HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity's Request for ReconsiderationDecember 21, 2018
Mr. Phil Olbrechts
Denis Law Mayor11;
Community & Economic Development C. E. "Chip" Vincent, Administrator
CITY OF RENTON
DEC 212018
Hearing Examiner RECEIVED
City of Renton CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
1055 S Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
SUBJECT: Request for Reconsideration
Solera Master Plan, 2902 NE Sunset Blvd, LUA18-000490,SA-M, PP, CU-H, MOD
Dear Mr. Examiner:
As the City's Project Manager for the Solera Master Plan land use application, please accept the following request
for reconsideration of the December 11, 2018 decision on the aforementioned application. The request for
reconsideration is based on three matters. The first relates to Condition #12 that requires the applicant to submit
revised plans that clearly indicate each townhome unit satisfies the private open space standards. The second is
regarding Condition #18 for the project's phasing construction benchmarks. And the third relates to the phasing
of the final plat for the subdivision component of the master plan application.
Condition #12 Townhome Private Open Space
Condition #12 of the Solera Master Plan decision states:
The applicant shall submit an exhibit for each townhome unit with their respective Administrative
Site Plan Review application that clearly identifies that each unit lot contains a minimum of 250
square feet of private yard space with no dimension less than 8-feet in width. The exhibits shall
be reviewed and approved by the Current Planning Project Manager prior to each individual
Administrative Site Plan issuance for Blocks R1-R4.
Prior to the hearing, staff and the applicant discussed this condition and staff indicated to the applicant that the
City would be amenable to an alteration to the language of the condition to allow alternative locations of the
private open space standard to be considered by staff to the extent the minimum private yard space is provided.
However the applicant did not request the previously discussed language alteration to Condition #12 during the
hearing and consequently no remedy currently exists for the applicant to propose an alternative method to satisfy
this standard. Therefore staff requests the following change as shown underlined to Condition #12:
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12. The applicant shall submit an exhibit for each townhome unit with their respective
Administrative Site Plan Review application that clearly identifies that each unit lot contains a
minimum of 250 square feet of private yard space with no dimension less than 8-feet in width.
The exhibits shall be reviewed and approved by the Current Planning Project Manager prior to
each individual Administrative Site Plan issuance for Blocks R1-R4. Alternatively, the applicant
may request a modification to the minimum private yard standards, as permitted by RMC 4-2-
115A.2, as part of the Administrative Site Plan Review process for blocks R1-R4.
Condition #18 Phasing Plan
City staff's recommendation for the phasing plan was intended to ensure that the mixed -use component of the
master plan was the primary feature of the project and the townhome blocks were subordinate. This
recommendation is due to the Comprehensive Plan vision for the Center Village (CV) zone in this area, which
identifies compact urban development with a pedestrian mixed use center. This vision is implemented with the
CV development regulations that require mixed use for any residential proposals along NE Sunset Blvd east of
Harrington Ave NE, which includes the subject property. To ensure that the townhome component of the master
plan would not become the initial and primary element of the master plan, staff recommended that the
townhome construction not begin until the mixed -use building concrete podium was completed and passed
inspection. Staff also was amenable during the hearing for an alternative option that would allow construction on
the townhomes to begin if the applicant provided a surety device at the time of excavation and shoring for the
entire cost of the mixed use building.
Following the issuance of the decision, City staff has been in communication with the applicant regarding their
concerns of Condition #18. The applicant has requested a modification to the condition that would allow for a
third option to comply with phasing plan benchmarks that could be negotiated at a later date. Staff would be
amenable to altering Condition #18 to the following:
18. The applicant shall follow the Phasing Plan as provided in Exhibit 12 in order of phasing
numbers. Construction activities on the townhome components of the Master Plan that follow a
mixed -use building phase shall not be permitted until the mixed -use building concrete podium is
completed and passed inspection. The following options may be considered by the City lin lieu of
a completed concrete podium;: townhome construction may follow a mixed -use building phase
when shoring walls and foundation excavation are completed for the mixed -use building along
with a receipt of either cash set aside, a letter of credit, or an assignment of funds approved by
the city for the entire cost of the mixed -use building-; or an option that is approved by the City
that assures the initiation and completion of the proiect's mixed use components are consistent
with the expectations of the phasing plan. Any requested modifications of the phasing plan shall
be reviewed and approved by the Current Planning Project Manager and shall continue to result
in the initial phase of construction to include one of the two mixed use buildings and public
infrastructure improvements identified in orange on the phasing plan.
Phased Recording of Final Plat
While the applicant has proposed phases for each component of the master plan, no reference to a phased
subdivision is provided in the application materials or was requested by the applicant during the public hearing. A
phased subdivision would allow the applicant to submit final plat applications and subsequently record approved
final plats for each phase of the master plan thereby allowing for fee simple transactions to occur prior the full
buildout of the plan. Without a phased subdivision, the applicant would be required to construct the entire master
plan prior to the sale of any individual lots. City staff has consulted with the applicant, whom acknowledges their
intent of the master plan proposal was to also include a phased subdivision component to the application.
Therefore, staff requests the Hearing Examiner include within the decision's Conclusions of Law the
acknowledgement that the master plan includes a phased subdivision that is provided the ability to submit final
1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 • rentonwa.gov
plat applications for individual phases. As defined in RMC 4-11-190 Subdivision, Phased, "a phased subdivision
must be granted for the entire subdivision and must delineate the separate divisions which are to be developed
in increments. The preliminary plat approval shall be conditioned upon completion of the proposed phases in a
particular sequence and may specify a completion date for each phase." As the applicant has not provided a time -
specific phasing plan for the subdivision, staff would be amenable to allowing the phased subdivision to follow
the five (5) year preliminary plat time limitations with no specific benchmarks for incremental completion of
phases provided all phases as identified in the provided phasing plan are completed within the five (5) year time
frame allotted for a standard preliminary plat. Opportunities for extensions as provided in the subdivision
regulations could be requested. To ensure all phases of the plat are completed within five (5) years and
infrastructure is built in the first phase staff requests the following conditions of approval be added to the decision:
33. Individual final plats for all phases of the subdivision shall be submitted within five (5) years
from the date of preliminary plat approval. Extension(s) of the preliminary plat approval may be
considered via RMC 4-7-080L.1 and RMC 4-7-080L.2.
34. The installation of public infrastructure associated with Phase I of the Solera Master Plan
(Exhibit 12) and identified in RMC 4-7-100 shall be completed prior to final plat approval of the
initial phase unless the Administrator approves a discretionary deferral of plat improvements
subject to RMC 4-9-060.
Closing
Staff requests the Hearing Examiner reconsider the December 11, 2018 land use decision to include the above -
referenced items.
Sincerely, j
__. !
Matt Herrera, AICP
Senior Planner
cc: Jennifer Henning, Planning Director
Vanessa Dolbee, Current Planning Manager
Brianne Bannworth, Development Engineering Manager
Cynthia Moya, City Clerk Specialist
Ann Fowler, Civil Engineer II
1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 • rentonwa.gov