PRE20100013 Washington Federal Savings.pdfOF EDP
0�° CITY OF EDMONDS
121 5th Avenue North • Edmonds, WA 98020
Phone: 425.771.0220 • Fax: 425.771.0221 • Web: www.ci.edmondsma.us
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT: PLANNING DIVISION
lne. i89"
Pre -Application Meeting
Meeting Date:
August 5, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.
Review By:
Kernen Lien, Associate Planner, lien ci.edmonds.wa.us, 425-771-0220 x1223
Project Name:
Washington Federal Savings Branch Bank
Site Address:
229 Main Street
Zone:
Downtown Business (BD2 — Downtown Mixed Commercial)
Contact:
Bilkl Arens, bill@craftarchitects.com
Description:
New Branch Bank
Proposed Use
The proposed use is for a bank which is a permitted use within the BD2 zone; however, the proposed bank includes
drive up teller lanes which makes it a "Drive-in business" which requires a conditional use permit pursuant to
ECDC 16.43.020.
ECDC 21.20.040 Drive-in business
A drive-in business means a business or portion of a business where a consumer is permitted or encouraged either
by the design of physical facilities or by the provisions of services and/or packaging procedures, to carry on
business while seated in a motor vehicle. In some instances, such as self-service gasoline stations, customers may
need to get out of their vehicle in order to obtain the product or service. This definition shall include but not be
limited to service stations, car washes, and drive-in restaurants or banks.
Conditional uses in the BD2 zone may be permitted if the proposal meets the criteria for conditional uses found in
Chapter 20.05 ECDC, and all of the following criteria are met:
1. Access and Parking. Pedestrian access shall be provided from the sidewalk. Vehicular access shall only be
provided consistent with ECDC 18.80.060. When a curb cut is necessary, it shall be landscaped to be
compatible with the pedestrian streetscape and shall be located and designed to be as unobtrusive as
possible.
2. Design and Landscaping. The project shall be designed so that it is oriented to the street and contributes to
the pedestrian streetscape environment. Fences more than four feet in height along street lot lines shall
only be permitted if they are at least 50 percent open, such as a lattice pattern. Blank walls shall be
discouraged, and when unavoidable due to the nature of the use shall be decorated by a combination of at
least two of the following:
a. Architectural features or details;
b. Artwork;
c. Landscaping.
The Hearing Examiner reviews and decides on conditional use permit applications as Type III-B decisions. See the
attached handout #P19 and ECDC 20.05 for conditional use permit criteria.
Zoning and Development Standards
The current zoning of the subject property is General Commercial (CG). Properties within the BD2 zone are subject
to the requirements of Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) Chapter 16.43.
Site development standards for BD2 zoned property is outlined in ECDC 16.60.020 and are as follows:
Page 1 of 5
Zone
Minimum
Minimum
Minimum
Maximum
Minimum Height Ground
Street Setback
Side Setback
Rear Setback
Height'
Floor within Designated
Street Frone
CG
0
0
0
25 feet
12 feet
1: Specific provisions regarding building heights are contained in ECDC 16.43.030.C. If the provisions are met,
building height may go up to 30 feet.
2: "Minimum height of ground floor within the designated street -front" means the vertical distance from top to top
of the successive finished floor surfaces for that portion of the ground floor located within the designated street front
(see ECDC 16.43.030.13); and, if the ground floor is the only floor above street grade, from the top of the floor finish
to the tope of the ceiling joists or, where there is coverings applied over a finished floor, and includes, but is not
limited to, wood, vinyl flooring, wall-to-wall carpet, and concrete, as illustrated in Figure 16.43-1. Figure 16.43-1
shows a ground floor height of 15 feet; note that the "finished" ceiling height is only approximately 11 feet in this
example.
ECDC 16.43.0303 Ground Floor
2. For the BD2 zone, the designated street front is established as the first 60 feet of the lot measured
perpendicular to any street right-of-way, excluding alleys.
3. Minimum Height of the Ground Floor within the Designated Street Front. The minimum height of the ground
floor specified in Table 16.43-2 only applies to the height of the ground floor located within the designated
street front established in subsection (B)(2) of this section.
4. Access to Commercial Uses within the Designated Street Front. When a commercial use is located on the
ground floor within a designated street front as defined in subsection (B)(2) of this section, the elevation of the
ground floor and associated entry shall be within seven inches of the grade level of the adjoining sidewalk.
"Grade" shall be as measured at the entry location. Portions of the ground floor outside the designated street
front of the building need not comply with the access requirements specified in this section.
7. Within the BD2 and BD3 zones, development on the ground floor shall consist of only commercial uses within
the designated street front. Any permitted use may be located on the ground floor outside of the designated
street front.
The proposal appears to be consistent with the ground floor commercial development requirement. When designing
the, please beware of the minimum height requirements of ECDC 16.43.030.B.3.
ECDC 16.43.030.1) Off Street Parking
2. No parking is required for any commercial floor area of permitted uses located within the BDl, BD2, BD4, and
BDS zones.
The proposal is providing more parking than required by the zone.
ECDC 16.43.030.E Open Space Requirements
1. For buildings on lots larger than 12, 000 square feet or having an overall building width of more than 120 feet
(as measured parallel to the street lot line), at least five percent of the lot area shall be devoted to open space.
Open space shall not be required for additions to existing buildings that do not increase the building footprint
by more than 10 percent. Open space shall be provided adjacent to the street front (street lot line). Such open
space may be provided as any combination of
a. Outdoor dining or seating areas (including outdoor seating or waiting areas for restaurants or food service
establishments);
b. Public plaza or sidewalk that is accessible to the public;
c. Landscaping which includes a seating area that is accessible to the public.
2. Required open space shall be open to the air and not located under a building story.
Page 2 of 5
3. In overall dimension, the width of required open space shall not be less than 75 percent of the depth of the open
space, measured relative to the street (i.e., width is measured parallel to the street lot line, while depth is
measured perpendicular to the street lot line).
The subject property is approximately 14,440 square feet, when means the 750 square feet of open space is required.
More open space must be provided than what is shown on the site plan. The area with the park bench appears to
meet the dimensional requirements for open space, but only provides for approximately 400 square feet.
Design Review
The proposed project is subject to District Based design review. Design objectives for the downtown business
districts are located within the City of Edmonds Comprehensive Plan and included as an attachment. Design review
for the project will be reviewed by staff as a Type I decision.
Signs
City of Edmonds sign code is located in ECDC 20.60.
Within the BD2 zone, the maximum total permanent sign area is one square foot of sign area for each lineal foot of
wall containing the main public entrance to the primary building or structure located upon a separate legal lot. The
wall containing the main public entrance appears to be 74 feet long, so 74 square feet of sign area would be allowed
for the proposed bank. Pursuant to ECDC 23.60.025, the maximum total permanent sign area may be divided
between wall, projecting, and freestanding signs. Window signs meeting the requirements of ECDC 20.60.035 do
not count against the total permanent sign area permitted.
The maximum number of permitted permanent signs is three per site, or one per physically enclosed business space
on commercial sites with multiple business tenants, whichever is greater. The total sign area of all signs permitted
on -site must also comply with the maximum total permanent sign area allowed for the site.
The site plan shows two free standings signs, one on the corner of 3rd and Main and a second along 3rd just north of
the driveway entrance. Pursuant to ECDC 20.60.045, permanent freestanding signs are discouraged. Freestanding
signs shall be approved only where the applicant demonstrates by substantial evidence that there are no reasonable
and feasible alternative signage methods to provide for adequate identification and/advertisement.
The free standing sign on the north side of the entrance off of 3rd Avenue North may be ok, but the one on the corner
of 3rd and Main appear unnecessary as signage could be placed on the building itself.
Landscaping
Landscaping will be required with the site redevelopment. Two types of landscaping apply to the project which are
described in ECDC 20.13.
Type III landscaping will be required around the around the exterior of the site. ECDC 20.13.030.0 describes
Type III landscaping as:
C Type III Landscaping. Type III landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of uses from streets, and
visual separation of compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of streets, parking areas and building
elevations.
1. Evergreen and deciduous trees, with no more than 50 percent being deciduous, a minimum of six feet in
height, and planted at intervals no greater than 30 feet on center; and
2. Ifplanted to buffer a building elevation, shrubs, a minimum of three and one-halffeet in height, and living
ground cover planted so that the ground will be covered within three years; or
3. Ifplanted to buffer a parking area, access, or site development other than a building, any of the following
alternatives may be used unless otherwise noted:
Page 3 of 5
a. Shrubs, a minimum of three and one-half feet in height, and living ground cover must be planted so
that the ground will be covered within three years.
b. Earth -mounding, an average of three and one-half feet in height, planted with shrubs or living ground
cover so that the ground will be covered within three years. This alternative may not be used in a
downtown or waterfront area.
c. A combination of earth mounding, opaque fences and shrubs to produce a visual barrier at least three
and one-half feet in height.
There is a row of deciduous trees along the along the northern property line that are roughly 30 feet on center.
These are shown as remaining on the site plan, and while no evergreen trees exist, they approximate the requirement
for the trees along that section. Street Trees will be required along Main Street and 3rd Avenue North. Subsections
C.2 and C.3 of the Type III landscaping will have to be provided for around the rest of the site.
Type V landscaping within the parking area is also required. ECDC 20.13.030.E describes Type V landscaping as:
E. Type V Landscaping. Type V landscaping is intended to provide visual relief and shade in parking areas.
1. Required Amount.
a. If the parking area contains no more than 50 parking spaces, at least 17.5 square feet of landscape
development must be provided as described in subsection (E)(2) of this section for each parking stall
proposed.
2. Design.
a. Each area of landscaping must contain at least 150 square feet of area and must be at least four feet in
any direction exclusive of vehicle overhang. The area must contain at least one tree a minimum of six
feet in height and with a minimum size of one and one-half inches in caliper if deciduous. The
remaining ground area must be landscaped with plant materials, decorative mulch or unit pavers.
b. A landscaped area must be placed at the interior ends of each parking row in a multiple lane parking
area. This area must be at least four feet wide and must extend the length of the adjacent parking stall.
c. Up to 100 percent of the trees proposed for the parking area may be deciduous.
d. Bioswales integrated into parking lot designs are strongly encouraged.
e. The minimum area per planter is 64 square feet.
f. The maximum area per planter is 1,500 square feet for parking lots greater than 12,000 square feet.
Planters shall be spread throughout the parking lot.
g. Shade trees are required at the rate of a minimum of one per planter and/or one per 150 square feet of
planter.
The site plan shows 20 parking spaces provided. At 17.5 square feet for each parking space, 350 square feet of
interior landscaping in the parking lot must be provided. The landscaping island between the parking in front of the
building and the drive thru teller lanes provides approximately 115 square feet of interior landscaping. That island
should be increase to at least 150 square feet consistent with ECDC 20.13.030.E.2. A second interior landscape
island along the northern parking strip should also be provided so that the two landscaping areas add up to at least
350 square feet.
Environmental Regulations
Critical Area Determination: A critical areas checklist is not required for the subject application because a
determination was conducted for the subject site in 1995 under File No. CRA19950214 and CRA19950215 and it
was determined that no critical areas are present on or adjacent to the site.
SEPA Review: State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review is not required for the project because the proposed
building is less than 4,000 square feet and provides for only twenty parking spaces.
Page 4 of 5
Required Permits and Approvals from Other Jurisdictions
It should be noted that the applicant is responsible for obtaining all required permits and approvals from any
applicable federal, state, or local jurisdictions.
District Design Review: Administrative Design Review $570 plus $15 City Surcharge
Conditional Use Permit: Hearing Examiner Review $1350 plus $15 City Surcharge and $185 sign posting fee
Attachments / Enclosures
• Land Use Application
• ECDC Chapter 16.43 BD — Downtown Business
• ECDC Chapter 20.05 Conditional Use Permits
• ECDC Chapter 20.13 Landscaping Requirements
• ECDC Chapter 20.60 Sign Code
• Handout #P2 Adjacent Property Owners List
• Handout #P6 District -Based Design Review
• Handout #P19 Conditional Use Permit
• Comprehensive Plan Excerpt — Downtown Design Objectives
• Street Tree Excerpt
Page 5 of 5