HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_Modification_Request_Parking_Capacity_180308_v1
RJ Development
401 Central St SE – Olympia, WA 98501
(360) 528-3343 – www.rjdevelopment.com
WEATHERLY INN RENTON
MODIFICATION REQUEST: PARKING CAPACITY
Please accept this letter as our justification for a Modification Request to the parking requirements per RMC 4-4-
080, which states the following:
• Assisted Living parking needs to allow for “A minimum and maximum of 1 space per residential unit of
assisted living, plus dedicated parking spaces for facility fleet vehicles.”
• Convalescent Centers need to have “A minimum and maximum of 1 for every 2 employees plus 1 for every
3 beds.”
Given the above general guidelines, our proposed 116 units of Assisted Living plus 30 beds of Memory Care with
40 employees dictates 147 parking spaces needed on site to accommodate enough parking for residents,
employees, facility vehicles, and a few visitors.
We are currently proposing 87 parking spaces for our site. This does not change any of our adherence to city
policies and objectives regarding the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element or the Community Design Element,
as we are still adhering to code with regard to setbacks, building height requirements, lot coverage ratios, etc. As
such, the project will not be injurious or create adverse impact to other properties in the vicinity. We will still meet
the objectives and safety, function, appearance, environmental protection and maintainability intended by the
Code requirements. Our plans will be prepared by licensed engineers and reviewed by city staff.
In 2015, a parking study was done for a similar facility (near a hospital, similar care, projected to be 75% Assisted
Living and 25% Independent Living) in Kirkland. The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking Generation
4th Edition is cited on page 4 of the study, indicating that the 85th percentile value is 0.54 parking spaces per unit
of Assisted Living. In the case of this proposed facility in Renton, that equates to 63 parking spaces for the Assisted
Living portion of the facility. The study is included below for reference.
With regards to the proposed 30 beds of Memory Care, this is classified in the RMC as more general
“Convalescent” care. Memory Care facilities serve residents that are suffering from Alzheimer’s and other
dementia-related illness, and by definition are unable to operate a vehicle. Thus, none of the Memory Care
residents will have a vehicle.
In practice, the existing Weatherly Inn Assisted Living facility in Tacoma operates with a high acuity level of care
for residents (when compared with other Assisted Living facilities) and only 10% of its current residents have a
vehicle parked on site. We intend to operate the proposed Weatherly Inn Renton Assisted Living facility with the
same resident requiring a high acuity level of care. Based upon established operations of our other Assisted Living
RJ Development
401 Central St SE – Olympia, WA 98501
(360-528-3343) – www.rjdevelopment.com
facility in Tacoma, we expect that most residents of the proposed Weatherly Inn Renton Assisted Living will also
not own a vehicle.
The facility shall also employ up to 40 people that will need to utilize available parking. Based on operations of
existing Weatherly Inn facilities in Kent and Tacoma, the Renton facility will need to accommodate up to 20
employee parking spaces at peak shift change.
Moreover, during holiday seasons, it is our experience that residents leave the facility to spend time with family
and friends, thereby reducing the need for additional parking during those times.
In conclusion, with the above justification and references from the ITE equating to a need of approximately 84
parking spaces, we believe the proposed 87 parking spaces is adequate to achieve the intent and purpose of the
Renton Municipal Code for the unique purposes of the proposed facility.
Frank Durocher
Project Manager
RJ Development
frank@RJDevelopment.com
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