BLD20120301 Design Review Decision.pdfTo:
From:
®ate:
Subject:
CITY OF EDMONDS
1215th Avenue North, Edmonds WA 98020
Phone: 425.771.0220 ,9 Fax: 425.771.0221 e Web: www,edmondswa.us
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT ® PLANNING DIVISION
Street file for 130 5th Avenue South (Washington Federal)
Mike Clugston, AICD
June 11, 2012
Administrative Design Review STAFF DECISION for BLD20120301
Washington Federal is proposing exterior improvements to the property located at 130 5th
Avenue South including the installation of four new windows and replacement of five existing
windows along the Dayton Street frontage. The new and replacement windows will match
those that already exist at the site in form and appearance.
Property Owner:
Washington Federal
425 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101
Applicant:
Sarah Devlin
Craft Architects
25053 rd Ave., Suite 324
Seattle, WA 98121
As part of the City's review of the building permit referenced above, staff design review was
required pursuant to ECDC 20.10. Design review for a remodel is considered a Type I staff
decision subject to the requirements of ECDC 20.01.003.
The site is located within the Downtown Business "BD -1" zone, which is subject to district -
based design review and those particular standards found in ECDC 22.43. Pursuant to ECDC
20.12.030, staff must enter findings that the proposal is consistent with zoning ordinance
(including ECDC 22.43) as well as relevant district -specific design objectives contained in the
City's Comprehensive Plan. Because this is a small exterior remodel of an existing building,
however, complete code compliance like that for a new building cannot be obtained. In
projects like this, the intent is to achieve a greater level of compliance than that of the existing
building and to improve the visual aesthetic of the downtown environment.
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Findings & Conclusions
1. Scope. This design review only applies to the window remodel of the south fagade of the
subject building along Dayton Street.
2. Environment. The project was determined to be exempt from the State Environmental
Policy Act (SEPA) under WAC 197-11-800(3). The site was previously found to contain no
critical areas and was identified as a `waiver' in 1998 (CRA19980302).
3. ECDC 20.12.030 Design Review Criteria
A. Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) Compliance
1. ECDC 22.43 — Design Standards for the BD -1 Zone
There is one BD -1 zone design standard that applies to the proposed remodel:
a. ECDC 22.43.050—Transparency at street level.
1) (B)(2) and (3). "The ground level facades of buildings that are oriented to
streets shall have transparent windows with a minimum of 75 percent
transparency between an average of two feet and 10 feet above grade. To
qualify as transparent, windows shall not be mirrored or darkly tinted glass,
or prohibit visibility between the street and interior." The four new windows
and five replacements will have lower sills than those existing and so will
approximately double the transparency of the existing south facade from
19% to 35%. Window glass will be clear and match that of the existing
windows.
B. Comprehensive Plan Compliance
1. Location — Retail Core of the Downtown/Waterfront Activity Center. Downtown
Design Objectives are located on pages 56 — 60 and are intended to encourage the
development of high quality, well-designed projects that reflect the values of the
citizens of Edmonds.
2. Design Standards for Site Design and Building Facade. The proposal satisfies the
intent of the following goals and policies from the Comprehensive Plan:
"Retain a connection with the scale and character of the Downtown Edmonds
through the use of similar materials, proportions, forms, masses or building
elements." (page 57)
b. "Provide a human scale streetscape, breaking up long fagades into defined forms
that continue a pattern of individual and distinct tenant spaces in commercial
and mixed use areas." (page 59)
c. "Improve the visual and physical character and quality of Downtown Edmonds."
(page 59)
d. "Applied ornament and architectural detail, various materials and colors applied
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to a fagade as well as various decorative trim/surrounds on doors and windows
provide variation in the scale, style and appearance of every building facade.
Awnings and canopies also add to the interest and pedestrian scale of downtown
buildings. The objective is to encourage new development that provides:
• Compatibility with the surrounding environment,
• Visual interest and variety in building forms,
• Reduces the visual impacts of larger building masses,
• Allows identity and individuality of a project within a neighborhood." (page 60)
Decision
Staff finds that the proposal is consistent with ECDC 20.12.030; therefore, staff 'finds that the
design of the exterior remodel in permit BLD20120301 is APPROVED with the following
condition:
1. The window glass shall be transparent and unobstructed by curtains, blinds, or other
window coverings as required in ECDC 22.43.050.B.2 and B.4.
I have reviewed the application for compliance with the Edmonds Community Development
Code.
410,gf,
x,
Mike Clugston, Associate Planner
Appeals
June 11, 2012
Date
Design review decisions by staff are only appealable to the extent that the applicable building
permit or development approval is an appealable decision under the provisions of the ECDC.
Design review by staff is not in itself an appealable decision.
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