Planning 2011-09-22 COMPLETE AGENDA PACKET

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the project perimeters and the semi transparent three foot tall fences provide a transition between shared common space and private outdoor space on the site. Walking paths crisscross the site connecting the sidewalks to the fronts of each home; walking paths also surround the common space providing a link between recreation areas and the individual homes and separate the shared common area from the semi private rear yards. Where the garages are detached, waking paths lead from the garages to the fronts of each home. cr') PeC�estr °ian ancr'vehicular entr °ies shall hrovicr'e a high garality visual focus using builcr'ing siting, shales ancr' lancr'scahing. Such a featur °e establishes alhysical tr °ansirion bervveen thelrojectancr'lublic ar °eas, ancr' establishes the initial sense of high qualiril cIevelovnwnt. Staff's Response: The entire project is entered, either in a vehicle or on foot, via the existing drivels -ay on South 140 Street. The entrance is lined with sidewalks and pedestrian paths; the tivo travel lanes are separated by an existing planting island. The mature cedar tree in the island will be protected and enhanced with additional sli in the island. Afire access lane is created off of Militaiv Road south. This point will be cordoned off with removable bollards. Grasscrete is proposed at this entrance, which should help distinguish it from an actual vehicular entrance, and is required per the City of SeaTac. e) 1 ehicular° circulation clesign shall rniniruize cr'r °ivetivav inter °sections with the street. Staff's Response: Circulation swill occur on private roads on site with all thirty homes accessed by one principal entrance from S 14( Street. Further, the project swill eliminate tsvo access points on Militaiy Road and convert a third access point into a fire access only as required by the City of SeaTac. J) Sitelei °irneter° cr'esign (i.e., lan(r'scaling, structures, and horizontal tivic1th) shall be coorclinatecr'With site cr'evelolrnent to ensure a har °rnonious tr °ansition between acr'jacentlrolects. Staff's Response: Site perimeter design takes into account the adjacent use. Alongside the veterinaiy clinic, a six foot tall cedar fence and heavily landscaped strip is proposed. During the public comment period, the veterinai clinic raised concerns that the barking dogs at their facility may be annoying to the residents in the cottage community and asked the developer to consider ways to minimize or prevent complaints. In response, the developer chose not to locate any homes directly adjacent to the veterinaiv clinic property-. A solid structure, such as a fence, can reduce direct noise levels. Noise, or the perception of noise, can be reduced through a visual barrier. Specifically, if the source of the noise cannot be seen, the noise experienced is not as loud. The landscaping will help to reduce the ability to see towards the veterinaiv clinic. All of these actions should help minimize the residents hearing of barking dogs. While the site plan shows a six foot fence, the CC &R's state than no fence can exceed three feet in height (Article IV, Section 7(G). The other site perimeters are designed for visual access. A love three -foot fence lines the site perimeters along the school and the cemeteiv. Existing trees will remain alongside the school perimeter. A four foot wide paved walking path will be constructed alongside the east property line leaving from South 14( Street to the school. The landscaped area between the private street and the church will be heavily landscaped to minimize views between the church and the neiv development. The perimeters fronting the public streets all have curb, gutter, sidewalk and landscape strip. Street trees are proposed in the landscape strip lining the public streets. Along South 14( Street where the homes are setback at least twenty feet from the edge of the street, a grass- area will separate the homes from the sidewalk. The project is proposed in phases (see phasing detail on Attachment B). Phase I includes development of the northern section and the access road from South 140 Street. Phase II involves the southern section and adjacent frontage improvements on Militaiy Road South and South 14( Street. Improvements on the church lot include redesign of the parking lot, landscaping, the walking path to the school and curb, gutter, sidewalk and landscape strip on South 14t)"' Street. g) 1 awing clegrees oflrivael° for the in&vicr'ual resicr'ents shall belrovicr'ecl; increasing fron7 thelublie right- of -wav, to corurnon areas, to iiAliviclual resicr'ences. This can be accornllishecl through the use ofsymbolic aml actuallhvsical barriers to clefrne the clegrees of7Jrivael' al n- olriate to yecif c site area functions. Staff's Response: The transition from public to private realms is successful through site and architectural design. Front yards and front porches face the streets with ten foot setbacks on Militai Road and twenty setbacks on South 140 Street. Front yards are landscaped with a mix of trees, shrubs and groundcovers which swill provide filtered privacy between the public street and the homes. The common spaces are placed in the interior of the site and are surrounded and shielded by the homes or the schoolvard. The common spaces are designed as semi public spaces that are available to the residents but private Stacy- MacGregor Page 9 of 19 09 142011 1 0 H: a Cottages at Riverton BAR Staff Reportdoc