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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-079 (CA Vetinary office)DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT M E M O R A N D U M   DATE: November 1, 2012     TO: Pre-Application File No. 12-079     FROM: Rocale Timmons, Associate Planner     SUBJECT: Eastside Veterinary – 1700 NE 44th St      General: We have completed a preliminary review of the pre-application for the above-referenced development proposal. The following comments on development and permitting issues are based on the pre-application submittals made to the City of Renton by the applicant and the codes in effect on the date of review. The applicant is cautioned that information contained in this summary may be subject to modification and/or concurrence by official decision-makers (e.g., Hearing Examiner, Community & Economic Development Administrator, Public Works Administrator, Planning Director, Development Services Director, and City Council). Review comments may also need to be revised based on site planning and other design changes required by City staff or made by the applicant. The applicant is encouraged to review all applicable sections of the Renton Municipal Code. The Development Regulations are available for purchase for $50.00 plus tax, from the Finance Division on the first floor of City Hall or online at www.rentonwa.gov Project Proposal: The subject property is located on the northeast corner of the intersection of NE 44th St and Lake Washington Blvd NE at 1700 NE 44th St. The project site totals 1.87 acres in area and is located within the Commercial Arterial (CA) zone. The pre-application packet indicates that the proposal is to construct an 11,860 square foot veterinary office/boarding structure. Access to the site is proposed via one curb cut along NE 44th St through the site exiting onto an existing 30-foot joint use driveway over the property to the north. The project site contains a Class 2 stream and one Category 2 wetland. Current Use: A auto sales lot was formerly sited on the property. Currently the site is vacant. Zoning: The property is located within the Commercial Corridor (CC) land use designation and the Commercial Arterial (CA) zoning classification. A wide range of commercial uses are outright allowed within the CA zoning classification. Veterinary offices/clinics are an outright permitted use within the CA zone. The property is also located within Urban Design District ‘D’, is subject to additional design elements. Proposals are required have unique, identifiable design treatment in terms of landscaping, building design, signage and street furniture. Development Standards: The project would be subject to RMC 4-2-120A, “Development Standards for Commercial Zoning Designations” effective at the time of complete application (noted as “CA standards” herein). Minimum Lot Size, Width and Depth – There are no minimum requirements for lot size, lot width or depth within the CA zone at this location. Lot Coverage – The CA zone allows a maximum building coverage of 65 percent, or 75 percent if parking is provided within a building or within an on-site parking garage. The proposal appears to comply with the lot coverage requirements of the zone. Setbacks – Setbacks are the distance between the building and the property line or any private access easement. Setback requirements in the CA zone are as follows: 10 feet minimum for the front yard but may be reduced to zero feet through the Site Plan Review process provided blank walls are not located within the reduced setback; and a 15 foot maximum front yard setback. The proposed structure appears to have a zero front yard setback. There is adequate area on site to site the building to meet the minimum and maximum front yard setback requirements. The applicant would be required to revise the site plan to locate the proposed structure between 10 and 15 feet from the front yard property line along NE 44th St. Gross Floor Area – There is no minimum requirements for gross floor area within the CA zone. Building Height – The maximum building height that would be allowed in the CA zone is 50 feet. It appears the existing structure is 2-story and has a height well beneath the 50-foot maximum. Building elevations and detailed descriptions of elements and building materials are required with your conditional use permit review submittal. Screening – Screening must be provided for all surface-mounted and roof top utility and mechanical equipment. The site plan application will need to include elevations and details for the proposed methods of screening. Refuse and Recycling Areas – Refuse and recycling areas need to meet the requirements of RMC 4-4-090, “Refuse and Recyclables Standards” (enclosed). For commercial developments a minimum of 5 square feet per every 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area shall be provided for recyclable deposit areas and a minimum of 10 square feet per 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area shall be provided for refuse deposit areas with a total minimum area of 100 square feet. The location and size of the refuse and recyclable area could not be verified with the pre-application materials. Landscaping – Except for critical areas, all portions of the development area not covered by structures, required parking, access, circulation or service areas, must be landscaped with native, drought-resistant vegetative cover. The development standards require that all pervious areas within the property boundaries be landscaped. The minimum on-site landscape width required along street frontages is 10 feet, except where reduced through the site plan development review process. The applicant would be required to provide a 10-foot on-site landscape strip along NE 44th St. Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070) for additional general and specific landscape requirements (enclosed). A conceptual landscape plan and landscape analysis meeting the requirements in RMC 4-8-120D.12, shall be submitted at the time of application for Site Plan Review. Parking – The following ratios would be applicable to the site: Use Square Footage of Use Ratio Required Spaces  Office 10,000 SF Min 2.0 spaces / 1,000 SF Max: 4.5 spaces / 1,000 SF Min: 20 Max: 45   Where practical difficulties exist in meeting parking requirements, the applicant may request a modification from these standards. The applicant will be required at the time of formal land use application to provide detailed parking information (i.e. stall and drive aisle dimensions) and calculations of the subject site and the overall campus use. Staff would be supportive of a reduction in the number of required parking stalls due to the nature of the use. It should be noted that the parking regulations specify standard stall dimensions. Surface parking stalls must be a minimum of 9 feet x 20 feet, compact dimensions of 8½ feet x 16 feet, and parallel stall dimensions of 9 feet x 23 feet; compact surface parking spaces shall not account for more than 30 percent of the spaces in the surface parking lots. ADA accessible stalls must be a minimum of 8 feet in width by 20 feet in length, with an adjacent access aisle of 8 feet in width for van accessible spaces. The appropriate amount of ADA accessible stalls based on the total number of spaces must be provided. Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070 and RMC 4-4-080F.7) for further general and specific landscape requirements (enclosed). Additionally, the proposal would need to be revised in order to provide bicycle parking based on 10 % of the required number of parking stalls. Access – Driveway widths are limited by the driveway standards, in RMC 4-4080I. Pedestrian Access – A pedestrian connection shall be provided from all public entrances to the street, in order to provide direct, clear and separate pedestrian walks from sidewalks to building entries and internally from buildings to abutting properties. Signage – Only one freestanding business sign (restricted to monument/ground signs only) is permitted per street frontage, however pole signs are not permitted within the CA zone. Each sign shall not exceed an area greater than one and one-half square feet for each lineal foot of property frontage that is occupied by the business. In no case shall the sign exceed a total of 300 square feet (150 square feet per face). The ground/monument sign is limited to 5 feet in height. In addition to the permitted freestanding sign, wall signs with a copy area not exceeding 20% of the façade, to which it is applied, are also permitted. Building Design Standards – Compliance with Urban Design Regulations, District ‘D’, is required. See the attached checklist and Renton Municipal Code section 4-3-100. The following bullets are a few of the standards outlined in the regulations. All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40'). A primary entrance of each building shall be located on the facade facing a street, shall be prominent, visible from the street, connected by a walkway to the public sidewalk, and include human-scale elements. Parking shall be located so that no surface parking is located between a building and the front property line, or the building and side property line, on the street side of a corner lot. The number of driveways and curb cuts shall be minimized, so that pedestrian circulation along the sidewalk is minimally impeded. All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40'). Modulations shall be a minimum of two feet (2') deep, sixteen feet (16') in height, and eight feet (8') in width. On any facade visible to the public, transparent windows and/or doors are required to comprise at least fifty percent (50%) of the portion of the ground floor facade that is between four feet (4') and eight feet (8') above ground (as measured on the true elevation). Buildings shall use at least one of the following elements to create varied and interesting roof profiles (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.I5f): (a) Extended parapets; (b) Feature elements projecting above parapets; (c) Projected cornices; (d) Pitched or sloped roofs. Buildings shall employ material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns, or textural changes. Critical Areas As part of the land use application for the Exit 7 Auto Sales (LUA06-044) a Wetland and Stream Analysis Report and Concept Mitigation Plan dated March 21, 2006 and a subsequent Revised Wetland and Stream Analysis Report and Concept Mitigation Plan dated May 30, 2006 prepared by B-12 Consulting, Inc. was submitted. The reports identify a Class 2 stream and a Category 2 wetland on the western portion of the subject property. A Class 2 stream requires a 100-foot buffer and a Category 2 wetland requires a 50-foot buffer. The applicant will need to provide a new stream/wetland reconnaissance and delineation. In addition, if impacts are proposed to the stream, wetland or their buffers the applicant would need to provide a conceptual mitigation plan. The City’s approved consultant list is enclosed in the information packet. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ascertain whether additional critical areas are present on the site. If so, the proposal would need to be revised accordingly. Environmental Review The proposed project would be subject to Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review. Therefore, an environmental checklist is a submittal requirement. An environmental determination will be made by the Renton Environmental Review Committee. This determination is subject to appeal by either the project proponent, by a citizen of the community, or another entity having standing for an appeal. Permit Requirements The proposal would require Administrative Site Plan Approval and Environmental (SEPA) Review. The purpose of the Site Plan process is the detailed arrangement of project elements so as to be compatible with the physical characteristics of a site and with the surrounding area. An additional purpose of Site Plan is to ensure quality development consistent with City goals and policies General review criteria includes the following:  a. Compliance and Consistency. Conformance with plans, policies, regulations and approvals, including: b. Off-Site Impacts. Mitigation of impacts to surrounding properties and uses. : c. On-Site Impacts. Mitigation of impacts to the site. Outdoor facilities will be required to be constructed to provide shelter for animals from the weather and associated elements while providing sufficient space for animal movement and exercise. Adequate drainage must be provided to prevent water buildup and subsequent damage and to facilitate waste removal. Adequate fences or retaining walls must be constructed to contain animals and prevent intrusion by others. d. Access and Circulation. Safe and efficient access and circulation for all users. e. Open Space. Incorporation of public and private open spaces to serve as distinctive project focal points and to provide adequate areas for passive and active recreation by the occupants/users of the site; f. Views and Public Access. Provision of view corridors to shorelines and Mt. Rainier, incorporates public access to shorelines, and arranges project elements to protect existing natural systems where applicable. g. Services and Infrastructure. Availability of public services and facilities to accommodate the proposed use; h. Signage. Use of signs primarily for the purpose of identification and management of sign elements – such as the number, size, brightness, lighting intensity, and location – to complement the visual character of the surrounding area, avoid visual clutter and distraction, and appear in proportion to the building and site to which they pertain; and i. Phasing. Inclusion of a detailed sequencing plan with development phases and estimated time frames, if applicable. The applicant will also be subject to Design Review as part of the Site Plan Review and a Design Checklist shall be completed and submitted as part of the application materials. All applications can be reviewed concurrently in an estimated time frame of 8 weeks once a complete application is accepted. The Site Plan Review application fee is $1,000. The application fee for SEPA Review (Environmental Checklist) is $1,000. The application fee for the parking modification would be $100. There will also be a technology fee, of 3 %, based on the total land use application fees for the project. Detailed information regarding the land use application submittal is provided in the attached handouts. In addition to the required land use permits, separate construction, building and sign permits would be required. The review of these permits may occur concurrently with the review of the land use permits, but cannot be issued prior to the completion of any appeal periods. Impact Mitigation Fees: In addition to the applicable building and construction fees, on January 1, 2013 impact fees, which would replace mitigation fees, will become effective. The following fees would be applicable to the proposed development. A handout listing the current impact fees is attached and is subject to change. A Transportation Mitigation Fee based on fee, calculated at the time of building permit, per new daily trip attributed to the development; A Fire Mitigation Fee based on a fee, calculated at the time of building permit, per square foot of new commercial building area. Expiration: Upon site plan approval, the site plan approval is valid for two years with a possible two-year extension. Expiration: Upon site plan approval, the site plan approval is valid for two years with a possible two-year extension.