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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2005-06-06 Item 5 - Public Hearing - Unclassified Use Permit for Sewer Lift Station Construction (56th Avenue South) x COUNCIL AGENDA SYNOPSIS \L �tia4, yy k J Initials ITEM NO. 1 1 Meeting Date Prepay 4 Mayor's review I Council review 0 2 06/06/05 SL I �(�twti+ 1 5 1 1 I \s I 1 5 I IT EM INFORMATION CAS NUMBER: 05-082 I ORIGINAL AGENDA DATE: June 6 2005 AGENDA ITEM TITLE Unclassified Use Permit and Public Hearing for the City's Public Works Department CATEGORY Discussion Motion Resolution Ordinance Bid Awarzl Public Hearing Other Attg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date ttg Date Mtg Date Mtg Date 06/06/05 illtg Date 'SPONSOR Council Mayor Adm Svcs DCD Finance Fire Legal P &R Police PIV SPONSOR'S The City's Public Works Department seeks approval to construct a sewer lift station in the SUMMARY Foster Point Area. In order to construct the lift station, Public Works must first obtain an Unclassified Use Permit. Planning staff recommends approval of the application with the conditions stated in the Staff Report. REVIEWED BY COW Mtg. CA &P Cmte F &S Cmte Transportation Cmte Utilities Cmte Arts Comm. Parks Comm. Planning Comm. DATE: N/A RECOMMENDATIONS: SPONSOR /ADMIN. Approval with conditions C0MM11TEE COST IMPACT FUND SOURCE EXPENDITURE REQUIRED AIv10UNT BUDGETED APPROPRIATION REQUIRED $N /A $N /A $N /A Fund Source: N/A Comments: N/A 1 MTG. DATE RECORD OF COUNCIL ACTION 1 06/06/05 I I 1 MTG DATE ATTACHMENTS 06/06/05 Council Binder with staff report Crwey_ rikD ,a0aff_ I I I 1 1 City of Tukwila Steven M. Mullet, Mayor Department of Community Development Steve Lancaster, Director Staff Report to The Tukwila City Council Prepared June 1, 2005 HEARING DATE: June 6, 2005 NOTIFICATION: On Juiy 9, 2004 staff mailed a Notice of Application to surrounding property owners and tenants. Notice of Hearing was posted and mailed to surrounding properties on May 23,2005. A Notice of Public Hearing was also published in the Seattle Times on May 20, 2005. PUBLIC MEETING: July 14, 2004 FILE NUMBER: Unclassified Use L04-0l0 APPLICANT: City of Tukwila Public Works OWNER: Jerry Wheaton REQUESTS: Unclassified Use Penn it to construct and operate a sewer lift station 13361 56th Ave South ASSOCIATED PERMITS: Building Penn its SEPA DETERMINATION: Detennination of Non-Significance issued June 24,2004 LOCATION: 13361 56th Ave South, Parcel Number 217200-0160 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ZONE DESIGNATION: Low Density Residential (LOR) STAFF: Brandon J. Miles, Assistant Planner 6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite #100 · Tukwila, Washington 98188 · Phone: 206-431-3670 · Fax: 206-431-3665 A IT ACHMENTS: A. Vicinity Map B. Site Plan for Foster Point Sewer Lift Station C. Pump House Plan and Elevations D. Applicant's Response to Unclassified Use Criteria BACKGROUND The City of Tukwila Department of Public Works has submitted an Unclassified Use Permit for the construction of a sewer lift statiQn at 13361 56th Ave South. The sewer lift station will serve the Foster Point Neighborhood. Foster Point is currently not served by sanitary sewer, but instead utilizes septic tanks and drain fields for waste disposal. Only one person attended the public meeting held on July 14,2005 per the requirements for a Type 5 permit (TMC 18.108.050). The attendee was the property owner where the lift station would be constructed. The City issued a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) on June 24, 2004. The DNS covered the entire sewer extension for the Foster Point Neighborhood. FINDINGS VICINITY/SITE INFORLvIATION Sewer Lift Station Description Structural The lift station will occupy a 10' by 8'5"concrete pad. The concrete pad will be elevated six inches off of the ground. The dimensions of the lift station structure are 8'6" by 8'8". The lift station will be 12'6" tall (See Attachment B and C). The lift station will be constructed primarily of split face CMU walls. The CMU walls will be tan in color and have a flat finish. Two large steel doors will be located on the south side of the building. The roof of the building will be metal and be painted dark brown. The drains for the gutters will be fern green in color. The sewer pumps will be located below the surface of the lift station structure. The lift station structure will be used to house control panels. Adjacent to the structure will be an emergency generator. The emergency generator and the lift station structure will be enclosed with sound proofing materials. Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff RepOli.doc Page 2 0511 8/2005 The lift station will be surrounded with a six-foot tall chain-link fence. Plastic slats will be used within the fence. Operational The purpose of the lift station is to move sewer waste material from the Foster Point Neighborhood across the 56th Avenue Bridge and into the main se\ver line on Interurban Avenue South. The lift station will operate 24 hours a day. As noted above, the sewer pumps will be located below ground. In the event of power failure the lift station will include back up generators. The generators conduct automatic tests once a week for a period 20-30 minutes. The generator is tested during day light hours and on weekdays. The lift station will be equipped with a telemetry device, which will provide feedback to City staff on the operations of the facility. The device will also notify City staff in the event ofIift station shut down or power failure. Surrounding Land Uses The lift station will be located within an existing residential neighborhood. Existing land uses in the area are single family in nature (See Attachment A). CRITERIA FOR UNCLASSIFIED USES (TMC 18.66. 060) City Council approval of an unclassified use application shall be guided by the nine criteria of the Zoning Code (18.66.060 TMC) and a determination that the project is consistent with Tukwila plans and regulations (18.100.030 TMC.) The applicant's response to each of the criteria is attached to this report (Attachment C). The City Council may approve the project as proposed, establish conditions on the project approval, or deny the project. 1. Where appropriate and feasible, all facilities shall be undergrounded. All mechanical portions of the lift station have been located underground. Only the control panels and backup generator have been located above ground. The panels and generator will be totally enclosed within a structure. Additionally, a fence will be used to prevent intrusion into the site by the public. 2. The proposed use will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity. The proposed lift station will allow the Foster Point Neighborhood to be served by sanitary sewer. Existing homes in Foster Point are currently served by septic tanks. The presence of sanitary sewer in Foster Point will allow existing homes that currently use septic tanks to Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff Report.doc Page 3 05/18/2005 gradually connect to sanitary sewer. These septic tanks and associated drain fields will be abandoned per Seattle/King County Health requirements. There are two possible negative impacts associated with this project: 1) Noise 2) Surcharging of domestic sewage As noted the lift station will be equipped with pumps and a backup generator. To minimize noise impacts the pumps will be located below ground and the entire structure will be surrounded with a noise-damping b1;iffer. The risk of surcharging of domestic sewage has been minimized by providing power redundancy (back up generator) and telemetry to provide notification to City staff of mechanical issues. 3. The proposed use shall meet or exceed the same standards for parking, landscaping, yards and other development regulations that are required in the district it wm occupy. The lift station will meet the setbacks__ofthe LDR District. Additionally, the lift station structure is below the maximum height limitation for structures located within the LDR zone. The use will not generate a measurable increase in traffic in the Foster Point Neighborhood. The applicant has provided one parking stall for when City staff services the facility. 4. The proposed development shall be compatible generally with the surrounding land uses. The proposed use will provide domestic sewer service to an existing City neighborhood. Work on the site will be limited to sporadic maintenance activities. The design of the pump station structure is similar to surrounding single-family homes. 5. The proposed development shall to the maximum extent feasible be consistent with and promote the goals, objectives, and policies of the Comprehensive Land Use Policy Plan and applicable adopted area plans. The construction of the lift station is consistent with the following two policies of the City's Comprehensive Plan: Policy 12.1.22 Design, construction and maintain facilities so as to minimize their impact on adjacent neighborhoods and businesses. The implementation method for this policy of the Comprehensive Plan is the use of public input on siting of these facilities. Planning Staff held a public open house on July 14,2004. Additionally, Public Works (the applicant) held three public meetings and open houses during Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff Report.doc Page 4 05/18/2005 the design stage of the Foster/A:l1entown Sewer Extension Project. These meetings were held on February 12,2004, October 27,2004, and April 21, 2005. The applicant has designed the project with noise dampers to miniinize any noise conflicts for surrounding residential uses. Policy 12.1.25 Serve all existing and potential residences and businesses with sewer utility. The construction ofthe sewer lift station will allow the Foster Point Neighborhood to be served by sewer, thus meeting the City Comprehensive plan requirement of providing sewers. 6. The proposed unclassified use shall, to the maximum extent feasible, mitigate all significant adverse environmental impacts on public and private properties. Full consideration shall be given to: a. alternative locations and/or routes that reduce or eliminate adverse impact; & b. alternative designs that reduce or eliminate adverse impacts. All possible locations for the sewer lift station are within the Foster Point Neighborhood. Alterative locations are constrained by service area, topography, the location of the Duwamish River, and development costs. There is no alternative design that would further minimize the potential negative impacts. 7. In the event that a proposed essential public facility creates an unavoidable significant adverse environmental or economic impact on the community, compensatory mitigation shall be required. Compensatory mitigation shall include public amenities, incentives or other public benefits that offset otherwise unmitigated adverse impacts of the essential public facility. \Vhere appropriate, compensatory mitigation shall be provided,as close to the affected area as possible. The proposal is not an essential public facility of countywide or statewide nature. 8. For uses in residential areas, applicants shall demonstrate that there is no reasonable nonresidential alternative site for the use. The purpose of the sewer lift station is to provide sewer to an existing residential neighborhood. All possible locations for the sewer lift station are within the residential neighborhood. The topography and location of the river channel precludes an alternate site for the lift station outside of the neighborhood. 9. For uses in residential areas, applicants shall demonstrate that the use provides some tangible benefit for the neighborhood. Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff Report.doc Page 5 05/18/2005 The sewer lift station wil1 aUow sewer to operate in a section of the City that is not currently served by sewer. Septic tanks with drain fields are currently utilized in the neighborhood for disposal of domestic sewage. The use of septic tanks severely limits the prospect of these properties short platting in the future. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions regarding the unclassified use' criteria, Section 18.66.060 TMC, are as follows. (1) \Vhere appropriate and feasible all facilities shall be undergrounded. The applicant has placed underground those items capable of being put underground. Only the control panel, generator, and pump house have been placed above ground. (2) The proposed use will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvement in the vicinity. The applicant has mitigated possible negative impacts of the proposal by providing backup power and by providing noise dampers. Staffhas added one condition to address any possible noise impacts associated with the project. (3) The proposed use shall meet or exceed the same standards for parking, landscaping, yards and other development regulations that are required in the district it will occupy. The project meets a11 applicable design standards for the LDR zone. (4) The proposed development shall be compatible generally with the surrounding land uses. The use of a pitched roof and earth tone colors a110ws the sewer lift station to blend into the existing residential neighborhood. Staff has provided a condition to insure that the fence slats match the colors of the building. (5) The proposed development shall to the maximum extent feasible be consistent with and promote the goals objective and policies of the Comprehensive Land use Policy Plan and applicable adopted area plans. The lift station allows the City to meet a Comprehensive Plan Goal of providing sewer to aU residents in the City. (6) The proposed unclassified use shall to the maximum extent feasible mitigate all significant adverse environmental impacts on public and private properties. Full consideration shall be given to: a. alternative locations and/or routes that reduce or eliminate adverse impact; & b. alternative designs that reduce or eliminate adverse impacts. Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff Report.doc Page 6 os/] 8/2005 The applicant has provided noise buffers to reduce noise generated from the site. The testing of the generator during the weekdays will reduce possible conflicts with surrounding residents. The applicant has provided redundancy to ensure that in the event of pump failure or power failure there will not be an adverse impact to surrounding uses. (7) In the event that a proposed essential public facility creates an unavoidable significant adverse environmental or economic impact on the community, compensatory mitigation shall be required. Compensatory mitigation shall include public amenities, incentives or other public benefits that offset otherwise unmitigated adverse impacts of the essential public facility. Where appropriate, compensatory mitigation shall be provided as close to the affected area as possible. The proposal is not an essential public facility of countywide or statewide nature. 8. For uses in residential areas, applicants shall demonstrate that there is no reasonable nonresidential alternative site for the use. In order to provide sewer to the Foster Point Neighborhood the sewer lift station must be located within the residential neighborhood. 9. For uses in residential areas, applicants shall demonstrate that the use provides some tangible benefit for the neighborhood. The proposed use will likely provide the following tangible benefits: 1. Increase property values 2. Allow existing homes to expand 3. Allow for existing lots to be platted (divided) into additional lots 4. Reduce environment impacts associated with septic systems RECOMMENDA TIONS Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the findings and conclusions of the staff report and approve an unclassified use permit for a sewer lift station at 13361 56th Ave South with the following conditions: 1. Prior to issuance of any building permits for the sewer lift station, the applicant shall submit a noise study, prepared by a qualified professional showing compliance with Chapter 8.22 "Noise" of the Tukwila Municipal Code. 2. The fence slats placed in the surrounding perimeter chain-link fence shall be green in color. Unclassified Use Permits are valid for one year from the date of approval by the City Council (TMC 18.66.070). Brandon-M Q:\UUP\Foster Point\Staff Report.doc Page 7 05/l8/2005