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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2017-06-22 Item 4 - Foster High School Expansion and Birth to Kindergarten - Attachment J: Applicant Response to Variance CriteriaFebruary 28, 2017_ ....... ........................REVISED MAY 1„ 2017 Ms. Lindsay Brown City of Tukwila Department of Community Development 6400 Southcenter Boulevard Tukwila, WA 98188 Project: Foster High School Modernization and Additions and New Birth -to- Kindergarten Center, AHBL No. 2160226.30 Subject: Consistency with Variance Criteria Dear Lindsay: RECEIVED MAY 2 Cornimunky Development Tukwila School District is seeking variances for the Foster High School Modernization and Addition project and the new Birth -to- Kindergarten Center. Concurrent with this variance request, we have submitted combined applications for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Design Review for both projects, which include building elevations, floor plans, and site plans. A brief description of each project follows, together with a response to the criteria for approval. Brief Project Descriptions Foster High School Foster High School will be renovated, modernized, and the school expanded to accommodate smaller class sizes and a STEAM focus (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). With the new additions, the new building will be approximately 169,200 square feet (an expansion of approximately 56,100 square feet). The project will add 15 teaching stations /classrooms. New building areas will be added to the east elevation, and the existing open plaza area between the building wings will become part of the building as an interior courtyard. The existing transportation building and all portables will be demolished,. A new auxiliary gymnasium and fitness center /weight room will be added. Outdoor sports facility improvements include relocated tennis courts (total of four). The field area will be redesigned to accommodate one baseball field, one softball field, and two tennis courts. The new softball and baseball fields will have new fencing, backstops, dugouts, all- weather sand infields, and natural grass outfields, which will be irrigated. All new tennis courts will have new fencing, acrylic surfacing, and netting. The student parking lot between the school and pool building will be modified to accommodate the new building additions and fields. The total onsite parking provided is 174 spaces. An additional 11 spaces will be available for special events in the bus loop. ATTACHMENT J E A E 1200 0 Aveme Sufte i 201 Ms. Lindsay Brown February 28, 2017 REVISED MAY 1, 2017 2160226.30 Page 2 of 8������1�➢ Birth to Kindergarten Center A new 53,000 square -foot, two -story, Birth -to- Kindergarten Center will be built on a vacant lot that is contiguous to the existing Showalter Middle School and Foster High School campus. The first phase of the project will be to house all kindergarten and pre - school from around the District. Subsequent phases will add the infant and toddler programs, the timing for which is not yet known. The total facility capacity will be 440 students and 28 classrooms, of which 290 students and 17 classrooms will be full day kindergarten; 90 preschoolers plus infant and toddler programs of 30 -40 children (in split half -day and full -day programs). Each age group will have separate areas within the building and outdoor play areas. A courtyard meant to serve students and the larger community will be provided at the north side of the building. Pedestrian and vehicular access to the site will be from South 142nd Street along an existing easement between the church property and the middle school. The existing asphalt driveway adjacent to the church will be improved with new asphalt overlay, sidewalk, and pedestrian scale lighting. A simple 4 -way intersection is proposed at the vehicular entrance to the site, The project includes pedestrian walkways that will lead to the entrance of the building, and a bus loop /parking area at the west side of the building. Approximately 80 parking spaces will be provided in a new parking lot on the south side of the school building. Description of Variances Requested Foster High School Height Variances Building Height - Foster High School is located in the LDR zoning district, which requires a maximum height of 30 feet. The maximum height of the proposed Foster High School additions is proposed to be 32 feet; therefore, a 2 -foot variance is requested. As shown on the elevations, Sheets A3.11 through A3.13, the existing high school building exceeds the 30 -foot height limit in several areas. At the main entrance, the top of the roof is 41 feet high. The barrel vault on the rooftop is 37 feet in height and several parapets are 31 feet. The Performing Arts Center building is 65 feet in height. The variance seeks to match the height of the parapet on the proposed addition to the height of the existing building. An additional 1 foot of height is requested to accommodate needed flexibility throughout the design process. 2. Stadium Flagpole Height - The existing flagpole located at the north end of Foster High School stadium is proposed to be relocated to the southwest corner adjacent to the scoreboard. The flagpole is proposed to be 50 feet in height. The flagpole is exempt from the maximum height requirements per Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC) 18.42.030, as it is installed in conjunction with a permitted recreational use within the Public Recreation Overlay (PRO) district, as described below: "... when the underlying district is the LDR (Low- Density Residential) District, structures may be granted a height bonus of one additional foot of height for every four feet of excess setback (i.e., setback over and above the LDR minimum standard), up to a maximum height of 50 feet. Ancillary facilities customarily installed in conjunction with a permitted recreational use, including light standards and safety netting, shall not be subject to the height restrictions of the underlying district." 202 0 ©=0 Ms. Lindsay Brown �iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ��� February 28, 2017 REVISED MAY 1, 2017g IV�� Page 3 of 8�������������������������� ' �iiilllll h 3. Sports Fields Netting and Fencing Height Variance — The new ball fields require a 10 -foot high chain link fence with 20 -foot high netting above the fence (total height of 30 feet). The tennis courts will also have 10 -foot high chain link perimeter fence.. The fencing will be located outside the required perimeter yard setback areas. These are customarily required to contain errant balls within the ball fields or courts. Pursuant to the code citation above, the ball fields and central two tennis courts are exempt from the height restrictions, as they are located in the PRO district. Birth -to- Kindergarten Center Height Variances The new Birth -to- Kindergarten (B2K) Center is also located in the LDR Zone with a PRO overlay. The height requested is 35 feet, which is a 5 -foot height variance. The LDR zoning district has a maximum building height of 30 feet, while the PRO overlay allows a maximum height depending on the location of the structure, up to a maximum of 50 feet. The use will not be for public recreation purposes, but rather for public education purposes; therefore, the variance is requested. The PRO allows 1 foot of additional height for every 4 feet of excess building setback. The table below shows the allowed building height for the B2K building based on its setback from the property lines. The table shows that the proposed height of 35 feet is within the allowable building height based on setbacks. ..__ ......................... ._........_.-a w _ ... _,_._. ................. .................... .� .................... .............................., w�w Birth -to- Kindergarten Center Maximum Buildinc_Height in Relationship to Setbacks Foster High School currently has 251 parking spaces. Figure 18 -7 in Tukwila's code lists the minimum parking as one for each staff member plus two for every five students or visitors. This is broken down as follows: There are 83 employees on campus = 83 spaces There are 878 students = (878/5) *2 = 351 spaces Total parking required by code = 434 spaces The property proposes to provide :1 7 1174 spaces to accommodate the daily use and better align with actual usage. The requested reduction in parking is greater than 10 percent of either the existing parking or the zoning required parking, and therefore requires Type III review.. Please see the submitted Parking Analysis and the narrative describing consistency with the variance criteria for the reduction in parking in Section B of this letter, below. R H B' Minimum Allowed Proposed Setback Maximum Height _______ .................._ Setback w /PRO Front .w_ ..-............................................................. ............................... 20 _ ........_....... 60 ..-._......._......................._.................... ............................... 40 feet Westside_.._._....._ ................................................................ ........................_...... 5 _. . 10 _....._ ...___...................______ -a' st S' de 5 . ................ 130 ..........................._._ 50 feet ....A....... Rear................ __ ................................... ............................... 10 .........................�. ......._... 120.._ ........ .._............................ 50 feet Foster High School Parking Variance Foster High School currently has 251 parking spaces. Figure 18 -7 in Tukwila's code lists the minimum parking as one for each staff member plus two for every five students or visitors. This is broken down as follows: There are 83 employees on campus = 83 spaces There are 878 students = (878/5) *2 = 351 spaces Total parking required by code = 434 spaces The property proposes to provide :1 7 1174 spaces to accommodate the daily use and better align with actual usage. The requested reduction in parking is greater than 10 percent of either the existing parking or the zoning required parking, and therefore requires Type III review.. Please see the submitted Parking Analysis and the narrative describing consistency with the variance criteria for the reduction in parking in Section B of this letter, below. R H B' REVISED MAY 1, 2017 A. Response to criteria for variance (TMC 18.72.020) — Height (Foster High School and Birth -to- Kindergarten Center) 1. The variance shall not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitation upon uses of other properties in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property on behalf of which the application was filed is located, Foster High School. Granting of a variance would not afford a special privilege, as the proposed height of the additions is still less than what already exists onsite and is needed for consistency in massing and design. The addition is generally located in the interior portions of the site and will not be visible from the front of the building. Birth -to- Kindergarten Center., The Birth -to- Kindergarten Center has developed a two - story building scheme in order to maximize site area for recreation space, access, landscaping, and parking. The height will be less than the adjacent Showalter Middle School and Foster High School. The Birth -to- Kindergarten Center will be up to 35 feet in height, 5 feet above the 30 -foot maximum allowed by the underlying LDR zoning, due to sloped roofs. It is not receiving a special privilege due to the fact that it is within the PRO, which allows 1 foot of increased height for each foot of additional setback (per TMC 18.42.030), which allows for a maximum height of 38 to 43 feet, depending on the specific setback being measured. The building is also tucked back and hidden from view of adjacent residential properties. 2. The variance is necessary because of special circumstances relating to the size, shape, topography, location or surrounding of the subject property in order to provide it with use rights and privileges permitted to other properties in the vicinity and in the zone in which the subject property is located, Foster High School. While Foster High School needs to modernize and expand to accommodate the student population; there is limited space onsite. The variance is necessary because, if the building met the 30 -foot height limit, it would need to expand horizontally, taking away space needed for parking, landscaping, and recreation. A flagpole will be placed on top of the existing football stadium, which may reach up to 50 feet in height. The flagpole is exempt from height requirements per TMC 18.42.030, as it is installed in conjunction with a permitted recreational use within the PRO; therefore, a special privilege is not requested. Birth -to- Kindergarten Center: The Birth -to- Kindergarten Center site is constrained by its size and by steep slopes on the eastern portion. In order to maximize site are for playgrounds, parking, and bus access, a two -story building scheme has been developed. The current proposed floor -to -floor height is 13.5 feet — essentially the minimum needed to fit the mechanical equipment above 8.5 -foot ceilings. However, using sloped roofs to modulate the building form results in an overall building height (measured to mid -point of sloped roof) that is over the 30 -foot limit. The design team has applied for a Height Variance to bring the allowed height to 35 feet. However, the Birth -to- Kindergarten Center site is within the PRO district, and therefore the height of the primary structure will conform to City regulations. NNIN 204 [D©OD Ms. Lindsay Brown February 28, 2017 REVISED MAY 1, 2017IIIIOOIIIIIIIIIIIUm 2160226.30 Page 5 of 8�������»» �������������������������������������������������������� 3. The granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the subject property is situated, Foster High School. The additions to Foster High School will not exceed the existing height; walls fronting the street are up to 40 feet high and the Performing Arts Center is 65 feet high. The appearance of the Foster High School building will remain unchanged. The height of the additions will exceed the 30 -foot height limit due to parapets, an architectural feature that will improve the look of the building and match the height of the existing parapets. Moreover, the additions will be mostly hidden behind the existing building frontage, which has sloped roofs reaching 40 feet in height. The building and proposed additions are set back from the property line and will not affect the views of neighboring properties. The new structures and additions will be required to meet design review criteria, ensuring consistency and compatibility with surroundings. The height of the flagpole within the stadium creates a focal point for an important community gathering area and will be beneficial to the public welfare. The netting surrounding the sports fields will protect public safety and public property from errant balls traveling outside the fields. Birth -to- Kindergarten Center: The Birth -to- Kindergarten Center building is not directly visible from surrounding residential uses. Five single - family houses exist to the north of the site, but are largely hidden from view by a line of trees. It is bordered by wooded areas, Showalter Middle School, and a large church campus. The building will be set back from the property line, and one -story classrooms line the front of the building, reducing the apparent mass and scale of the building. It is not expected that the 35 -foot height will have any detrimental effect, visually or otherwise, on surrounding property or improvements. Any potential nuisances, such as light pollution or traffic, are addressed in the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist and associated environmental studies. The new structures and additions will be required to meet design review criteria, ensuring consistency and compatibility with surroundings. 4. The authorization of such variance will not adversely affect the implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Policy Plan; Foster High School and Birth -to Kindergarten Center. • As stated in the CUP application, . both the Foster High School additions and the new Birth -to- Kindergarten Center demonstrate consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. The relevant goals and policies are listed in the CUP cover letters. The additional height requested is marginal, but will allow the proposed structures enough capacity to meet neighborhood and community needs. Design of the building will be subject to a Type III Design Review process. 5. The granting of such variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant possessed by the owners of other properties in the same zone or vicinity. O© 1'TAM1W,MJ= .... 0 Foster High School. Both elementary and high schools are uses that are often located within Low Density Residential Zones. The requested variance will not afford Foster High School or the Birth -to- Kindergarten Center a right that is inconsistent with what is commonly enjoyed by educational facilities in residential areas in the City of Tukwila, Alternative designs have been explored for the Foster High School site, but are not possible without occupying more space on the site, which would require a further reduction in parking, as well as landscaping, or recreation uses. B. Response to criteria for variance (TMC 18.72.020) — Parking (Foster High School) 1. The variance shall not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitation upon uses of other properties in the vicinity and in the zone in which the property on behalf of which the application was filed is located, The majority of properties in the vicinity are residential uses subject to a different parking standard. The granting of this variance would not go beyond what is reasonable for a school use in an LDR zone, given the parking demand on this particular site. The reduction in parking is to allow for necessary school improvements, and should not be considered a special privilege. 2. The variance is necessary because of special circumstances relating to the size, shape, topography, location or surrounding of the subject property in order to provide it with use rights and privileges permitted to other properties in the vicinity and in the zone in which the subject property is located, Foster High School was built before current parking ratios had been adopted by the City, and therefore is a legally non - conforming use. A CUP was granted for this site in 2003 (L03 -051), 2008 (L08 -021), and 2013 (L13 -015). It has been shown through prior CUPs that the amount of parking that exists on the site is sufficient. At the time of the 2013 CUP, a study showed that only one -half to two - thirds of the parking was utilized. The staff report for that CUP noted that this may be due to variables such as the School District's small size, availability of public transportation, and levels of poverty in the area, which resulted in low car ownership. The City has indicated that the findings of previous CUPs are honored, and therefore the variance request should be considered as a variance from existing parking (251 spaces), rather than minimums stated in the current municipal code (434 spaces). The usable area of the site is not large enough to provide additional surface parking. The site cannot accommodate additional parking, as well as amenities needed such as classroom space, recreation area, interior landscaping, and bus lanes; therefore, the variance is necessary. 3. The granting of such variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity and in the zone in which the subject property is situated, Parking demand is not expected to increase as a result of this project. The parking analysis (enclosed) demonstrates that the current available 251 parking spaces are utilized at an average rate of 62 percent and that the peak demand was for 131 spaces. The proposed parking exceeds the peak demand by spaces. liim ��h��io������s���� � Ili I 206 131803 Ms. Lindsay Brown ,i IN February 28, 2017 REVISED MAY 1, 2017 2160226.30 Ili Page 7 of 8�I��IIIIIIIIIIIIII�1111111111��V Special event parking will occur from time to time and visitors will have the use of 80 spaces available on the Birth -to- Kindergarten Center site, 122 spaces on the Showalter Middle School site, 33 spaces at the Foster Library Site (the proposed District Technology and Maintenance Building site), and 11 spaces in the Foster High School bus loop. All told, there will be 423420 spaces available for public events. The Performing Arts Center and Stadium have a capacity for 600 and 500 attendees, respectively. With a vehicle occupancy rate of 2.1, there is more than enough capacity for a single event and parking is not expected to spill over to adjacent properties or streets, The School District will coordinate special events to avoid schedule conflicts. 4. The authorization of such variance will not adversely affect the implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Policy Plan; The school is within a residential area, and the authorization of the variance will not affect any of the goals stated in the residential element of the Comprehensive Plan. A reduction in parking will not negatively impact City goals, such as neighborhood quality (7.2 and 7.3), neighborhood sustainability (7.4), and neighborhood development (7.6).. The parking reduction will allow for improved site design and amenities that may actually assist with some of these goals. The Comprehensive Plan also encourages non - motorized access, and meeting the minimum parking requirements prescribed by code would create an excessive amount of parking compared to the actual demand on site. The variance is also consistent with the Capital Facilities Element of the Comprehensive Plan, by allowing for space to provide adequate school facilities to service growth in the City. Portions of the site are within the PRO, which is designated by the Comprehensive Plan as an area dedicated to passive and active public recreation uses, or public education uses. The variance is necessary to provide for adequate recreation facilities, such as ball fields, a stadium, and tennis courts. These facilities will be used by students, as well as the larger community. 5. The granting of such variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant possessed by the owners of other properties in the same zone or vicinity. Foster High School has occupied the site since 1992, and has not had a significant renovation since. Without a variance, the required modernizations for the current use would not be possible. The alternative to the variance would be to reduce the amount of recreation space and replace it with parking area. This alternative is rejected because parking studies have shown that the proposed amount of parking is more than adequate to sere demand, and that the proposed amount of recreation space is what is desired and necessary for the school campus. Therefore, granting of the variance is necessary for the enhancement, preservation, and enjoyment of Foster High School by students, staff, and the overall community. 018 � Ms. Lindsay Brown February 28, 2017 2160226.30 Page 8 of 8 Thank you for your review of the Variance application. If you have any questions, please call me at (253) 383-2422. Sincerely, UIRSISIMPUZA- 0 . Wx2m. FROMM= Je* Feeney, KMB Architects Dr. Judith Berry, Tukwila School District John Wegener, BLRB Architects 0:\2016\21602261tiWORDPROCtLetters\20170228 Ur (Variance-Resp to Criteria) 2160226.30.docx NO 208 C)IM130