Planning Review Comments #1 BLD20170629.pdfOF EDM
°�N CITY OF EDMONDS
PLAN REVIEW COMMENTS
PLANNING DIVISION
425.771.0220
DATE: July 13, 2017
TO: Don O'Neal
donald. onealkonealbrokawprg. com
FROM: Kernen Lien, Senior Planner
kernen.liengedmondswa. gov
RE: Plan Check BLD201700629
15712 72" d Avenue West
New Single Family Residence
On behalf of the Planning Division, I have reviewed the above building permit application. During
review of the subject submittal, it was found that the following information, corrections, or clarifications
need to be addressed. Please respond to the following items, so that I can complete my review:
1. Tree Retention Plan:
a. The Tree Retention Plan submitted with the application noted that the City of Edmonds
Municipal Code defines a significant tree as a healthy tree whose diameter at breast height (dbh)
is 8 inches or greater for conifers and 12 inches or greater for deciduous trees. This is not
accurate. ECDC 19.10.030.G notes, "A significant tree is a tree with a trunk diameter of six
inches or greater measured four feet from the ground. No significant tree shall be removed until
the permit is approved." The Tree Retention Plan must be updated to include all trees greater the
six inches in diameter.
b. It is not exactly clear which trees will be removed and which trees will be retained. Apart from
trees 487 and 497 is appears that the proposal is to remove all nonviable trees. However, the Tree
Plan in Sheet TR-0I does not have an X on all trees to be removed as indicated in the legend.
Please update the Tree Plan in Sheet TR-0I to clearly identify which trees are proposed for
removal with this development (including all significant trees greater than 6 inches in diameter,
see La).
c. One of the trees proposed for removal (487) is located within the Native Growth Protection
Easement established in with the Meadowview Estates short plat under file number
PLN20140015. The language of the easement states:
No tree(s), shrub(s) or ground cover shall be removed from the native growth protection
easement unless documentation is submitted that can demonstrate that the removal will
enhance the easement area and will not impact slope stability. Enhancement may include
nonmechanical removal of noxious or intrusive species or dead or diseased plants and
replanting of appropriate native species. The native growth protect easement may be
maintained consistent with the native vegetation plan located in File No. PLN20140015.
While the Tree Retention Plan includes a letter from the geotechnical engineer noting the slope
stability will not be impacted, no documentation has been submitted demonstrating how removal
of this tree will enhance the easement area. Please provide documentation on how the Native
Growth Protection Easement is being enhanced.
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d. It appears a number of trees are proposed to be removed within the 45-foot setback from the top
of the slope established by the geotechnical engineering reports for development on this site.
This setback was established in part to avoid impacts to the stability of the steep slope on the west
side of the property. ECDC 19.10.030.G provides:
A detailed landscape plan may also be required in order for the city to evaluate long-term
erosion control measures. The plan shall comply with all requirements of the ECDC relating
to tree clearing and critical areas review, if applicable. The director may require the project
geotechnical engineer's concurrence regarding an approval of a tree cutting/land clearing
plan when slope stability is at issue.
Given the number of trees within the setback area that are proposed to be removed, a detailed
landscape plan is required to evaluate long-term erosion control measures and slope stability.
Also, please have the geotechnical engineer review all of the proposed tree cutting and mitigation
measures within the 45-foot setback from the top of the slope.
2. Rockeries: The proposal includes a few rockeries. Pursuant to ECDC 18.40.020.A.8 and
19.10.070.D, rockeries are prohibited within the earth subsidence landslide hazard area uncles a
waiver is approved under ECDC 19.10.070.E. Pursuant to ECDC 19.10.070.E the waiver request is
based upon the written analysis of a geotechnical engineer which clearly establishes that the proposed
improvement will have no reasonable likelihood of triggering or otherwise contributing to any
landslide hazard or earth subsidence risk either on the site or in the neighboring earth subsidence or
landslide hazard area.
3. Swimming Pool Waiver: A waiver request for a swimming pool has been submitted with this
application. As noted above, ECDC 19.10.070.E provides that the waiver request is based upon the
written analysis of a geotechnical engineer which clearly establishes that the proposed improvement
will have no reasonable likelihood of triggering or otherwise contributing to any landslide hazard or
earth subsidence risk either on the site or in the neighboring earth subsidence or landslide hazard area.
The geotechnical reports submitted for the project do not address the waiver request for the
swimming pool. Of particular concern is what impact a failure and leak of the pool would have on
the pin -pile foundations supporting the western portion of the house as well as potential impacts to
slope stability.
4. Notice on Title: Pursuant to a new code section in the recently updated critical regulations (ECDC
23.40.270.13), sites with field -verified presence of critical areas and/or critical area buffers for which a
permit application is submitted shall as a condition of permit issuance, record a notice of the existence
of the critical area and/or critical area buffer against the property with the Snohomish County
Auditor's Office. Attached is a Notice of Presence of Critical Areas. Please sign and notarize this
document. Prior to issuance of the building permit, this form must be recorded with the Snohomish
County Auditor's Office. Options for recording include:
a. Provide the City processing fee of $100 plus the County recording fee of $76 ($73 for first page
and $1 for each additional page), for a total of $176, and the City will record the notice for you;
OR
b. Take the covenant to the County and record it for the County's recording fee of $73 for one page
plus $1 for each additional page, and return a copy of the recorded notice to the Edmonds
Planning Division with the Auditor's recording sticker on the copy.
5. Height Calculations:
a. A portion of the height calculation rectangle extends off the site (Point A). Pursuant to ECDC
21.40.030.13, if a corner falls off the site, its elevation shall be the average elevation of the two
points projected downward where the two sides of the rectangle cross the property line. Please
revise the height calculation so Point A is the average of the elevation of the two points where the
height rectangle crosses the property line and update the height calculations accordingly.
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b. Please provide a datum point on the site plan. The datum point should be something that has a
permanent location such as a manhole cover or water meter. The datum point is used verify the
height of the structure during the height inspection.
c. The actual height of the residence on the elevation views does not match the actual height of the
structure as indicated on the site plan. Please ensure the heights indicated on the elevation views
match the height calculations on the site plan.
6. Lot Coverage: Please provide lot coverage calculations on the site plan. The site plan references
drawings from LDC, Inc. for coverage calculations but coverage calculation are not provide on the
LDC, Inc. plans. ECDC 21.15.110 defines coverage as the total ground coverage of all buildings or
structures on a site measured from the outside of external walls or supporting members or from a
point two and one-half feet in from the outside edge of a cantilevered roof, whichever covers the
greatest area.
7. Side Sewer Force Main: Sheet GR-01 shows the sider sewer force main going through the 25-foot
buffer area on the top of the slope as well as the 45-foot setback. The side sewer force main cannot
be located within the 45-foot setback unless reviewed and approved by the geotechnical engineer and
cannot be located within the 25-foot buffer area.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 425.771.0220 ext. 1223.
Please make all submittals to a Development Services Permit Coordinator, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
and Friday between 8:00 am 4:30 pm or Wednesday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.
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