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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2013-11-14 Minutes - Board of Architectural Review - King County Library / Tukwila Village Phase I City of Tukwila Planning Commission Board of Architectural Review(BAR) Meeting Minutes Date: November 14, 2013 Time: 6:30 PM Location: City Hall Council Chambers Present: Chair, Thomas McLeod; Vice-Chair, Louise Strander; Commissioners, Brooke Alford, Mike Hansen and Sharon Mann Absent: Commissioners Cassandra Hunter and Miguel Maestes Staff: Moira Bradshaw, Senior Planner; Minnie Dhaliwal, Planning Supervisor; Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director; Jack Pace, DCD Director; and Wynetta Bivens, Planning Commission Secretary Chair McLeod opened the public hearing at 6:30 PM. Minutes: Commissioner Hansen made a motion to adopt the June 22, 2013 and August 22, 2013 minutes. Commissioner Strander seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. Chair McLeod asked staff to provide information on the BAR’s role for the meeting. Nora Gierloff , Deputy Director, Community Development Department, explained the purpose is for the Board of Architectural Review to review the design of the buildings, site design, and the landscaping plan for Tukwila Village and Tukwila Library. Their decision will be made based on the design criteria in the code such as the color, the materials, and the design of the project. Case number L13-017, King County Library System was listed first on the agenda. Commissioner Alford made a motion for case number L13-030, Tukwila Village to be heard first. Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. CASE NUMBER: L13-030 APPLICANT: Bryan Park REQUEST: Phase I of Tukwila Village project to include Building A, a six story commercial and residential building; Building C, a one story commercial, community building; and an outdoor plaza and accessory parking, sidewalks, landscaping and street frontage improvements. th LOCATION: North east corner of Tukwila International Boulevard and S.144 Street. Chair McLeod opened the public hearing and swore in those wishing to testify. Moira Bradshaw , Senior Planner, Community Development Department asked each of the Planning Commissioners the appearance of fairness questions. Commissioners Mann, Strander, and Hansen disclosed ex-parte communication and stated they could be impartial to hearing the cases. There weren’t any objections to the Planning Commissioners hearing the cases. Staff provided information on the intent of the role of the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) as it relates to the project. The Tukwila Village project is unique, and as part of the project the City Council entered into an agreement and has a contract with the applicant. This is a public/private partnership and the City owns the land. The City Council agreed to a preliminary site plan, which the BAR is being asked to approve. The City Council also agreed to allow Tukwila Village to be developed in a phased manner. Additional criteria were provided for the BAR to use during the review process. Page 1 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013 There is a public right-of-way that provides legal access to the parking lot in the back of the Normandy Court Apartments. The City Council agreed to vacate the right-of-way with the condition that the apartment property owners will have legal access. Ms. Bradshaw provided a detailed overview of Phase I of the project, which consists of Building A, a mixed use building; Building C, a community building; and the community open space. Ms. Bradshaw stated it was important to review the site plan criteria of the overall concept in relationship to the street front, continuity of the buildings to the adjacent properties, and shared facilities. The City Council agreed to integrate the site even though the buildings would be developed in phases. ISSUES: 1. One of the criteria the applicant is required to meet is storm water retention. The storm water retention pipes for Phase I will be located under Building B, which is in Phase III. The applicant asked permission to get a partial foundation permit for Phase III in order to reinforce the soil due to poor soil condition before placing the storm water pipes. The soil will be reinforced with geo-piers, which are cavities that are two feet wide and twenty feet deep and are filled with compacted rock. 2. Staff suggested the applicant address Phase III pertaining to the view of Building C from Building B. The applicant proposed a landscape focal point on the east side of Building B and an art feature on the west side. 3. The applicant has provided a conceptual landscape design but has given a range of possible plantings in each category rather than specific choices. 4. The following criteria are important concerns:  Focal point designs, such as building corners  Perspectives on the ground as you enter the site; particularly community plaza  Lighting RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONDITIONS: The proposed project meets the requirements. Staff recommends approval of the project with thirteen conditions as listed in the November 6, 2013 staff report. QUESTIONS: Commissioner Alford  What is the process for the recommendations to be approved? Staff -Evaluate plan site and look for condition exceptions. o  Does staff recommend aprons for the sidewalk which is a raised sidewalk? Staff - Only at the entrance to the site. o Commissioner Mann  Will the building permit be delayed until a decision is made regarding the art design? Staff - A decision is not necessary on the art design prior to the issuance of the building permit. o  What type of heat/energy will be used to heat the units? Staff referred the question to the applicant. o  How many monument signs are allowed and where will the signs be located on the project? Staff - Four signs are allowed on the project. o  Can the parcels on the site be sold separately? Staff - The parcels could be sold separately but subject to overlapping of shared blanket o easements and agreements.  Will there be required covenants pertaining to the land? Staff suggested that she ask the applicant. o  Are festival banners allowed? Page 2 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013 Staff - If the content is not visible offsite then the banners are allowed. o  Will there be a barrier at the most northern driveway at Tukwila International Boulevard to prevent people from making a left turn? Staff - It will be a right turn in and right turn out drive with a c-curb to prevent left turns. o  What is the capacity of Building C? Staff referred the question to the applicant. o Commissioner Strander Asked for clarification on the banner system that is proposed.  If a commercial tenant is located in Building C, will they be able to customize the exterior of the building pertaining to their company colors or logo? Staff - It is not likely and it is a gray area in the code. It is hard to regulate color/paint changes o over a long period of time.  On Tukwila International Boulevard (TIB) looking towards Building C would you see visible signage identifying the café? Staff –The sign for the community building would be somewhat visible from TIB due to the o large set back, but it would be less obvious for the café.  Would tenants have options for the location of signage? Staff - Smaller signs are allowed but the main sign has to be on façade that has a public o entrance.  Is the area all wired underground? Staff - Yes o  What type of games will be available in the gaming area? Staff referred the question to the landscape architect. o Commissioner Strander also stated that she is interested in covenants pertaining to the land as raised by Commissioner Mann. Commissioner Hansen Stated the project is exciting and there are many aspects of the project to like.  Is the size and location adequate for the fireplace? Commissioner Hansen commented that the fireplace is understated. The applicant addressed this question during their presentation. o  Will a regular or veneer brick be used for the fireplace? Staff – A veneer brick will be used. o  Will there be lighting on the site that works well during the winter season when it gets dark early? The applicant addressed this question during their presentation. o  Will there be cameras for security? The applicant addressed this question during their presentation. o  What is the height of the live/work spaces? Staff - They have mezzanines on the inside for the living space. The applicant can show a o copy of the floor plan.  Will there be blue emergency stations in the garages?  Where will the bus stops be located? Staff - The bus stop is in front of the library. The library is proposing to move the bus stop o south so it will not be in front of a major architectural feature they are designing. Commissioner Hanson questioned whether the bus stop should be located in the primary corner because it will block the visibility of people passing by. Chair McLeod th  Would there be a mid-block crossing on 144 such as the one on TIB? Staff - There will be a mid-block crossing lined up with Building E and the plaza. o  Will there be a painted crosswalk or blinking light at the crossing? Staff -There is a proposal for the lighting system. o Page 3 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013  Did the police and fire department have a chance to review and approve the project? th Staff indicated that they have reviewed and approved the project. They reviewed 144 street o as well.  Is the width of the lanes adequate for ladder use? Staff - The fire department looked at turning movements for the fire trucks. The police and o th fire departments wanted a mountable hard surface to use for turn-around on 144 .  Is there anything in the design to prevent teenagers from utilizing the plaza surfaces as a skate park? Staff referred the question to the landscape architect. o  Was there other siding that was considered for the design and how was it determined to use the metal siding on Building C? Staff referred the question to the applicant. o  Did the Somali community get a chance to give input on the multi-cultural facility? Staff - Before the application was submitted, the Mayor’s office organized a meeting at o Cascade View Elementary School. There was a huge turnout and a major discussion on the community open space, particularly the indoor/outdoor space. The design team for the applicant attended the meeting. Bryan Park , Tukwila Development Associates, LLC, for the applicant, gave an overview of Phase I of the project and the overall site plan. He stated the project will be developed in three phases, which will consist of mixed use, mixed income, mixed development, and be non-age restricted. Building C and frontage th improvements on South 144 Street and TIB will be part of the Phase I development. Mr. Park stated that he and City Administration agreed to use the design criteria statement and purposes, which met or exceeded the project requirements. He also gave some of the highlights on Phase II and III of the project. He mentioned there will be a Police Resource Center which will provide added security. In addition, there will also be security cameras. Mr. Park said, “We are overall supportive of the conditions with a couple of exceptions.” He said he would like to later address some conflicts that are identifiable and can be resolved with guidance from the Commission. The applicant addressed the following questions raised by the Commissioners: Commissioner Mann  What is the capacity for Building C? Mr. Park -The capacity is dictated by the development agreement. Administration has o authority to approve the capacity, which has already been approved as a part of the submittal. The applicant has agreed to the Statement and Design Purpose, which drives the capacity and dictates the size of the space.  Will there be covenants for the project? Mr. Park - The covenants will be reciprocal easements agreed to by The City, Tukwila Village, and the Library. It will be recorded against the property prior to the disposition of the property by the City to Tukwila Village and the Library. There will be an additional agreement between the Library and Tukwila Village on the specific details of implementation.  What type of heat will be used in the units? Mr. Park - There will be electric light and heat with the exception of the hot water that will be o provided by central gas fired broilers, which will provide more efficient use of hot water. Commissioner Hansen  Is the location and size of the fireplace appropriate? Mr. Park - Fireplaces will only be in common areas. There was concern expressed regarding o fireplaces being located in individual units. In respect to Commissioner Hansen’s comment on whether the commons fireplace was appropriately located and sized, Mr. Park stated it was designed initially as a feature for indoor tenant. The applicant decided to open an outdoor feature. To relocate would be difficult and would almost change the character of the entire development. If the fireplace is not liked at that location it could be eliminated on the outside. The fireplace was proposed by the commercial tenant, the café coffee shop as an indoor/outdoor feature for the café customers. Commissioner Strander Page 4 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013  Are the tenants allowed to make exterior modifications such as re-painting or changing the logo? Mr. Park - Ordinarily commercial tenants would not be allowed to make such changes to the o exterior appearance without the City’s approval. Chris Petersen , for the applicant, gave an overview of the landscaping details of the site. He said some of the factors that influenced the design were a desire to have a strong connection between the buildings and the outdoor area. The applicant addressed the following questions raised by the Commissioners: Commissioner Strander  What type of games will be available to the tenants? Mr. Petersen - There will be a pavement checker/chess board and some permanent game tables o with checker boards.  How tall is the light bollard? Mr. Petersen - The light fixture will be approximately thirty-six to forty-two inches; it varies o between three to three and a half feet and lights pathways along with the overhead fixtures.  Is there a cement design in the lawn area? Mr. Petersen - It is a decorative recreational element for children. o  Would the design be repeated in the base of where the water feature is? Mr. Petersen - It wouldn’t be repeated exactly but it would have a complimentary spiral concept. o  Are green roofs being incorporated? Mr. Petersen – Building A has a green roof and has access but there are code limits on how much o of it can be usable space. Commissioner Hansen  What type of lighting will be installed on the site? Mr. Petersen - The designed lighting will have a minimum of one and a half foot candles in the o pedestrian areas, which was increased from the original design. Chair McLeod  What will prevent teenagers from using the mountable surface for skate boarding? Mr. Petersen - Fixing the edge of the seat wall will be a deterrence, which can be done in a o decorative manner. Commissioner Mann  What type of lighting will be installed around the common area? Mr. Petersen - There will be fifteen foot pole mounted lights along the perimeter of the plaza o spaced twenty-five feet apart. They have fifteen foot mounted lights for the pathway and bollard lighting. There will also be twenty-two foot pole mounted lighting between the trees to light the roadway. There are also lights on the building under the overhang. Pole lights will be on the back side of the building. Lighting will be adjacent to the doors including the service door.  Will the trees and planting on the site be seasonal? Mr. Petersen - All planting on the site will be seasonal deciduous trees. o th  Will the trees along 144 be a common tree? Mr. Petersen - There will be a consistent single species of trees, the Ginkgo tree. o Commissioner Alford  Why isn’t the landscaping plan complete, is it because of the size of the project? Mr. Petersen - A suggested plant palette is typically given, and specific detail isn’t given until the o design is further along and approved  Could more evergreen planting be included on the site, as well as trees with larger canopies? Mr. Petersen - Incorporating more evergreen trees is more challenging on an urban site due to o visibility and pedestrian circulation. Options of broad leaf evergreens can be considered.  How many bikes are they expecting to accommodate, will they have bike facilities that will accommodate increasing bike usage? Page 5 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013 Mr. Petersen – There was minimum code requirements for each building. The majority of the o bike racks are located in the parking garage for residents. Only a few bike racks are required in the exterior area for Building C. Additional bike racks can be provided adjacent to Building C if necessary.  Is the @ symbol shown on the side of the common building for branding? Mr. Park responded they want to name the community center. The symbol is a place holder. o  What will the water feature look like when the water is not running for the rest of the season? Mr. Petersen - The plan is to have an enhanced paving design so it is visually interesting at other o times of the year as well as adding planting around the feature.  Is there clear ADA access and is the amount adequate? Mr. Petersen - There are accessible parking stalls and the option to get around the stairs without o going too far out of the way. Diana Keys , for the applicant gave highlights on the project specifically on Building A. She stated the designs of the buildings are shaped by the site plan. She said that a large amount of time was spent developing the site plan, site focal points, appropriate scale and masking for the building. She also stated this was the biggest scale density project on the corridor. She pointed out key views on the focal point of the project and mentioned the commercial uses are on the ground floor. She pointed out the space that is reserved for restaurant use by the development agreement. The additional commercial space fronting along TIB creates varied streetscapes for pedestrians and individual shop fronts for each of the commercial spaces hoping to promote small start-up businesses. The focus is to make Building A pedestrian friendly. She also provided an overview on building and color materials. The applicant addressed the following questions raised by the Commissioners: Chair McLeod  Can the metal siding be dented, if for example a bicycle crashed into it? Ms. Keys - It would have to be hit pretty hard. o  Is it easy to cover up graffiti on the metal? Ms. Keys - It can be cleaned. o Commissioner Mann  How many levels of parking are there in Building A? Will residents have secure parking? Will there be parking inside the building for commercial use? Ms. Keys - There are two levels of parking with two separate entrances. Each of the access points o to the garages is controlled by gates and each resident will have a garage opener. All the parking in the building is for residents only. The surface parking is for commercial use.  Is there a plan to have a full kitchen in Building C? Ms. Keys - There will be a catering kitchen in the community room. The restaurant itself and the o café tenants will have a full kitchen.  Could there be more emphasis on the treatment of the fireplace? Ms. Keys - It is projected out from the façade. So this could be a place where we can transition o materials. Commissioner Hansen  How large is the commercial space on the southwest end? Ms. Keys - The corner restaurant is 2,885 sq. ft., general retail is about 4,000 sq. ft., and the o corner space with the round entry feature is about 1,200 sq. ft. A total of 8,165 sq. ft. of commercial space not including the live work. If we include the live work there is about 1,800 sq. ft.  Would a service corridor and restrooms be a part of the tenant improvement? Ms. Keys - Everything that happens within the commercial area is part of the tenant o improvement. The restaurant space has access to the garage so there will be direct access to a trash room. A grease hood shaft will go up through the roof of the sunroom.  How do you plan to manage the flow of materials and utilities?  How will tenants be allowed to use their balconies, views seen from the street are critical? Ms. Keys - Balconies often become storage spaces and the management of the apartments will o need to control balcony use so it will not become storage areas. Page 6 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013  Will a two stall restroom be adequate to serve the public, particularly during large gatherings? Ms. Keys-The building is compliant with code requirements. o Commissioner Hansen commented he thinks the facilities are inadequate and in order to be successful it should be reviewed and accommodations made to service more people.  Is there a committed tenant for the café? Mr. Park stated they do not have a lease agreement but a potential tenant is actively involved in o the design programming of both the café and community space. The applicant proposed that the BAR approve their recommendations as follows: 1. Deny staff’s recommended condition regarding the existing green street light standards. Applicant would like the ability to negotiate lighting with the city staff. He is asking the recommendation be consistent for the Tukwila Village project and the King County Library System. 2. Make adjustments to the transitional area between the Library and the plaza. They are asking for the Commission to adopt the library’s architect’s landscape sketch and apply to both sites. 3. Tukwila Village is asking approval for their monument sign to be erected on the north side of the entrance and the Library’s on the south side. They are also asking that the setbacks on the sidewalk be identical on both sides. Chair McLeod asked the applicant to submit the requested recommendations to staff. Commissioner Hansen noted the first recommendation referenced Item 11, Bullet 1-2. The second recommendation referenced Item 13, Bullet 1. There was no public testimony. Chair McLeod recommended postponing deliberation of the Tukwila Village hearing to November 26, 2013. Chair McLeod closed the public hearing at 9:25 PM Staff requested the BAR make a motion to extend the meeting in order to hear case number L13-017, King County Library System. Commissioner Alford moved to extend the meeting past 9:30 PM to hear the King County Library Case. Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved. Chair McLeod opened the public hearing for case number L13-017 at 9:30 PM. CASE NUMBER: L13-017 APPLICANT: Ryan Bussard, Perkins+Will for King County Library System REQUEST: New 10,000 square foot library with landscaping and pedestrian improvements LOCATION: 14380 Tukwila International Boulevard Chair McLeod called for a recess at 9:35 PM. Chair McLeod reconvened the public hearing at 9:40 PM. Chair McLeod swore in those wishing to testify. Moira Bradshaw , Senior Planner, Community Development Department asked each of the Planning Commissioners the appearance of fairness questions. Commissioners Strander and Mann both disclosed ex- parte communication. There weren’t any objections to the Planning Commissioners hearing the cases. Ms. Bradshaw gave the presentation for Staff. The project consists of the building and pedestrian access only. She stated the vehicular access and the parking for the property will be on the Tukwila Village site. There are no specific criteria other than what’s in the design manual. There was some negotiation with the City in terms of items Page 7 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013 that the City wishes to negotiate, which are contained as an attachment in the packet. The deal terms did not list any specific design issues other than requiring a minimum 10,000 sq. ft. building; the agreement to provide the shared infrastructure, and requiring the overall design to be of high quality. She gave an overview of the site plan for the project, discussed the building facades and the proposed landscaping. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the BAR approves the project with four conditions as listed in the November 4, 2013 staff report. QUESTIONS: Commissioner Hansen asked staff for clarification pertaining to the monument sign. Staff suggested the applicant add a sign perpendicular to the street. Staff pointed out the location of the proposed sign on the site plan.  Is there a shade system for the southern exposure where the glass is located? Staff - There are horizontal fins that are built on the outside. Staff also referred question to the o architect.  Do the horizontal elements in the view on page nine turn or is there an interior solution? Ryan Bussard , architect for the applicant answered clarifying questions for the Commissioners. Chair McLeod said if the old library had thirty parking stalls for a 5,000 sq. ft. area, is it sufficient enough to have forty parking stalls for a 10,000 sq. ft. area? Staff said an administrative decision was made that it is sufficient enough. A Transportation o Engineering Report Survey was reviewed that confirmed the decision. Parking never appeared to be at full capacity at the existing library but during special events if necessary there is overflow nd parking located at 42 Avenue which can accommodate the overflow.  Why was the color gray chosen for the building? Staff said the glazing was the predominant feature in the building. The architect will address this o question further. Commissioner Mann commented she likes the look of the elevation on page nine where gray is not the dominant color but a contrast with the windows. Commissioner Strander asked for explanation on the green roof. Staff referred the question to the architect. Greg Smith , Director of Facilities, for the applicant provided a copy of a booklet of past projects they have worked on and stated he would like to return to discuss conditions later. Ryan Bussard , Architect, for the applicant gave an overview and pointed out some unique aspects of the project. Mr. Bussard addressed the questions raised regarding the roof, the color and the glass of the building. He discussed the challenges with the building. Commissioner Mann had a concern on the service entrance and inquired if it’s located in the correct place. The applicant stated if there are suggestions for a better location they are open to ideas. Chair McLeod inquired on the process regarding the public art and if a time frame could be added to the process. Mr. Bussard , for the applicant responded to Chair McLeod’s inquiry regarding the public art. He stated that the King County Library System already has a process in place. Therefore, they are asking to be allowed to use their current process with the Art Commissioners approval of the actual art. Commissioner Mann stated she thinks the Art Commission should be allowed to approve the art. There was no public testimony. Page 8 of 9 BAR Public Hearing Minutes November 14, 2013 The public hearing was closed. MOTION: Commissioner Mann made a motion to approve Case Number L13-013 with staff’s recommendations and conditions. With art approval being done prior to the issuance of the occupancy permit and approved before it is put in production by the Art Commission. Commissioner MannCommissioner made a correction to the case number for approval which is L13-017. Strander seconded the motion with the correction. All were in favor. The BAR will hold deliberations on November 26, 2013 at 6:00 PM for the Tukwila Village project case number, L13-030. Adjourned: 10:50 PM Submitted By:Wynetta Bivens Planning Commission Secretary Adopted: 11/24/13 Page 9 of 9