The site is surrounded by single family uses in the R-4 zone on the north, east and west. To the south is vacant, unincorporated King County land. 4. Adequacy of Infrastructure/Public Services. The project will be served by adequate infrastructure and public services as follows: A. Water and Sewer Service. The site is served by water and sewer utilities. The site is a developed elementary school with King County Water (District 90) and sewer service by the City of Renton. There is an existing 12” PVC sewer east of the site in Lyons Avenue SE. The portables will not be served by sewer and water. B. Fire and Police. Police and Fire Prevention Staff indicate that sufficient resources exist to furnish services to the proposed development. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 3 3 C. Drainage. The majority of the site, including the area where the portables are proposed, is relatively flat with little slope. The northeastern portion of the site slopes down into the site from Lyons Avenue SE. There is a private on site conveyance system that intercepts drainage from paved play areas and roof areas on site. Drainage from other portions of the site either infiltrates or sheet flows towards this conveyance system or off site. The onsite conveyance system discharges to the 18” public storm drain flowing south along the eastern frontage of Jericho Avenue SE. Drainage along the southeastern site frontage is intercepted by a 12” storm drain flowing east along the northern frontage of SE 2nd Place. The project is subject to a system development charges (SDC) for stormwater. The current SDC is $0.594 per square foot of new impervious surface area, but not less than $1,485.00. D. Parks/Open Space. City development standards do not require any set-asides or mitigation for parks and open space for schools. E. Transportation. The site is bordered by City of Renton Public streets on the western, southern, and eastern frontages. It is bordered by Jericho Avenue SE on the west, SE 2nd Place on the south, and Lyons Avenue SE on the east. The site is bordered on the north by NE 1st Street which is a private street. Jericho Avenue SE is classified as a residential collector arterial, while SE 2nd Place and Lyons Avenue SE are classified as residential access streets. Jericho Avenue SE and Lyons Avenue SE have a current right of way width of approximately 60 feet. SE 2nd Place has a current right of way width of approximately 30 feet. The project is subject to a transportation impact fee of $7,168. The proposed portables will provide for safe movement of pedestrians through the provision of paved paths connecting the portable classrooms to the other existing portables on the project site and the main school building. Metal stairs and ramps will also be installed to meet ADA requirements and provide access. There will be no changes to how the site is accessed currently by cars or pedestrians and no impact to vehicular traffic because of this proposal. F. Parking. Adequate parking exists on site to service the new portables. No changes to the existing parking or driveway access are proposed. 5. Adverse Impacts. There are no significant adverse impacts associated with the project. Few adverse impacts are anticipated since there are no critical areas on site, no trees are proposed for removal, the proposal is minimal in that it adds two portable classrooms near four existing portable classrooms and adequate infrastructure serves the site as determined in Finding of Fact No. 4. The project is SEPA exempt. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 4 4 Conclusions of Law 1. Authority. Schools are permitted to have more than four portable classrooms as a conditional use subject to Hearing Examiner review. RMC 4-8-080(G) classifies conditional use applications as Type III permits when Hearing Examiner review is required. As Type III applications, RMC 4-8- 080(G) grants the Examiner with the authority to hold a hearing and issue a final decision on them, subject to closed record appeal to the City Council. 2. Zoning/Comprehensive Plan Designations. The subject property is zoned R-4, a single family residential zone. The comprehensive plan land use designation is Residential Low Density. 3. Review Criteria. Conditional use criteria are governed by RMC 4-9-030(D). All applicable criteria are quoted below in italics and applied through corresponding conclusions of law. Conditional Use The Administrator or designee or the Hearing Examiner shall consider, as applicable, the following factors for all applications: RMC 4-9-030(C)(1): Consistency with Plans and Regulations: The proposed use shall be compatible with the general goals, objectives, policies and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning regulations and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton. 4. The proposal is consistent with the comprehensive plan as outlined in Finding 14 of the Staff report, adopted and incorporated by this reference as if set forth in full. The proposal is consistent with all applicable zoning and other development standards as outlined in Finding 15 of the Staff report, adopted and incorporated by this reference as if set forth in full. RMC 4-9-030(C)(2): Appropriate Location: The proposed location shall not result in the 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. 5. The addition of the two double classroom portable classrooms as a project action is consistent with and contemplated by the District's Capital Facilities Plan. The proposed location will not result in either the detrimental over-concentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area of the proposed use. The portable classrooms will directly serve the student population assigned to the Maplewood Heights Elementary School, making the existing campus the most appropriate location for these facilities. The project site is not mapped with any critical areas and no trees would be removed as a result of the proposal. In addition, the proposed portables would be sited within the existing grassy area next to the existing four portable classrooms; therefore the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 5 5 proposed location would be the most appropriate location for the two new portable classrooms. As discussed in the Staff Report, the proposed location is suitable for the proposed use. Given these factors the criterion is met. RMC 4-9-030(C)(3): Effect on Adjacent Properties: The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property. 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. RMC 4-9-030(C)(4): Compatibility: The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. 7. The proposal is an expansion of an existing use. The present use is as an elementary school. There are already portable classrooms on site. The proposal would add two additional portable classrooms, bringing the total to six portable classrooms. The portable classrooms are compatible with the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhood. The vicinity around Maplewood Heights Elementary School is characterized by one/two story single-family homes to the west, north, and east and Maplewood Park to the south. The proposed addition of two single-story portable classrooms will be consistent with the scale of the surrounding residential uses and the other existing portables on the project site. The proposed use will meet all of the City’s bulk and dimensional regulations and will provide landscaping on the site that will buffer the residential uses west of the new portables. This criterion is satisfied. RMC 4-9-030(C)(5): Parking: Adequate parking is, or will be made, available. 8. No additional parking is proposed. As noted in Finding of Fact No. 4, adequate parking exists on site to service the proposed portable classrooms. This criterion is met. 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. 9. As determined in Finding of Fact No. 4, the project will not have a significant impact on the general traffic in the vicinity and provides for adequate and safe pedestrian circulation. The criterion is met. RMC 4-9-030(C)(7): Noise, Light and Glare: Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the proposed use shall be evaluated and mitigated. 10. As described in the Staff Report, noise and light impacts are adequately addressed and mitigated. Lighting will comply with City regulations which require lights to be directed inwards and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 6 6 prohibited light trespass. There are no anticipated impacts resulting from light or glare because of this proposal. One exterior LED light fixture will be installed adjacent to each exterior doorway, but will have no impact on surrounding land uses. New light fixtures proposed will not be a safety hazard or interfere with views. The proposed portables would not result in any long term noise, light, or glare impacts to the surrounding properties. There would be some short term construction noise impacts resulting from the installation of the portables; however these impacts would be temporary in nature and mitigated by the applicant’s proposal to limit their construction hours to 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. This criterion is satisfied. 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 properties from potentially adverse effects of the proposed use. 11. The existing landscape complies with the City’s landscape regulations. A Conceptual Landscape Plan (Ex. 3) was submitted with the project application detailing proposed landscaping near the new portables. Staff recommends an additional landscape screen along the west side of the westernmost portable classroom, facing Jericho Avenue SE and consisting of dwarf strawberry trees and beach strawberry plants. The proposed strawberry trees would grow to a height of 8-10 feet at maturity would soften and screen the appearance of the portable classrooms where visible from Jericho Avenue SE. The applicant’s landscape plan called for mulch between the portable buildings. The City code requires plant materials. Staff further recommends, as a condition of approval, that a detailed landscape plan be submitted at the time of building permit review including at a minimum approved ground cover plants within the mulched areas. The detailed landscape plan shall be submitted to the Current Planning Project Manager for review and approval. As conditioned, this criterion is met. DECISION As conditioned below, the conditional use permit is approved. 1. At the time of building permit review, the applicant shall submit a detailed landscaping plan including, at a minimum, approved ground cover plants within the mulched areas. The detailed landscape plan shall be submitted to the Current Planning Project Manager for review and approval. DATED this 5th day of July, 2016. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 CONDITIONAL USE CAO VARIANCE - 7 7 Emily Terrell City of Renton Hearing Examiner Appeal Right and Valuation Notices RMC 4-8-110(E)(9) provides that the final decision of the Hearing Examiner is subject to appeal to the Renton City Council. RMC 4-8-110(E)(9) requires appeals of the Hearing Examiner’s decision to be filed within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of the Hearing Examiner’s decision. A request for reconsideration to the hearing e examiner may also be filed within this 14 day appeal period as identified in RMC 4-8-110(E)(8) and RMC 4-8-100(G)(4). A new fourteen (14) day appeal period shall commence upon the issuance of the reconsideration. Additional information regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, Renton City Hall – 7th floor, (425) 430-6510. Affected property owners may request a change in valuation for property tax purposes notwithstanding any program of revaluation.