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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExibit 23_Staff_PowerPoint_v1Sunset Gardens LUA21-000168, SA-H, VAR, MOD (x4) HEX Public Hearing August 17, 2021 Presented by: Alex Morganroth, Senior Planner Project Proposal 4 •4 story structure; 64,162 sq. ft. •13,646 sq. ft. ground floor RHA offices (on-site service) •76 affordable residential flats (65 du/ac) •56 parking spaces •Access via Jefferson Ave NE •Improvements on Jefferson Ave NE (both sides) and NE 10th St •Requesting Site Plan Review (HEX), a Variance, and four Modifications Project Location 3 •Single-parcel occupied by Renton Housing Authority offices •Frontage along NE 10th St and Jefferson Ave NE (two side) •Vacated portion of Jefferson Ave NE to north of site •Within Sunset Area Planned Action boundary Image via COR Maps Site Characteristics 4 Facing north from NE 10th St -Image via Google •Approximately 1.3-acre site •Mostly impervious surface, trees and ground vegetation around perimeter of site •Site slopes NE to SW and sits substantially below Jefferson Ave NE ROW •Sensitive slopes and moderate landslide hazard located on site Zoning and Land Use Designations 5 •Site is zoned Center Village (CV) and within Urban Design District D Overlay •Site is designated Commercial Mixed Use (CMU) in Comp Plan •Center Village (CV) to north, south, and west •Residential Multi- Family (RMF) to east •On-site service and Attached Dwellings – Flats are permitted in the CV zone Sunset Area Planned Action 5 •Site is located within the boundaries of the Sunset Area Planned Action •Environmental Review Committee (ERC) designated the proposal a planned action •No addition environmental review or mitigation required Building Design 5 •Four story structure (43’ max height) •Ground floor RHA office and structured parking, residential upper floors •‘L’ shaped w/ two wings emanating from SW corner •SE corner below grade to screen structure parking •Mix of light and dark brick, aluminum curtain wall, and significant glazing •Plaza and SE corner main entrance Critical Areas 5 •Moderate Landslide Hazard at SE corner •Sensitive slopes along existing rockery wall on east side of site Vegetation 5 •19 trees located on site •12 trees located in ROW area to be dedicated •10-percent retention requirement (1 tree) •Applicant proposing to remove all trees (0% retention) •Significant number of replacement trees are proposed •Condition of approval recommended to require additional landscaping between surface parking area and ROW Access and Transportation 5 •Access via single-driveway of off Jefferson Ave NE (west of site) •Frontage improvements proposed along both Jefferson Ave NE and NE 10th St •Access to apartments NE of project along vacated portion of Jefferson Ave NE of site to remain •56 total parking spaces including structured, tuck- under, and surface parking Site Plan Review 5 •Access via Jefferson Ave NE at NW corner •Plaza area at SW corner near primary entrances •Mix of active and passive common areas including outdoor memorial garden spaces and 2nd story terrace •Excellent pedestrian circulation around site perimeter and on site •Use of site topography to screen structured parking area at SE corner Variance •Variance from development standards requested to allow portion of surface parking (approximately 11 stalls) to be located between ROW and building •Proposal to mitigate with landscaping elements in addition to existing site grade •Request meets all four (4) variance criteria Modifications •Parking •Standard stall size reduction •Compact stall size reduction •Parking aisle width reduction •Allow wall-mounted bicycle racks •Street Modification •Reduce dedication along Jefferson Ave NE from 1.5 ft to 0 ft •Retain curb-to-curb width for NE 10th St, as recommended by COR Transportation section •Refuse and Recycling •Allow for one enclosure instead of two •Allow reduced vertical minimum overhead clearance •Fences, Hedges, Retaining Walls •Install walls within 3-foot setback area •Reduced minimum horizontal distance of level grade abutting wall •Allow two walls to exceed eight (8) feet in height (one existing, one new) All modification requests meet five (5) modification criteria if all conditions of approval are met Integral Project Features 7 •High-quality design and materials for the mixed use building •Use of site topography and landscaping to screen parking lot from ROW •Outdoor amenities including memorial garden area and second- floor terrace area •Above grade landscaping elements such as planters and terracing near the primary entries •Use of visual cues such as canopies, material variation,and seat walls to identify primary entrance Recommendation Staff recommends approval of the Sunset Gardens, (File No. LUA21 - 000168, SA-H, VAR, MOD (x4)) Site Plan Review, Variance and Modification applications, subject to the 26 conditions contained in the staff report. 8