HomeMy WebLinkAbout15-000030 (IM Renton Aerospace Training Center) Staff CommentsPREAPPLICATION MEETING FOR
RENTON AEROSPACE TRANING CENTER
PRE 15-000030
CITY OF RENTON
Department of Community & Economic Development
Planning Division
February 12, 2015
Contact Information:
Planner: Rocale Timmons, 425.430.7219
Public Works Plan Reviewer: Kamran Yazdidoost, 425.430.7382
Fire Prevention Reviewer: Corey Thomas, 425.430.7024
Building Department Reviewer: Craig Burnell, 425.430.7290
Please retain this packet throughout the course of your project as a reference. Consider
giving copies of it to any engineers, architects, and contractors who work on the
project. You will need to submit a copy of this packet when you apply for land use
and/or environmental permits.
Pre-screening: When you have the project application ready for submittal, call and
schedule an appointment with the project manager to have it pre-screened before
making all of the required copies.
The pre-application meeting is informal and non-binding. The comments provided on
the proposal are based on the codes and policies in effect at the time of review. The
applicant is cautioned that the development regulations are regularly amended and the
proposal will be formally reviewed under the regulations in effect at the time of project
submittal. The information contained in this summary is subject to modification and/or
concurrence by official decision-makers (e.g., Hearing Examiner, Planning Director,
Development Services Director, Department of Community & Economic Development
Administrator, Public Works Administrator and City Council).
h:\ced\planning\current planning\preapps\2015 preapps\15-000030.rocale\15-000030 (im renton
aerospace training center).doc
DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: February 12, 2015
TO: Pre-Application File No. 15-000030
FROM: Rocale Timmons, Senior Planner
SUBJECT: Renton Aerospace Training Center
General: We have completed a preliminary review of the pre-application for the above-
referenced development proposal. The following comments on development and permitting
issues are based on the pre-application submittals made to the City of Renton by the applicant
and the codes in effect on the date of review. The applicant is cautioned that information
contained in this summary may be subject to modification and/or concurrence by official
decision-makers (e.g., Hearing Examiner, Community & Economic Development Administrator,
Public Works Administrator, Planning Director, Development Services Director, and City
Council). Review comments may also need to be revised based on site planning and other
design changes required by City staff or made by the applicant. The applicant is encouraged to
review all applicable sections of the Renton Municipal Code. The Development Regulations are
available for purchase for $50.00 plus tax, from the Finance Division on the first floor of City Hall
or online at www.rentonwa.gov
Project Proposal: The subject property is located at 300 Rainier Avenue. The project is located
at the Renton Municipal Airport. The Airport site totals 167 acres in area and is located within
the Medium Industrial (IM) zone. The pre-application packet indicates that the proposal is to
remove the existing building and build a new two-story 23,000 SF Renton Aerospace Training
Center. The facility would include multiple classrooms and high bays large enough to include
large plane parts such as wings and fuselages. In addition to the classrooms administrative
offices would be provided. It appears access to the site would remain the same with two access
points via Rainier Ave N. Additionally, the proposal would maintain the existing parking area.
Current Use: The subject site used to be the location of the Renton Chamber of Commerce. The
existing building is proposed to be removed.
Zoning: The property is located within the Employment Area Industrial (EAI) land use
designation and the Medium Industrial (IM) zoning designation. Trade or vocational schools are
outright permitted uses within the IM zone.
Development Standards: The project would be subject to RMC 4-2-130A, “Development
Standards for Industrial Zoning Designations” effective at the time of complete application
(noted as “IM standards” herein).
Renton Aerospace Training Center, PRE15-000030
Page 2 of 6
February 12, 2015
Minimum Lot Size, Width and Depth – There are no minimum requirements for lot width or
depth within the IM zone, however, there is a minimum lot size requirement of 35,000 square
feet which is not applicable to the proposal.
Lot Coverage – There is no minimum lot coverage requirement within the IM zone.
Setbacks – Setbacks are the distance between the building and the property line or any private
access easement. The required setbacks in the IM zone are as follows: 20 feet for a front yard;
zero for the rear yard; and zero for the interior side yards. Based on the provided application
materials and comments from the City’s Property Services Division, the existing building is
located in the right-of-way. The provided project narrative identified a street vacation would
be requested. If a street vacation is approved by Renton City Council, the above setbacks would
be assessed from the new front property line. The right-of-way vacated would be determined
on the right-of-way needed for the Rainier Ave N street improvement project.
If resulting setback is less than 20-feet the proposal would either be required to be revised to
comply with the 20-foot front yard setback or an Administrative Front Yard Setback Variance
would be required to be requested and approved. If a variance is requested compliance with
the following criteria would be required to be demonstrated.
a. That the applicant suffers practical difficulties and unnecessary hardship and the
variance is necessary because of special circumstances applicable to subject property,
including size, shape, topography, location or surroundings of the subject property, and
the strict application of the Zoning Code is found to deprive subject property owner of
rights and privileges enjoyed by other property owners in the vicinity and under
identical zone classification;
b. That the granting of the variance will not be materially detrimental to the public
welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and zone in which
subject property is situated;
c. That approval shall not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the
limitation upon uses of other properties in the vicinity and zone in which the subject
property is situated;
d. That the approval is a minimum variance that will accomplish the desired purpose.
Building Height – There is no maximum building height requirement within the IM zone.
Although the subject site is located within the Airport influence area, Safety Zone 5 “Sideline
Approach/Departure Zone”. Height is restricted in this area by the FAR Part 77 surface area,
as such the applicant shall verify at time of land use application and building permit that the
height of the proposed structure does not penetrate the FAR Part 77 surface area.
Screening – Screening must be provided for all surface-mounted and roof top utility and
mechanical equipment. The building permit application will need to include elevations and
details for the proposed methods of screening.
Refuse and Recycling Areas – Refuse and recycling areas need to meet the requirements of RMC
4-4-090, “Refuse and Recyclables Standards” (enclosed). For office, educational and
institutional developments a minimum of 2 square feet per every 1,000 square feet of building
gross floor area shall be provided for recyclable deposit areas and a minimum of 4 square feet
per 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area shall be provided for refuse deposit areas with
a total minimum area of 100 square feet.
Renton Aerospace Training Center, PRE15-000030
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February 12, 2015
Refuse and Recycling information as not provided with the application. This information shall
be provided at building permit application.
Landscaping – New development shall comply with the City of Renton Landscape requirements.
Except for critical areas, all portions of the development area not covered by structures,
required parking, access, circulation or service areas, must be landscaped with native, drought-
resistant vegetative cover. The development standards require that all pervious areas within
the property boundaries be landscaped. The minimum on-site landscape width required along
street frontages is 10 feet, except where reduced through the site plan development review
process.
All parking lots are required to have perimeter landscaping. Surface parking lots with more than
14 stalls shall be landscaped with interior parking lot landscaping. The proposed parking lot
would have 46 parking stalls; as such 15 SF of landscaping is required per parking stall for
interior parking lot landscaping. Based on the provided site plan, it appears perimeter parking
lot landscaping is proposed; however no interior parking lot landscaping was shown.
Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070) for additional general and specific
landscape requirements (enclosed). A conceptual landscape plan and landscape analysis
meeting the requirements in RMC 4-8-120D.12, shall be submitted at the time of application
for building permit application.
Fences – If the applicant intends to install any fences as part of this project, the location must be
designated on the landscape plan. A fence detail should also be included on the plan as well.
Parking – The following ratios would be applicable to the site:
Use Employees & Students Ratio Required Spaces
Colleges and
universities,
arts and crafts
schools/studio
s, and trade or
vocational
schools:
Unknown A minimum and maximum
of 1 per employee plus 1
for every 3 student
rooming units, plus 0.5
space for every full-time
student not residing on
campus. In addition, if
buses for transportation
of students are kept at the
school, 1 off-street
parking space shall be
provided for each bus of a
size sufficient to park each
bus.
Min/Max: Unknown,
not enough
information
provided with the
application
Bicycle
Parking
Unknown 10% of the number of
required off-street parking
spaces.
Unknown
Based on the information provided staff was unable to determine the required numb er of
parking stalls for the facility. The applicant will be required at the time of building permit
application to provide a parking analysis of the subject site and provide detailed parking
Renton Aerospace Training Center, PRE15-000030
Page 4 of 6
February 12, 2015
information (i.e. stall and drive aisle dimensions) and calculations of the subject site and the
overall campus use.
It should be noted that the parking regulations specify standard stall dimensions. Surface
parking stalls must be a minimum of 9 feet x 20 feet, compact dimensions of 8½ feet x 16 feet,
and parallel stall dimensions of 9 feet x 23 feet; compact surface parking spaces shall not
account for more than 30 percent of the spaces in the surface parking lots.
ADA accessible stalls must be a minimum of 8 feet in width by 20 feet in length, with an adjacent
access aisle of 8 feet in width for van accessible spaces. The appropriate amount of ADA
accessible stalls based on the total number of spaces must be provided. Surface parking lots
with 15 or more stalls shall provide a minimum of 15 square feet of landscaping per parking
space. Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070) for further general and specific
landscape requirements (enclosed).
Modification of either the minimum or maximum number of parking stalls for a specific
development requires written approval from the Department of Community and Eco nomic
Development.
A twenty five percent (25%) reduction or increase from the minimum or maximum number of
parking spaces may be granted for nonresidential uses through site plan review if the applicant
can justify the modification to the satisfaction of the Administrator. Justification might include,
but is not limited to, quantitative information such as sales receipts, documentation of customer
frequency, and parking standards of nearby cities.
In order for the reduction or increase to occur the Administrator must find that satisfactory
evidence has been provided by the applicant. Modifications beyond twenty five percent (25%), or
if Site Plan Review is not applied for, may be granted per the criteria and process of RMC 4-9-
250.D.2.
Tree Preservation – A tree inventory and a tree retention plan along with a tree retention
worksheet shall be provided with the formal land use application. The tree retention plan must
show preservation of at least 10 percent (10 %) of significant trees, and indicate how proposed
building footprints would be sited to accommodate preservation of significant trees that would
be retained. If the trees cannot be retained, they may be replaced with minimum 2 inch caliper
trees at a rate of six to one.
Access and Driveways – It appears access to the site would remain the same with two access
points off of Rainier Ave.
Driveways shall not exceed forty percent (40%) of the street frontage. The width of any
driveway shall not exceed fifty feet (50') exclusive of the radii of the returns or taper section, the
measurement being made parallel to the centerline of the street roadway.
Pedestrian Access – A pedestrian connection shall be provided from all public entrances to the
street, in order to provide direct, clear and separate pedestrian walks from sidewalks to building
entries and internally from buildings to abutting properties. A pedestrian connection is
required between the building entrance and the abutting street.
Critical Areas: The City of Renton’s Sensitive Areas maps indicate the presence of “protected
slopes” on the subject site. Protected slopes are defined as topographical features that slope in
excess of 40% and have a vertical rise of 15 feet or more. If any work is planned on a “protected
slope” a Variance and/or Modification from the Critical Areas regulations would be required.
Renton Aerospace Training Center, PRE15-000030
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February 12, 2015
Staff understands that the protected slopes at the subject site were created as a result of airport
and Rainier Ave construction; as such the project may qualify for an exemption through
modification. The Department Administrator may grant a modification for the following
circumstances:
(a) Regrading of any slope which was created through previous mineral and natural resource
recovery activities or was created prior to adoption of applicable mineral and natural resource
recovery regulations or through public or private road installation or widening and related
transportation improvements, railroad track installation or improvement, or public or private
utility installation activities;
(b) Filling against the toe of a natural rock wall or rock wall created through mineral and natural
resource recovery activities or through public or private road installation or widening and
related transportation improvements, railroad track installation or improvement or public or
private utility installation activities; and/or
(c) Grading to the extent that it eliminates all or portions of a mound or to allow reconfiguration
of protected slopes created through mineral and natural resource recovery activities or public or
private road installation or widening and related transportation improvements, railroad track
installation or improvement, or public or private utility installation activities.
The following procedures shall apply to any of the above activities:
(1) The applicant shall submit a geotechnical report describing any potential impacts of the
proposed regrading and any necessary mitigation measures;
(2) All submitted reports shall be independently reviewed by qualified specialists selected by the
City at the applicant’s expense;
(3) The Department Administrator may grant, condition, or deny the request based upon the
proposal’s compliance with the applicable modification criteria of RMC 4-9-250D; and
(4) Any slope which remains forty percent (40%) or steeper following site development shall be
subject to all applicable geologic hazard regulations for steep slopes and landslide hazards, in
this Section.
(5) In addition to the criteria of RMC 4-9-250D, Modification Procedures, the following criteria
shall apply: The proposed modification is based on consideration of the best available science as
described in WAC 365-195-905; or where there is an absence of valid scientific information, the
steps in RMC 4-9-250F are followed.
The subject site is located in area of known Cultural Resources. Based on the possible presence
of archeological discoveries within the vicinity of the subject site a SEPA mitigation measures
would likely be applied to the subject project.
Environmental Review
It appears the subject project would be subject to SEPA Environmental Review as a result of
the square footage of the building to be demolished, the proposed new building, and/or an
Renton Aerospace Training Center, PRE15-000030
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February 12, 2015
additional 20 parking stalls may be proposed. Therefore an environmental checklist is a
submittal requirement. An environmental determination will be made by the Renton
Environmental Review Committee. This determination is subject to appeal by either the project
proponent, by a citizen of the community, or another entity having standing for an appeal.
Permit Requirements
The proposal would require Environmental (SEPA) Review, Administrative Setback Variance,
landscape modification, and a parking modification if the requested change is over 25%. All
applications can be reviewed in an estimated time frame of 6-8 weeks once a complete
application is accepted. The application fee for SEPA Review (Environmental Checklist) is
$1,000. The application fee for the Variance would be $1,200. The Street Vacation request
would be $500 and all modification requests would have a fee of $150 each. There is a
technology fee, of 3 %, based on the total land use application fees for the project. Detailed
information regarding the land use application submittal is provided in the attached handouts.
In addition to the required land use permits, separate construction, building and sign permits
would be required. The review of these permits may occur concurrently with the review of
the land use permits, but cannot be issued prior to the completion of any appeal periods.
Fees: In addition to the applicable building and construction fees, impact fees are required. Such
fees apply to all projects and would be calculated at the time of building permit application and
payable prior to building permit issuance. The fees for 2015 are as follows:
Transportation Impact Fee –fee to be determined;
Fire Impact Fee - See fire comments; and
A handout listing all of the City’s Development related fees is attached for your review. Please
note that all impact fees will increase in 2016.
FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: February 12, 2015
TO: Rocale Timmons, Senior Planner
FROM: Corey Thomas, Plans Review Inspector
SUBJECT: Renton Aerospace Training Center
1. The preliminary fire flow is 2,500 gpm. A minimum of one hydrant is
required within 150-feet of the structure and two additional hydrants are
required within 300-feet of the structure. One hydrant shall be within 50-
feet of the required fire department connection. It appears adequate fire
flow is available in this area.
2. Fire mitigation impact fees are currently applicable at the rate of $0.45
per square foot of commercial space. This fee is paid at time of building
permit issuance. Credit will be granted for the removal of the existing
building.
3. Approved fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems are required throughout
the building. Separate plans and permits required by the fire department.
Direct outside access is required to the fire sprinkler riser room. Fully
addressable and full detection is required for the fire alarm system.
4. Fire department apparatus access roadways are required within 150 -
feet of all points on the building. Fire lane signage required for the on site
roadway. Required turning radius are 25-feet inside and 45-feet outside.
Roadways shall be a minimum of 20-feet wide. Roadways shall support a
minimum of a 30-ton vehicle and 322-psi point loading.
5. An electronic site plan is required prior to occupancy for pre-fire
planning purposes.
6. The building shall comply with the City of Renton Emergency Radio
Coverage ordinance. Testing shall verify both incoming and outgoing
minimum emergency radio signal coverage. If inadequate, the building shall
be enhanced with amplification equipment in order to meet minimum
coverage. Separate plans and permits are required for any proposed
amplification systems.
7. Applicant shall provide a complete Hazardous Material Inventory
Statement prior to building permit issuance. Use of City of Renton form or
equivilant is required.