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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2011-10-27 COMPLETE AGENDA PACKETCity of Tukwila Jim Hai erton, Mcivor Department Of COYI mmnity Development J(Ick Pcice, Director CHAIR, BROOKE ALFORD, VICE CHAIR, THOMAS MCLEOD, COMMISSIONERS, LOUISE STRANDER, DAVID SHUMATE, MIKE HANSEN, AARON HUNDTOFTE, AND JERI FRANGELLO- ANDERSON Planning Commission Meeting October 27, 2011 6:30 PM Tukwila City Hall Council Chambers Call to Order Attendance Adoption of 09/22/11 Minutes Emergency Preparedness in Tulcss-ila Marti Grisham Southcenter Plan Briefing Ly Miranda Adjourn 6300 Sotathcenter Botalevurcl, Silite X100 Tilk-wilu, iTushington 98188 Phone ?06- 431 -36?0 Fax ?06 -431 -3665 x City of Tukwila Jim Haggerton, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Tukwila Planning Commissioners FROM: Lynn Miranda, Senior Planner DATE: September 14, 2011 SUBJECT: Briefing on Southcenter Plan ISSUE Over the next few months, Staff will be holding worksessions with the Planning Commission on a revised draft Southcenter Plan. This memo provides a briefing on the background of the planning process to prepare the Planning Commission for the upcoming review of and public hearings on the revised draft Southcenter Plan. Staff has been developing the draft plan for Southcenter, one of King County's designated urban centers, since 2002. On March 14, 2011 the Council Committee of the Whole recommended that staff reduce the scope of the project and revise the current draft plan prior to seeking any additional stakeholder input or public comment. BACKGROUND The Southcenter area (see Figure 1) has been designated as an urban center under the Countywide Planning Policies since the adoption of the revised Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code in 1995. This designation provides some benefits such as priority for regional infrastructure and transit service. It also aligns with the City's plan for accommodating much of its regional share of employment and housing growth (17,550 employees and 4,850 households by 2031) in mixed use commercial areas primarily in Southcenter, with the remainder in Tukwila South and along Tukwila International Boulevard, leading to the creation of vibrant, walkable mixed use districts linked by transit.' We hope to see new construction at the core of these areas along the lines of the Tukwila Village vision, with high quality multi -story buildings close to comfortably wide sidewalks in order to spur redevelopment and job and housing growth. This strategy will also allow us to protect the existing character and stability of Tukwila's largely built -out residential areas. For a more complete discussion of how the Southcenter Plan fits into the broader State, regional and county policy framework see Attachment A. FEDERAL GRANT In 2002 Tukwila received a $1.4 million federal grant to prepare a subarea plan for Southcenter, one of the region's designated urban centers, including the area designated for transit oriented development (TOD) around the Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station. The project's objectives were as follows: Prepare a redevelopment strategy for the TUC to create more business activity and generate additional tax revenue, encourage a broader mix of uses and densities in a pedestrian- oriented environment to support improved transit (particularly in the northern part of the TUC), improve internal circulation and create a sense of place. Identify and coordinate the improvements necessary to initiate and support the plan. Develop regulations and guidelines implementing the plan. 1 Approximately 1/3 of the City's forecasted employment growth is planned for the City's Manufacturing /Industrial Center. INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 Complete the evaluation of environmental impacts from the proposed development and designate the plan as a SEPA "planned action FUTURE REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS One of the motivations for undertaking this effort to develop more detailed development standards was to ensure that the Southcenter area remained competitive with other regional shopping and employment centers. Trends point to the continuing decline of the already overbuilt retail sector, and consumer preferences for walkable, vibrant, outdoor, entertainment driven experiences as seen in the outward nature of the Southcenter Mall expansion, Kent Station, Renton Landing and Burien Town Center. When the General Services Administration put out a request for proposals for office space in our area the requirements included amenities such as retail shops, banks, restaurants and multiple bus lines within a walkable distance of one -half mile from the building. While the Southcenter area contains these types of amenities, in order to diversify into the office and housing markets we need to provide safe, comfortable pedestrian and bicycle routes to get to them. TUKWILA URBAN CENTER (TUC) PLAN PROCESS The TUC Planning process started with a public visioning exercise and was designed to allow many opportunities for public involvement. For a chronology of this process to date see Attachment B. Between May 2002 and May 2004 staff held six public workshops and three joint City Council /Planning Commission work sessions to develop the vision and priorities for the plan, much of which was based on a summary of existing conditions, issues, constraints and opportunities that was prepared for the area (see Attachment C). During that time, staff and the City's consultant FTB met with the Mall on their design and renovation project to ensure that the Mall's project was consistent with the direction the vision was taking. Staff and consultants also flew to Minneapolis to discuss the vision with the Target Corporation. FTB then took this vision and in 2005 delivered a draft plan composed of three parts: the vision for the urban center, development standards and design guidelines to implement the vision, and recommended City investments and actions. From 2005 to 2008 public review of the plan was put on hold due to other City priorities such as the Tukwila South annexation. During that time, staff convened a panel of commercial and mixed use experts from the Urban Land Institute to review the feasibility of the draft plan and make recommendations. Staff also worked to test the draft regulations on other proposed projects, sought funding for some of the implementing actions such as the pedestrian bridge over the Green River and an improved transit center, and coordinated with Sound Transit on the design of the permanent commuter rail station and the Parks Department on the master plan for Tukwila Pond Park to ensure these projects supported the City's vision for the TUC. In the fall of 2008 we resumed the public review process with mailings, open houses, multiple meetings with individual property and business owners, and presentations to interested groups. From March to May 2009 the Planning Commission held a public hearing and 3 work sessions on the draft Plan. During this process it became clear that there was not internal consensus among City Departments on a vision for the urban center that included greater building density, taller buildings, breaking up the superblocks, on- street parking and improved facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. The public comments were generally in favor of the vision but there was concern about development standards in the TOD area such as the 2 story minimum height, maximum setbacks, entrances facing the street and thresholds for compliance with the new standards. In May 2009, the Planning Commission directed Department of Community Development (DCD) staff to review the comments received from the public on the draft Southcenter Plan and propose revisions to address the issues raised. After reviewing the comments staff decided to 2 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 3 address the internal departmental concerns separately from the external stakeholder comments. All of the comments are available on the Tukwila Urban Center Plan section of the City's web site, both in their original form and summarized in a matrix with staff analysis and recommendations. Staff responded to public comments concerns regarding the economic feasibility of the vision and the draft development regulations by contracting with ECONorthwest (ECO), the consultant that prepared economic and market analyses during the preparation of the draft plan. We held three focus groups with property owners, businesses and regional developers to evaluate the vision, approach and regulations in the draft plan. ECO's summary memo recommended the following revisions to the development standards and changes to the implementation strategies: General comments and recommended strateaies: Almost all stakeholders agreed the vision is the right long -term goal for development in TUC. The vision is achievable in the mid to long term with significant, targeted public investment to catalyze and support types of development the City would like to see. Code appears to be more complex than it actually is: it is designed to provide certainty while minimizing discretionary interpretive decisions. Specific recommendations comments: Revise high -rise ordinance to allow mid -rise construction will make the Plan more economically viable and allow Tukwila to be more competitive with other cities. (Note: this has already been accomplished) Achieving multiple storied development is limited due to difficulty in meeting parking requirements When reducing parking requirements, need to provide other options to avoid negative consequences Open space requirements are consistent with other jurisdictions. Staff presented these findings to the Planning Commission (PC) on December 10 2009 and the Community Affairs and Parks Committee on March 22, 2010. Almost all stakeholders commenting on the draft plan agreed the City's vision is the right long- term goal for development in the TUC. The conflict, however, was in how and when the vision should be implemented. Some members of the PC thought that additional public outreach was needed outside of the formal hearing process. WHERE WE ARE Now To address the concern about input from property and business owners, staff proposed establishing a second stakeholders' process to address key issue areas that were identified by ECONW and /or raised during the public comment period. The process was designed to allow the consultant/staff team to work out the individual concerns of the stakeholders, with the anticipated outcome of a set of regulatory refinements to the draft Plan that work for both the stakeholders and the City. In March 2011 staff presented three stakeholder process alternatives to the City Council: the process described above, an advisory group similar to the Sign Code Advisory Committee and a standard legislative process with public hearings. The Council chose the third option along with reducing the scope of the project and directed staff to revise the draft Plan to meet the minimum requirements for accommodating growth and fulfilling regional policy goals. The Council wanted a streamlined review process since the changes from the existing code would be limited. 3 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 4 Consequently, no formal stakeholder group process was desired. Instead, public involvement will be accommodated by informal meetings between staff and key individual stakeholders, as needed, and by open houses and future Planning Commission and City Council public hearings on the draft Plan. NEXT STEPS Over the next few months, staff will hold a series of worksessions with the Planning Commission on the revised draft Southcenter Plan (Books 1 -III). Staff anticipates the following schedule: September: Introduction to the Southcenter Planning Process Future Meetings Review of Book I Community Intent. Book I provides the basic building blocks for Book 11, which will contain the new zoning code that implements the community vision. Review Book II Development Code This replaces the current zoning and design review regulations for the plan area. Review Book III Public Private Implementation Actions Open House on revised draft Southcenter Plan Planning Commission Public Hearings on revised draft Southcenter Plan Staff re- writes draft Plan in response to comments, as necessary City Council Public Hearings on Planning Commission's revised draft Southcenter Plan ATTACHMENTS Figure 1 Plan Area Map A Tukwila's Planning Policy Framework Attachment 1 Vision 2040 Attachment 2 Urban Center Criteria B TUC Plan Process C Existing Conditions Summary for Tukwila's Urban Center El Figure 1. Plan Area Boundary 5 x ATTACHMENT A TUKWILA'S PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK Here is a discussion of how Tukwila's Comprehensive Plan vision for the Southcenter area fits into the broader State, regional and county policy framework. Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) Establishing the land use planning hierarchy in Washington, the Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A) mandates local comprehensive planning in heavily populated and high growth counties and their cities. It established 13 broad goals to guide the policy development of local comprehensive plans. The VISION 2040 plan adopted by the Puget Sound Regional Council provides the multicounty policy framework required by GMA to meet these goals at the regional, county, and local government levels. Vision 2040 Regional Growth Strateizv The central Puget Sound region is forecast to continue to grow in the coming decades up to 5 million people will live here by the year 2040. Vision 2040, the adopted Regional Growth Strategy, provides guidance to cities and counties for accommodating that growth. It is an integrated, long -range vision for maintaining a healthy region promoting the well -being of people and communities, economic vitality, and a healthy environment, see Attachment 1. It contains an environmental framework, a numeric regional growth strategy, six policy sections guided by overarching goals as well as implementation actions and measures to monitor progress. The strategy is designed to preserve resource lands and protect rural lands from urban -type development. The strategy promotes infill and redevelopment within urban areas to create more compact, walkable, and transit friendly communities. All levels of government in the central Puget Sound's four counties (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish) will use VISION 2040 as a regional framework for making local decisions. The strategy is organized around categories of "regional geographies." The majority of the region's employment and housing growth is allocated to Metropolitan Cities and Core Cities, which together contain the more than two dozen designated regional growth centers. Tukwila is a Core City with a designated urban center. The multicounty planning policies provide guidance for implementing the Regional Growth Strategy. Under these policies growth is to occur first and foremost in the designated urban growth area, less development is to occur in rural areas. Centers are recognized for their benefits in creating compact, walkable communities that support transit and other services. Housing and jobs should be located in a manner that provides for easy mobility and accessibility. Investments in transportation and other infrastructure should be prioritized to centers. Countywide target setting processes for allocating population and employment growth are to be consistent with the regional vision. Countvwide Planning Policies The GMA further requires King County to prepare broad Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) that comply with both the growth principles of the GMA and the more directive policies of the Multi- County Planning Policies (Vision 2040). The CPPs provide the vision and policy framework for the development of each jurisdiction's comprehensive plan, including Tukwila. The CPPs are maintained by the Growth Management Planning Council and have recently been updated. Z:TC Laserfiche PacketTC packet 10 -27 -1 EAttaclunent A_Policy Framework Attachment A 7 Nrbai? CE'1? er C'11teria The CPPs require that urban centers have: 15,000 employees within a half mile of a transit center Average 50 employees per gross acre Average 15 households per gross acre See Attachment 2 for a comparison of the urban center criteria to Tukwila's urban center characteristics. Tukwila made a presentation to PSRC in January on the status of our efforts to achieve the urban center goals. Local C Pla1is. Local comprehensive plans direct land use planning regulations and activity in unincorporated King County and each of the county's 39 jurisdictions. Each local plan establishes the land use and development regulations within its jurisdiction. Local plans, when next updated, are expected to align with the planning hierarchy described above. Anticipating completion of the CPPs in 2010, many cities including Tukwila have begun the planning effort to revise their comprehensive plans. Kiniz County Growth Tarizets In 2009 after an extensive process involving staff from the affected cities, including Tukwila, the Growth Management Planning Council adopted updated employment and housing growth targets for 2031. As a core city Tukwila, including its annexation areas, has a target of 4,850 net new housing units and 17,550 net new jobs over the next 21 years. While no city can guarantee a certain level of development we must provide for zoned capacity and infrastructure to accommodate that growth. It is unclear how Tukwila could accommodate our housing growth target by 2031 without encouraging housing development in the urban center. The Tukwila South Master Plan calls for between 700 and 1,900 units to be developed over up to 30 years. The recent addition of the Urban Renewal Overlay to the Neighborhood Commercial Center zone will allow for more intensive development along a section of the Tukwila International Boulevard Corridor and accommodate another portion of the target. Tukwila's single and multi family zoned land is largely built -out at the current lot sizes and densities and so has limited ability to absorb additional units. If the vision for the Southcenter area changes to exclude housing the most straightforward alternative to meeting our targets would be to upzone existing residential neighborhoods to allow for more intensive development. ATTACHMENTS 1) Vision 2040 Executive Summary 2) Comparison of the urban center criteria to Tukwila's urban center characteristics Attachment 1 The Importance of the Regional Growth Strategy The central Puget Sound region is forecast to continue to Central Puget Sound grow in the coming decades up to 5 million people Regional Growth will live here by the year 2040. The Regional Growth Strategy Strategy provides guidance to cities and counties for accommodating that growth. The strategy is designed to preserve resource lands and protect rural lands from urban -type development. The strategy promotes infill and redevelopment within urban areas to create more compact, walkable, and transit friendly communities. What's in VISION 2040? VISION 2040's Regional Growth Strategy identifies the role that various cities, unincorporated areas, and rural lands categories play in accommodating the region's residen- tial and employment growth. The strategy is organized around categories of "regional geographies. "The major- ity of the region's employment and housing growth is allocated to Metropolitan Cities and Core Cities, which together contain the more than two dozen designated regional growth centers. Larger Cities also play an impor- tant role over time as places that accommodate growth. Small Cities provide jobs and housing that support vital and active communities at a less intensive scale. Growth in the unincorporated urban growth area is prioritized for areas that are identified for annexation into adjacent cities. Significantly less growth is allocated to the rural areas than has occurred in the past. °dN�4<PSHGL+d %Tl° Multicounty Planning Policies. The multicounty plan- ning policies provide guidance for implementing the Regional Growth Strategy. Growth is to occur first and foremost in the designated urban growth area; less development is to occur in rural areas. Centers are recognized for their ben- efits in creating compact, walkable communities that support transit and other services. Housing and jobs should be located in a manner that provides for easy mobility and accessibility. Investments in transportation and other infrastruc- ture should be prioritized to centers. Countywide target- setting processes for allocating population and employment growth are to be consistent with the regional vision. Actions. Many of the implementation actions in VISION 2040 contribute to achieving the Regional Growth Strategy. For example, the Regional Council already began working with its member jurisdictions in 2008 to develop a regional X VISION 2040's Regional Growth Strategy is a preferred pattern for accommodating residential and employment growth. It is designed to minimize environmental impacts, support economic prosperity, improve mobility, and make efficient use of existing infrastructure. W Attachment 2 TUKWILA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Tukwila Urban Center Amended Countywide Planning Policies Recommended Tukwila Urban Center Criteria Urban Center Characteristics Planned for 20 years 2 Total land area of up to 1.5 square miles (1,440 acres) Tukwila Urban Center planned for 30+ years Proposed Tukwila Urban Center area approximately 1.35 square miles 3 Requires 15,000 employees within one -half The area is planned to allow this density, mile (walking distance) of a transit center 4 Average of 50 employees per gross acre 5 Average of 15 households per gross acre 6 Emphasis on mass transportation and non motorized modes, while lessening dependency on single occupancy vehicles 7 Promotion of high caliber urban design standards and support for capital public improvements 8 Receives first priority for development of high capacity transit center and regionally funded support infrastructure 9 Receives other funding and streamlined permit processing incentives The Tukwila Urban Center is planned to allow this density. Specific Tukwila Urban Center areas are planned to allow residential uses, particularly in the area within walking distance of the Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station. Strong motorized and non motorized connections are planned between the TUC the Sounder commuter rail/Amtrak station. Enhanced transit facilities are anticipated in proximity to the TUC core. Additional potential forms of high capacity transit (HCT) directly serving the TUC include bus rapid transit (BRT), a local area transit route, and future phases of light rail. Roadway improvements, including enhanced streetscapes, will improve auto, transit and pedestrian movement and access. An enhanced street network will improve mobility. Facilities developed will recognize the actual and projected need and demand for motor vehicle, pedestrian, and transit facilities. Design standards and high quality public/ private capital improvements are key to attracting the types of development that will achieve the vision for the TUC. A Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station is located in the TUC. Ensuring that additional high capacity transit facilities serve the TUC will require active City involvement in regional planning processes. Via a SEPA planned action for the TUC Plan. Figure 22 Countywide policies compared to Tukwila Urban Center December 2008 i11 11 12 Attachment B Southcenter Subarea Planning Process 2002 -2004 Development of the Vision for the Urban Center Council Briefing 6 Public Workshops See 9118108 Memo for Summaries 2 Joint PC /CC Worksessions Multiple Team Meetings with City Staff Consultants 2004 Endorsement of the Vision by CC and PC Joint PC /CC Meeting Directed Team to prepare regulations that implement the Vision Adoption of Updated Comprehensive Plan Policies 2005 -2008 Development of the Plan to Implement the Vision Staff review of Draft Plan by Freedman, Tung Bottomley (FTB Urban Land Institute Technical Advisory Panel Worksession on the Implementation Aspects of the Draft Plan Meetings with Local and Regional Developers to Review Plan Direction "Testing" draft regulations on Proposed Developments (Mall expansion, Baker Blvd Retail, Fidelity Bank of A merica, other office retail projects Grant Funding for Pedestrian Bridge Study Sounder Station Review Coordination on Tukwila Pond Park Master Plan Grant and Developer Funding for Transit Center Design and Construction 2008 Affirmation of the Vision and Introduction to the Plan Public Open House with FTB 10123108 Joint PC /CC Worksession with FTB 10123108 2008 -2009 Public Outreach for the Plan Presentation to the SWKC Chamber of Commerce 1017108 Presentation to the Parks Commission 11119108 Mailings Emailings to 1400 Property Owners, Tenants, Interested Parties Public Open House 314109 Meetings with Multiple Property Owners Hazelnut Article 2009 Review of the Plan Specifics by PC Presentation by FTB 3112109 Public Hearings 3126109, 4123109, 5128109 3 Worksessions Meetings with Fire Department 3125, 518, 5120 Plan remanded to staff for revisions to address the public comments Z: ,PC Lasertiche Packet PC packet 10 -27 -11 Attachment B Plan Process Attachment B 13 Staff to Review Public Comments and Revise Draft Plan Meeting and PC work session with EcoNW to discuss additional economic analysis 718109 Meetings with Fire Department and PW Individual meetings with Property Owners EcoNW led Focus groups 9/29/09 Local and Regional Developers Local Property Owners and Managers Westfield Mall Representatives Presented EcoNW TUC Implementation Analysis to PC 12/10/09 2010 Internal Departmental Review Process on Street Cross sections Meetings with DCD, Public Works Fire 315110, 4120110, 514110, 5118110 Presented EcoNW TUC Implementation Analysis to CAP 3/22/10 Proposed Stakeholder Review Process to CAP 9 106110 to CC 9/27/10 to CAP 2128111 Council Directs Staff to Reduce Project Scope 3114111 Future Staff Revises Draft Southcenter Plan Review of the Revised Plan by PC Public Hearings Public Open House Work Sessions Forward PC Recommended Draft Plan to CC Review of the PC Recommended Plan by CC Review of Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Plan Open House Public Hearing Worksessions Adoption of Plan, Implementing Ordinances and SEIS by CC i[! ATTACHMENT C DRAFT EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT Tukwila's Urban Center The condition of the Tukwila's urban center, "Southcenter at the inception of this Subarea Plan is detailed in this section. Ultimately, the implementation of the Plan's Phase I strategies will result in sufficient modification of these conditions as to make this Plan obsolete. At that point, a newly updated Southcenter Plan will need to be prepared to engage the problems and opportunities presented by the modified existing conditions. As change occurs, the community intends to measure those changes against the conditions recorded herein to monitor the degree to which the Plan remains sufficiently current. A.1. INTRODUCTION The City of Tukwila is located 12 miles south of downtown Seattle, 17 miles north of downtown Tacoma, and two miles from the Sea -Tac International Airport. The Plan Area is comprised of approximately 1,000 acres located in the immediate southeastern quadrant formed by the crossing of Interstates 5 and 405. It contains the City's primary commercial center featuring by far the greatest proportion of the City's development and its primary source of sales tax revenue. The Plan Area contains a sufficiently wide range of retail offerings to make it the largest shopping destination serving the South King County region. Its primary shopping anchor is Westfield Southcenter Mall, the largest mall in the state of Washington. The Mall recently went through a substantial expansion and renovation. In addition to the wide range of shopping venues, the Plan Area also contains a substantial amount of other commercial uses, especially distribution, warehousing, office and lodging. A.2. CONTEXT 1) History The land area of Tukwila has historically been inhabited by the Duwamish, the Native Americans who made their homes along the Duwamish River. They were followed by Euro- American settlers in the 1850's who began the development of a small community based on farming and coal mining. Tukwila was incorporated in 1908, and its development was spurred by accessibility from the Duwamish, Green and Black Rivers, then by train lines that connected it to the major cities of Seattle and Tacoma, and finally by the construction of a regional freeway system. Over time, Tukwila has grown as a center of commerce due to its location at the crossroads of rivers, trails, highways and railroads. The majority of growth in the City, and especially in the Plan Area, has occurred over the last fifty years. The area to be known as the Tukwila Urban Center was annexed to the City as an industrial park in 1956. The construction of Interstate 5 and 405 in the mid 1960's opened the area up for commercial development, and instigated a rapid transformation of what was largely undeveloped open land and dairy farms (see Photo 1). The Southcenter Mall (currently the Westfield Southcenter Mall) opened in 1968, becoming a commercial anchor for the area. Over the subsequent twenty years, more industry and commerce located in the area, providing space for over 1,000 businesses. W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 15 Photo 1. 2) Community Population in Tukwila has almost doubled in the last 20 years, due to new residential construction and a land annexation in the early 1990's, to a current estimation of 19,107 (2010). While growth has slowed since the 1990's, population is again expected to significantly increase over the next twenty years. Many of Tukwila's newer residents are immigrants from outside the country, and this is expected to continue. Black or African American and Asian are the fastest growing new groups. Median family income for Tukwila was $44,530 in 2009, compared to $67,076 in King County. 3) Re -ional Circulation The City of Tukwila is well positioned in the regional transportation network: it is located immediately along the two primary regional freeways, I -5 and I -405 (see Photo 2). It is highly visible and accessible to motorists moving through on these major regional thoroughfares to and from downtown Seattle, downtown Tacoma and SEATAC International Airport. Two regional transit operators provide service within Tukwila. King County Metro provides both local bus and paratransit services to Tukwila and the surrounding region. Sound Transit operates a three county bus network, and a light rail and commuter rail system. The Sounder commuter rail line serves the Southcenter area via the Tukwila Longacres Station. Sound Transit's 14 mile LINK light rail line nuns between Seattle and the Seattle Tacoma International Airport, stopping at South 154 Street and Tukwila International Boulevard, approximately two miles west of the urban center area. King County Metro provides frequent bus service between the light rail station, the Southcenter Mall area, and the Sounder Commuter Rail Station. Amtrak passenger train service is also available at the Tukwila Longacres Station. W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 I. A.3. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT Southcenter has become a commercial center for the City and the region. Development in the Southcenter area is exclusively commercial, with retail, office, lodging, warehouse and industrial uses. There is minimal residential development. Existing development patterns are primarily single- story, auto oriented, commercial development. The northern portion of Southcenter is dominated by the super regional Westfield shopping mall (the largest covered mall in Washington state See photo 3 surrounded by parking lots and rings of associated smaller scale, surface parked commercial buildings. The southern portion is primarily a warehouse and distribution center that takes advantage of the area's highway and railroad infrastructure, with some retail outlets and office buildings. Major destinations include the Mall, the retail "power" centers liming Southcenter Parkway (see Photo 4) and portions of Strander Boulevard, and big -box retail along Andover Park East in the southeastern portion of Southcenter (see Photo 5). In addition, many chains that draw on a regional audience, such as Office Depot, Home Depot and Target, have located within Southcenter's boundaries. A large proportion of Tukwila's jobs are located in the Southcenter area. More than half of these jobs are in retail, with the remainder primarily oriented towards manufacturing and industrial work. Boeing's Longacres campus, located just outside of the Southcenter area and directly to the east of Sounder's Tukwila Longacres station, is forecasted to provide over 10,000 jobs for the region. As a result of Southcenter's role as a popular commercial center, land values in Southcenter are expected to rise over time. The lower value office and warehouse uses (see Photo 6) that make up a large part of Southcenter's land area are potential locations for higher -value uses, and various sites have transitioned to retail use. As a testament to the rising land values, the owners of Westfield Southcenter Mall intensified their property site with an expansion that increased its size by another 500,000 square feet, including a cinema, an expanded food court, additional smaller retail stores, new restaurants and the first structured parking garages serving retail to appear in the Southcenter area. A market analysis conducted in 2002 showed that the development potential for the Southcenter study area for the near future was projected to include demand for more retail, more restaurants, and more industrial uses, with more office and lodging to follow in the long term. Market analysis of land constraints and demand pressures in the area pointed to the possibility of denser development and structured parking, justified by rising land values. Since that time, due to the downturn in the economy, many of the stakeholders in the Southcenter area have expressed concern that much of the draft Plan is based on a market analysis that is now outdated. The City's consultants agreed that the 2002 analysis is not adequate now for use as a short-run analysis. Instead, the consultant's conclusions are that the W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 17 Photo 2. Location at freeway crossroads vision is achievable, but in phases and over a period of time and only with significant, targeted public investments to catalyze and support development of the type that the City would like to see. Also, given the uncertainty in the current market, it is not effective use of City fiends to do a new, detailed market analysis at this time. A.4. EXISTING LAND USE POLICY The City's Zoning Code is set forth in Chapter 18 of Tukwila's Municipal Code. All of the land area under study is contained within the area designated by the City's Comprehensive Plan and the City's Zoning Map as the Titkirila Urban (TUC). The stated purpose for this zoning district is "intended to provide an area of high- intensity regional uses that include commercial services, offices, light industry, warehousing and retail uses. Development is intended to be pedestrian friendly, with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape." Uses permitted in the district include an extremely wide range of retail, entertainment, commercial and industrial uses. Residential uses are conditionally permitted on areas within 500 feet of the Green River, Tukwila Pond, or Minkler Pond (a maximum density of ?2 units per acre, 100 units per acre for senior housing), and in mixed -use developments within one quarter mile of the Sounder Commuter rail /Amtrak Station property (maximum density of 65 units per acre). Most of the uses that support residential, like churches, schools and recreational facilities, are also conditionally permitted. Buildings are allowed to a maximum height R": Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC RE VIER" 9.22.11 _attach C_Existing Cond summan.doex 9/1.1/2()1 1 Photo 3. Westfield Southcenter Mall Photo 4. Parkway Super Center Photo 6. Lower value office Warehouse Photo 5. Big box warehouse retail of 115 feet. There are few policies setting standards for building design, orientation, massing, location of parking, block size, or the creation of new streets. The Zoning Code requires design review for all commercial structures larger than 1,500 square feet and for all strictures containing multi family development, as well as for certain exterior repairs, reconstructions, alterations or improvements to buildings over 10,000 square feet. Design review for commercial structures between 1,500 and 5,000 square feet will be done administratively, for larger structures, by the Board of Architectural Review. A.S. DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT POSSIBILITIES Southcenter is almost 100% developed, with very little vacant developable land. The few areas that are untouched by development are either preserved as open space, environmentally sensitive wetlands and river areas, or dedicated towards public uses, such as utility sites. The most significant piece of vacant land that is available for new development lies on the eastern border of Southcenter, north of and adjacent to the Tukwila Longacres Rail Station. However, there are many obstacles to redevelopment of this area, such as underground and above ground utilities and limited access. While there is very little undeveloped land in Southcenter available for new investment, the low- density nature of its development pattern points toward redevelopment opportunities. Its high- visibility location at the juncture of two freeways makes it a desirable location, especially since there is little developable area elsewhere. The other quadrants bordering the freeway intersection are filled with low density residential neighborhoods, with little to no land open for development. With heightened demand for retail space in Southcenter, and the rising land values that result from this demand, much of Tukwila's industrial and warehouse space is vulnerable to conversion to office (see Photo 7) or retail. Some of Tukwila's industrial uses have already shifted to retail uses, See Fig.A.1) as evidenced by Costco Wholesale, Lowe's Home Iinprovement, Home Depot and Circuit City, all of which are located in former warehouse buildings. W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununarv.docs 9/14/201 1 19 Photo 7. Fatigue Technology Yp Renton 6 i 5M11f�l�� `il'Y9YIQ04 TG &04t 4 to Tacamg T racomo' a r Fig.A.1. Pattems of Development and Change A.6. LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION 1) Vehicular Circulation Because Southcenter is geographically bounded by the two freeways and the Green River, primary entrance points into the study area are limited. From the north, traffic can enter over I -405 at 61 st and 66th Avenues. From the south, access is limited to Southcenter Parkway, Andover Park West and East, and West Valley Highway. Traffic from the west can enter from I -5 at Southcenter Parkway, Klickitat Drive and South 178/180th Street, and traffic from the east is limited to Strander Boulevard and South 178/180th Street. Because of this limited access to the area and the small number of streets serving development, there can be delays at the entrance /exit ramps to the freeway, and there are frequent bottlenecks at the Klickitat Drive and Southcenter Parkway intersection and other intersections near Westfield Southcenter Mall. Traffic on the surrounding interstates is expected to increase in the future. Proposed long -term improvements include the relocation of the I -405 on -ramp from the Southcenter retail area to the east of 66th Avenue, extending Tukwila Parkway to West Valley Highway, and at the R": Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIER" 9.22.11 _attach C_Existing Cond summan.does 9/14/201 6 20 Q �lt Y/2 to Tacamg T racomo' a r Fig.A.1. Pattems of Development and Change A.6. LOCAL TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION 1) Vehicular Circulation Because Southcenter is geographically bounded by the two freeways and the Green River, primary entrance points into the study area are limited. From the north, traffic can enter over I -405 at 61 st and 66th Avenues. From the south, access is limited to Southcenter Parkway, Andover Park West and East, and West Valley Highway. Traffic from the west can enter from I -5 at Southcenter Parkway, Klickitat Drive and South 178/180th Street, and traffic from the east is limited to Strander Boulevard and South 178/180th Street. Because of this limited access to the area and the small number of streets serving development, there can be delays at the entrance /exit ramps to the freeway, and there are frequent bottlenecks at the Klickitat Drive and Southcenter Parkway intersection and other intersections near Westfield Southcenter Mall. Traffic on the surrounding interstates is expected to increase in the future. Proposed long -term improvements include the relocation of the I -405 on -ramp from the Southcenter retail area to the east of 66th Avenue, extending Tukwila Parkway to West Valley Highway, and at the R": Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIER" 9.22.11 _attach C_Existing Cond summan.does 9/14/201 6 20 188th Street freeway interchange. Also, with the Tukwila Urban Center access improvement project, bottlenecks in the Klickitat area and near the mall are expected to improve. Major north -south arterials through the study area are Southcenter Parkway and West Valley Highway, east -west arterials are South 180th Street and Klickitat Drive/ Strander Boulevard. However, arterial routes are treated no differently than other streets in the network. All of the streets appear to be the same in width, design, and even in the types of buildings that line their edges. No priority is given to entrance routes or to important thoroughfares, there are no custom signs incorporated into the streetscape, and no landmarks or monuments mark special places along the street lengths. The street network in the Southcenter area is designed solely for the automobile, and follows an oversized grid that limits internal circulation Southcenter is divided into 38 blocks, with an average block size of 22 acres. The area contains over 14 linear miles of roadways, with an intersection density of one intersection for each 16 acres. The smallest blocks in the study are 1,000 feet in length by 1,000 feet in depth, compared to downtown Seattle, with an average block size of 1.5 acres and average block length of 250 feet. East -west streets are particularly limited. With increased success on this limited street network, congestion within Southcenter is becoming more common peak times for congestion are the noon hour during the week, and Saturday's congestion is even greater around the Mall. 2) Pedestrian Circulation Pedestrian activity is almost nonexistent in Southcenter, limited to the brief walks taken by people walking to their jobs or to shopping destinations from transit. There are several reasons for this a street network scaled to the automobile creating block sizes that are too large to walk, long distances between intersections and destinations, narrow unprotected sidewalks along wide highly trafficked roads, large parking lots, and the fact that there are no residential uses in the area. In some areas, sidewalks were created as a part of adjacent development and end at the parcel limits, creating a pedestrian network that is interrupted and sporadic. Pedestrian access to the Tukwila Longacres Sounder /Amtrak station from the urban center is not clearly legible, but this should improve with the installation of a permanent station and a future pedestrian bridge over the Green River. Access to park and open spaces in the area can be difficult to find on foot, and are often hidden behind buildings. While Southcenter does not have many pedestrian or bicycle facilities, it does connect to the Green River and Interurban Trails, which connect to the regional trail system. However, these, too, are difficult to find and access. 3) Transit Transit is provided to the area through King County Metro bus service, and Sound Transit's "Sounder" commuter rail service. King County Metro routes 110, 128, 140, 150, 154, 155 and 156 serve the Southcenter area. Routes 110, 126, 140, 154 and 156 all connect to the Tukwila Sounder Station during Sounder regular operating hours. Route 110 connects the Tukwila Station area at Longacres Drive with north Renton. Route 128 provides connections between Southcenter and White Center and West Seattle. Route 140 is a major east -west bus route connecting the mall to Burien, the LINK light rail station at South 154th Street, Southcenter, the Tukwila Longacres station and the Renton Park Ride. Route 150 is the major north -south route connecting Tukwila with Kent and Seattle. Route 154 serves the Boeing Industrial site and connects to the Tukwila Longacres station. Route 155 provides service between Tukwila and north Kent, and Route 156 connects SeaTac, Southcenter and the Tukwila Longacres station. Bus rapid Transit connecting the Burien Park Ride, Southcenter, the Tukwila Longacres Station and the Renton Park Ride is planned to commence in 2013. Sounder offers commuter rail service between Tacoma and downtown Seattle with stops in Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Kent, and Tukwila. The interim Tukwila Longacres station is located just south of W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9 /14/201 1 7 21 Longacres Way (see Photo 8), a permanent station is to be completed by 2013. The station currently accommodates Amtrak service as well as the commuter trains. A study by Mirai Associates in 2002 indicates that transit accounts for about 2% of all trips into and out of the area. A great number of these trips are to and from the Westfield Southcenter Mall, the stop at this mall is the most highly used, and accounts for more than half of the total riders in the study area. However, existing facilities at this stop are inadequate for the large ridership at that location (see Photo 9), and City plans include design and construction of a new transit center in the vicinity of Andover Park West and Baker Boulevard. This, combined with a permanent Tukwila Longacres station, should make transit a more appealing option for the area. A.7. OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION There are manv natural resources within the Tukwila Urban Center see Fig.A.2. the most noteworthy of which is Tukwila Pond (see Photo 10), a body of water created by a high water table and the runoff from all of the impervious surfaces of the area's rooftops and parking lots, that is now a significant wildlife habitat and a stop -over point for migrating waterfowl. Access to the pond's edges is restricted around most of its perimeter (see Photo 11), but a park has been preserved along the Pond's western edge. Tukwila Pond Park is located behind the commercial development along Southcenter Parkway and the Target store on Strander Boulevard, and accessed along foot trails from these roadways. Viewpoints of the pond and wetland are accessible along the eastern edge of the Pond, on Andover Park East. Other amenities in the area include Minkler Pond and the Green River (see Photo 12). Minkler Pond is a smaller water body at the eastern terminus of Minkler Boulevard that flows into the Green River, but is inaccessible from the west because it is trapped behind several industrial buildings. The Green River Trail, 2.6 -miles of which are within Tukwila, winds along the west bank of the Green River, and the Interurban Trail located on the old Interurban right -of -way east of West Valley Highway, provide recreational space for bike riding, jogging, walking and inline skating. Visual and physical access to these trails is difficult. Much of the Green River Trail is hidden behind the industrial development that lines the riverfront for most of its length through Southcenter. W: Lon.- Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 22 Photo 9. Transit stop on Andover Park W. Photo S. Temporal Tukwila Longacres Station f B l e i Fig.A2. Existing Open Space Network A.8. ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE CHARACTER i I �r While a distinctive building and landscape design has evolved in the Pacific Northwest region, this has had little influence on the design of buildings in Southcenter. Buildings are often separated from the street by large parking lots, and their entrances are hard to find. The well designed buildings constricted after design review was implemented in 1982 are lost in the overall mix, and there are too few of them to create a visible theme that could unify the district with any sort of identity. The result is an unrelated hodge -podge of unarticulated buildings with little ornamentation or design. The highly W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Existing Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 9 23 Photo W. TUklVlla Pond Photo 11. Tukwila Pond north side Photo 12. Green River distinctive design context of the Pacific Northwest landscape (see Fig.A.3. Design Context) stands in contrast to the existing character of the Plan Area's built environment. 1) Buildim4s Buildings within Southcenter are generally reflective of auto oriented development. Strictures are reduced to the simplest, most economical form: often tilt -up construction, simply massed buildings with a box -like appearance. While buildings are allowed to a maximum height of 115 feet, few are more than 50 feet tall. The number of stories on the taller buildings is indiscernible as their architecture is not articulated by typical design cues like windows per floor or cornice lines. Ornamentation across the facades is limited, except for signage. 2) Streetscaae The site layouts and streetscapes surrounding the area's development are primarily oriented towards the needs of motorists (see Photos 13 -16). Primacy is placed on signage visibility and availability of parking. Parking fronts or surrounds the building, distancing the building from the street and the public realm. The overall impression of the area's development pattern is of large, simple buildings fronted by asphalt, announcing convenience and ease of movement for automobiles. Very little effort is made to create site layouts that are amenable to the pedestrian, or to use pathways, trees or other site design elements that contribute to the pedestrian realm. While there are a few individual projects that have successfully used landscaping, streetscape and lighting along their edges, these fragments do not add up to create any consistent feeling throughout the district. W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 10 24 Photo 13. Andover Park West Photo 14. Minkler Boulevard Natural Environment Small Scale Indigenous La Mil l Walkable Environment K.jC,,.,Iy [,.I Friendly Engaging Scale Signage Facade %0 Built Environment Urban Center Subarea Plan City of Tukwila, Washington FI*,(Y.A.'). Design Context S.Wh.,.[. MAI W: Lon.- Ran.ge Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 Attach C Cond Sunnnal docx 9/14/201 1 11 La, Scale M] Regi Destination 25 A.9. CONCLUSION The Tukwila community has seen its "Urban Center" transform from farms and undeveloped open land to an industrial hub, and again to its current incarnation as an industrial and regional retail and employment center. Southcenter is very successful as a commercial district it is "the place to shop" for the City and a large portion of the region. Tukwila is the sixth- largest city in the state for sales tax collections, and most of those dollars come from the stores located in Southcenter, with up to two billion dollars' worth of retail activity generated annually by retailers in the Southcenter area. However, the success of the district has led to rapid growth that has sprawled in haphazard fashion across the enormous land area of Southcenter, resulting in a diffuse and exclusively auto oriented environment that is confusing to shoppers and features little connection to the rest of the community. Whereas Southcenter is the economic engine of the City, it does not function as any real center for the community. It is active primarily in the daytime, and there are few nighttime uses. Development within Southcenter is exclusively commercial and is characterized by low -rise structures surrounded or edged by surface parking. There are very few places to gather or meet other than in the interior pedestrian corridors of the Mall. Southcenter is bounded by substantial natural and manmade features that separate the district from the residential neighborhoods to its north and west, and from commercial development to the east and south. Because of a lack of other connections to the district, most people get to Southcenter by car. Its development pattern is entirely oriented to automobile, with very little consideration given to the pedestrian or bicyclist. Wide streets lack distinctive treatments such as landscaping themes, interesting signage or architecture. While the City's Zoning Code states that the TUC is intended to be "pedestrian friendly", the large scale of the district's blocks and the speed of traffic on its streets create powerful disincentives to walking in the district. Sidewalks are inconsistent and narrow. Street crossings are few and far between, and the streetlights are timed for cars, not for pedestrians. This pattern of development is vulnerable to loss of value likely to stem from increasing gasoline prices and the popular embrace of sustainable patterns of development. The City of Tukwila has a memorable natural setting, and Southcenter has several notable, if hidden, resources, including Tukwila Pond, Minkler Pond and the Green River. But these resources have thus far been a missed opportunity for the district hidden from view, difficult to access, and therefore rarely used by most of the City's population. Aside from these amenities, few natural site features remain most have been developed and paved over with asphalt. Southcenter's visual character stands in W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9 /14/201 1 12 26 Photo 16. Strander Boulevard Photo 15. Southcenter Parkivav contrast to the context that surrounds it the incongruence between the green residential fabric of the City and the hard asphalt of its Urban Center is heightened by the lack of connections between them. Tukwila's Urban Center does not reflect design character that is indigenous to the region or to the City. Buildings are similar in height and massing, and no different than those that can be found at any successful retail center in the country. The streets that make up the network of Southcenter are indistinguishable from one another in both aesthetics and importance. There are no landmarks to indicate important locations and anchors in the district, and no visual or physical connections to link these places together. Unremarkable building design, spread -out development patterns, and undefined streetscapes contribute to the character of a "placeless" setting. But the opportunities inherent in Southcenter are strong. The area is easily reachable from surrounding cities, with good access via the interstate freeways, and as result, the regional mall remains successful. The recreational and natural amenities of the area make good incentives for residential development throughout the district, providing potential anchors for new neighborhoods. Transit options, including the King County Metro bus system, bus rapid transit, and Sound Transit's commuter and light rail service, can be improved and built upon, and combined with an improved pedestrian realm to provide an alternative to automobile travel. All of these factors provide the framework for positive change and offer the opportunity to direct future growth, to make Southcenter a true "Urban Center" for its community. The Southcewer Plan is intended to build upon and extend these assets while improving the character, connectivity and range of experiences offered in Southcenter for the community and the region. W: Long Range Projects Southcenter Plan PC REVIEW 922.11 attach C Esistin.g Cond Sununary.docs 9/14/201 1 13 27