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HomeMy WebLinkAboutD_HEX_Decision_Bezos_CUP_2205051 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 - 1 CAO VARIANCE - 1 BEFORE THE HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY OF RENTON RE: Bezos Academy Conditional Use Permit LUA22-000077, CU-H ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) FINAL DECISION Summary The Applicant has applied for a conditional use permit for a preschool in an existing City-owned building located at 3000 NE 16th St Renton, WA 98056. The Application is approved subject to conditions. Testimony Alex Morganroth, City of Renton Senior Planner, summarized the staff report. In response to Examiner questions, Mr. Morganroth noted that the building has been currently used as a neighborhood facility and that the preschool currently in the building will be cease its use, which will further reduce the trip generation of the building until replaced. Mr. Imah, Applicant representative, testified that the Applicant looks forward to providing tuition- free preschool services to the Renton community. Exhibits Exhibits 1-15 identified at Page 2 of the April 19, 2022 staff report were admitted into the record during the hearing. The following exhibits were also admitted during the hearing: Exhibit 16: Google aerial photographs Exhibit 17: City of Renton COR maps 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 - 2 CAO VARIANCE - 2 Exhibit 18: Staff PowerPoint FINDINGS OF FACT Procedural: 1. Applicant. Susan Conway, Bassetti Architects / 71 Columbia St, Suite 501, Seattle, WA. 2. Hearing. A virtual Zoom hearing was held on the application on April 19, 2022, Zoom Meeting ID No. 874 6372 6158 . 3. Project Description. The Applicant has applied for a conditional use permit for a preschool in an existing City-owned building located at 3000 NE 16th St Renton, WA 98056. The site is approximately 2.6 acres in size and consists of an existing 8,945 sq. ft. one-story wood- frame building constructed in 1942, surface parking, a sports court, and a playground area. The proposed use would occupy approximately 4,603 sq. ft. of space within the existing building. The preschool would serve approximately 60 students ranging in age from three to five y ears old and would operate from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm daily. Approximately 10 employees would be employed at the preschool. Interior work proposed includes a restroom remodel, kitchen remodel, construction of an interior partition wall, various new finishes, and minor new plumbing and electrical. No exterior work is proposed as part of the project. Existing landscaping is present on all areas of the site not occupied by buildings, parking areas, or playground/sport court areas and includes maintained grass, shrubs, and mature trees. No new landscaping is proposed as part of the project. 4. Surrounding Uses. Surrounding uses are composed of single and multifamily development to the north, east and south and another preschool to the west. 5. Adverse Impacts. There are no significant adverse impacts associated with the proposal. The Environmental Review Committee (ERC) reviewed the Bezos Academy application and issued a Concurrence Memo designating the proposal a planned action (Exhibit 11) and therefore, the project would not require a SEPA threshold determination. Pertinent impacts are more specifically addressed as follows; A. Aesthetics. No significant impact, since there are no exterior alterations. B. Traffic. No significant impact. Internal circulation will remain unaffected and staff have cited no deficiencies. According to the Transportation Analysis submitted by the Applicant and prepared by Heffron Transportation Inc (Exhibit 4), the proposed pre-school is not anticipated to generate more trips than the previous community center use at full building occupancy and will therefore not increase any traffic impacts on the surrounding properties. C. Noise/light/glare. No significant impact. The proposed use would be primarily contained to the interior of an existing building. No changes to the exterior of the building are proposed 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 - 3 CAO VARIANCE - 3 therefore, no new light or glare impacts would occur. Noise generated by the use, primarily occurring during outdoor activities with students, would be typical for a preschool or daycare and would be substantially similar to the existing noise impacts created by the existing adjacent Meadow Crest Learning Center. D. Parking. No significant impact. Per an executed lease agreement between the City of Renton and the Applicant (Exhibit 8), seven (7) parking spaces will be reserved for the Applicant’s exclusive use and may be marked as such via signage or paint. A total of 20 stalls are available on the site, including two (2) drop-off/pick-up spaces directly adjacent to the building. The other 13 parking stalls will continue to be utilized by visitors to the neighboring Meadow Crest Playground and associated recreation areas, but can provide overflow parking for staff if needed. In addition, according to the Applicant, only five to seven (5-7) staff members would be working at the school on a typical day and therefore, staff have determined that the reserved spaces are anticipated to adequately serve the school. G. Critical/Environmentally Sensitive Areas. No critical areas are mapped on the site according to COR Maps. H. Compatibility. The proposal is compatible with surrounding uses. The proposed preschool would be located within a City-owned building that has existed in the neighborhood for many decades and would result in no changes to the built environment. Preschools are compatible with residential neighborhoods due to their daytime hours of operation, low demand for parking, low roadway traffic speeds, and minimal noise and light impacts. As noted in the other sections of this Finding of Fact No. 5, the proposal also does not create any significant adverse impacts. Therefore, the proposed use would be compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. The preschool also does not result in an overconcentration of preschool use. There is already an existing preschool in the same building, but that use will terminate in a year. Conclusions of Law 1. Authority. Hearing examiner conditional use permits qualify as Type III review pursuant to 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 Renton City Council. 2. Zoning/Comprehensive Plan Designations. The subject property is within the Residential-14 zoning district and Residential High Density comprehensive plan land use designation. 3. Review Criteria. RMC 4-2-060 allows daycare facilities in the R-14 district as a conditional use. Conditional use criteria are governed by RMC 4-9-030(D). Applicable conditional use standards are quoted below in italics and applied through corresponding conclusions of law. The Administrator or designee or the Hearing Examiner shall consider, as applicable, the following factors for all applications: 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 - 4 CAO VARIANCE - 4 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 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 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 proposed use is compatible with surrounding uses and is not an overconcentration of 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). 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 proposed use is compatible for the reasons identified in Finding of Fact No. 5H. RMC 4-9-030(C)(5): Parking: Adequate parking is, or will be made, available. 8. Parking is adequate as determined in Finding of Fact No. 5(D). 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. 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). 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 determined in Finding of Fact No. 5(C), the proposal will not result in any adverse light, noise or glare impacts. 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 - 5 CAO VARIANCE - 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 properties from potentially adverse effects of the proposed use. 11. As determined in Finding of Fact No. 3, existing landscaping is present on all areas of the site not occupied by buildings, parking areas, or playground/sport court areas DECISION As conditioned, the conditional use permit satisfies all applicable review criteria for the reasons identified in the findings and conclusions of this decision and for that reason is approved. DATED this 5th day of May 2022. City of Renton Hearing Examiner Appeal Right and Valuation Notices 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 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 period. Affected property owners may request a change in valuation for property tax purposes notwithstanding any program of revaluation.