HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2021-03-18 ITEM 4 - STAFF REPORT - TUKWILA SOUTH RESIDENTIAL USESCity of Tukwila
STAFF REPORT
PLANNING COMMISION - PUBLIC HEARING
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Jack Pace, Department of Community Development Director
BY: Max Baker, Senior Planner
DATE: March 18, 2020
SUBJECT: Request for Adoption of Code Amendments to Set Standards for Residential Uses in the
Tukwila South Overlay District
ISSUE
Conduct a public hearing for the adoption of code amendments to Title 18, Zoning Code of the Tukwila Municipal Code
(TMC) to set standards for residential uses. The proposed amendments are to adopt development standards and guidelines
for residential uses in all of the Tukwila South Overlay district (TSO); these would apply to all lands and underlying zoning
within the TSO district, including replacing those adopted in 2018 for the underlying LDR zone.
BACKGROUND
• Planning Commission held a work session regarding the proposed TSO design guidelines on February 25, 2021.
• Staff is continuing to work with the applicant to assess the proposed code amendments and will present their final
recommendations as part of the continued public hearing. As such, only residential design guidelines are included and
the proposed residential development standards are not included as an attachment to this staff report and will instead
be included as part of a future packet.
DISCUSSION
See attached Staff Report from the February 25, 2020 Planning Commission work session along with Attachments A thru C
for detailed description of the proposal and findings of fact for the decision.
At the February 25 meeting Commissioners suggested the following changes; staff will incorporate these and any other
changes suggested after tonight's meeting in the final draft at the April 22 meeting:
• Provide additional clarification for who has authority to approve modifications from design guidelines.
• Revise Figure 2.4.B to better clarify between individual and common recreation spaces.
• Revise Utility Screening section and Figure 2.6.B to require screening of rooftop utilities from above if potentially visible
from future adjacent developments projects.
• Provide option for 100% glazing for bathrooms facing public spaces.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends to hold the public hearing on the proposed residential design guidelines at the March 18 meeting and
continue the hearing to the April 22, 2021 meeting to review and get public input on residential standards in the TSO zone.
Staff will also provide recommendations regarding the proposed development standards at the future meeting.
Following subsequent meeting(s), the Planning Commission will make final recommendations concerning the proposal to
the City Council.
ATTACHMENTS
February 25, 2021 Staff Report along with Attachments A thru C.
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City of Tukwila
Department of Community Development - Jack Pace, Director
STAFF REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
Prepared February 11, 2021
FILE NUMBERS: L19-0115 Comprehensive Plan/Zoning Code Amendment
E19-0011 SEPA Checklist
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
REQUEST: Zoning Code amendments to TMC 18.41 and new design guidelines for
multifamily development in the Tukwila South Overlay (TSO) district.
Planning Commission will hold a future public hearing on the proposed
amendments and make recommendations to the City Council for review and
adoption.
PUBLIC HEARING: A Notice of Public Hearing will be provided ahead of a subsequent Planning
Commission meeting, currently scheduled for March 18, 2021.
Lands within the Tukwila South Overlay district.
Max Baker, Senior Planner
LOCATION:
STAFF:
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Tukwila South Overlay and Underlying Zoning
B. Proposed Tukwila South Residential Design Guidelines
C. Tukwila South Overlay District Development Standards, Current
BACKGROUND
Segale Properties LLC, the applicant, requests amendments to Title 18, Zoning Code of the Tukwila
Municipal Code (TMC) to set standards for residential uses. The proposed amendments are to adopt
development standards and guidelines for residential uses in all of Tukwila South; these would apply to
all lands and underlying zoning within the TSO district, including replacing those adopted in 2018 for the
underlying LDR zone (see "Requirements for Adoption of Multifamily Design Guidelines below for more
information).
Tukwila South Master Plan and Development Agreement
The Tukwila South area consists of approximately 400 acres generally bounded by S 180th Street on the
north, S. 204th Street on the south, Orillia Road and 1-5 on the west and the Green River on the east.
Segale Properties intends to develop the property consistent with the Tukwila South Master Plan
(Ordinance 2234) as adopted with the Development Agreement (Ordinance 2233). Per the Master Plan
and accompanying environmental analysis, a mix of uses is anticipated to be developed, including office,
commercial, retail, and approximately 1,900 residential units. While the Master Plan provides some
conceptual locations for specific types of land uses within the project, it does not define specific areas
for such uses and limits on any one kind of use. The intent of the Master Plan is to provide for land use
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flexibility and intense use of developable areas to create a "live, work, play" mixed-use district within
Tukwila South.
Zoning (Attachment A)
The Tukwila South area contains several zoning designations which include: Low Density Residential
(LDR); Tukwila Valley South (TVS); Heavy Industrial (HI); and Mixed -Use Office (MUO). The entire Tukwila
South area is covered by the Tukwila South Overlay (TSO), and the related development standards
supersede the underlying zoning (TMC 18.41.010). As referenced in TMC 18.41.010, "the [overlay) may
be applied by the City Council to any property lying within the Comprehensive Plan's Tukwila South
Master Plan."
Requirements for Adoption of Multifamily Design Guidelines
Per TMC 18.41.090.A.2 and Table 18-6, the development of residential dwelling is permitted on lands
other than those with the underlying LDR zoning in the TSO district only after additional standards and
residential design manual with criteria for approval is adopted.
In 2018, the City adopted standards that apply only to multi -family development in the underlying Low
Density Residential (LDR) zone of the TSO district. Since the design manual does not apply to lands other
than those with the underlying LDR zoning, multifamily development is not permitted in these areas
until design guidelines and standards are adopted.
The proposed amendments are to adopt development standards and guidelines for residential uses in all
areas of Tukwila South; these would apply to all lands and underlying zoning within the TSO district,
including replacing those adopted in 2018 for the underlying LDR zone.
Other Existing Codes and Design Guidelines
Commercial and industrial development uses permitted in the TSO district are reviewed using the
existing standards in TMC 18.41.090 and the TSO District Design Manual, adopted April 13th, 2009.
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED CHANGES
The applicant has proposed draft Zoning Code text amendments that revise the existing multifamily
residential standards, and new draft multifamily design guidelines for the entire Tukwila South Overlay
(TSO) district.
Proposed Code Amendments
Development standards exist for each district within the City of Tukwila; Chapter 18.41 sets forth the
standards for the TSO district and would be amended as part of this proposal. The TSO district
implements the Tukwila South Master Plan designation and related policies and provisions of the
Tukwila Comprehensive Plan. As an overlay district, the Tukwila South Overlay (TSO) district may be
applied by the City Council to any property lying within the Comprehensive Plan's Tukwila South
Master Plan Area. Within the Tukwila South Overlay, the provisions of this chapter shall supersede the
provisions of the underlying zoning district.
Section 18.41.090 provides prescriptive guidance on the following:
• Lot area
• Development area
• Heights
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• Setbacks
• Vehicle parking
• Recreation space
• Private road design standards and spacing
Staff is continuing to work with the applicant to assess the proposed code amendments and will present
their final recommendations as part of the subsequent public hearing. As such, the proposed code
amendments are not included as an attachment to this staff report and will instead be included as part
of a future packet.
Existing developments standards are provided with this report as Attachment C, "Tukwila South Overlay
District Development Standards, Current."
Proposed Design Guidelines
The Design Guidelines would provide guidance on overall design intent and criteria for evaluating new
multifamily developments within the TSO district, including but not limited to pedestrian/vehicular
access, building layout, recreation space design, etc.
The Tukwila South Design Guidelines would provide policy guidance on site and building design. The
guidelines would support and complement the community vision described in the Tukwila South chapter
of the Comprehensive Plan. This document is intended to supplement and expand upon the design
requirements found in Chapter 18.41 Tukwila South Overlay (TSO) Zoning standards. This document
provides City staff and the public a common basis for the evaluation of design and development issues
during the design review and approval process. The Manual does not specify a particular style of
architecture or design but is intended to guide applicants in creating an appearance of greater
consistency and design quality within the Tukwila South Overlay district.
Design review requirements and thresholds per the existing code are as follows:
TMC 18.41.080 (TSO) Design Review
A. The Director shall require that all development within the Tukwila South Overlay district is consistent
with the policies of the Tukwila Comprehensive Land Use Plan and the Tukwila South Master Plan, and
conforms to the requirements of this title and any applicable development agreement.
8. Design review is required for all non-exempt development within the Tukwila South Overlay district.
The applicant may submit a site plan for review for all or a portion of the area covered by the Tukwila
South Master Plan. Application requirements are provided by TMC Section 18.104.060. All applications
for design review within the TSO shall be processed as Type 2 decisions per TMC Chapter 18.60.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to schedule a pre -application conference as provided by TMC
Section 18.104.050 prior to submitting a design review application.
No changes to the design review thresholds are proposed.
Organization of Design Guidelines
The proposed Tukwila South Design Guidelines are organized by design topic. The general structure is:
• Design Topic (e.g. "Building Frontages")
• Intent Statement: Provided to guide the application of criteria to differing site circumstances in
a consistent manner.
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• Design Criteria: General requirements to be met by development.
a. Example measures that guide development design to meet the design topic intent and
design criteria above.
b. Graphic and written descriptions are provided.
For each Design Topic there are one or more Design Criteria, which can be general in nature. The Design
Criteria explain the requirements for development proposals. They are the decision criteria by which the
Director will decide whether to approve, condition or deny a project.
The examples and explanations beneath each Design Criteria provide guidance to the project applicant
developing the project, to City staff in reviewing a project proposal, and the decision maker in
determining whether the project meets the Design Criteria. These are intended to provide guidance and
possible solutions for the criteria but should not be seen as the only solution. There may be specific
requirements to include or avoid.
Photographs and illustrations appear beneath the item they are intended to explain.
Design Modifications are provided for each design topic. All available modification opportunities for
Design Guidelines are noted within each section by the capitalized term DESIGN MODIFICATIONS. As
proposed, in the case of any design modification for a Design Guideline, the Director must document the
reasons for approving the design modification, to be maintained with project application records, and to
inform and provide consistency in decision-making by the City.
City + Consultant Review
As part of the City's review, DCD staff have been working with an urban design consultant, NBBJ, to
provide a peer review of the proposed standards and guidelines.
Staff have worked with the applicant to revise the proposed design guidelines to their current form.
Areas highlighted in gray within the document (Attachment B) may be impacted by the development
standards to be presented as part of the public hearing and should be considered as under review.
REQUESTED ACTION
Request to hold the public hearing on the proposed design guidelines and code amendments, review
said guidelines and amendments, choose an option if multiple choices are given, and make
recommendations to the City Council.
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