Planning 2011-09-22 COMPLETE AGENDA PACKET

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FINDINGS BACKGROUND In 2005, the City of Tukwila adopted the Housing Options Program by Ordinance 21()3. This demonstration program led to the selection of three small -scale cottage housing projects to increase the housing choices not currently available in the city. Cottages, defined as homes less than 1(_)(_)(_) square feet, and compact single family homes, defined as homes less than 1500 square feet, can be developed at a density of one and one -half to tivo times the density than would otherwise be allowed in LDR zone. Approved cottage con nunities are to be designed with shared common space and high quality site design, landscaping and architecture that serve to improve the character and enhance the sense of connnunity in a neighborhood. A Notice of Decision was issued on September 7, 2007, making this project eligible to be considered under Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) 18.120.03(_), as one of the three demonstration cottage housing projects in the City of Tukwila. This is the only project approved in the Cascade View Neighborhood. PROJECT DESCRIPTION This application is for thirty compact single family (CSF) homes on 3.5 acres. The compact single homes are allowed under the Housing Options Program (Cottage Ordinance) as long as they are no more than 1,5(_)(_) square feet square feet in floor area; provide at least two parking spaces per home; and are not more than twenty -five feet high. The homes range in size from 1()13 -1683 square feet and are no more than twenty -five feet tall. There are a total of seventy -two parking stalls provided on the site in the attached garages, detached garages, in the driveways and on the private streets within the project. While the entire project is allowed 15 times the density of what is allowed in the LDR zone, which is 4333 square feet of lot area per home, there is no minimum lot size. When taken as a whole, each home has an average of 5,175 square feet per home. The fee simple lots are approximately 2000 square feet each and each lot is adjacent to shared open space. Three "pocket- parks" are included in the development for the use of the residents and include tivo shared picnic areas. A four -foot wide paved path will extend from South 14( street to the Cascade View Elementaiy School. The frontage improvements, including curb, gutter, sidewalk, and landscaping are proposed along both Militaiv Road and South 140"' Street. The frontage along Militaiy Road is under the City of SeaTac jurisdiction and will require their final approval. The church will lose an existing parking area of twenty stalls but will retain sixty -five stalls. The church has 142 moveable seats in their 25(_)(_) square foot sanctuaiv. Tukwila Municipal Code requires parking at a ratio of one stall for ever four fixed seats, therefore a total of tll -six stalls would be required if the seats were fixed. The City's Building and Fire Departments determined that the maximum occupancy load is 167 people. If 167 fixed seats were provided, the church would need to provide forty -tivo parking stalls. A plan has been submitted showing the existing parking lot reconfigured for eighty-eight parking stalls with parking lot landscaping. The reconfiguration of the church parking is not covered under this application. While the development of the cottage project will remove some existing church parking, parking for the church will not become non conforming as long as the church maintains forty -tivo parking stalls at all times. The paved foot path to the school and the frontage improvements including curb, gutter, sidewalk, landscape strip and the colored crossings in front of the church will be completed as part of this project. The proposed subdivision will create new lot lines for the parsonage and that lot will not be a part of the cottage project site. The parsonage will continue to be served by an existing circular driveway onto Militaiy Road. VICINITY /SITE INFORMATION Existing Develol)ment The project site is just over five acres and is zoned Low Density Residential. The subject site includes seven existing lots containing the Riverton Park United Methodist Church, the parsonage and four additional older homes. Four homes will be demolished while a neiv lot will be created around the parsonage that meets the Loiv- Density Residential development standards. A lot that contains parking for the church and the lot north of the church currently used as a garden and cornfield will Stacy- MacGregor Pa of 19 09 142011 6 H: a Cottages at Riverton BAR Staff Reportdoc