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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFUPC_Project Narrative and Justification Drive Isle Width Code ModificationPROJECT NARRATIVE DRIVE ISLE WIDTH MODIFICATION REQUEST Purpose: Modification Request to RMC 4-4-080.9. b. Drive Isle Width Standards The subject property is located on the East side of Redmond Ave NE, South of NE 21st ST, between NE 21st St and NE 19th St in Renton, WA. The zoning designation for the site property is Res-MD & R-6. The adjacent properties in the vicinity of the site is comprised of single-family homes. The applicant has submitted a Lot Line Adjustment Application on 12-11-2019. The City has completed its review for compliance for Land Use, Parking Lot and Landscaping compliance. The only item that has been determined that it is non-compliant and not conforming with the Renton Municipal Code is the drive-isle- width for the two-way traffic for 90-degree parking stalls as designed for First Ukrainian Pentecostal Church Expansion project in Renton (see attached Figure 3A). The applicant is seeking an Administrative Modification Approval to deviate from the required drive isle width of 24’ and submits its justification request as follow: Justification for the reduction of the two-way 90 degrees parking drive isle widths: Due to high volume of patrons attending the church on Sunday mornings, the church needs to expand its existing building and parking area to accommodate visitors. Therefore, the proposed on and offsite improvements consisting of building and parking expansion plans are required and have been submitted to the City for the issuance of permits for these necessary improvements. Compliance Modification Criteria and Analysis a. The applicant believes that the reduction of the two-way traffic isle width from 24’ to 20’ as a minimum continues to substantially implements the policy direction of the policies and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element and the Community Design Element and the proposed modification is the minimum adjustment necessary to implement these policies and objectives. Please refer to the FOF 15, Comprehensive Plan Analysis as part of the Staff Report to the Hearing Examiner dated 02-19-2019. Compliant provided conditions of approval are met. b. Will meet the objectives and safety, function, appearance, environmental protection and maintainability intended by the Code requirements, based upon sound engineering judgment. The applicant believes that the project in its entirety has been designed to meet the vehicular safety and functional requirements for a two-way traffic. The applicant states that the site plan previously submitted always intended to construct 24’ wide isle width between the parking stalls with a 6’ wide combined biofiltration swale and landscaped area between the 90- degrees parking stalls in order to comply with the City of Renton Surface Water Design Manual requirements. The applicant has met the RSWDM code requirements for the mitigation of the surface water runoff and its maximum impervious surface area requirements. In order to comply with the onsite landscaping requirements, a minimum of 8’ wide by 12’ long landscape buffer between the stalls is required. Consequently, the applicant had to increase the landscaped islands’ width from 6’ to 8’ wide. This change resulted in an accumulative effect and reduced the isle width from 24’ to 20-22’ as shown on Figure 3A. The reduced isle width of 20-22’ still meets with the Fire Truck Access throughout the entire site and allows for the two-way traffic, 10’ lane in each direction. A 10’ wide lane at 5-10 mph speed limit is adequate for vehicles to safely maneuver and exit the parking area comfortably and safely. Therefore, the applicant has genuinely met the conditions of approval regarding landscaping and will have adequate landscaping to screen any adverse effects of the proposed use. Additionally, compliance with the RSWDM for all potential surface water impacts, ensuring that environmental protection and maintainability is provided for the site. The applicant believes that the objectives of function and maintainability intended by the code requirements of all conditions of approval are met thru the Lot Line Adjustment Application process and Civil Construction Plans submitted to the City of Renton. This request for this parking modification deviating from the required drive isle width of 24’ shall be granted since the applicant has demonstrated compliance with the RSWDM stormwater and parking lot landscaping requirements in good faith. Report of February 19, 2019 Page 14 of 19 c. Will not be injurious to other property(ies) in the vicinity. The current use of the site is a church that provides religious ceremonies 2-3 time a week with the most traffic volume generated on Sunday mornings ONLY when visitors attending the church for Sunday morning services. Additionally, the proposed parking expansion containing the drive-isles is located east of the existing church in a secluded area. Therefore, the proposed parking expansion is shielded from view from NE 21st Street and other surrounding properties. In addition, the proposed parking lot expansion includes perimeter landscaping, which will further screen the proposed expansion from abutting uses. The proposed parking expansion would replace existing gravel parking, which would improve the aesthetic appearance of the property. This area has been used for parking to accommodates the patrons visiting the church on Sunday mornings. d. Conforms to the intent and purpose of the Code. The applicant has demonstrated thru the submittal of Civil Plans and LLA Application document to the City of Renton Department of Community and Economic Development that the applicant has complied with the Conditional Use Permit Criteria as established by the City Code. The requested modification to RMC 4-4-080.9. b. is met by this minor adjustment to isle width and it is compatible with the traffic movement. This reduction in width still conforms with the intent and purpose of the Code. e. Can be shown to be justified and required for the use and situation intended; and The applicant believes that the reduced isle width from 24’ wide to 20-22’ width is necessary in order to provide and maintain adequate parking for church use and function. Any other parking stall layouts may adversely impact the required expansion in the number of the stalls that the church has been seeking. The church sought 176 parking stalls thru a Parking Modification process conducted in 2018 and the City Staff was supportive of that as noted in the staff report. Due to compliance with the City’s Fire Truck access turning movement radii, parking landscaping requirements and maximum compact parking stalls permitted by code, the parking stalls provided is now 169. Therefore, the church has lost 7 stalls (176-169) in order for the parking stalls layout width 20-22’ be justified for the use and situation intended, (See Site Plan Figure 3A). f. Will not create adverse impacts to other property(ies) in the vicinity. As noted by the applicant and above statements provided a-e, the reduction in the drive isle width from 24’ to 20’ will not create adverse impacts to any other properties. All the driving isles are confined in a secluded and secured area with no exposure to any other properties. The entire site will be covered by landscaping which will obscure the entire perimeter of the property.