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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRS_Overlay_District_Report_180712.pdf July 12, 2018 Planning Department – City of Renton, WA 1055 S Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 T: 425-430-6400 RE: Solera Site Plan Review Submittal – Urban Center Design Overlay District Report Applicability: Per Section 4-3-100, this section applies to the mixed-use buildings as new structures in ‘District D’ which comprises the CV zoning designation. BUILDING LOCATION AND ORIENTATION: The mixed-use buildings are located to provide ample access to sunlight for both internal common outdoor spaces and adjacent town home common outdoor spaces and private outdoor spaces located at the front of each town home. They each face streets or alleys on 3 sides and provide entries, storefronts, and amenity areas that face the street and interact at street level. Front entries face NE 11th Street which is primary access point. Residential uses at street level do occur at Block A, but are set back more than 10’ from the sidewalk which also has a significant parkway between it and the street as well. BUILDING ENTRIES: Building entries for the mixed-use buildings are immediately adjacent to the sidewalk along NE 11th Street. Entries are highly visible along this primary access road and connect via the adjacent sidewalk to the entire development and the neighborhood beyond. They will be accented by pedestrian level canopies in excess of 4.5 feet and architectural lighting. Primary parking is interior to the building and thus access from parking to the interior is subordinate. The few “first floor” residential mixed-use units have entry doors and entry canopies along Jefferson Ave NE. TRANSITION TO SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Transition to surrounding uses assisted via elements such as a step down in floor level towards Jefferson Ave NE on Block A. Similarly on Block B, a breakdown of the street façade including length of mass, roof top deck step down and step down to the proposed child care center work to relate to the adjacent town homes and new library and park development beyond to the South. SERVICE ELEMENT LOCATION AND DESIGN: Service elements primarily consisting of trash and recycling enclosures are internal to the mixed use buildings and fully enclosed with proper mechanical ventilation. Dumpsters will be rolled out by service upon the truck arrival for immediate pick up and return to the interior. Commercial uses will be smaller and neighborhood serving in nature with anticipation of deliveries at off hours along the slip drive and clear of all Sunset Boulevard traffic. GATEWAYS: While not formally a gateway as the library and other proposed mixed-use buildings around Sunset Neighborhood Park are closer to the southern entrance of this portion of Sunset Boulevard, Block B in particular will have articulation and stepping in the South East corner as it will be clearly visible above the new library and existing gas station at the corner of NE 10th Street and Sunset Boulevard. SURFACE PARKING: There is limited surface parking provided only as parallel street side parking for the convenience of commercial use visitors or residential guests. This parking is included along NE 11 Street, Jefferson Ave NE and via a slip drive along Sunset Boulevard. Street trees will be provided throughout and planting will be provided where sidewalk access is not required including in the median between Sunset Boulevard and the slip drive. STRUCTURED PARKING GARAGES: All structured parking is either sub-grade, internal to the building or has limited exposure to alleys and side yards. All street facing facades are lined with active pedestrian friendly uses such as commercial space, lobbies, and residential amenities. Vehicular access is away from the primary through street of Sunset Boulevard and located along NE 11th Street or a new alley. Any portions of garage visible to side yards or alleys will be behind architectural finishes or architectural screening and landscaping. VEHICULAR ACCESS: Access to parking is provided at two alley locations and at one curb cut location along the side street of NE 11th Street. PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION: The mixed-use buildings are connected via a series of all-weather internal sidewalks and public sidewalks with generous landscaped parkways and setbacks that connect to other buildings, adjacent sidewalks, the neighborhood beyond and to the new Sunset Neighborhood Park to the South. The sidewalks along the mixed-use buildings provide a minimum of twelve feet of sidewalk within and adjacent to the right of way. PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES: Pedestrians will have access to wide and landscaped sidewalk experiences supplemented with pots near entryways and other areas were significant hard surface is required. Overhead protection will be provided via pedestrian level canopies at all entries and along a minimum of 75% of the Sunset Boulevard and NE 11th Street facades. Site furniture will be interspersed using bulb-outs or building recesses to maintain clear pedestrian access paths. RECREATION AREAS AND COMMON OPEN SPACE: Common open space requirements are met and provided at both mixed-use buildings via a series of raised courtyard levels and roof top terraces all of which have ample access to light and air and will be implemented with landscape and hardscape suitable for the various program elements provided in each space. These will include bbq areas, lounge areas and areas for game play. Additional recreation opportunities will be provided internal to the buildings including fitness rooms and community rooms. BUILDING CHARACTER AND MASSING: Modulation and articulation will be provided along all facades by means of balconies, plane changes, material changes and overall shifts in massing to accommodate intervals of no more than 40’. Current plans and views are provided for massing purposes only and subsequent architectural submittals for individual buildings will address refined architectural detailing. GROUND LEVEL DETAILS: Pedestrian ground level experience will be accompanied by appropriately scaled and canopies and signage. Visibility will be provided to active first floor uses along Sunset Boulevard and NE 11th Street with clear commercially scaled glazing. BUILDING ROOF LINES: Visual interest will be provided at the roof line with varied elevations of extended parapets to create a hierarchy of forms and will be accented by overhangs at key architectural element locations. BUILDING MATERIALS: Variation in building materials and colors will provide visual interest to all facades. Similar variation in material pallet will be provided on all facades for consistency from all vantage points. High quality materials will be provided commensurate with the traffic level of adjacent spaces including prefinished metal, glazing, cast stone, fiber cement panels or siding. Variations in color and intensity will be used to add definition to architectural massing. LIGHTING: Pedestrian scaled lighting and mounting heights will be used as architectural accents and for public safety along all building facades adjacent to sidewalks or walking paths. Accent lighting will also be provided to delineate entries and architectural features. Additional lighting appropriate for safety, but limiting intrusion to adjacent uses shall be used at all other locations.