Laserfiche WebLink
easement area. Additionally, for phase II, the applicant swill need to go through the statutoiv process for subdivision <br />approval to modify the 1977 plat prior to accessing the site from Minkler Boulevard. When this plat was originally- created <br />in 1977, Tukwila City Council placed a condition on the plat restricting access to "abutting properties" on the tll foot <br />easement along the north side of the property While this easement ryas quit claimed to the City in 1985 and used to <br />connect Minkler Boulevard from Southcenter Parkway to Andover Park West, the plat condition was never removed from <br />the face of the plat. <br />Neither removing the plat condition nor obtaining a permit from UPRR are design review criteria but are required to work <br />syithin the easement areas. The applicant proposed tsyo phases to allosy syork to continence syhile securing access rights to <br />Minkler Boulevard. This project has been reviewed with consideration given to completing only phase I or completing <br />both phase I and phase II; phase I is independently code compliant and not dependent upon phase IL Phase II approval <br />allosys the applicant to make these improvements on the site sometime in the future syithout having to return to the Board <br />of Architectural Review to modify the site design. This decision is good for three years and either phase would need to be <br />started within this time period under this decision. <br />PUBLIC COMMENT <br />No public comments have been received. <br />DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA <br />The project is subject to a Public Hearing Design Review under Tuk vila Municipal Code (TMC) Chapter 18.28.070. The <br />Board of Architectural Reviesy evaluates the project under the criteria established in TMC 18.60.050 C. The design <br />criteria explain requirements for development proposals. They_ are the decision criteria from which the Board will <br />evaluate whether to approve, condition, or deny this project. <br />The applicant's response to the design review criteria is Attachment A. Below is the staff analysis and response. <br />1. SITE PLANNING. <br />a. Building siting, architecture, and lamcr,vcahing shall be integrated into and blend har °rnoniously tivith the <br />neighborhood building scale, natural environment, and develohrnent characteristics as envisioned in the <br />('onwrehensive Plan. For instance, a nrulti- fanrily develovnwnt's design need not be harnroniously integrated with <br />adjacent single farnily str °uctures if that existing single farnily use is designated as or° "High <br />Densitl^ Residential" in the C'onwrehensive Plan. However, a "Low- Densitl^ Residential" (detached single-fanlrh') <br />designation would require such harnronious design integration. <br />The proposed project lies in the Tukwila Urban Center. The City's Comprehensive Plan envisions the area as a <br />regional urban center syith a desire for development as a high density, regionally oriented and a mixed use center. <br />The proposed hotel complies with the vision for the area. The proposed site design is dictated by the unusual <br />shape of this lot. Principal access to the parcel swill be from the south off of Upland Drive so the building is <br />oriented to face the southeast. The building is also oriented to best utilize this odd shaped lot rather than with the <br />orientation parallel to the adjacent right of svav to the north and south. Tsvo adjacent buildings to the west are <br />oriented along the same plane. This four stoic building is 46 -48 feet tall with a 55 feet tower element as its <br />highest point; it is surrounded by one and two stoi warehouses and office buildings. The current code allows for <br />building heights up to 115 feet; this building may be seen as a "transitional" building at a height midway between <br />N-, hat has been built in this area and the maximum of what is allowed. <br />b. Natural f eatures, tivhich contribute to desirable neighborhood character, shall behreser ved to the rnaxirnurn <br />extentlxrssible. Natural features include, but are not limited to, existing significant trees and stands of trees, <br />wetlands, streanrs, and significant to7)ogralAie features. <br />There are no natural features on the site. The site is essentially absent of vegetation aside from opportunistic <br />syeeds. <br />SM Page 3 of 11 04, 1.92012 <br />Z: DCD n Clerk's PC Laserfiche Packet attachments L12 -004 Staff Report L12 -004 DR SR (2 )does <br />7 <br />