HomeMy WebLinkAboutPenny Lofts_PRE17000417_Pre-Application Comments PREAPPLICATION MEETING FOR
Penny Lofts
700 S 3rd Street
PRE 17-000417
CITY OF RENTON
Department of Community & Economic Development
Planning Division
July 6, 2017
Contact Information:
Planner: Jill Ding, 425.430.6598
Public Works Plan Reviewer: Justin T. Johnson, 425.430.7291
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).
FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:June 26, 2017
TO:Jill Ding, Senior Planner
FROM:Corey Thomas, Plans Review Inspector
SUBJECT:Penney Lofts
1. An approved fire alarm system is required to be extended throughout the
entire existing building including the existing tenant spaces. The existing
fire sprinkler system shall be modified and extended as necessary to
accommodate the proposed tenant improvements. Separate plans and
permits are required to be submitted to the Renton Fire Authority for
review and permitting. Alarm systems are required to be fully automatic
and manual systems and fully addressable.
2. An annual place of assembly permit is required at the
conclusion of the project.
3. Fire impact fees are applicable for the change of use from retail
to residential uses. The fee is $718.56 per new residential unit,
credit of $0.88 per square foot of retail space used up for the
new residential units will be granted towards the conversion of
the space.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:July 5, 2017
TO:Jill Ding, Planner
FROM:Justin Johnson, Civil Engineer II, Plan Review
SUBJECT:Penney Lofts
700 S 3rd St
PRE17000417
NOTE: The applicant is cautioned that information contained in this summary is preliminary and non-
binding and may be subject to modification and/or concurrence by official City decision-makers. 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.
I have completed a preliminary review for the above-referenced proposal located at parcel(s)
7231502185. The following comments are based on the pre-application submittal made to the City of
Renton by the applicant.
WATER
1. Water service is provided by City of Renton and is from the Valley 196 Pressure Zone. Static
pressure is about 68 psi at ground elevation of 39 feet.
2. There is an existing 12-inch water main located in S 3rd St (Record Drawing: W-036728).
3. There is an existing 8”and 24” water main west of the site in Burnett Avenue S. Reference
Project File WTR2700367 in COR Maps for record drawings of all three mains. Which connects
to a 6-inch water main located to the west of the property.
4. There is an existing 2-inch water lateral serving the building.
5. A reduced pressure backflow assembly (RPBA) is required for the domestic water service line.
There does not appear to be a suitable location for the RPBA outside of the building. Thus, the
RPBA shall be located inside the building in a room that can provide drainage from the relief
valve on the assembly. Please coordinate with the City plan reviewer with where you propose
to locate the assembly in the building. A plumbing permit will be required for installation of the
RPBA.
6. No water system development charges are applicable as the project is not proposing to add a
new water service or increase the size of the existing water meter.
SEWER
1. Sewer service is provided by City of Renton.
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July 5, 2017
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2. There is an existing 8-inch wastewater main located in Burnett Ave S (Record Drawing: S-275601).
3. There is an existing 6-inch wastewater lateral serving the building (Record Drawing: S-275601).
4. There is an existing 108-inch King County wastewater transmission line located on the west side
of Burnett Ave S.
5. Any food establishments proposed as part of this use will be required to install grease traps or
other approved devices for grease control. The applicant needs to be aware that given the
existing building footprint, a traditional outside grease interceptor will not be feasible,
alternative devices, such as Trapzilla, may be required.
6. No sewer system development charges are applicable as the project is not proposing to add a new
water service or increase the size of the existing water meter.
SURFACE WATER
1. There is no existing storm water system within the property.
2. There is an existing 12-inch piped conveyance system in Burnett Ave S (Record Drawing: R-
121503) that flows from south to north.
3. There is an existing 8-inch piped conveyance system in S 3rd St (Record Drawing: R-130001) that
flows from east to west.
4. Storm drainage improvements along public street frontages are required to conform to the
City’s street standards. New storm drain shall be designed and sized in accordance with the
standards found in Chapter 4 of the 2017 City of Renton Surface Water Design Manual.
TRANSPORTATION
1. A transportation impact fee will be assessed for the proposed change in use. The current use of
the building is retail. The 2017 traffic impact fee for a shopping center (retail) is $13.29 per square
foot of building. A credit will be issued for the existing retail use.
2. Per RMC 4-6-060, no street frontage improvements or street lighting are required for interior
remodels that do not involve a building addition.
3. The 2017 transportation impact fee is $3,358.55 per apartment, $110.55 per square foot for a
coffee/donut shop and $7.29 per square foot for general offices. Fees are payable at the time of
building permit issuance.
4. The applicant can generate their own traffic impact fee by performing a Trip Cost Analysis as
defined and permitted by RMC 4-1-190.H. The City would then evaluate the analysis and
proposed fee to make a determination. The City uses the 9th Edition of the Trip Generation
Manual published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) to determine trip generation.
The transportation impact fee will be due at issuance of building permit.
5. Paving and trench restoration within the City of Renton right of way shall comply with the City’s
Street Restoration and Overlay requirements.
Penny Lofts– PRE17000417
July 5, 2017
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GENERAL COMMENTS
1. Adequate separation between utilities as well as other features shall be provided in accordance
with code requirements.
a. 7-ft minimum horizontal and 1-ft vertical separation between storm and other utilities is
required with the exception of water lines which require 10-ft horizontal and 1.5-ft
vertical.
b. The stormwater line should be minimum 5 feet away from any other structure or wall or
building.
c. Trench of any utility should not be in the zone of influence of the retaining wall or of the
building.
2. All Civil Construction permits for utility and street improvements will require separate plan
submittals. All utility plans shall confirm to the Renton Drafting Standards. A licensed Civil
Engineer shall prepare the civil plans. Please visit the Development Engineering Forms page for
the most up-to-date plan submittal requirements:
http://rentonwa.gov/business/default.aspx?id=42473
3. A landscaping plan shall be included with the civil plan submittal. Each plan shall be on separate
sheets.
4. All utility lines (i.e. electrical, phone, and cable services, etc.) serving the proposed development
must be underground. The construction of these franchise utilities must be inspected and
approved by a City of Renton inspector.
5. Fees quoted in this document reflect the fees applicable in the year 2017 only and will be assessed
based on the fee that is current at the time of the permit application or issuance, as applicable to
the permit type. Please visit www.rentonwa.gov for the current development fee schedule.
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DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:July 6, 2017
TO:Pre-Application File No. 17-000417
FROM:Jill Ding, Senior Planner
SUBJECT:Penny Lofts
700 S 3rd Street
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 project site is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of S 3rd
Street and Burnett Avenue S and is occupied be the former JC Penny building. The proposal
includes renovations to the existing building for the occupancy of new tenants. The proposal
includes 23 residential units on the second floor and retail space on the first floor. The project
entails a full renovation of the existing improvements including a full replacement of mechanical
electrical and plumbing systems, replacement of all windows and storefronts, new windows,
new elevator/stairs, interior demolition and abatement, structural upgrades, and various other
improvements. The center core of the building would be raised to increase the ceiling height to
16 feet and include windows with natural light to the centrally located residential units. No
expansions to the building footprint are proposed. Seismic hazard areas are mapped on the
project site.
Current Use: Currently the project site is occupied with an existing office and retail space.
Development Standards: The project would be subject to RMC 4-2-120B, “Development
Standards for Commercial Zoning Designations” effective at the time of complete application
(noted as “CD standards” herein).
Zoning: The property is located within the Urban Center Downtown (UCD) land use designation,
the Center Downtown (CD) zoning designation, and Urban Design District A. Attached
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residential uses are permitted within the CD zone, provided the uses are not located on the
ground floor. Office, retail, and eating and drinking establishments are outright permitted
uses within the CD zone. Indoor storage is permitted as an accessory use, provided: Storage of
products shall be limited to products related to retail, service, or office uses and shall not be
located along the building street frontage or in areas visible to the public.
Density – The CD zone requires a minimum density of 25 dwelling units per net acre, up to a
maximum of 100 dwelling units per net acre. Density may be increased to 150 dwelling units per
net acre subject to administrative conditional use permit approval. Net density is calculated
after the deduction of areas required for public right-of-way dedication, private access
easements, and critical areas from the gross site area. For purposes of calculating net density:
All fractions shall be truncated at two numbers past the decimal. Should a calculation result in a
fraction of a dwelling unit that is 0.50 or greater, the fraction shall be rounded up to the nearest
whole number, for example, 4.56 dwelling units becomes 5.0. Should a calculation result in a
fraction that is less than 0.50, the fraction shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number,
for example, 4.49 dwelling units becomes 4.0 dwelling units.
The gross site area is approximately 11,500 square feet or 0.26 acres. The proposal for 23
dwelling units on the 0.26 acre site results in a gross density of 88.5 dwelling units per acre,
which is within the allowed density range permitted in the CD zone.
Minimum Lot Size, Width and Depth – There are no minimum lot size, width, or depth
requirements within the CD zone.
Lot Coverage – There are no maximum building coverage requirements in the CD zone.
Setbacks – Setbacks are the distance between the building and the property line or any private
access easement. Setback requirements in the CD zone are as follows: 0-foot minimum
front/side yard along a street setback; a 15-foot maximum front/side yard along a street setback
for buildings 25 feet or less in height, none for that portion of the building over 25 feet in height;
and no rear or side yard setbacks. The existing structure is built to the existing property lines
and complies with the required setbacks. No expansions of the existing structure are proposed
under the current proposal.
Building Height – The maximum building height permitted in the CD zone is 95 feet. The existing
2-story building has a height of 30 feet, which is significantly less than the maximum height
permitted in the zone. It is not anticipated that the proposal would exceed the maximum
allowable height of 95 feet.
Landscaping – All development in the CD zone is exempt from all but the maintenance of any
existing landscaping, parking lot landscaping, and street tree requirements of the Landscaping
Regulations. No new parking lots are proposed under the current proposal; therefore new
landscaping is not required.
Screening - All operating equipment located on the roof of any building shall be enclosed so as
to be screened from public view in accordance with the requirements outline under RMC 4-4-
095.
Fences/Retaining Walls – If the applicant intends to install any fences as part of this project, the
location must be designated on the landscape plan. A fence taller than six feet (6') requires a
building permit. New or existing fencing would need to comply with RMC 4-4-040.
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Retaining walls shall be composed of brick, rock, textured or patterned concrete, or other
masonry product that complements the proposed building and site development. There shall be
a minimum three-foot (3') landscaped setback at the base of retaining walls abutting public
rights-of-way. Please refer to retaining wall standards (RMC 4-4-040) for additional information.
Parking – Parking for vehicles and bicycles, loading areas, and driveways shall be provided
in accordance with the provisions of the current parking regulations of RMC 4-4-080,
“Parking, Loading, and Driveway Regulations.” As the proposal includes the addition of
new dwelling units to the existing building, parking shall be provided for these new
dwelling units.
The following ratio would be applicable to the site for attached residential uses in the CD zone:
Parking Type Number of
dwelling units
Ratio Required
Spaces
Attached
Residential
23 A minimum and maximum of 1 per
dwelling unit.
23
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.
Bicycle parking shall be provided at a rate of 10 percent of the number of required parking
spaces. A minimum of 2 bicycle parking spaces would be required.
Refuse and Recyclables – Retail developments are required to provide a minimum of 5 square
feet per 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area for recyclables deposit areas and a
minimum of 10 square feet per 1,000 square feet of building gross floor area for refuse deposit
areas. A total minimum of 100 square feet shall be provided for recycling and refuse deposit
areas.
A minimum of one and one-half (1-1/2) square feet per dwelling unit in multi-family residences
shall be provided for recyclables deposit areas, except where the development is participating in
a City-sponsored program in which individual recycling bins are used for curbside collection. A
minimum of three (3) square feet per dwelling unit shall be provided for refuse deposit areas. A
total minimum area of eighty (80) square feet shall be provided for refuse and recyclables
deposit areas.
Access – Driveway widths are limited by the driveway standards, in RMC 4-4080I.
Building Design Standards – Compliance with Urban Design Regulations, District ‘A’, would be
required if exterior modifications such as façade changes, windows, awning are proposed.
Only those portions of the structure which are changes would be reviewed under Design
District A standards. 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.
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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.
Design review would be completed the during the formal land use process.
Critical Areas: The site is mapped with seismic hazard areas. A geotechnical report may be
required at the time of building permit application.
Environmental Review: The proposal would require Environmental (SEPA) Review in accordance
with WAC 197-11-800, as a change in occupancy is proposed.
Permit Requirements: The proposal would require Environmental (SEPA) Review and
Administrative Site Plan Review. All land use permits would be processed within an estimated
time frame of 6-8 weeks. The current application fees would total $4,120 ($2,500 Site Plan
Review + $1,500 SEPA Review + $120 technology fee = $4,120), all fees are subject to change.
Detailed information regarding the land use application submittal is provided in the attached
handouts. In addition to the required land use permits, separate construction and building
permits would be required.
Public Notice: The applicant will be required to install a public information sign on the property.
Public Meeting: Please note a neighborhood meeting, according to RMC 4-8-090, is required for:
a. Preliminary plat applications;
b. Planned urban development applications; and
c. Projects estimated by the City to have a monetary value equal to or greater than ten
million dollars ($10,000,000), unless waived by the Administrator.
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The intent of this meeting is to facilitate an informal discussion between the project developer
and the neighbors regarding the project. The neighborhood meeting shall occur after a pre-
application meeting and before submittal of applicable permit applications. The public meeting
shall be held within Renton city limits, at a location no further than two (2) miles from the
project site.
Impact Mitigation Fees: In addition to the applicable building and construction fees, impact fees
would be required. Such fees would 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 2017 are
as follows:
Transportation Impact Fee - $3,358.55 per new dwelling unit;
Park Impact Fee - $1,858.95 per new dwelling unit; and
Fire Impact Fee - $718.56 per new dwelling unit.
A handout listing the impact fees is attached. A Renton School District Impact Fee, which is
currently $1,448.00 per new dwelling unit, would be payable prior to building permit issuance.
All of the City’s Development related fees are available on the City’s website,
www.rentonwa.gov.
Expiration and Extensions: Once the Site Plan application has been approved, the applicant has
two years to comply with all conditions of approval and to apply for any necessary permits
before the approval becomes null and void. A single two-year extension may be granted.
Note: When the formal application materials are complete, the applicant is strongly
encouraged to have one copy of the application materials pre-screened at the 6th floor front
counter prior to submitting the complete application package. Please contact Jill Ding, Senior
Planner at 425-430-6598 or jding@rentonwa.gov for an appointment.
From: John Collum
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2017 11:56 AM
To: Jill Ding
Cc: Cliff Long
Subject: Penney Lofts, 700 S 3rd Street Pre-Appl Comments
Hi Jill,
Here are my comments on the Penney Lofts/700 S 3rd Street Pre-Application:
1. If the applicant plans to apply for City façade improvement loan funding, then review by the WA
State Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) is required. John Collum
(jcollum@rentonwa.gov) should be copied on all correspondence with the assigned architect
with DAHP. That review should be requested ASAP as it may add additional time to the project.
2. Main Floor Retail/Office Space:
a. The proposed new storefront windows along Burnett (north of the “vestibule”) are
encouraged, pending agreement by DAHP. Access to the floor area adjacent to these
new windows should be provided either via one of the window sets or via the
vestibule. The addition of the glazing here will be strengthened if pedestrians can
access the space behind the new windows more directly from the Burnett sidewalk
(through one of the noted options above).
b. Consider a system of shared restrooms for the entire main level as a cost savings for
necessary improvements to accommodate tenants.
c. As the vestibule appears to serve as both an entry to the second floor residential and at
least one ground floor tenant space, it is recommended that the display windows
currently in place be retained and utilized as a primary building entrance feature along
Burnett. All major downtown projects are encouraged to include a public art
component, and the display windows may be a good location to consider for this. The
east alley wall is another good public art/mural location.
3. Basement:
a. It is advisable to develop a potential layout of the basement space now to plan for any
overall building upgrades as part of the larger rehabilitation project to avoid any
physical conflicts down the road.
4. 2nd Floor:
a. While the addition of new residential units are important to Downtown Renton, quality
of the type and design of the units is very important.
i. As all of the units except for one are less than 400 SF and appear to be designed
as studio units, it is recommended that more variety of unit sizes be
considered. This will help broaden the appeal of the project as a living option
for interested tenants. Combining units to create one-bedroom units is
suggested, especially along the eastern wall where the units all measure less
than 320 SF. One bedroom units would attract couples, thereby allowing the
project to attract more than a demographic consisting of only single adults. The
applicant points out in the application that studio and one-bedroom units have
the largest demand in the current market.
ii. Code permitting, add clerestory windows to the south side of the roof pop-up to
allow further natural light into the adjacent hallway.
5. Limiting Times for On-Street Parking Along S 3rd: It’s a good idea to consider how the parking
along the north side of S 3rd will be managed. Limiting all of the spaces to the shorter time
zones may not be an efficient use of the spaces. A request would need to be submitted to City
Public Works Transportation Systems for review.
I’ll leave the parking request for whatever you determine needs to be provided to the applicant. If a
lease agreement with the City for use of spaces in the City Center Parking Garage is necessary, I suppose
that I can assist City Facilities with the negotiations.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks, John