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Exhibit 4 Applicant declarations.pdfEdmonds-Woodway High School Light. Installation Setback Variance Request Applicant Declarations DEC 0 6 2007 PERMIT COUNTER This narrative for the proposed Edmonds-Woodway Highs School sports field renovation variance request is being submitted as allowed under Edmonds Municipal Code (EMC) 20.85 for a variance to reduce the minimum setback from the public right-of-way from 20 feet to 14 feet for one of four proposed lighting fixtures to be installed. This variance request only applies to the pole located on the first base line, along the field's northern border with 212" Street SW. This variance request is being submitted as'a condition in the approved Conditional Use Permit (CU -2007-45) The proposed improvements to the Edmonds-Woodway High School fastpitch field include the installation of four 20130 -foot-candle light poles. These poles would be with spill and glare control fixtures with down -shielding to reduce obtrusive light, including glare, spill light and sky glow. All four poles would be 60 feet in height. This will allow increased use of the fields for practice and games after dusk. . In order for the Hearing Examiner to approve a variance request, all of the following criteria must be met. It is the applicant's responsibility to show that all of the criteria are satisfied. Therefore, the following questions have been created to assist the applicant in providing applicable information. 1. How does the proposal meet the Special Circumstance Criteria? What special circumstances such as lot size, shape, topography, stream location, wetland location, or other unusual problems are causing an impact, which would require a variance? The site is an existing high school fastpitch facility for practice and game events. It is a synthetic turf fastpitch field totaling approximately 1.25 acres, which includes the adjacent dugouts, bleachers, fastpitch storage building, and batting cages. The remaining site contains structures associated with Edmonds-Woodway High School. The site abuts 212"' Street SW, an arterial street, on the north. This street is improved with three traffic lanes and a common left -turn lane, curb, gutter and sidewalk. Some of the existing structures associated with the facility are closer than 20' from the street property line including a water fountain and the bleachers along the north edge of the field near first base. The proposed light pole would be located adjacent to the dugout and farther from the property line than the bleachers, and as close to the existing backstop fencing as possible. The proposed light poles are located to provide the most efficient lighting of the facility with two poles near the infield and behind the backstop fencing, and two poles in the outfield along the baselines. The sports lighting poles are proposed in their standard four -pole layout design, which is used to reduce glare seen by the players while playing. The best glare reduction method is by keeping the sports lighting fixture bank out. of the player's normal line of sight. If you extend triangular areas from the second base location with a 20 -degree wide area, this area represents an area where not to place any poles. If the sports lighting poles are located outside these triangular areas, the. ball (as seen by the players) will not move through the Sports lighting fixture bank. Edmonds Woodway High School — Field Light Installation Page 1 I� Setback Variance Request — Applicant Declarations I� Prepared by SHOCKEYBRENT, Inc. This arrangement also minimizes direct glare for the infielders. Refer to the attached copy of the "The Amateur Softball Association" lighting guidelines, which shows the four -pole layout. The only other possible location that would not be within the required setback would be to locate the first base pole 20' to the west, at the end of the dugout. Unfortunately, that location would fall within the triangular arca previously described. There is no alternative location for the pole nearest first base, requiring the variance given the existing improvements. 2. Explain why the proposal is not a Grant of Special Privilege. Is the proposal something that is allowed to other property owners in the vicinity, but would be disallowed on your property if the variance is denied? As a Public Use the high school is zoned Public (PI) and is therefore unique in the neighborhood surrounding the site. The proposed lighting of the. existing field would extend the hours of use for both students and the general public from dusk to a scheduled turn-off "Consistent with City regulations and the approved Conditional Use Permit conditions. The field could not be appropriately lit if the variance is denied. 3. Explain how the proposal is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Renovations will not result in a change of the land use pattern in the City of Edmonds. It is consistent with the City of Edmonds Comprehensive Plan land use goals and policies as follow: Adopted State Goals Public Facilities and Service: Ensure that those public facilities and services necessary to support development shall be adequate to serve the development at the time the development is available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service levels below locally established minimum standards. Public facilities such as school athletic fields not only serve the student population in Edmonds School District, but provide parks and recreation opportunities to the general public. Use of the athletic field can be extended beyond dusk with the installation of lights, increasing the level of usage. The improvement to the fastpitch field would not adversely impact the level of service, but rather increase opportunities for use. Edmonds City. Ordinance No. 3549 The Capital Facilities Element of the City of Edmonds Comprehensive Plan is hereby amended to incorporate an annual update to the Edmonds School District No. 15 Capital Facilities Plan entitled 2004-2009. The adoption of the Edmonds School District Capital Facilities Plan by the City of Edmonds acknowledges the proposed improvements to the Edmonds School District facilities. This proposed field lighting project is consistent with the adopted Edmonds School District's Capital Facilities Plan. Edmonds Woodway High School — Field Light Installation Page 2 Setback Variance Request — Applicant Declarations l�iJ Prepared by SHOCKEYBRENT, Me. 4. Explain how the proposal is consistent with the purposes of the Zoning Ordinance and with the Zone district in which the property is located. The proposed use and site location are consistent with the purposes of the Zoning Ordinance and the purposes of the Zone District in which the use is to be located. The proposed use will meet all applicable requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. The existing school is located in the Public Use (P) zone of the'City of Edmonds. Schools are allowed uses. Allowed uses with a Conditional Use Permit are: facilities comparable with and designed to serve permitted uses (e.g., restrooms, safety lighting, fencing, benches, tables, minor shelters, athletic structures, minor service support structures, associated storage and maintenance yards and incidental parking for five or less cars) according to EMC 17.100.050(3) Permitted Secondary Uses. The lights would be down -shielded and outfitted with glare cut-off shields to minimize fugitive light spilling onto neighboring properties. Taller poles reduce the angle of spill light and reduce glare and sky glow. This would reduce intensity of light impacts to the residents adjacent to the fields. Although the Iights would be installed on a field that is adjacent to -high-density residential uses, the lights would be outfitted with glare cut-off shields to minimize fugitive light spillage. There is also existing lighting on the football field .located immediately to the south of the fastpitch field. The site is already developed as a fastpitch field; therefore, no change to natural vegetation or other natural features would be necessary. Noise generated from the site would be consistent with existing conditions. Site activities would continue past the times of current use; however, this would be consistent with current noise levels and code provisions. Activities on the field would end by 10:00 p.m. to ensure compliance with the City's noise ordinance. Existing parking at Edmonds-Woodway High School would serve the project. Activities held at the fastpitch field typically occur after school hours, when there is adequate on-site parking. Additional use of the fields would take place after non -peak times. Existing trips would just extend longer into the day due to the ability to light the field. 5. Explain how this proposal meets the criteria of Not Detrimental. Will the portion of your proposal for which you seek a variance cause a loss of property value, scenic view, or use of surrounding properties? Will the portion of the project for which you .seek a variance be physically injurious or harmful to any person on your property or surrounding properties? Approval of the variance should not be detrimental to surrounding properties. The proposed light pole would be setback 14' from the edge of the right-of-way for 212'' Street SW, and approximately 24' from the closest travel lane, and light will be shielded from the street thereby eliminating any safety concerns for traffic on 212''. The nearest property is located approximately 84' to the north of the proposed pole location. The lights would be outfitted with glare cut-off shields to minimize fugitive light spillage, so reducing the setback by 6'. should not further impact adjoining properties. Edmonds Woodway High School —Field Light Installation Page 3 Setback Variance Request — Applicant Declarations �� Prepared by SHOCKEYBRENT, Inc. 6. Explain how the proposed variance is the Minimum Variance needed to accommodate the proposed project, or why there is no alternative other than a variance in order to complete this project. The Edmonds School District is proposing to locate the light pole as close to the existing field as possible. The only possible alternatives would be to: • locate the pole at the west end of the dugout, which would be within the triangular area described in #1 (previous), which could result in glare and an unsafe situation for players; • or to locate the pole within the field of play, which would be very dangerous to players and inconsistent with District safety guidelines; • or to forego the placement of this particular pole, which would result in inadequate lighting of the field and an unsafe situation for players. None of these alternatives is practical, safe or logical. Edmonds Woodway High School — Field Light Installation Page 4 Setback Variance Request — Applicant Declarations IBJ Prepared by SHOCKEY/BRENT, Inc.