HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-040 (CA WASAD association)DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:
June 7, 2012
TO:
Pre-Application File No. 12-040
FROM:
Rocale Timmons, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:
Washington State Auto Dealers Headquarter
Parcel #: 334040-4730
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 on the southeast corner of the intersection of Raymond Ave S and SW Grady Way at 621 SW Grady Way. The project site totals 32,672 square
feet (0.75 acres) in area and is located within the Commercial Arterial (CA) zone. The pre-application packet indicates that the proposal is to construct a 9,000 square foot commercial
building on site to be occupied by the Washington State Auto Dealers as their headquarters. The applicant is proposing a total of 44 parking stalls within a surface parking lot to
the west of the proposed structure. Access to the site is proposed via a curb cut along SW Grady Way and an alley, along the southern border of the subject property, extending from
Raymond Ave SW to Seneca Ave SW. The project site does not appear to contain any critical areas.
Current Use: The property is currently vacant.
Zoning: The property is located within the Commercial Corridor (CC) land use designation and the Commercial Arterial (CA) zoning classification. The property is also within Area ‘A’
of the Automall overlay district. In a letter dated January 4, 2008, a determination was made by the City that the use would be allowed in the CA zone and the Automall overlay district
as it is an auto-oriented use.
The property is also located within Urban Design District ‘D’, is subject to additional design elements. Proposals are required have unique, identifiable design treatment in terms of
landscaping, building design, signage and street furniture.
Development Standards: The project would be subject to RMC 4-2-120A, “Development Standards for Commercial Zoning Designations” effective at the time of complete application (noted as
“CA standards” herein).
Minimum Lot Size, Width and Depth – There are no minimum requirements for lot size, lot width or depth within the CA zone at this location.
Lot Coverage – The CA zone allows a maximum building coverage of 65 percent, or 75 percent if parking is provided within a building or within an on-site parking garage. The proposal
appears to comply with the lot coverage requirements of the zone.
Setbacks – Setbacks are the distance between the building and the property line or any private access easement. Setback requirements in the CA zone are as follows: 10 feet minimum for
the front yard but may be reduced to zero feet through the Site Plan Review process provided blank walls are not located within the reduced setback; and a 15 foot maximum front yard
setback. It appears the proposal complies with the setback requirements of the zone.
Gross Floor Area – There is no minimum requirements for gross floor area within the CA zone.
Building Height – The maximum building height that would be allowed in the CA zone is 50 feet. It appears the existing structure is 2-stories and has a height well beneath the 50-foot
maximum. Building elevations and detailed descriptions of elements and building materials are required with your conditional use permit review submittal.
Screening – Screening must be provided for all surface-mounted and roof top utility and mechanical equipment. The site plan 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 commercial developments a minimum
of 5 square feet per every 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area shall be provided for recyclable deposit areas and a minimum of 10 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.
The location and size of the refuse and recyclable area could not be verified with the pre-application materials.
Landscaping – 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.
Properties located within Area ‘A’ of the Automall overlay district are required to provide a 15-foot-wide landscape strip along SW Grady Way. This frontage requirement is in lieu of
the frontage requirement listed for the zone in chapter 4-2 RMC. Unimproved portions of the right-of-way may be used in combination with abutting private property to meet the required
15-foot landscape strip width. The landscaping shall include a minimum 30-inch-high berm and red maples (Acer rubrum) planted 25 feet on center.
A 10-foot onsite landscape strip would be required along the frontage of Raymond Ave SW.
In addition, in Area ‘A’ of the Automall overlay, a minimum of 2.5 percent of the gross site area shall be landscaped. The landscaping must be consolidated and located at site entries,
the front of the building, or other visually prominent locations as approved through the Site Plan Review process.
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 Site Plan Review.
Parking – The following ratios would be applicable to the site:
Use
Square Footage of Use
Ratio
Required Spaces
Office
9,000 SF
Min 2.0 spaces / 1,000 SF
Max: 4.5 spaces / 1,000 SF
Min: 18
Max: 40.5
It is unclear how many parking stalls will be required as detailed information was not provided for the net square footage of the structure. The applicant would be required to provide
detailed information on the proposed use of the structure and its net square footage. Where practical difficulties exist in meeting parking requirements, the applicant may request
a modification from these standards. The applicant will be required at the time of formal land use application to provide detailed parking 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. Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070 and RMC 4-4-080F.7) for further general and specific
landscape requirements (enclosed).
Additionally, the proposal would need to be revised in order to provide bicycle parking based on 10 % of the required number of parking stalls.
Access – Driveway widths are limited by the driveway standards, in RMC 4-4080I.
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. The applicant would be required to revise the proposed site plan to include a pedestrian connection directly
from SW Grady Way to the entrance along the eastern façade of the proposed structure.
Signage – Only one freestanding business sign (restricted to monument/ground signs only) is permitted per street frontage, however pole signs are not permitted within the CA zone. Each
sign shall not exceed an area greater than one and one-half square feet for each lineal foot of
property frontage that is occupied by the business. In no case shall the sign exceed a total of 300 square feet (150 square feet per face). The ground/monument sign is limited to 5
feet in height. In addition to the permitted freestanding sign, wall signs with a copy area not exceeding 20% of the façade, to which it is applied, are also permitted.
Building Design Standards – Compliance with Urban Design Regulations, District ‘D’, is required. See the attached checklist and Renton Municipal Code section 4-3-100. The following bullets
are a few of the standards outlined in the regulations. All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40').
A primary entrance of each building shall be located on the facade facing a street, shall be prominent, visible from the street, connected by a walkway to the public sidewalk, and include
human-scale elements.
Parking shall be located so that no surface parking is located between a building and the front property line, or the building and side property line, on the street side of a corner
lot.
The number of driveways and curb cuts shall be minimized, so that pedestrian circulation along the sidewalk is minimally impeded.
All building facades shall include modulation or articulation at intervals of no more than forty feet (40').
Modulations shall be a minimum of two feet (2') deep, sixteen feet (16') in height, and eight feet (8') in width.
On any facade visible to the public, transparent windows and/or doors are required to comprise at least fifty percent (50%) of the portion of the ground floor facade that is between
four feet (4') and eight feet (8') above ground (as measured on the true elevation).
Buildings shall use at least one of the following elements to create varied and interesting roof profiles (see illustration, subsection RMC 4-3-100.I5f):
(a) Extended parapets;
(b) Feature elements projecting above parapets;
(c) Projected cornices;
(d) Pitched or sloped roofs.
Buildings shall employ material variations such as colors, brick or metal banding, patterns, or textural changes.
Critical Areas
There are no critical areas located on site.
Environmental Review
The proposed project would be subject to Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review due to the size of the project and number of parking stalls. 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 Administrative Site Plan Approval and Environmental (SEPA) Review. The purpose of the Site Plan process is the detailed arrangement of project elements so
as to be compatible with the physical characteristics of a site and with the surrounding area. An additional purpose of Site Plan is to ensure quality development consistent with City
goals and policies General review criteria includes the following:
a. Compliance and Consistency. Conformance with plans, policies, regulations and approvals, including:
b. Off-Site Impacts. Mitigation of impacts to surrounding properties and uses.
c. On-Site Impacts. Mitigation of impacts to the site
d. Access and Circulation. Safe and efficient access and circulation for all users.
e. Open Space. Incorporation of public and private open spaces to serve as distinctive project focal points and to provide adequate areas for passive and active recreation by the occupants/users
of the site;
f. Views and Public Access. Provision of view corridors to shorelines and Mt. Rainier, incorporates public access to shorelines, and arranges project elements to protect existing natural
systems where applicable.
g. Services and Infrastructure. Availability of public services and facilities to accommodate the proposed use;
h. Signage. Use of signs primarily for the purpose of identification and management of sign elements – such as the number, size, brightness, lighting intensity, and location – to complement
the visual character of the surrounding area, avoid visual clutter and distraction, and appear in proportion to the building and site to which they pertain; and
i. Phasing. Inclusion of a detailed sequencing plan with development phases and estimated time frames, if applicable.
The applicant will also be subject to Design Review as part of the Site Plan Review and a Design Checklist shall be completed and submitted as part of the application materials.
All applications can be reviewed concurrently in an estimated time frame of 8 weeks once a complete application is accepted. The Site Plan Review application fee is $1,000. There will
also be a technology fee, of 3 %, based on the total land use application fees for the project. The application fee for SEPA Review (Environmental Checklist) is $1,000. 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.
Impact Mitigation Fees: In addition to the applicable building and construction fees, the following mitigation fees would be required prior to the issuance of building permits. Impact
fees, which would replace mitigation fees, may be adopted prior to construction. Those fees are to be determined.
A Transportation Mitigation Fee based on $75.00 per new daily trip attributed to the development;
A Fire Mitigation Fee based on $0.52 per square foot of new commercial building area.
Expiration: Upon site plan approval, the site plan approval is valid for two years with a possible two-year extension.