Edmonds Shops -Project Description2.pdf
PROJECT COVER LETTER
Shops @ Aurora Village
DESIGN REVIEW / SEPA / CRITICAL AREAS CHECKLIST
Applicant:
Tekin & Associates
2727 LBJ Freeway, Suite 785
Dallas, Texas 75234
Contact: Dominic Rambes
ApplicantÔs Representative:
PACLAND
10135 SE Sunnyside Road
Suite 200
Clackamas, OR 970158
Phone: 503-659-9500
Contact: Shawn Nguy, snguy@pacland.com
Development Description:
The project proposes to construct an approximate 10,000 square foot multi-tenant retail building at
8431th Street SW. There is currently an existing DennyÔs restaurant building on the 1.08-acre site.
The existing building is proposed to be demolished to accommodate the proposed project. In
addition to the new building, there will be parking, landscaping, lighting, stormwater and utility
infrastructure improvements to serve the proposed use in accordance with the city of Edmonds
development codes and standards. Proposed signage includes a free-standing pole sign with along
the Pacific Highway frontage. Signage is also proposed on the elevations of the building.
Project Vicinity Map:
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Existing Zoning:
The project site is currently zoned General Commercial (CG) and no change is requested. The
proposed AutoZone building is permitted outright as ÑRetail SalesÒ, in the CG zone as identified in
Edmonds Development Code 16.60.010.
Approvals Requested:
This application requests approval for proposed development of a multi-tenant retail building on
the site. Based on city staff pre-application meeting notes, District Based Design Review and SEPA
approvals are required, in addition to completion of a Critical Areas Determination Checklist. The
approval criteria for this application is outlined and addressed at the end of this narrative. It is the
applicantÔs intent to submit for building permits after the completion of the Design Review process.
Site Data:
Site Uses by Area
Building Area10,000 sf 21.3%
Parking/Drive Aisle/Sidewalk 26,516 sf 56.5%
Total Impervious Area 36,516 sf 77.8%
Landscape Area 10,441 sf 22.2%
Total Site Area 46,957 sf 100%
Site Access / Transportation:
As shown on the attached site plan, access to the proposed retail building is accomplished through
two existing driveways connecting to 244 Street SW. Frontage improvements are expected to
th
include the installation of curb/gutter, sidewalk and driveway replacement per city requirements.
A Trip Generation Memo completed by Transpo and dated March 8, 2017 is included with the
application. Based on an ITE Land Use #820 (Retail) and due to the trips associated with the
existing DennyÔs restaurant use, the proposed project is anticipated to result in a reduction of
approximately 266 weekday daily trips with approximately 12 fewer net new trips occurring during
the average weekday PM peak hour (a reduction of nine inbound trips and three outbound trips).
Refer to Trip Generation Memo and City of Edmonds Traffic Impact Analysis Worksheet included
with this application.
Utility Infrastructure:
Adequate public utilities, including sanitary sewer, water, power, telephone and gas are available
on the site and the frontage streets. The applicant proposes to extend these utilities on the project
site as necessary to provide adequate utility services for the proposed retail building. Refer to the
Preliminary Utility Plan included with this application.
A fire sprinkler system will be provided with the proposed project.
The majority of the onsite stormwater runoff will be captured by the onsite surface conveyance and
pipe network and treated by stormwater filter manhole prior to discharge to an underground
stormwater detention system. Detention is required and will be provided on site prior to discharge
to an existing storm water system with the Pacific Highway right of way. Refer to the Preliminary
Stormwater Report and Grading/Drainage Plan included with this application.
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Parking:
Per Edmonds CDC 17.50.020 Parking Space Requirements, the proposed use is required to provide
a minimum of one parking space per 300 square feet of gross floor area. With a proposed building
floor area of 10,000 square feet, the minimum number of parking spaces required is 33 stalls. As
shown on the Preliminary Site Plan included with the application, the project proposes 46 parking
spaces, with 44 standard and 2 handicap accessible spaces.
Environmental Review (SEPA):
A Critical Areas Checklist and SEPA Checklist have been prepared for the proposed project in
accordance with the City of Edmonds Handout #P20 and #P71, respectively, and are included with
this application.
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CODE RESPONSES
CHAPTER 16.60 CG Ï GENERAL COMMERCIAL: CG AND CG2 ZONES
16.60.010 Uses
A.Permitted Primary Uses
Response:
The proposed project is a permitted use within the CG Zone.
16.60.020 Site Development Standards Ï General
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site Plan and Building Elevations. The proposed perimeter curn
line is set back a minimum of 4ft from the property line and is fully landscaped, except in those
locations where walkways are provided to and from the site for pedestrian connections. The
proposed building is less than 60ft in height. These criteria are met.
16.60.030 Site development standards Ï Design standards.
Design review by the architectural design board is required for any project that includes buildings
exceeding 60 feet in height in the CG zone or 75 feet in height in the CG2 zone. Projects not
exceeding these height limits may be reviewed by staff as a Type I decision. Regardless of what
review process is required, all projects proposed in the CG or CG2 zone must meet the design
standards contained in this section.
A. Screening and Buffering.
1. General.
a. Retaining walls facing adjacent property or public rights-of-way shall not exceed seven
feet in height. A minimum of four feet of planted terrace is required between stepped
wall segments.
Response:
The proposed retaining walls along the north property does not exceed 7ft. This
criterion is met.
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b. Landscape buffers are not required in land use zones with no required building setback.
Response:
Acknowledged. A minimum 4ft landscape buffer is provided along the north
and east street frontages. An existing landscape buffer is maintained and improved along
the west lot line. This criterion is met.
c. Tree landscaping may be clustered to block the view of a parking lot, yet allow
visibility to signage and building entry.
Response:
Acknowledged.
d. Landscape buffers shall be integrated into the design and layout of water detention and
treatment elements, to minimize the physical and visual impacts of the water quality
elements.
Response:
Acknowledged. Vegetated water detention and quality elements are not
proposed with this project. Surface stormwater runoff is proposed to be managed via a
stormfilter structure and underground detention system. This criterion is not applicable.
e. All parking lots are required to provide Type V interior landscaping.
Response:
Refer to the Landscape Plan. Type V landscaping is provided for all interior
landscaping. Per EDCD 20.13.030.E1, since the project proposes less than 50 parking
spaces, a total of 805sf of Type V landscape is required. The proposed Type V landscape
exceeds this amount. This criterion is met.
f. Type I landscaping is required for commercial, institutional and medical uses adjacent
to single-family or multifamily zones. The buffer shall be a minimum of 10 feet in width
and continuous in length.
Response:
Refer to the Landscape Plan. Type I landscaping is provided along the western
edge and northwest corner of the site. This criterion is met.
g. Type I landscaping is required for residential parking areas adjacent to single-family
zones. The buffer shall be a minimum of four feet in width and continuous in length.
Response:
The subject site is not adjacent to single-family zones. This criterion is not
applicable.
h. Type I landscaping is required for office and multifamily projects adjacent to single-
family zones. The buffer shall be a minimum of four feet in width and 10 feet in height
and continuous in length.
Response:
The project is commercial in nature. This criterion is not applicable.
i. If there is a loading zone and/or trash compactor area next to a single-family or
multifamily zone, there shall be a minimum of a six-foot-high concrete wall plus a
minimum width of five feet of Type I landscaping. Trash and utility storage elements
shall not be permitted to encroach within street setbacks or within setbacks adjacent to
single-family zones. Mechanical equipment, including heat pumps and other
mechanical elements, shall not be placed in the setbacks.
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Response:
The proposed trash enclosure is located at the southeast corner of the site and is
located outside the street setback zone. This criterion is met.
j. Landscape buffers, Type I, shall be used in parking areas adjacent to single-family
zones.
Response:
The subject site is not adjacent to single-family zones. This criterion is not
applicable.
k. When no setback is otherwise required, Type III landscaping three feet in width and
continuous in length is required between uses in the same zone.
Response:
Type III landscaping is provided in a 3ft wide landscape strip along the south
side of the proposed building. This criterion is met.
2. Parking Lots Abutting Streets.
a. Type IV landscaping, minimum four feet wide, is required along all street frontages.
Response:
Refer to the Landscape Plan. Type IV landscaping is provided in the 4ft setback
zone along the Highway 99 and the off-ramp frontages. This criterion is met.
b. All parking located under the building shall be completely screened from the public
street by one of the following methods:
i. Walls,
ii. Type I planting and a grill that is 25 percent opaque,
iii. Grill work that is at least 80 percent opaque, or
iv. Type III landscaping.
Response:
Parking is not proposed under the building. This criterion is not applicable.
B. Access and Parking.
1. Parking shall be provided as follows: (a) for nonresidential uses, one space per 400 square
feet of leaseable building space; and (b) for residential uses, as required for RM zones.
Response:
The proposed building has an approximate 10,000 sf floor area, resulting in a
requirement of 25 parking spaces. The project proposes 46 overall parking stalls. This criterion
is met.
2. Not more than 50 percent of total project parking spaces may be located between the
buildingÔs front facade and the primary street. Parking lots may not be located on corner
locations adjacent to public streets.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. Not more than 50% of the overall available
parking spaces (23 of 46) are located between the building and Highway 99 and no parking is
proposed by the corner adjacent to the public streets. This criterion is met.
3. Paths within Parking Lots.
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a. Pedestrian walkways in parking lots shall be delineated by separate paved routes that
are approved by federal accessibility requirements and that use a variation in textures
and/or colors as well as landscape barriers.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. An ADA accessible concrete pedestrian path
connects the sidewalk along Highway 99 to the store front. This criterion is met.
b. Pedestrian access routes shall be provided at least every 180 feet within parking lots.
These shall be designed to provide access to on-site buildings as well as pedestrian
walkways that border the development.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. The parking area does not exceed 180ft in
length. Pedestrian access is provided throughout the site to connect parking areas and
public walkways to the store front.
c. Pedestrian pathways shall be six feet in width and have two feet of planting on each
side or have curb stops at each stall in the parking lot on one side and four feet of
planting on the second side.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. A 6ft path with 2ft of planting areas is
provided through the parking lot. This criterion is met.
d. Parking lots shall have pedestrian connections to the main sidewalk at a minimum of
every 100 feet.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. This criterion is met.
4. Bonus for Parking Below or Above Ground Floor.
Response:
Parking is not proposed below or above ground floor. This criterion is not
applicable.
5. Drive-through facilities such as, but not limited to, banks, cleaners, fast food, drug stores,
espresso stands, etc., shall comply with the following:
Response:
Drive-through uses are not proposed. This criterion is not applicable.
6. Pedestrian and Transit Access.
a. Pedestrian building entries must connect directly to the public sidewalk and to adjacent
developments if feasible.
b. Internal pedestrian routes shall extend to the property line and connect to existing
pedestrian routes if applicable. Potential future connections shall also be identified such
that pedestrian access between developments can occur without walking in the parking
or access areas.
c. When a transit or bus stop is located in front of or adjacent to a parcel, pedestrian
connections linking the transit stop directly to the new development are required.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Site plan. Pedestrian routes are provided to connect
internal walkways and the public sidewalk to the store front. There are no transit or bus
stop along the siteÔs street frontage. These criteria are met.
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C. Site Design and Layout.
3. Lighting.
a. All lighting shall be shielded and directed away from adjacent parcels. This may be
achieved through lower poles at the property lines and/or full Ñcut offÒ fixtures.
b. Parking lots shall have lighting poles with a maximum of 25 feet in height.
c. Pedestrian ways shall have low height lighting focused on pathway area. Pole height
shall be a maximum of 14 feet, although lighting bollards are preferred.
d. Entries shall have lighting for safety and visibility integrated with the building/canopy.
Response:
Refer to the Preliminary Lighting Plan. Lighting is directed away from adjacent
parcels and all light poles are in 25 feet. These criteria are met.
D. Building Design and Massing.
1. Buildings shall convey a visually distinct ÑbaseÒ and Ñtop.Ò A ÑbaseÒ and ÑtopÒ can be
emphasized in different ways, such as masonry pattern, more architectural detail, step-
backs and overhangs, lighting, recesses, visible ÑplinthÒ above which the wall rises,
storefront, canopies, or a combination thereof. They can also be emphasized by using
architectural elements not listed above, as approved, that meet the intent.
Response:
A base and top have been defined for all elevations of the building with flashing
and 12Ò trim board. On the West elevation, the base is emphasized through the use of
storefront at each entrance with a brick base at each change in tenant space. On the North,
South and West elevations a change in color of the metal siding emphasizes a base while still
including the brick base between tenant spaces. The criterion is met.
2. In buildings with footprints of over 10,000 square feet, attention needs to be given to scale,
massing, and facade design so as to reduce the effect of large single building masses. Ways
to accomplish this can include articulation, changes of materials, offsets, setbacks, angles or
curves of facades, or by the use of distinctive roof forms. This can also be accomplished by
using architectural elements not listed above, as approved, that meet the intent. Note that
facade offsets or step-backs should not be applied to the ground floor of street-front facades
in pedestrian-oriented zones or districts.
Response
: This criterion is not applicable because the proposed floor area is slightly less than
10,000sf. However, each tenant space has a unique screening system as well as trellis
applications or canopies that highlight the entrances. Roof forms are designed to break up the
overall mass of the building through the use of a sloped roof at the South end cap, and low
and high alternating roofs at the other 3 tenant spaces.
3. Alternatives to massing requirements may be achieved by:
a. Creation of a public plaza or other open space which may substitute for a massing
requirement if the space is at least 1,000 square feet in area. In commercial zones, this
public space shall be a public plaza with amenities such as benches, tables, planters
and other elements.
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b. Retaining or reusing an historic structure listed on the National Register or the Edmonds
register of historic places. Any addition or new building on the site must be designed to
be compatible with the historic structure.
Response:
This criterion is not applicable.
4. To ensure that buildings do not display blank, unattractive walls to the abutting streets or
residential properties, walls or portions of walls abutting streets or visible from residentially
zoned properties shall have architectural treatment applied by incorporating at least four of
the following elements into the design of the facade:
a. Masonry (except for flat concrete block).
b. Concrete or masonry plinth at the base of the wall.
c. Belt courses of a different texture and color.
d. Projecting cornice.
e. Projecting metal canopy.
f. Decorative tilework.
g. Trellis containing planting.
h. Medallions.
i. Artwork or wall graphics.
j. Vertical differentiation.
k. Lighting fixtures.
l. An architectural element not listed above, as approved, that meets the intent.
Response:
The project has incorporated the four following elements:
1.Masonry at the base of the building.
2.Projecting Cornice at all elevations of the building.
3.Trellis containing planting are incorporated at both the north and south tenant spaces.
4.Vertical Differentiation has been met through changes in material and modulation of
the building footprint.
The criteria are met.
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