HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-001 (CA McDonald's on Sunset )DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:
January 19, 2012
TO:
Pre-Application File No. 12-001
FROM:
Rocale Timmons, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:
McDonald’s on NE Sunset
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 southwest corner of the intersection of NE Sunset Blvd and Anacortes Ave NE at 4411 NE Sunset Blvd. The project site totals
0.97 acres in area and is located within the Commercial Arterial (CA) zone. The pre-application packet indicates that the proposal is to demolish the existing McDonald’s restaurant
building and play-space area and construct a new restaurant and play area. Additionally, the applicant is proposing to re-arrange the drive-thru area, parking layout, utilities, landscaping,
and the refuse and recyclables area. A total of 43 surface parking stalls would be provided on site surrounding the restaurant. Access to the site is proposed via existing curb cuts
along NE Sunset Blvd and Anacortes Ave NE. There appear to be no critical areas on site.
Current Use: The property currently contains an existing 5,200 square foot restaurant place space to be demolished.
Zoning: The property is located within the Commercial Corridor (CC) land use designation and the Commercial Arterial (CA) zoning designation. Restaurant uses are outright permitted
within the CA zone and drive thru is permitted as an accessory use. The property is also located within Urban Design District ‘D’, and therefore subject to additional design elements.
Proposals should 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. A 5,050 square
foot footprint, on a 42,250 square foot site results in a building lot coverage of 12 percent. The project 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. It appears that the restaurant exceeds the maximum front yard setback allowed by code. The maximum setback may be modified by the Reviewing Official through the site development
plan review process if the applicant can demonstrate that the site development plan meets the following criteria:
a. Orients development to the pedestrian through such measures as providing pedestrian walkways beyond those required by the Renton Municipal Code (RMC), encouraging pedestrian amenities
and supporting alternatives to single occupant vehicle (SOV) transportation; and
b. Creates a low scale streetscape through such measures as fostering distinctive architecture and mitigating the visual dominance of extensive and unbroken parking along the street
front; and
c. Promotes safety and visibility through such measures as discouraging the creation of hidden spaces, minimizing conflict between pedestrian and traffic and ensuring adequate setbacks
to accommodate required parking and/or access that could not be provided otherwise.
Detailed elevations are required in order to provide an estimation of support for the proposed front yard setback in excess of the maximum 15-feet.
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. Based on elevations the proposed structure would have an approximate height of 21 feet
and 4 inches which is compliant with the height limits of the zone. Building elevations and detailed descriptions of elements and building materials are required with your site plan
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 restaurant 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.
Based on the proposal for a total of 21,900 square feet of retail space; a minimum area of 110 square feet of recyclables and 220 square feet of refuse area would be required.
The location and size of the proposed refuse and recyclable area appears to comply with the standards outlined above.
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. Further landscaping requirements can be found below in the Design
Guidelines.
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.
Tree Preservation – A tree inventory and a tree retention plan along with a tree retention worksheet shall be provided with the formal land use application. The tree retention plan
must show preservation of at least 5 percent of significant trees, and indicate how proposed parking would be sited to accommodate preservation of significant trees that would be retained.
If the trees cannot be retained, they may be replaced with minimum 2 inch caliper trees at a rate of six to one.
Fences – If the applicant intends to install any fences as part of this project, the location must be designated on the landscape plan. A fence detail should also be included on the
plan as well.
Parking – The following ratios would be applicable to the site:
Use
Square Footage of Use
Ratio
Required Spaces
Restaurant
unknown
Min and Max: 1 space / 75 SF of dining area
Min and Max: Unknown
The applicant is proposing a total of 43 parking stalls. It is unclear how many stalls would be allowed on site as the applicant did not provide the square footage of the dining area.
It is likely that the proposed number of stalls will exceed the maximum allowed by code. 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.
The drive-through facilities shall be so located that sufficient on-site vehicle stacking space is provided for the handling of motor vehicles using such facility during peak business
hours. Typically 5 stacking spaces per window are required unless otherwise determined by the
Planning Director. Stacking spaces cannot obstruct required parking spaces or ingress/egress within the site or extend into the public right-of-way. It appears the applicant’s site
plan provides adequate area for stacking spaces.
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. It appears the northern most curb cut does not meet distance requirements.
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. It appears that the proposal does not provide adequate pedestrian connections to the NE Sunset Blvd. The
applicant would be required to revise the site plan to include pedestrian connections from the entrance to NE Sunset Blvd.
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 along the eastern facade. 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.
The front entry of all building shall be oriented to the street or a landscaped pedestrian-only courtyard.
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.
All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40').
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.
Materials, individually or in combination, shall have an attractive texture, pattern, and quality of detailing for all visible facades.
Buildings shall employ material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns, or textural changes.
Environmental Review
The proposed project would be subject to Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review due to the size of the proposed structure. 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 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. Conformance with the Comprehensive Plan;
b. Conformance with existing land use regulations;
c. Mitigation of impacts to surrounding properties and uses;
d. Mitigation of impacts of the proposed site plan to the site;
e. Conservation of areawide property values;
f. Safety and efficiency of vehicle and pedestrian circulation;
g. Provision of adequate light and air;
h. Mitigation of noise, odors and other harmful or unhealthy conditions;
i. Availability of public services and facilities; and
j. Prevention of neighborhood deterioration and blight.
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 12 weeks once a complete application is accepted. The Site Plan Review application fee is $2,000. The application
fee for SEPA Review (Environmental Checklist) is $1,000. A 3% technology fee, for
land use application fees, would also be assessed at the time of application. 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, the following mitigation fees would be required prior to the issuance of building permits. Impact
fees, which would replace mitigation fees, may be adopted prior to construction. Those fees are to be determined.
A Transportation Mitigation Fee based on $75.00 per new daily trip attributed to the development;
A Fire Mitigation Fee based on $0.52 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.