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Home My WebLink AboutTIC 2019-11-19 Item 2E - Resolution - Administrative Variance for Starefire Sports Facility0 ity of TukwflaAllan Ekberg, Mayor Public Works Department - Henry Hash, Director INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Transportation and Infrastructure Committee FROM: Henry Hash, Public Works Director //// BY: Ryan Larson, Senior Program Manager CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: November 15, 2019 SUBJECT: Starfire Sports Athletic Center Improvements Resolution approving an Administrative Variance to allow Wet-Floodproofing ISSUE Approve a Resolution providing an administrative variance to Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 16.52 to allow wet-floodproofing of improvements to the Starfire Athletic Center within Fort Dent Park. BACKGROUND The City of Tukwila participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This program requires that the City adopt floodplain management standards and a floodplain construction permit process to ensure that all new developments and redevelopment within flood hazard areas meet federal standards. These standards require that when development is proposed within a flood hazard area, all structures must either be elevated or floodproofed one foot above the base flood elevation. Floodproofing is not allowed for residential construction. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) standard for floodproofing is a method known as dry-floodproofing. Dry-floodproofing requires that the structure is watertight one foot above the base flood elevation and prevents the inundation of floodwaters into the structure. Wet-floodproofing is allowed for certain situations and is accomplished by letting flood water inundate the structure. The structure is constructed of materials that will not be damaged by floodwaters to an elevation one foot above the base flood elevation. All materials subject to damage must be located above this elevation. Since wet-floodproofing is not the standard established by FEMA or included in our City TMC, a variance must be issued by Resolution to allow the use of this method for floodproofing a structure. Resolution No. 1526 granted the original variance that allowed the construction of the Starfire Athletic Center to be within a flood hazard area using wet-floodproofing techniques. This new proposed Resolution will allow an administrative variance for improvements to the Athletic Center that will enclose areas below the stadium currently used for storage and provide more secure storage and covered flex areas for practice. DISCUSSION City staff have reviewed FEMA guidelines, the City's TMC, and sought guidance from the State Department of Ecology who administers flood control issues for FEMA and determined that wet- floodproofing is permitted under limited situations. These situations include: • The applicant desires to wet-floodproof • Notification to the applicant that a variance will not alter the actuarial rating of a structure for flood insurance purposes • That a lesser degree of floodproofing will not subvert the goals of floodplain management WAPW Eng\PROJECTS\♦- DR Projects\Starfire Sports - Flood Variance\Info Memo Wet Floodproofing Variance.docx 81 Info Memo Starfire Resolution Page 2 • That the structure must be protected to the maximum extent possible using an appropriate alternative flood protection technique • Providing d ry-flood proofing would cause an exceptional hardship • A variance is obtained to permit this method The Starfire Athletic Center is a large soccer complex containing two soccer fields and elevated restrooms, offices, and a concession area. The soccer fields were constructed approximately 4-feet below the base flood elevations. Storage areas were also constructed below the base flood elevation and a chain -link fence material was used for security of stored items and to allow the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters. The new improvements include replacing the chain -link fencing with concrete blocks containing windows and doors. Some of the enclosed areas will continue to be used for storage and the remainder will be covered with artificial turf and used as indoor practice areas. All materials used will be flood resistant and all enclosed areas will be fitted with flood vents that automatically allow the entry and exit of floodwaters. RECOMMENDATION Council is being asked to approve this Resolution that allows an administrative variance be granted to the City's TMC Chapter 16.52 for wet-floodproofing to the Starfire Athletic Center and consider this item at the November 25, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting and subsequent December 2, 2019 Regular Meeting. ATTACHMENTS: • Draft Wet Floodproofing Resolution • Starfire Sports Variance Request Letter • Original Resolution No. 1526 W:\PW Eng\PROJECTS\A- DR Projects\Starfire Sports - Flood Variance\Info Memo Wet Floodproofing Variance.docx 82 DRAFT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, ALLOWING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE TO TUKWILA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 16.52 AND ALLOWING FOR THE WET- FLOODPROOFING OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STARFIRE ATHLETIC CENTER. WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila has entered into an agreement with Starfire Sports to develop and operate park athletic, recreation and associated facilities at the Fort Dent Park; and WHEREAS, portions of Fort Dent Park are within the Green River floodplain; and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and this program requires the City to adopt floodplain management standards and a floodplain construction permit process; and WHEREAS, the Indoor Athletic Center was permitted and constructed under Resolution No. 1526 that allowed the use of wet -flood proofing techniques; and WHEREAS, Starfire Sports has requested another variance that would allow for modifications to the existing Athletic Center and allow wet -flood proofing of indoor practice and storage areas; and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila follows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Flood - Proofing Regulations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodproofing Standards, and the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) Regulations, which allow the City to grant wet -flood proofing variances to those standards and requirements if certain criteria are met as found in 44 CFR 60.6(a) of FIA Regulations; and WHEREAS, wet -flood proofing will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization of the public, or conflict with existing local laws or ordinances; and WAWord Processing\Resolutions\Starfire wet-floodproofing variance 11-1-19 RL: Review and analysis by Barbara Saxton Page 1 of 23 WHEREAS, it has been determined that a variance is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard, to afford relief; and WHEREAS, Starfire Sports has shown good and sufficient cause for a variance; and WHEREAS, the federal standard (dry-floodproofing) would cause an exceptional financial hardship to Starfire Sports; and WHEREAS, the improvements will not be located within a floodway; and WHEREAS, the criteria set forth in 44 CFR 60.6(a) of FIA Regulations has been met; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The above Whereas recitals are herein adopted as Findings of Fact. Section 2. The City of Tukwila Public Works Department is hereby authorized to grant a flood zone permit allowing the use of wet-floodproofing for modifications to the existing Starfire Athletic Center. Wet -flood proofing shall be an administrative variance to Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 16.52 due to the compelling public policy reasons stated herein. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a Regular Meeting thereof this day of , 2019. ATTEST/AUTH E NTI CATE D: Christy O'Flaherty, MMC, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM BY: Rachel B. Turpin, City Attorney Kathy Hougardy, Council President Filed with the City Clerk: Passed by the City Council: Resolution Number: WAWord Processing\Resolutions\Starfire wet-floodproofing variance 11-1-19 RL: Review and analysis by Barbara Saxton Page 2 of 24 October 25, 2019 Henry Hash Public Works Director City of Tukwila- Public Works 6300 Southcenter Blvd. Tukwila, WA 98188 Dear Mr. Hash, Starfire Sports would like to ask for a flood variance the same we were granted in 2003 to construct the buildings. The variance is to enclose the rest of the ground level. The two main reasons are to secure areas that has multiple breaks ins and secondly and more importantly to create flex spaces for our Academy STEM program. Starfire is seeking to extend the success of the Starfire Sports Academy soccer programs by offering our student athletes the opportunity to participate in STEM programs. Similar to our soccer programming approach, we want to reduce the barriers of entry by making STEM classes fun, approachable, and accessible to all. Our goal is not to replace the role of schools, but to help prepare our youth to engage and fully embrace STEM learning opportunities at their schools. We will do this by using STEM -based gamification products that will engage our student athletes, cultivate their curiosity, and make them comfortable with the underlying science and technology through project -based learning. From the soccer field to the classroom, we seek to make our student athletes as confident joining a robotics or coding club in high school as they are trying out for the soccer team. These spaces will allow us to better serve our community while keeping the facility safe for all. With no other space here not in the floodplain it is the only reasonable option. We ask for your and the Tukwila City Council's support to help create these much -needed spaces. Sincerely Ben Oliver President & CEO Starfire Sports Starfire Sports 14800 Starfire Way Tukwila, WA 98188 Phone: 206.431.3232 Fax: 206.431.6811 www.starfiresports.com info@sta86resports.com City of Tukwila Washington Resolution No. /l-AL A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, ALLOWING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE VARIANCE TO TUKWILA MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 16.52 AND ALLOWING FOR THE WET- FLOODPROOFING OF THE STARFIRE ATHLETIC CENTER WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila has entered into an agreement with Starfire Sports to develop and operate park athletic, recreation and associated facilities at the Fort Dent Park; and WHEREAS, portions of Fort Dent Park are within the Green River floodplain, and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and this program requires the City to adopt floodplam management standards and a floodplain construction permit process, and WHEREAS, the proposed Indoor Athletic Center does not meet the federal standards for floodplain construction in accordance with Chapter 16 52 of the Tukwila Municipal Code, dry floodproofing methods must be used, and WHEREAS, Starfire Sports has requested a variance that would allow for wet-floodproofing of the Indoor Athletic Center, an acceptable alternative under limited situations, and WHEREAS, The City of Tukwila has adopted the U S Army Corps of Engineers Flood-Proofang Regulations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Floodproofing Standards, and the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) Regulations which allow the City to grant wet-floodproofing variances to those standards and requirements if certain criteria are met as found in FIA Section 1910 6(a) of FIA Regulations, and WHEREAS, the proposed Starfire construction meets all of the FEMA wet-floodproofing variance criteria, to wit wet-floodproofing will not alter the actuarial rating of the Athletic Center for flood insurance purposes, will not subvert the goals of flood plain management, the Athletic Center will have elevated offices, restrooms, and concession area, and all components subject to flood damage will be at least one foot above the base flood elevation, and the federal standard (dry-floodproofing) would cause an exceptional financial hardship, NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, DO HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS Section 1 The above Whereas recitals are herein adopted as findings of fact Section 2. The Public Works Department is hereby authorized to grant a flood zone permit allowing for wet-floodproofing of the Starfire Athletic Center Wet-floodproofing shall be an administrative variance to Tukwila Municipal Code 16 52 due to the compelling public policy reasons stated above PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE Y OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, at a A=,M- eeting thereof this oi.3 "'t day of 2003 ATTEST/ AUTHENTICATED• 4 ne E. Cantu, CMC, City Clerk ! ROVED AS TO F M BY ��- o`er-------_._ Office of the City Attorney Pam Carter, Council President Filed with the City Clerk: —/Q— D 3 Passed by the City Council. Resolution Number- / �5 9Z. 86 Resolution Starfire 6/19/03 doc