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Home My WebLink AboutJ_VARIANCE REQUEST JUSTIFICATION_210607_V123020 Edmonds Way, #113, Edmonds, WA 98020 | p. 206.542.3734 | e. heidi@h2darchitects.com | w. h2darchitects.com May 3, 2021 REV: 6/24/21 H2D Architecture + Design 23020 Edmonds Way #211 Edmonds, WA 98020 Variance Request Justification Application # 3307 Mountain View Ave N Renton, WA 98056 The Subject property is located at 3307 Mountain View Ave N; King County Tax Assessor No. 3124059077. There is an existing single-family residence constructed in 1925. The site has the following known critical areas: Shoreline (Lake Washington). The lot is rectangular in shape with the long dimension running southwest-northeast. The West property line is a Shoreline along Lake Washington with the East property line adjacent to the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks and Lake Washington Blvd (beyond the tracks). Most of the property is relatively flat except for a short slope that rises upward to the King County Trail along the East of the property. An existing 3-4 foot rockery protects a vertical cut made into the toe of this slope. The City of Renton haw mapped this slope as a high hazard landslide and protected slope, however the attached Geotech Report dated March 2, 2020 states “We saw no indications of instability on this short slope… (it) is less than 15 feet in height… it does not meet the cr iteria for protected slope… no buffer or setback from the steep slope is necessary to protect the planned development from potential slope instability or to prevent adverse impacts to the stability of the slope. Permanent vertical cuts up to approximately 6 feet in height at the base of the steep slope could be protected by a properly constructed rockery” – refer to pages 2-3 in Geotech Report. The existing single family residence on the site, proposed for demolition, is non-conforming to current code requirements for Shoreline Setback and Shoreline Vegetation. Existing site orientation, a 25’ Shoreline buffer, and Renton Municipal Code property line setbacks limit the buildable area on the site. The existing deck structure is 15’-10” into the shoreline setback at its most non-conforming point. The existing house is 7 ½”+/- into the existing East side yard setback at its most non-conforming point. The existing house is 1,540 SF of finished area with 430 SF of unfinished basement. There is an existing daylight basement with 6’-8 ½” ceiling height and a main floor with 6’-11” ceiling height. The property owners (“owners”) hired H2D to design a home to meet the following design criteria: increase the overall square footage to meet the programmatic needs of the family, increase ceiling heights to at minimum meet a standard 8’-0” height, and lastly to stay within the existing footprint of the home due to the site’s size, orientation, and restrictions. H2D explored numerous design options within existing footprint and ultimately brought forward a design to City of Renton (Jill Ding and Vanessa Dolbee) to discuss feasibility and code requirements on May 21, 2020 via a Zoom meeting. At the time of this meeting the proposed project was to demo/build over the existing footprint, reducing the square footage of building footprint within the Shoreline setback, mitigation to the 10’ vegetated shoreline buffer, and increasing the height of the structure within City height limits. Due to Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-10-050.A.3. the proposed design would not be approved due to the increase in height of the building within the shoreline setback. It was clear at this time that building within the existing footprint, meeting the programmatic needs of the client, and also increasing to a more standard ceiling height throughout was not possible under the current RMC. 23020 Edmonds Way, #113, Edmonds, WA 98020 | p. 206.542.3734 | e. heidi@h2darchitects.com | w. h2darchitects.com After much design consideration and back-and-forth exchanges with City of Renton to verify RMC requirements and Variance options, a new design was developed to demo the existing structure, rebuild any conditioned/enclosed spaces outside of the 25’ Shoreline Buffer, and request an Administrative Setback Variance to build into the East side yard in an effort to meet the programmatic needs of the design, build outside of the 25’ Shoreline Buffer, and work within the site’s very limited buildable area. The Administrative Setback Variance is requested per RMC Table 4-3-090D7a- Shoreline Bulk Standards in regards to Front Yard, Side Yard, and Rear Yard Setbacks: Governed by underlying zoning in chapter 4-2 RMC except in cases where specific shoreline performance standards provide otherwise. A zoning variance from the front and side yard standards may be granted administratively if needed to meet the established shoreline buffer or setback from OHWM, as specified in this Section and if the variance criteria of RMC 4-9- 250 are met. The proposed structure is a two story, 3-bedroom Single Family Residence with (qty 2) full baths, (qty 1) ¾ bath and (qty 2) ½ baths. The home has 3,937.8SF of conditioned space, a 322.2SF unconditioned garage, 272.3 sf deck, and 658.8sf terraced patio. No portion of the proposed conditioned space is within the Shoreline setback, only a portion of the proposed deck, over the existing footprint, is proposed in the Shoreline setback. At its most non-conforming point, the deck is 8’-2” into the setback (a reduction in non-conformity by 7’-8”). Where the structure is at the shoreline buffer; some eaves project into the buffer. This is allowed per projects Table 4-3-090D7a Shoreline Bulk Standards note 1: Architectural features of buildings, such as eaves or balconies, and other building elements above the first floor may project a maximum of five feet (5') into the building setback. These projections are allowed within the buffer when the building setback is zero feet (0') from the buffer. The Administrator may allow other projections in the building setback listed in RMC 4- 2-110E4 where not otherwise specifically addressed in the SMP and not conflicting with the purpose of the building setback. In order to meet the code requirements of the 25’ Shoreline Buffer, the proposed structure is at 0’ on the side yard property line at its most non-conforming point and 3’-9” at its least non-conforming point. The exterior walls and roof within this side yard setback will be fire-rated to meet current code standards and have no openings. At the 0 lot line, the structure will have no eaves projecting over the property line. Maintenance and construction will be completed with as minimal impact to the neighboring property possible and any disturbance to the groundcover will be immediately replaced and replanted. The adjacent property to this side yard is the Burlington Northern Railroad and Lake Washington Blvd. The project site sits at an elevation 10ft lower than the railroad (per the property survey), 14ft lower than Lake Washington Blvd (per the property survey), and approximately 28ft lower than the nearest SFR that sits approximately 140’ East of the existing SFR (per City of Renton GIS Mapping). Construction and maintenance at the property line will not disturb the functionality of the adjacent property. There is no direct impact to views or accessibility to any of these neighboring properties. Neighboring properties in the area, particularly the single family residences south of the property average around 4,000 SF of finished area with many going upwards of 4,800 SF. The proposed design at 3307 Mountain Ave N is appropriate to the neighborhood and surrounding properties and also a more restrictive site in terms of buildable area than the surrounding properties. Per the enclosed Arborist Report “There are five (5) trees that are entirely within the property. Two (2) of the trees are not suitable for preservation which leaves three (3) viable trees. 30% of the three (3) viable trees must be retained. Retaining one (1) viable tree is required. All the viable trees in the Retention Table are within and limit the buildable area. All viable trees need to be removed to obtain a maximum buildable area. The Lot requires a tree density of two (2) significant trees for every 5,000 square feet (SF), or the combination of existing trees and new trees equivalent to 12 inches in diameter. This lot is 29,236 SF and therefore requires a tree density of six (6) significant trees (29,236 SF / 5,000 SF = 5.8, or 6 significant trees). Six (6) significant trees are equal to 36 inches in total 23020 Edmonds Way, #113, Edmonds, WA 98020 | p. 206.542.3734 | e. heidi@h2darchitects.com | w. h2darchitects.com diameter. The minimum size for new trees to comply with tree density are 2” caliper trees (deciduous) or evergreen (conifer) trees at least 6 feet tall (Code 4 -4-130.H.1.e.). The addition of eighteen (18) new trees of minimum size is needed to comply with tree density requirements (18 trees x 2” dia. = 36” tree dia.).” – Page 4. As part of this submittal, we are requesting the approval to remove the above mentioned trees and the proposed new tree replacement per the arborist report. Given the site restrictions, inability to meet the needs of the owners either within the allowable buildable area or within the existing building footprint, building into the East setback does not adversely affect any neighboring single family residence properties, and the proposed side yard is adjacent to the Burlington Northern Railroad void of any structures; we believe an Administrative Setback Variance is warranted and necessary for this property.