HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 3981ai
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Amended by Ordinance No. 4008
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CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
ORDINANCE NO. 3981
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RENTON,
WASHINGTON AMENDING CHAPTER 7 OF TITLE IV
(BUILDING REGULATIONS) OF ORDINANCE NO. 1628
ENTITLED "CODE OF GENERAL ORDINANCES OF
THE CITY OF RENTON" RELATING TO SITE PLAN
APPROVAL
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO
ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I: Existing Chapter 7 of Title IV (Building Regulations) of Ordinance
No. 1628 entitled "Code of General Ordinances of the City of Renton" is hereby amended
by adding the following Section:
Section 4-738: SITE PLAN REVIEW:
(A) Purpose and Intent: The purpose of site plan approval shall be to assure that the site
plan of proposed uses is compatible with existing and potential uses and complies
with plans, policies and regulations of the City of Renton. Site plan elements
subject to this section include, but are not limited to, site layout, building
orientation, pedestrian and vehicular access, signage, landscaping, natural features
of the site, screening and buffering, parking and loading arrangements, and
illumination. Site planning is the horizontal and vertical arrangement of these
elements so as to be compatible with the physical characteristics of a site and with
the surrounding area. Site plan review does not include design review, which
addresses the aesthetic considerations of architectural style, exterior treatment and
colors. Site plan review should occur at an early stage in the development of a
project, when the scale, intensity and layout of a project are known, but before final
building plans are completed. The intent of site plan approval shall be:
ORDINANCE NO. 3981
(1) To protect neighboring owners and uses by assuring that reasonable provisions
have been made for such matters as sound and sight buffers, light and air, and
those other aspects of site plans which may have substantial effects on
neighboring land uses;
(2) To promote the
orderliness of
community
growth, protect
and enhance
property values
and minimize
discordant
and undesirable
impacts of
development both on and off-site;
(3) To promote coordination of public or quasi -public elements, such as walkways,
driveways, paths, and landscaping, within segments of larger developments and
between individual developments;
(4) To ensure convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement
within the site and in relation to adjacent areas;
(S) To protect the desirable aspects of the natural landscape and environmental
features of the city by minimizing the undesirable impacts of proposed
developments on the physical environment;
(6) To minimize the conflicts that might otherwise be created by a mix of uses
within allowed zones;
(7) To provide for quality, multiple family or clustered housing while minimizing
the impacts of high density, heavy traffic generation, and intense demands on
city utilities and recreational facilities;
(8) To promote the creation of "campus -like" and "park -like" settings in
appropriate zones;
(9) To provide a mechanism to more effectively meet the purposes and intent of
the State Environmental Policy Act;
(10) To supplement other land use regulations by addressing site plan elements not
adequately covered elsewhere in the City Code and to avoid violation of the
purpose and intent of those codes.
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ORDINANCE NO. 3981
(B) Applicability:
(1) Except as noted below, site plan application and review shall be required for
development as follows:
For all development in the Manufacturing Park (M -P), Office Park (O -P),
Public Use (P-1), and Business (B-1) zones and the R-1-5, R-2, R-3 and R-4
Residential zones, and for all development within the Valley Planning Area
(bounded by SR -167, S.W. 43rd Street, the Green River, the Burlington
Northern Railroad tracks, Maple Avenue S.W., as extended and Grady Way).
(2) In all zones, the following types of development shall be exempt from the
requirements of site plan review:
(a) Interior remodel of existing buildings or structures, provided the
alterations are in conformance with any prior approved site plan;
(b) Planned unit developments (P.U.D.'s):
(c) Conditional use permits.
(d) Off -premise signs (billboards).
(e) All development categorically exempt from review under the State
Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C and WAC 197-11) and under the
City of Renton Environmental Ordinance (Title IV, Chapter 28).
(f) Minor new construction, repair, remodeling and maintenance activities
that would otherwise be exempt from SEPA if they were not located
within the Shoreline Master Program jurisdiction.
(3) For development proposed on only a portion of a particular site, an applicant
may choose to submit a site plan application for either the entire site or the
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portion of the site. In the latter case, the application shall state clearly the
area of the site and the proposed development, including phases, for which site
plan approval is being requested. In every case, the site plan application and
review shall cover at least that portion of the site which is directly related to
or may be impacted by the actual proposed development, as determined by the
Environmental Review Committee.
(C) Site Plan Review Procedures:
(1) All site plan applications shall be reviewed in the manner described below and
in accordance with the purposes and criteria of this section. The Building and
Zoning Department may develop additional review procedures to supplement
those required in this subsection.
(2) Applicants are encouraged to consult early and informally with representatives
of the Building and Zoning Department and other affected departments. This
consultation should include a general explanation of the requirements and
criteria of site plan review, as well as the types of concerns that might be
anticipated for the proposed use at the proposed site.
(3) Upon receipt of a completed application in the form specified in subsection
4-738(G) below, the Building and Zoning Department shall route the
application to the Parks and Recreation, Policy Development, Public Works
and Traffic Engineering, Fire and Police departments for review and
comment. This routing should be combined with circulation of environmental
information under the Renton Environmental Ordinance (Title IV, Chapter 28)
and SEPA.
(4) Whenever a completed site plan application is received, the Building and
Zoning Department shall be responsible for providing public notice of the
pending site plan application. This public notice shall be in the form of three
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(3) signs placed on or near the subject property and clearly visible from the
largest public street serving the property and a public notice mailed to all
adjacent property owners at the applicant's expense. The applicant shall be
responsible for providing completed mailing labels and postage. ("Adjacent"
shall mean all contiguous properties, with the assumption that railroads and
public rights of way, except limited access roads, do not exist.) The notices
shall state the nature and location of the proposed development, the public
approvals that are required, and the opportunities for public comment. A
fourteen (14) day public comment period shall be provided prior to any final
action by the City on a site plan application, whether or not a public hearing is
required.
(S) Comments from the reviewing departments shall be made in writing within
fourteen (14) days. Unless a proposed site plan is subsequently modified, the
recommendations of the reviewing departments shall constitute the final
comments of the respective departments with regard to the proposed site
plan. Lack of comment from a department shall be considered a
recommendation for approval of the proposed site plan. However, all
departments reserve the right to make later comments of a code compliance
nature during building permit review. This includes such requirements as
exact dimensions, specifications or any other requirement specifically detailed
in the City Code.
(6) After the departmental comment period, the Building and Zoning Department
shall notify the applicant of any negative comments or conditions
recommmended by the departments. When significant issues are raised. this
notification should also normally involve a meeting between the applicant and
appropriate City representatives. The applicant shall have the opportunity to
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respond to the notification either by submitting a revised site plan application,
by submitting additional information, or by stating in writing why the
recommendations are considered unreasonable or not acceptable.
(7) Whenever a revised site plan or new information is received from an applicant,
the Building and Zoning Department may re -circulate the application to
concerned departments. Consulted departments shall respond in writing within
ten (10) days with any additional comments. In general, the City's
environmental determination of significance or non -significance pursuant to
Title IV, Chapter 28 will not be issued until after final departmental comments
on the site plan or revised site plan are received.
(8) Upon receipt of final departmental comments and after the close of the public
comment period, the Environmental Review Committee shall determine the
necessity for a public hearing on the site plan application. A public hearing
before the Hearing Examiner shall be required if:
(a) The Environmental Review Committee determines that based on
departmental comments or public input there are significant unresolved
concerns that are raised by the proposal; or
(b) The applicant has requested a public hearing; or
(c) The proposed project is larger than any one of the following:
- one hundred (100) multiple family residential units;
- one hundred thousand (100,00) square feet of gross floor area in the
M -P zone or other zones in the Valley Planning Area;
- twenty-five thousand (25,000) square feet of gross floor area in the
B-1, O -P, or P-1 zones outside the Valley Planning Area;
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- four (4) stories or sixty (60) feet in height:
three hundred (300) parking stalls: or
ten (10) acres in size.
(9) Whenever a public hearing is required, the Building and Zoning Department
shall coordinate with the Hearing Examiner in setting a hearing date for the
site plan application. After conducting at least one public hearing on the site
plan application, the Hearing Examiner shall render a written decision
pursuant to the provisions of Title IV, Chapter 30. The time limits of Title IV,
Chapter 30 shall apply. In all cases, the public hearing for site plan review
should be conducted concurrently with any other required hearing, such as
rezone or subdivision, if the details of the development are sufficiently
defined to permit adequate review.
(10) When the Environmental Review Committee determines that a public hearing
is not required, the proposed site plan shall be deemed approved, subject to
any environmental mitigating measures that may be a part of the City's
declaration of significance or non -significance.
(D) Site Plan Review Criteria: The Hearing Examiner and City staff shall review and
act upon site plans based upon comprehensive planning considerations and the
following criteria. These criteria are objectives of good site plans to be aimed for
in development within the City of Renton. However, strict compliance with any one
or more particular criterion may not be necessary or reasonable. These criteria also
provide a frame of reference for the applicant in developing a site, but are not
intended to be inflexible standards or to discourage creativity and innovation. The
site plan review criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:
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(1) General Criteria
(a) Conformance with the Comprehensive Plan, its elements and policies;
(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 area -wide 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 to accommodate the
proposed use; and
(j) Prevention of neighborhood deterioration and blight.
(2) Mitigation of Impacts to Surrounding Properties and Uses:
(a) Mitigation of undesirable impacts of proposed structures and site layouts
that could impair the use or enjoyment or potential use of surrounding
uses and structures and of the community;
(b) Mitigation of undesirable impacts when an overscale structure, in terms
of size, bulk, height, and intensity, or site layout is permitted that
violates the spirit and/or intent of the Zoning Code and impairs the use,
enjoyment or potential use of surrounding properties;
(c) Provision of a desirable transition and linkage between uses and to the
street, utility, walkway, and trail systems in the surrounding area by the
arrangement of landscaping, fencing and/or other buffering techniques,
ORDINANCE NO. 3981
in order to prevent conflicts and to promote coordinated and planned
benefit from, and access to, such elements;
(d) Consideration of placement and scale of proposed structures in relation
to the natural characteristics of a site in order to avoid
over -concentration of structures on a particular portion of a site such
that they create a perception of greater height or bulk than intended
under the spirit of the Zoning Code;
(e) Effective location, design and screening of parking and service areas in
order to promote efficient function of such facilities, to provide
integrated facilities between uses when beneficial, to promote
"campus -like" or "park -like" layouts in appropriate zones, and to prevent
unnecessary repetition and conflict between uses or service areas or
facilities;
(f) Mitigation of the unnecessary and avoidable impacts of new construction
on views from existing buildings and future developable sites,
recognizing the public benefit and desirability of maintaining visual
accessibility to attractive natural features and of promoting
"campus -like" or "park -like" settings in appropriate zones;
(g) Provision of effective screening from public streets and residential uses
for all permitted outdoor storage areas (except auto and truck sales), for
surface mounted utilty equipment, for rooftop equipment, and for all
refuse and garbage containers, in order to promote a "campus -like" or
"park -like" setting where appropriate and to preserve the effect and
intent of screening or buffering otherwise required by the Zoning Code;
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ORDINANCE NO. 3981
(h) Consideration of placement and design of exterior lighting in order to
avoid excessive brightness or glare to adjacent properties and streets.
(3) Mitigation of Impacts of A Proposed Site Plan to the Site:
(a) Building placement and spacing to provide for privacy and noise
reduction; orientation to views and vistas and to site amenities, to
sunlight and prevailing winds, and to pedestrian and vehicle needs;
(b) Consideration of placement and scale of proposed structures in relation
to the openness and natural characteristics of a site in order to avoid
overconcentration or the impression of oversized structures;
(c) Preservation of the desirable natural landscape through retention of
existing vegetation and limited soil removal, insofar as the natural
characteristics will enhance the proposed development;
(d) Use of existing topography to reduce undue cutting, filling and retaining
walls in order to prevent erosion and unnecessary storm water runoff,
and to preserve stable natural stopes and desirable natural vegetation;
(e) Limitation of paved or impervious surfaces, where feasible, to reduce
runoff and increase natural infiltration;
(f) Design and protection of planting areas so that they are not susceptible
to damage from vehicles or pedestrian movements;
(g) Consideration of building form and placement and landscaping to
enhance year round conditions of sun and shade both on-site and on
adjacent properties and to promote energy conservation.
(4) Circulation and Access
(a) Provison of adequate and safe vehicular access to and from all properties;
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(b) Arrangement of the circulation pattern so that all ingress and egress
movements may occur at as few points as possible along the public
street, the points being capable of channelization for turning movements;
(c) Consolidation of access points with adjacent properties, when feasible;
(d) Coordination of access points on a superblock basis so that vehicle
conflicts and vehicle/pedestrian conflicts are minimized;
(e) Orientation of access points to side streets or frontage streets rather
than directly onto arterial streets, when feasible;
(f) Promotion of the safety and efficiency of the internal circulation
system, including the location, design and dimensions of vehicular and
pedestrian access points, drives, parking, turnarounds, walkways,
bikeways, and emergency access ways;
(g) Separation of loading and delivery areas from parking and pedestrian
areas.,
(h) Provisions for transit and carpool facilities and access where
appropriate; and
(i) Provision for safe and attractive pedestrian connections between parking
areas, buildings, public sidewalks and adjacent properties.
(5) Signage
(a) Employment of signs primarily for the purpose of identification;
(b) Management of sign elements, such as size, location and arrangement so
that signs complement the visual character of the surrounding area and
appear in proportion to the building and site to which they pertain;
ORDINANCE NO. 3981
(c) Limitation of the number of signs to avoid visual clutter and distraction;
(d) Moderation of surface brightness or lighting intensity except for that
necessary for sign visibility; and
(e) Provision of an identification system to allow for quick location of
buildings and addresses.
(E) Authority for Approval and Modification:
(1) The Hearing Examiner shall approve a site plan if the applicant demonstrates
that the proposed site plan is consistent with the general purposes of this
section and with the review criteria.
(2) The Hearing Examiner shall have the power to place reasonable conditions on
or modify a site plan in order to satisfy the general purposes of this section
and to achieve consistency with the review criteria. However, strict
compliance with any one or more particular criterion may not be necessary or
reasonable. Such conditions or modifications may include, but are not limited
to, screening, buffering, building location and orientation, paving, landscaping,
vegetation removal. grading and contouring. The Hearing Examiner shall also
have the power to fix the location and configuration of driveways, walkways,
parking and loading areas, emergency access, curbs, planting areas, and signs.
When only a portion of a site is proposed for development, such power to
condition, modify or fix shall be exercised only for that area which is directly
related to or may be impacted by the actual proposed development.
(3) To the extent necessary to meet the site review criteria and to the extent
necessary to compensate for the impacts attributable to the proposed
development, the Hearing Examiner may impose additional requirements,
including:
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(a) Preparation of a landscape plan by a licensed landscape architect:
(b) Preparation of a grading, drainage and erosion control plan:
(c) Preparation of a vegetation preservation plan:
(d) Improvements to identified or planned public rights-of-way, including
paving, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, lighting, turn lanes, signalization,
bikeways or pedestrian paths: and
(e) Provision of or improvements to public facilities and utilities.
(4) In all cases, if an applicant can demonstrate that a site plan can be made
consistent with
the
review criteria
and general purposes by
alternative
modifications to
the
site plan, the
Hearing Examiner shall
accept the
alternative modifications as conditions of approval and approve the site plan.
If a public hearing on the site plan. application has already been closed, the
modifications proposed by the applicant shall be administered according to
subsection 4-738(F) below.
(S) If the Hearing Examiner finds that the site plan application cannot be made
consistent with the general purposes and review criteria of this section by
requiring reasonable conditions, then the site plan shall be denied.
(6) The authority to condition or deny site plan applications should be exercized to
the minimum extent necessary to protect the public interest and welfare as
expressed in the purposes of this section.
(F) Amendment of Approved Site Plans:
(1) Minor Adjustments: Minor adjustments to an approved site plan may be
reviewed and approved by the Environmental Review Committee. Minor
adjustments are those which entail minor changes in dimensions or siting of
structures, location of public amenities, and the like. but which do not entail
substantial changes to the intensity or character of the use.
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(2) Major Adjustments: Major adjustments to an approved site plan require an
amended application pursuant to subsections 4-738(C) through (G). The review
and approval authority shall rest with the Hearing Examiner. Major
adjustments involve a substantial change in the basic site design plan,
intensity, density, use and the like, generally involving more than a ten (10)
percent change in area or scale.
(G) Contents of Application: Each application for site plan review shall contain the
following:
(1) A completed Site Plan application form.
(2) An Environmental Checklist when required.
(3) The title, location, and legal description of the proposed development,
together with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the recorded
owners of the land and the applicant, and when applicable, the name, address,
telephone number and seal of any architect, planner, designer or engineer
responsible for the preparation of the plan and any authorized representative
of the applicant.
(4) A written description addressing the scope of the project, the nature and size
of each use, and a timetable for development, including phases.
(S) A vicinity map, drawn at a scale of I"=200', showing site boundaries and
existing roads and accesses within the boundary of the site.
(6) Seven (7) copies of a fully dimensioned site plan of the entire site or applicable
portion thereof drawn at a scale of I"=20' (or other scale required by the
Building and Zoning Department) showing:
(a) Subject property (all property lines dimensioned) and abutting streets
(existing and proposed):
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(b) Location of the subject site with regards to the nearest street
intersections, including intersections opposite the subject property;
(c) Location of existing driveways adjacent to the subject property or on the
opposite side of the street facing the subject property;
(d) All existing public improvements including, but not necessarily limited
to: curb, gutter, and sidewalk; median islands; street trees: street lights;
fire hydrants; utility poles, etc., including those adjacent to the subject
site;
(e) Location of existing and proposed fencing or retaining walls,
free-standing signs, easements, refuse areas, and on-site utility
structures;
(f) Location and size of proposed structures, storage areas, buffer areas,
yards, open spaces, and landscaped areas;
(g) Proposed use of structures and gross floor area;
(h) A circulation plan illustrating all accesspoints for the site, and the size
and location of all driveways, streets and roads, and the location, size
and design of parking and loading areas;
(i) Generalized grading plan, if the proposed grade differential on-site will
exceed twenty-four inches (24") from top of curb or adjacent properties;
(j) Generalized utilities plan, drainage and stormwater runoff provisions; and
(k) Topographic features and contours (existing and proposed), at intervals
not greater than five (5) feet, and existing streams, lakes, marshes, and
other natural features.
(7) Seven (7) copies of generalized architectural elevations of all proposed
buildings and structures.
i
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(8) A graphic depicting proposed building signs, if known.
(9) A landscaping plan indicating the proposed location and density of trees
(deciduous or evergreen), shrubs and ground cover, and major existing trees.
This information may be combined with the site plan.
(10) Any other information deemed pertinent by the Building and Zoning
Department, provided that the Department may also waive any of the above
requirements when it is obvious from the scope or nature of the proposal that
the information is not significant or helpful to an informed decision.
(11) A fee as specified by ordinance. ,. -
(H) Building Permits: No building permit shall be issued for any use requiring site plan
approval pursuant to this section until the Environmental Review Committee has
determined that a public hearing is not required or the Hearing Examiner has
approved or approved with conditions the site plan application. All building permits
issued shall be in compliance with the approved site plan.
(I) Time Limits: The final approval of a site plan shall expire within two (2) years. A
single two (2) year extension may be granted by the Hearing Examiner for good
cause, although at the Examiner's discretion a public hearing may be required for
such extension.
(J) Phasing: The Hearing Examiner may grant site plan approval for large projects
planned to be developed or redeveloped in phases over a period of years exceeding
the normal time limits of Section (I) above. Such approval shall include clearly
defined phases and specific time limits for each phase. If the time limits of a
particular phase are not satisfied, then site plan approval for that phase and
subsequent phases shall expire. The Hearing Examiner shall also determine if such a
phased project will be eligible for any extensions of the time limits. As long as the
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development of a phased project conforms to the approved phasing plan, the Zoning
regulations in effect at the time of the original approval shall continue to apply.
However, all construction shall conform to the Uniform Building Code and Uniform
Fire Code regulations in force at the time of building permit application.
(J) Appeals: The final decision by the Environmental Review Committee on whether a
site plan application requires a public hearing may be appealed within fourteen (14)
days to the Hearing Examiner pursuant to Section 4-3011(B). The final decision by
the Hearing Examiner on a site plan application requiring a public hearing may be
appealed to the City Council within fourteen (14) days pursuant to Section 4-3016.
SECTION II: This Ordinance shall be effective upon its passage, approval and
five days after publication.
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 7th day of April, 1986.
Maxine E. Motor, City Clerk
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this 7th day of April, 1986.
Approved as to form:
Lawrence J. Warren, City Attorney
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Barbara Y. Shinpoch, Mayor
Published in Summary
Date of Publication: April 11, 1986
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