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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2018-12-13 Item 3 - Staff Report - Justice Center Conditional Use and Design Review (Public Safety Plan)Requests: Allan Ekberg, Staff Report to the Board of Architectural Review Prepared December 5, 2018 Conditional Use Permit and Design Review approval of the Tukwila Justice Center and accessory public recreation use in the north parking lot Hearing Date: December 13, 2018 Notification: yoI On October 10, 2018, a notice of application was issued and mailed to all property owners and tenants within 500 feet of the subject property and posted on site. A notice of application was sent to all potentially interested agencies on October 31, 2018. A notice of hearing was sent to all agencies and property owners and residents within 500 feet and posted on site on November 5, 2018. On November 7, 2018, the Seattle Times and City of Tukwila Legal Notice section included the notice of the public hearing. File Number: L18-0088 and L18-0096 Applicant: Rachel Bianchi for the City of Tukwila Owner: City of Tukwila Associated Permits: SEPA Special Permission Building, mechanical, electrical and sign permits Proposed Address: Parcel Numbers: 15001 Tukwila International Boulevard 0041000515; 004100514; 0041000480; 0041000494; 0041000513; 0041000516; 0041000517; 0041000335; 0041000330 Current addresses 14835, 14845, 15001-15029 Tukwila International Boulevard; 3415 S 150th Street; 15006-15045 Military Road S. 1 Comprehensive Plan/ Zoning Designation: Regional Commercial (RC) Sepa Determination: Determination of Non -Significance issued on November 29, 2018. Staff: Moira Bradshaw Attachments: A. Vicinity Map B. Zoning Map C. Applicant's response to Conditional Use Permit Criteria D. Plans - Civil, Site, Landscape, Elevations, Furnishings E. Site Lighting Calculations Plan F. City of SeaTac SEPA comments G. AM/PM Trip Generation Analysis Justice Center (Fehr & Pers 11/26/18) H. Applicant's response to Design Review criteria I. Roof top mechanical study from Tukwila International Boulevard J. Lighting Fixture images K. Site Plan showing location of recommended conditions REPORT ORGANIZATION Following a project description and site information, the report is divided into two sections: section one is for analysis of the conditional use permit and section two is analysis of the design review request. In each of these sections, the proposal is compared to the specific criteria for approval. Conclusions follow each section. The Consolidation of Permit Applications section in the Permit Application Types and Procedures Chapter of the Zoning Code (TMC 18.104.030) allows for permit applications related to a single project to be bundled together in a consolidated hearing and approval procedure. The procedures for the highest numbered land use decision related to the project are used. A conditional use permit is a Type 3 land use decision made by the Hearing Examiner. Design review is a Type 4 decision made by the Board of Architectural Review. The Conditional Use Permit and Design Review requests will both be decided by the Board of Architectural Review in an open record public hearing on December 13, 2018. 2 FINDINGS VICINITY/SITE INFORMATION Project Description The proposal is to build approximately 48,000 square feet of municipal office building that will house the Police Department, Municipal Court, Emergency Operations organization and public conference rooms as well as needed site improvements for circulation, parking, storage and landscaping. The north parcel is a stand-alone parking lot that will provide parking for the public and possibly auxiliary uses such as public recreation and farmers markets. The 3.9-acre site is comprised of nine existing parcels in two separate blocks separated by S. 150th Street. The building, along with the associated site improvements of parking, fencing, landscaping and utilities, are proposed in the north half of the block bounded by Tukwila International Boulevard, S. 150th Street, Military Road and S. 152nd Street. A public parking lot and an area for potential future auxiliary public uses is located on an "L" shaped site to the north of S. 150th Street. The applicant indicates that when the public parking lot is not in use for the Justice Center, it could be used for other public activities such as a farmer's market and 3 on 3 youth basketball tournaments. A Farmers Market is a permitted use as retail sales of food, public recreation is allowed as a conditional use in the RC zone. Subject Property and the Surrounding Land Uses Figure 1 Vicinity Map - looking north from above SR 518 The properties straddle S. 150th Street along the west edge of Tukwila International Boulevard. Surrounding the north property is Church by the Side of the Road, Olympus Printing, El Matador apartments, China Pavilion restaurant and a convenience store. 3 The south parcel has a fast food restaurant along its southern edge and a bank is south of the restaurant. Other uses in the vicinity include auto -oriented uses, a school, public facilities for sewer and water districts, residential and commercial services and retail. The preexisting uses of the property consist of a former motel, restaurants, food markets, commercial services, adult entertainment and one house. The boundary between the Cities of SeaTac and Tukwila follows the east edge of the Military Road S. right of way. A Zoning Map of the area is Attachment B. Section 1: Conditional Use Permit Criteria The Land Use Table (Figure 18-6 Land Uses Allowed by District) lists "Fire & Police Stations" and "Parking areas, for municipal uses and police stations" as conditional uses in Regional Commercial (RC) districts. The proposed project must comply with criteria detailed in the Conditional Use Permit Chapter of the Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC 18.64.050). The applicant's response to the conditional use permit criteria is Attachment C to this staff report. Staff makes the following findings using the Code's conditional use permit criteria (TMC 18.64.050) listed in italics: 1. The proposed use will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity. The Emergency Operations Center is currently located at Fire Station 51 in the Southcenter neighborhood, the other uses currently exist in the City of Tukwila at 6200 Southcenter Boulevard. The proposal is to move those uses and consolidate them at this new site. The current location for the Police and Court operations is along the Southcenter Boulevard corridor where they coexist with offices and commercial services adjacent to low and medium density residential. The new location for these civic uses is more intensively developed with commercial service and retail uses. The long-term future for the area is to incorporate higher density residential mixed with retail and commercial uses as the site is close to the Tukwila International Boulevard Station. Fire Station #47 previously provided emergency response from 3215 S. 152 Street but recently closed. Fire Station #54 is at 4237 S. 144th Street. The applicant has said that other uses could be programmed for the north parcel such as a farmer's market, and 3 on 3 basketball. The impacts associated with the predominately office nature of the use includes peak am and pm traffic. There will also be emergency response by police vehicles and the transportation of suspected and convicted criminals to jail or to Court. 4 Two "sally ports," which are secure passages for the movement of prisoners, are included in the proposed use. The current design shows one sally port adjacent to holding cells in the Police section of the building and the second one adjacent to the Courtroom. The sally ports are enclosed with a ten -foot -high opaque fence and automatic gates. (Sheet A5.4, Attachment D) The parking area for staff is encircled with a six -foot -high perimeter fence along the north, west and south property edges of the south parcel and has automated sliding gates over the driveway entrances. Two -foot tall concrete walls are proposed along the east and north edges of the building. (Sheet L8.02) New frontage improvements are proposed along S. 150th Street that extend beyond the frontage of the proposed development. The northwest corner of the intersection of S. 150th Street and Tukwila international Boulevard will be improved with curb, gutter, sidewalk, storm drainage as part of this project. Historic access and parking for the business will shift from in front of the building (between the sidewalk and the building front) to on -street. Figure 2 NW corner S. 150th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard The applicant states that the City has been working with the surrounding businesses to coordinate development of the project. The applicant acknowledges that "the business' existing garbage /recycling area will need to be accommodated and relocated. The City and its design team will work with the business to find a new location forgarbage/recycling, either in their parking lot north of the restaurant or on the City's north lot. Similarly, the city and its design team will work with them on parking/access modifications to ensure they can continue to operate during and after Justice Center development and frontage improvements. These issues have not been resolved at this time." 2. 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. Parking A parking standard for police stations is not listed in the Off-street Parking Regulation Chapter City's Zoning Code; therefore, a Type 2 decision by the Director of Community Development is required. Per the Uses Not Specified section (TMC 18.56.100,) the parking standard shall be 5 based upon the requirements of the most comparable use specified in the Code. The Director issued a Determination that 148 stalls is the minimum number required for the police station and municipal offices. The bicycle parking requirement is four. The proposal exceeds that minimum standards. A total of 105 stalls for employees are proposed on the south lot; a total of 100 stalls are proposed for the general public on the north lot. The International Building Code states that "accessible parking must be located on the shortest accessible route of travel and wherever practical must not cross lanes of vehicular traffic. Where crossing traffic lanes is necessary, the route shall be designated and marked as a crosswalk." Accessible parking is provided in both lots, the staff and the public lot, as well as in S. 150t" Street and the City's Building Official and determined that the proposal meets Code. Height and Setbacks In addition to minimum off-street parking requirements, minimum structure setbacks and height maximums of 3 stories or 35 feet are specified for the RC zone. The north parcel has no structures. On the south parcel, the ten -foot tall sally port fences and the building are subject to the setback standards. The structures meet the setback requirements except for the canopy over the public entrance on the Tukwila international Boulevard frontage. Staff is recommending approval of a waiver of the front yard setback. Waivers are allowed for pedestrian oriented amenities and is subject to a Board of Architectural Review decision. (Sheets L1.01 & A5.1, Attachment D) The tallest portion of the building is 33 feet. Fences up to six feet and walls up to four feet are exempt from the yard setbacks. (Yard Regulations TMC 18.50.070) Landscape The Landscape Chapter of the Zoning Code (TMC 18.52) was updated in 2017. Standards exist for: ■ Landscape perimeter depths and plant palette; ■ Parking lot landscaping standards, including amount of landscaping, landscaping location, and plant palette; ■ Streetscape landscaping; ■ Ground level mechanical and recycling/trash screening; ■ Significant tree retention; ■ Plant material requirements; and ■ Soil preparation. Landscape perimeter depths and plant palette 10-foot deep Type 1 perimeter front yard landscaping is proposed along all street fronts including Military Road S., S. 150th Street and TIB. The standard calls for a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees but the proposal shows only deciduous. (Sheet L5.11, Attachment D) Six feet deep, Type II side yard landscaping is required along the south property line on the south parcel and the at four locations on the north parcel. The standard calls for a mix of 6 deciduous and evergreen trees but the proposal sometime includes no trees and in others only includes deciduous. Figure 3 Side yards on north parcel Parking Lot Landscaping standards Trees must be evenly distributed; landscape islands must be a minimum of 6 feet by 100 square feet in area and protected from damage by cars; landscape islands must be used every 10 parking stalls and at the end of every row of parking. A minimum of 20 square feet of landscaping per stall is required. The Landscape Architect calculates that the minimum square footage is met. There is an even distribution of trees in the two lots and the landscape islands meet the minimum dimensions. On the north parcel, there is a row of 14 stalls that does not have parking at either end and there is not a landscape island after 10 stalls. A second row of 15 stalls adjacent to the back of the China Pavilion is also not broken up by a landscape island. On the south parcel, there three rows of more than 10 stalls. Streetscape Landscaping Minimum separation from utilities, driveways, transformers, curbs, must be provided. Ground level mechanical and garbage Ground level mechanical equipment and garbage storage areas shall be screed with evergreen plant materials and or fences or masonry walls. Sheet L1.01 on Attachment D shows that on the south parcel there is an emergency back up generator and an electrical vault in the 7 northwest corner of the Court's sally port. The electrical vault (El) is adjacent to S. 150th Street and the back-up emergency generator (E3) is prominently located with minimal screening. Significant Trees Significant trees located within any required landscape area that is not a safety hazard shall be retained and protected during construction. Although a complete survey of the site is not included, there are two significant oaks behind the sidewalk on TIB that are not incorporated into the landscape plan. Plant materials Native species or species with low water requirements that are adapted to the Pacific Northwest are required with numerical species maximums. The species diversity maximum for trees is exceeded for Hazelnuts. Soil materials Structural soils are not noted but is a requirement that must be used to a depth of 36 inches with minimum soil volumes of 750 cubic feet per tree. Supplemental Development Standards Lighting capable of providing adequate illumination for security and safety that is in scale with the height and use of the associated structure is required. Any illumination must be directed away from adjoining properties and streets. (Light Standards, TMC 18.50.170) A lighting site plan (Sheet ES1.1, Attachment D) and a Site Lighting Calculations Plan (Attachment E) have been provided. 96 square feet of recycling storage space is required, and the outdoor collection point may not be in a required setback or landscape area. In addition, the collection point many not be located so that hauling trucks obstruct pedestrian or vehicle traffic on or off site. (Recycling Storage space for non-residential uses, TMC 18.50.185.) The Code further specifies that the collection point must have an opaque wall or fence of sufficient size and height to provide complete screening and that the architectural design is consistent with the design of the primary structure. (Design of Collection points for garbage and recycling containers TMC 18.50.190) The site plan shows an adequately sized space on the site plan along the southwest corner of the building and has indicated that the design of the enclosure will use the same metal cladding to be used on the building. Height of the enclosure hasn't been provided. 3. The proposed use shall be compatible generally with the surrounding land uses. The surrounding area is characterized by low scale small businesses; gas stations, fast food, community uses, such as a school and church; and housing. The purpose of the RC zone, in which the Justice Center will locate, is to provide for an area of high intensity regional uses such as commercial services, offices, lodging, entertainment and retail activities along a 8 regional transportation corridor. The proposed municipal functions of the proposal are the similar in character to some of the other uses allowed in the zone. Other high intensity uses permitted outright include bus stations, automotive services, fraternal organizations, light manufacturing uses, bowling alleys, and night clubs. The unique aspects of the police station can be compatible given the high intensity uses also allowed in the zone and the nature of the transportation system that is adjacent to the site. 4. The proposed use shall be in keeping with the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Land Use Policy Plan. The Comprehensive Plan's goal statement for the Tukwila International Boulevard District is to be a complete neighborhood with a thriving multicultural, residential, and business community with vibrant places to live, work, shop and play. That the District is a safe and walkable destination with an authentic main street character that connects to other destinations. The land use goals further state that the aspiration is for the corridor to transform into a place. A place that one travels to rather than through. The narrative and policies highlight the desire for a more walkable people place rather than an auto -oriented place. The Economic Development Chapter Policy 2.1.6 says, "Leverage capital improvement funds to encourage in -fill, land assembly, redevelopment and land conversion for family -wage jobs, but only if concurrent with substantial private actions." The Tukwila International Boulevard Policy 8.6.1 says, "Establish a more walkable and connected street network through the TIB district by investing in public sidewalks and requiring private redevelopment projects to organize site plan elements to allow for through connections." The Comprehensive Plan's Capital Facilities chapter requires adequate public facilities to serve the growth in households and jobs in the City. The Tukwila Comprehensive Plan adopts service standards and meeting those standards requires adequate space for public safety, planning for emergencies and emergency preparedness, and hearings and decisions on violations of local laws. 5. All measures shall be taken to minimize the possible adverse impacts which (sic) the proposed use may have on the area in which it is located. The City of SeaTac, during SEPA review, requested additional traffic information on the project after reviewing the number of daily trips anticipated for the project. (Attachment F) A more detailed AM and PM peak trip analysis was done that found that PM peak trips will be less than the number of trips generated by the current development of the sites. AM peak trips will be increased by 75% because of the office nature of the proposed use. (Attachment G) 9 In addition, the proposed facility is in a block that is bordered by north south minor and principal arterials, Military Road S. and Tukwila International Boulevard respectively. Within a block and a half from the site are S. 154th/and Southcenter Boulevard - east west minor arterials and State Route 518 access. Parking supply exceeds the minimum required number of parking stalls so that motorists who are accessing the Center do not become a nuisance. The north parking lot will only reach capacity during days when there is an arraignment or a hearing. Perimeter fencing is included on the south parcel to ensure that the police vehicles, City staff, prisoner transportation are adequately secure. Operationally, the City has harmoniously coexisted adjacent to a residential neighborhood at the current location along Southcenter Boulevard. Conclusions 1. The proposed project will change the overall character of the site and its structures. The proposed development will generally be the same scale of the surrounding development but will have significantly more controlled vehicular access, landscaping and pedestrian improvements. The proposed Justice Center parking areas are similar in scale to other parking lots in the area. 2. The applicant has indicated they will resolve impacts to the two businesses at the northwest corner of the intersection of S. 150th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard. 3. The proposed uses will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property or improvements in the vicinity. Noise associated with the Justice Center, that is emergency response sirens, is exempt from the noise regulations, and has historically existing in the area with Fire Station 47. 4. Operational management and protocols for scheduling uses in the north parking lot will prevent any adverse impacts of multiple uses on the lot. Parking will be the primary use to support the function of public parking for the Justice Center. 5. Noise from basketball tournaments or other recreation related uses would be limited to day time use due to the lack of sports nighttime lighting. 6. The Landscape Plan shows that modifications would need to be approved or the plans revised because some Code requirements are not met. Those standards are reviewed under the design review application per the Request for Landscape Modifications criteria of the Landscape Chapter (TMC 18.52.100) and the Tukwila International Boulevard Design Manual. 7. The proposed police station, municipal court, office use, public meeting space and outdoor recreation space will be compatible with the surrounding land uses. Traffic from the uses can be accommodated within the existing transportation network. An analysis of the difference in trips generated by the proposed use and the existing uses shows that P.M. peak trips are less with this facility. AM peak trips increase because of the office character of the use. 10 8. The project will provide sidewalks where none currently exist on S. 150th Street and mid -block on the south parcel thereby breaking -up the large blocks in the area and providing pedestrian pass throughs. The new landscaping will support the low impact storm water goals of the City and improve the visual environment and air quality. 9. The proposed use will not conflict with the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan. Recommendation The conditional use permit recommendation is combined with the design review recommendation and conditions located at the end of Section 2. Section 2: Design Review Criteria This project is subject to Board of Architectural (BAR) design approval under the Regional Commercial Design Review Section of the Tukwila Municipal Code (TMC 18.24.070.) The project is subject to design criteria included in Tukwila International Boulevard Design Manual, which is available on the city's website at http://www.tukwilawa.gov/dcd/apps/TUKWILA INTERNATIONAL BOULEVARD Design Manual.pdf. For the applicant's response to the criteria, see Attachment H. The Manual is organized into four sections; covering Site Design, Building Design, Landscape Design and Signs. Within each section are a number of subject areas, covering such issues as pedestrian circulation, architectural relationships, planting design and sign placement. For each subject area there are one or more Design Criteria that are general in nature. The Design Criteria explain requirements for development proposals. They are the decision criteria by which the Board of Architectural Review will decide whether to approve, condition or deny a project. The Design Guidelines, which augment each Design Criterion, provide guidance to the project applicant, to City Staff and to the BAR in determining whether the project meets each Design Criterion. . SITE DESIGN A. Site Design Concept The proposal is to orient the building to Tukwila International Boulevard and the accessory uses of parking and storage to the west portion of the site fronting on Military and S. 150th street. One driveway access onto Military Road S. and two driveways along the south side of S. 150th Street and one driveway access along the north side of S. 150th Street are proposed. The existing Tukwila International Boulevard. streetscape improvements are proposed for replacement, including the existing trees, walls, and sidewalks on the south and north parcels. 11 B. Relationship to Street Front The guideline recommends that a distinctive street edge be designed in order to create an interesting pedestrian environment. The regulations require a 20-foot setback along Tukwila International Boulevard, ten feet along S. 150th Street. These requirements can be waived if they are approved as part of the overall design approval and pedestrian oriented space is provided. Per the Tukwila International Boulevard Design Manual, pedestrian oriented space is defined as "an area between a building and a public street that promotes visual and pedestrian access onto the site and that provides pedestrian -oriented amenities and landscaping that enhances the public's use of the space. A pedestrian oriented space is encouraged to have landscaping or built in planters; site furniture, artwork or amenities such as pedestrian weather protection or other enclosure such as an arcade." The applicant requests a waiver of the standard setback for the proposed canopy. The canopy is 20 feet tall, placed over the public building entrance, and extends ten feet from the building wall towards the public sidewalk on Tukwila International Boulevard. The guidelines go on to stipulate that all sidewalks in the neighborhood be a minimum of eight feet wide and on TIB be 12 feet wide and that this depth include public landscaping. All the frontages comply with the required minimum of eight feet of sidewalk including landscape area. C. Street Corners The south parcel, the building site, has two corners - Military Road S. and S. 150th Street and Tukwila International Boulevard and S. 150th Street. The intent of the guideline is to improve access to buildings located on corner lots and increase prominence of buildings on street corner. The proposal places the building against Tukwila International Boulevard with the auxiliary uses of parking and storage along the west half of the site. Transparent windows and the public entrance face Tukwila International Boulevard with primarily blank walls and opaque fencing on the S. 150th street front. In lieu of placing the building within 15 feet of the corner, a walkway to the building entrance is proposed and at least 200 square feet of additional landscaping is created per the guideline. D. Continuity of site with adjacent sites This criterion addresses continuity in building setback, structural massing, location of circulation elements and landscaping to visually and functionally be compatible with adjoining properties. Sidewalks improvements will encircle the south block and include an additional east west sidewalk, mid -block, creating continuity and improving circulation in the area. 12 Through block sidewalks are also proposed on the north site to establish a future pattern that will improve accessibility for the area. On the south parcel, there are three adjacent buildings. Key Bank and Taco Time are approximately 30 to 35 feet setback from Tukwila International Boulevard. The most adjacent building, Taco Time, is an auto -oriented use. It does not provide an appropriate building edge or mass to emulate. The proposed setback to TIB is more in keeping with the development goals for this area. The design direction in terms of massing is for higher, more dense developments as this location is within 1/2 mile of the Tukwila International Boulevard Station and can support transit -oriented developments. E. Shared Facilities On the north parcel, curb cuts are shown between the site and the properties containing Church by the Side of the Road and the China Pavilion. Bollards and parking stalls however are shown preventing vehicular access between the properties. F. Site Design for Safety The guidelines suggest the following ways to improve site safety: Limiting the number of locations where pedestrians might encounter vehicles and if their paths must cross provide adequate site distance. The south parcel has three driveways and the north parcel has one driveway. Other than staff, all building visitors must use on -street parking or the north parcel. S. 150th Street is being improved with a cross walk and street frontage improvements. The City's Building Official has confirmed that the proposed accessible public parking in S. 150th Street meets the Building Code location criterion. The driveway to the north parcel has 15 feet of additional concrete on both sides of the driveway apron. Staff believes this will facilitate and encourage the public to use these paved areas for mid -block crossings. The applicant explains that the pavement ensures sight distance visibility for pedestrians using the sidewalk and drivers using the driveway; however, similar treatments are not proposed adjacent to the three other proposed driveways. Groundcover and low shrubs are as effective as pavement, support the City's low impact development goals, and would be more of a deterrent for illegal mid -block crossing. Motorists currently park and drive through and along the front of the Stop/Buy corner store and China Pavilion, utilizing the paved area behind the TIB sidewalk and the front door to the business. The frontage improvements on the north edge of the S. 150th Street will include a new sidewalk along the southern edge of the building. The plans do not show how vehicles will be prevented from traveling over the sidewalk from the north, as they currently do. 13 The building is being designed so that minimal site surveillance will occur from inside the building. Opaque windows and screens are being used in office areas. Observation of outdoor on -site activities by building occupants will be minimal or not occur but will be possible by passersby. A 6-foot-high perimeter fence protects the Police, Court and EOC employees as well as Police equipment. 10-foot-high sally -port fences enclose the transfer areas for suspected criminals. Lighting fixtures and lighting levels provide a minimum of .2-foot candles per the Tukwila International Boulevard Design Manual. The City's Crime Prevention Officer suggests an increase to .8 with an average of 1.0 for areas where criminal activity could occur such as in the northwest corner of the new public parking lot on the north parcel. G. Siting and screening of service areas The garbage and recycling area is located to the south side of the building away from the adjacent streets. The applicant has indicated that it will be screened with the reddish insulated metal material used on the building. An elevation showing the height of the structure has not been submitted. Mechanical equipment is located on the roof and may be visible from adjacent streets. Attachment I is a study of rooftop mechanical visibility from Tukwila International Boulevard. The other streets have not been analyzed. Mechanical systems are visible from the east side of Tukwila International Boulevard. H. Natural Features and Sensitive Areas There are slight topography changes as evident in the cross sections, the land is generally sloping down from north to south. (Attachment D) There are two significant oak trees behind the Tukwila International Boulevard sidewalk on the north parcel. There are no other sensitive features. Along the Tukwila International Boulevard parking lot frontage, the proposal is to increase the width of the sidewalk to 12 feet and the curb side landscaping to 5 feet. (Sheet C8.01, Attachment D) Modifying the width of the sidewalk and landscaping would maintain continuity with the adjacent sites and potentially allow preservation and incorporation of the significant trees. . Surface Stormwater detention facilities Bioretention areas arranged in the parking lots and in areas adjacent to the building and underground detention vaults are proposed for the site. 14 . Pedestrian circulation Sidewalks are provided to both the staff and public entries. New frontage improvements are proposed along S. 150t" Street and will also be installed along Military Road S. The existing frontage improvements along Tukwila International Boulevard will be modified. Through block sidewalks are proposed as part of the design in addition to the frontage improvements. The south parcel will have a 6-foot-wide sidewalk along the south property line adjacent to the Taco Time, thereby breaking up that block. The north parcel will have two sidewalks that will begin breaking up that block into more walkable segments. K. Pedestrian Amenities The northeast corner of the south parcel will have a widened landscape area with light poles of varying heights from 15 to 28 feet. (Attachment J) Banners may be attached to the light poles to add color and graphic interest. Banners are allowed on city owned poles per the Permits section, Exceptions - Sign Permits Not Required. (TMC 19.12.030) On the Tukwila International Boulevard frontage on the south parcel, 240 linear feet of two - foot -high concrete walls are aligned along the edge of the right of way and are broken up into 11 sections. The street side of the walls are landscaped but the building side are not, thereby allowing access for seating. 39 benches are arrayed between the walls and the building. Four, 10-foot-long by two -foot -high walls are also located between the accessible on -street parking stalls and the public sidewalk on S.150t" Street. Four u-shaped bike racks are located street side of one of the walls in front of the public entry. See Sheet A 5.4, Attachment D fora detail of the bench. . Vehicular Circulation This criterion is to evaluate a proposal so that conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles is minimized. The south parcel is shown with three access driveways - two from S. 150th Street and one from Military Road S. and the north parcel with one from S. 150th Street. The applicant states that the second driveway on S. 150th Street makes sense because a back-up area is needed for entering or existing the sally port. The asphalt back-up area is proximate to the street. Current access to the City Hall campus, where Police and Court is located, utilize two for ingress and egress and one for ingress. M. Parking Required parking is divided between the building site and a separate site on the north side of S. 150t" Street. A special permission decision was made to determine the parking standard for the 15 municipal facility using a combination of the office standard of 3 stall per 1,000 usable square feet and 1 stall per 100 square feet of assembly area. The proposed design provides more parking than the minimum requires. II. BUILDING DESIGN A. Architectural Concepts All structures are located on the south parcel. The building is designed with shared facilities in the center of the building and the public and private entries located at opposite ends of this central axis. The municipal court function is in the north end of the building, emergency operations in the center, and the police function to the south. The southern portion of the building is a larger mass with two stories while the northern portion of the building is the smaller scale with one story. The public oriented entrance hallway runs the length of the east facade and is the visible portion of the facility to pedestrians. B. Architectural Relationships The most significant structure in the vicinity is the Tukwila International Boulevard Station (TIBS,) which is a multi -modal transit station for light rail and Metro buses. The station has a modern design of glass and metal with a signature asymmetrical cantilevered roofline. The other new development three blocks to the north, Tukwila Village, includes several one-story structures combined with 4 and 5 story structures with structured parking. As redevelopment along the boulevard continues, the architectural relationships will get more established and architectural context will become more important. This public facility will continue the establishment of a modern context for future development in the neighborhood. C. Building Elements, Details and Materials Five exterior building materials predominate: metal wall panels, concrete panels, storefront glazing in aluminum frames and two types of metal screens, one flat and one curvy. The use of sienna red colored metal cladding and metal screens will reinforce the massing of the structure. (Sheets A 5.1- A 5.3, Attachment D) The perforated rain screens shield the building occupants and the rooftop mechanical equipment. The applicant has indicated that the perforated screens will be designed with an image. The details on what and how the image will be displayed in not known at this time. The applicant indicates that the lines on the building show where the metal clad panels and rainscreens attach to each other. That design detail will be a minimal gap of 3/4 inch. The connection between the perforated screens on the second floor and the metal cladding below are seamless with no modulation. The elevations indicate that rain down spouts will be part of the architectural detailing of the building. 16 The criterion asks for distinctive building corners at street intersections using special architectural elements and detailing and pedestrian -oriented features where possible. The building is setback 100 feet from the S. 150th and Tukwila International Boulevard corner. The guideline suggests seven ways of taking advantage of a corner location. The design employs pedestrian light fixtures (Attachment J) arrayed in two arcs in the corner. A pattern of porous pavement and concrete and landscaping fills in the corner setback and extends along the Tukwila International Boulevard frontage. On the south parcel, along the south property line, a retaining wall, which ranges in height from two to three feet, is proposed. It will be topped by the perimeter fence and the sally port fence. The wall and fence structure will be setback to meet the minimum setback. Attachment D includes elevations of the fencing. A small unobtrusive wall mounted fixture is proposed around the exit doors. (Attachment J) D. Pedestrian -Oriented Features The building site is bordered on three sides by public streets. 257 feet of the building wall is placed adjacent to Tukwila International Boulevard with 179 feet of transparent glass. Transparent windows along Tukwila International Boulevard, also wrap around the northeast corner. The entry canopy over the public entry, the 39 benches, the 206 feet of 2-foot-tall walls, and bicycle racks adjacent to the public sidewalk provide pedestrian oriented features along that Tukwila International Boulevard street front. The 68-foot-long north facade of blank walls and opaque sally port fencing along S. 150th street create a negative visual impact. The structures are setback from 25 feet for the sally port fence and 75 feet for building's corner. The guideline for this criterion stipulates that building facades that face public streets must incorporate one or more specific measures: ■ transparent windows over at least half the length; ■ sculptural, mosaic or bas relief artwork along at least half the length of the ground floor; or ■ pedestrian oriented space located adjacent or connected to the sidewalk. Specifically, at least 500 square feet of pedestrian space for every 100 linear feet of blank building wall; or other methods that meet the intent. To quality as a Pedestrian Oriented Space, an area must have: ■ Visual and pedestrian access into the site from the public right of way, ■ Paved walking surfaces of either concrete or approved unit paving, ■ On -site or building mounted lighting providing at least .2-foot candle on the ground, AND 17 • At least 2 feet of seating area or one individual seat per 60 square feet of open space. Landscaping is proposed to screen the blank facade and create pedestrian amenity and interest. The corner is visually and physically accessible to pedestrians from the street, there are paved surfaces of acceptable material, the foot candle is not known for the full area; There is approximately 6,500 square feet of space in the corner, which requires 216 linear feet of seating. The two -foot -high walls and the 39, two -foot -wide wood and metal benches exceeds the linear foot requirement. The criterion is not met because the foot candle minimum is not known. E. Mechanical Equipment The elevations show roof -mounted mechanical equipment that should be screened so that none are visible from surrounding public streets. The visibility study (Attachment I) shows that there is partial visibility from TIB and visibility from the other streets is not known. The required backup generator and electrical transformer are sited so they could be visible from S. 150th Street. III. LANDSCAPE DESIGN A. Landscape Design The intent of this criterion is to ensure the private landscaping reinforces, complements and enhances public streetscape improvements. Requirements for the sites include ten feet of Type I Light Perimeter front yard screening. Type I is defined as a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees, a shrub every seven linear feet and groundcover. Front yards are on Military, S. 150th and Tukwila International Boulevard. Six feet of Type II Moderate side yard landscaping and 0 rear yard. Type II requires evergreen and deciduous trees and the shrubs standard is increased to one every four linear feet. The southern property line between the Justice Center and Taco Time is a side yard. The property lines perpendicular to S. 150th and Tukwila International Boulevard are the side yards on the north parcel. Trees proposed on frontages are Sawleaf Zelkova, American Yellowwood, Persian Parrotia, Patmore Ash, Tulip Tree, Duraheat River Birch, none of which are evergreen. The applicant proposes removing the existing street trees along Tukwila International Boulevard and planting the Sawleaf Zelkova that has small pointed leaves. Bioretention is incorporated into the landscape plan. (Attachment D) Landscape islands, which are all at least six feet in width and 100 square feet in area, are used between parallel parking stalls thereby providing a continuous planting strip. 18 Figure 4 South parcel TIB frontage Figure 5 North parcel FIB frontage There is public landscaping along the curb line and behind the sidewalk. The existing Tukwila International Boulevard improvements (shown above) are an 8-foot-wide sidewalk with a 4 foot by 4-foot planting bed for the street trees, which are maples along Tukwila International Boulevard. The proposed Tukwila International Boulevard cross section on the north lot is a 5-foot planter, 12-foot sidewalk and 4-foot landscaping behind the sidewalk. Along S. 150th Street, the cross section varies with a 6-foot-wide planting area and 7-foot-wide sidewalk to the east of the driveway and a 4-foot planting area and 6-foot sidewalk to the west of the sidewalk. On the south parcel, the planting area along Tukwila International Boulevard is 9.1-foot-deep and a ten -foot -wide sidewalk; on S. 150th Street, adjacent to the accessible on -street parking stalls, the sidewalk is 11.5 feet wide. West of these stalls, the planting area is four feet wide and six feet of sidewalk width. The Military Road S. street improvements are being designed by the City of SeaTac and include a bike lane, curb, planting area and eight -foot sidewalk. 19 B. Planting Design All the tree species are deciduous. The shrubs are a combination of evergreen and perennial. The Landscape Chapter (TMC 18.52.060) stipulates that there must be a diversity of tree and shrubs. The proposed 43 Hazelnut trees is more than 20% of the species proposed on site. The landscape plan and planting schedule do not meet all the minimum standards; however, the Landscape Chapter (TMC 18.52.100) allows modifications to the requirements subject to compliance with specific criteria: 1. The modification or revision does not reduce the landscaping to the point that activities on the site become a nuisance to neighbors; and 2. The modification or revision does not diminish the quality of the site landscape as a whole; and 3. One or more of the following are met: The modification or revision: a) more effectively screens parking areas and blank building walls: or b) enables significant trees or existing built features to be retained; or c) is used to reduce the number of driveways and curb cuts and allow joint use of parking facilities between neighboring businesses; or d) is used to incorporate pedestrian or transit facilities; or e) is for properties in the NCC or RC districts along Tukwila International Boulevard where the buildings are brought out to the street edge and a primary entrance from the front sidewalk as well as from off-street parking areas is provided; or f) is to incorporate alternative forms of landscaping such as landscape planters, rooftop gardens, green roof, terraced planters or green walks; g) or the modification is to incorporate a community garden The side yard landscaping on the north and south parcels do not meet the perimeter landscaping standards but the modifications do not reduce the landscaping to the point where the site activities would become a nuisance to neighbors and the modification does not diminish the quality of the site landscaping. The modifications can be supported because sidewalks are being added to connect adjacent sites. Some of the shrubs may get as tall as 5-6 feet. Rosmarinus officinalis and salal, can grow 3-6 feet tall, forming thickets (good bird habitat) in shade or partial shade. The applicant states that all shrubs will be kept below 30 inches. In some locations the shrub choices are appropriate. The southern perimeter should have shrubs and a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees per the standard. The Cornus stolinifera, Arctic fire dogwood, and Cornus sericea, Kelsey dogwood, both dwarf varieties, must be trimmed annually or semiannually for its valuable winter, bright red stems to be displayed. 20 IV. Signage A. Signage Concept The applicant shows one wall sign on the TUKWILA INTERNATIONAL BOULEVARD facade. The architect states that raised metallic lettering on a simple background will be used that contrasts with the red -colored metal wall panel. Lighting at night is also proposed although not shown (Attachment D) One sign is allowed on a wall with an entrance. Per the Pedestrian Oriented Building Mounted Signs section of the Sign Code (TMC 19.20.050 F (4),) the facade that does not have an entrance may be permitted a reduced size sign (50% of the size allowed for a facade with an entrance). At the time of permitting, all signage will be reviewed for compliance with the Sign Code, including size requirements. B. Sign Placement The graphics show one sign about eight feet from grade on a blank section of wall on the east facade that is located just to the north of the customer entrance. C. Sign Design The Design Manual stipulates that high -quality material and finishes must be used for signage and backlit plastic signs are discouraged. The sign appears to be individual channel letters. CONCLUSIONS . Site Design A. Site Design Concept. Both the north and the south parcels support the function of the site. A distinctive street edge on the south parcel is created using fencing and landscaping along Military Road S. and S. 150th Street and a building edge along Tukwila International Boulevard. Landscaping is the edge material for the north lot, which fronts on Tukwila International Boulevard and S.150th Street. B. Relationship to Street Front. The improvements will upgrade the visual appearance in the neighborhood and include public street improvements. The required 20-foot setback along Tukwila International Boulevard can be waived for the canopy over the entrance as it is a welcome public amenity and meets the criterion. Other than along Tukwila International Boulevard, the design employs landscaping to create a consistent edge to the street and add visual interest. The public entry along Tukwila International Boulevard ensures that public access is visible and accessible to pedestrians and drivers from along Tukwila International Boulevard. The 21 staff entry that opens into the site's parking lot is securely fenced and is unlikely to cause any public confusion. The building frontage along S. 150th Street is sufficiently minimized and scaled compared to the Tukwila International Boulevard facade that the public will be visually drawn to the Tukwila International Boulevard edge to find the building entry. C. Street Corners. Additional paving, lighting and landscaping at the corner of Tukwila International Boulevard and S. 150th Street is intended to add visual interest to the streetscape. The significant setback from the corner is mitigated with a widened sidewalk and at least 200 square feet of landscaping that includes trees, shrubs and groundcover per the criterion. D. Continuity of Site with Adjacent Sites. Physical connections are promoted with the proposed improvements. A visually continuous building line along Military Road S., S. 150th Street, and Tukwila International Boulevard are not viable given the relatively small size of the buildings and the amount of land that parking consumes on the sites. However, the proposed sidewalks provide physical connections between sites and along public streets. Similar improvements are occurring along and through the north parcel. E. Shared Facilities. On the north parcel, two driveway connections: one into the Church by the Side of the Road and east to the building that houses the China Pavilion and the Stop Buy Corner store parking lot, promote efficient use of resources that may be shared in the future. Bollards and parking stalls are currently shown blocking those connecting driveways. F. Site Design for Safety. A conflict between motorists and pedestrians could occur where the sidewalk improvement along the south side of the Stop & Buy /China Pavilion property is proposed. It should be designed to protect pedestrians from motorists that use that site. Using landscaping rather than pavement adjacent to the north parcel's driveway would provide adequate site distance and more distinctly direct pedestrian along a safer path to the building. This criterion says, "Design and site structures to maximize site surveillance opportunities from buildings and public streets." The building is not designed to provide surveillance opportunities. Windows are designed to be above eye level; and opaque glass and metal window screens are proposed. The clear glass along the ground floor of the Tukwila International Boulevard facade opens onto an internal corridor that has limited employee/public eyes; however, the public areas of the site are visible from the street where users will be able to rely on passersby and cameras. The site furnishings are of durable high -quality materials. The applicant states that, "The wood seats use new wood that is superior to traditional wood in terms of durability." The street crossing that will be necessary is designed as a zebra crosswalk, which is a more visible graphic than the standard crosswalk design of two parallel lines. 22 G. Siting and Screening of Service Areas. The central south location of the trash/recycling collection area minimizes its visual and aural impacts. H. Natural Features and Sensitive Areas. The criterion identifies the importance of preserving features that are assets to the community. Incorporation of the most significant natural feature, the two significant oaks has not been proposed when they are located along the perimeter of the site and adjacent to a parking lot I. Surface Water Detention Facilities. The use of biofiltration and porous materials minimizes storm loads on local streams and provides natural surface water treatment. J. Pedestrian Circulation. The site supports the movement of the public between properties and within the property to the building entries. Transit is readily accessible to the building through public frontage and crossing improvements in the area. K. Pedestrian Amenities. The covered entrance and site furnishings provide pedestrian amenities for the public. A separate and secure area outdoor gathering area facing west is provided for the staff. Adequate seating is being provided along TIB for site users as well as passersby. Access between the site boundaries is barrier free. A trash receptacle has been chosen but not yet sited. The purpose of the criterion is for consideration be given to weather in designing pedestrian amenities thereby improving access for those not arriving by car, be beneficial for safety reasons and contribute to pedestrian comfort and convenience. To increase the utility of the bike racks, they should be moved under the canopy, so they may be protected from the weather, to not interfere with the public movement along the sidewalk, and not be too far from the entrance to be comfortably safe for most bike owners. . Vehicular Circulation. Safety and convenience are part of the design program for motorists and pedestrians. M. Parking. The impact of the parking areas along the street fronts is mitigated through landscaping of the perimeter and placing the parking onto two separate sites. The perimeter fence is setback behind the perimeter landscaping. II. Building Design A. Architectural Concepts. The building is designed along a central axis that has two opposing entrances, a public entrance and a staff entrance. Both sides of the building have a consistent architectural character. Within the building the separation of the criminal versus judicial functions occurs and will likely be transmitted through signage. The emergency operations function has a much smaller public presence and therefore does not need the visibility like the other two functions. B. Architectural Relationships. The size of the structure is like other traditional neighborhood commercial buildings such as the grocery store and strip retail developments in the corridor. 23 The scale of the structure will bridge the difference between the smaller auto oriented uses and the higher density residential mixed uses that are envisioned for the neighborhood. The building provides a positive precedent for future design within the corridor. C. Building Elements, Details, and Materials. High performance concrete (materials will be provided at BAR public hearing) that is setback 100 feet from the corner provides a distinctive material at the northernmost edge of the building. However, the use of layers of Landscaping, hardscape and a storm water treatment depression highlight the corner. The light fixtures arrayed in two arcs of graduated heights through this space provide additional lighting, and the potential for banners, thereby providing visual interest. The small windows eight feet above grade on the ground floor of the north and south facades are architectural details that allow some light but also a feeling of safety for the building's occupants. Additional physical and emotional support for the occupants is provided by covering windows in office areas that overlook public areas with a metal screen. Although there is no surveillance from the building's occupants to the outdoor areas of the site, the screen over the building's windows will be designed with a decorative pattern in order to provide an interesting facade. The metal walls and perforated screening will complement each other and provide a greater sense of mass and harmony in the design. The proposed materials of metal and concrete complement each other and are durable materials and should provide ease of maintenance and longevity to the building. Functional Lighting of the building emergency exits is provided. The light fixture submitted will be stylistically compatible and provide functional lighting for emergency exits. D. Pedestrian -Oriented Features. The lack of any windows below eight feet on the 166-foot-long south facade is ameliorated by the fencing and enclosure for the trash/recycling as well as the five -foot -deep perimeter landscaping and fencing. E. Mechanical Equipment. The setback of the mechanical equipment and the screens do not sufficiently screen the equipment from public sidewalks. The ground mounted generator and electrical transformer are visible from S. 150th Street and just 18 inches of depth on the north side is provided in the landscape area to screen the generator. III. Landscape Design A. Landscape Design. Generally, the landscape plan will be an enhancement of the area. The aesthetic value of mature vegetation is not being accomplished with the removal of the two oaks that are thriving between the back of the Tukwila International Boulevard sidewalk and the proposed parking lot. The proposed sidewalk width of 12' can be maintained at 8', which matches the existing width on either side of the proposal. The 12' is not needed for a parking lot. The existing Tukwila International Boulevard streetscape design will not be reinforced 24 with this new planting plan that should be modified to use a species that is more complementary of the existing street tree. The buffering and screening requirement for Type II landscaping is a valuable function that is not met in several locations. The southern perimeter landscape of primarily groundcover and trees and yet this side is functional in site design with minimal architectural detailing on the building. The side yard landscaping on the north parcel has an edge with just one species of shrub. The width here may not be enough for deciduous trees because of the adjacent building that sits along the property line; however, columnar evergreen and deciduous varieties should be used. As noted earlier, landscaping should be used rather than hardscape adjacent to the driveway to the north lot in order to discourage pedestrians from crossing mid -block on S. 150th Street and achieve the aesthetic and functional goals that landscaping provides. Landscaping requirements for the ends of the parking rows on the north parcel and landscape islands every 10 stalls negatively impacts the flexibility desired for the site. The intent of north parcel is to use the space for auxiliary activities. The central planting along between the rows that don't meet the Code compensates for the missing islands. B. Planting Design. The plant materials in general reinforce the landscape design concept and are appropriate to their locations in terms of hardiness and growth characteristics. The maintenance program advocated for the shrubs and the use of deciduous trees will not sufficiently screen the north or south facades. An evergreen rather than the deciduous hazelnut should be selected for screening the blank walls on S. 150th Street and along the southern perimeter. The screening and buffering requirements are not met with the location of the back-up emergency generator and electrical box that is in a visible and in a proximate location to S. 150th Street. The plant palette must also be modified to reduce the number of Hazelnuts as it exceeds the plant diversity maximum. IV. Signage Signage Concept, Placement & Design. The proposed sign is integrated with the architectural concept in scale, materials and placement. The location of the sign on the east building wall will be a positive detail and complement the architecture of the building in its design and placement. The one sign, however, will likely be inadequate as it does not orient to where many customers will be parking and originate. Inadequate directional signage is provided for a project that straddles a street. In addition, the minimal pedestrian -oriented character of the S. 150th facade would be aided by signage. The guidelines also recommend that signage prominently display the building number and consideration be given to both day and night time viewing. Ambient lighting from the building may not be sufficient for readability of the wall sign. 25 V. Setback and Landscape modifications With compliance with conditions listed below the proposal meets the modification criteria. The landscape modifications will not be reduced to the point that the site activities become a nuisance to neighbors and will not diminish the quality of the landscape for the site as a whole. The proposed modifications will be used to incorporate pedestrian facilities and is appropriate because the building will be brought out to the street edge. A primary entrance from a front sidewalk is provided from Tukwila International Boulevard. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Findings and Conclusions and approval of the Conditional Use Permit and Design Review applications with the following waivers and conditions: Waiver approvals for: 1. Front yard setback for the canopy that extends 10 feet into the front yard over the public entrance; 2. Landscape islands at the ends of each row of parking; 3. Landscape islands every 10 stalls; and 4. Type I front yard evergreen plant specification. Conditions, which are indicated on a site plan with corresponding numbers, (Attachment K) are to be approved administratively prior to issuance of the building permit: 1. Utilize plants rather than hardscape adjacent to the driveway onto the north parcel. 2. Add a barrier, such as a curb or bollards, along the north edge of the new sidewalk being installed on the north side of S. 150th Street. 3. Provide a minimum of .2-foot candle along the north facade of the building. 4. Provide a final design for graphic on metal screens and wrap the design around the corners of the perforated screen. 5. Provide a screen that is compatible with building materials for the trash and recycling enclosure. If necessary, screen the roof top mechanical and ground mounted systems from public streets. 6. Move bike racks to under the canopy and closer to entrance. 7. Modify the paving plan to incorporate the existing significant oak trees into the landscape plan, if feasible. 26 8. Modify the Plant Palette by: a) adding evergreen tree species to be used along the blank north building facade, in the south perimeter landscaping and in the Type II side yard landscaping on the north parcel; b) substituting a tree species for Tukwila International Boulevard that more closely mimics the character of the existing street tree; c) meeting the tree species diversity standard and reducing the number of hazelnuts. 9. Provide night time illumination for the proposed wall sign in keeping with the architecture of the site and provide additional signage that orients to the public on S. 150th Street. 27