Westside School at 10404 34TH AVE SW has been given the go ahead with their takeover of the former New Apostolic Church which will involve the transfer of 30 students, and the hiring of 8 new teachers.The project would add 69 parking spaces.

The site plan can be downloaded here.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ACTION

Land Use Application to allow the expansion of an institution and change the use of an existing religious facility to classrooms (Westside School). Parking for 69 vehicles proposed.

The following approvals are required:

Administrative Conditional Use – to allow expansion of an institution in a Single Family 7200 (SF 7200) zone.  (Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 23.45.116 and 122)

BACKGROUND DATA

Site and Vicinity Description

The site, located in southern most part of West Seattle, lies several blocks from Puget Sound to the west and one block to the city limits along 30th Ave SW to the east.  The site of the proposed expansion lies at the southeast corner of the block bounded by SW 106th Street on the south, 34th Ave SW on the west, SW 104th St. on the north and 32nd Avenue SW on the east. Along with the additional “church” site, the east side of the block and the northern portion of the block comprise the full Westside school site. Development standards are calculated using the full school site. The site is zoned Single Family 7200 (SF7200); the zone classification changes to SF 5000 north of 104th Street. The area is characterized by single family homes. Arbor Heights Elementary School is located two blocks to the west.

The site is elevated above the two abutting streets and sits lower than the adjoining Westside School playground to the north.

700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000 | PO Box 34019 | Seattle, WA 98124-4019 | 206-684-8600 | seattle.gov/sdci

Proposal Description

Westside School proposes to expand into the neighboring, vacant New Apostolic Church. The church has moved its congregation. Westside School operates on the property to the north, the former Hillcrest Presbyterian Church.

The proposal comprises renovation of the church and grounds to create new classrooms, parking and playground for Westside School. Westside School would shift approximately 30 students from its current building and add approximately 30 new students. Approximately 8 new teachers and staff would use the building.

The proposal would retain the current former church parking lot and vehicle access.

Public Comment

Comment letters were received during the official public comment period, which ended September 23, 2019.  Most comment letters focused on the perceived effects of traffic and parking in the neighborhood.  Several letters note school related traffic and parking during daily pickup and drop-off of students as disruptive. Some letters were in support of the new use to help manage the vacant church building and better manage the landscaping and control access to the site.

ANALYSIS - ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONAL USE

The Seattle Land Use Code (SMC 23.44.022.A) provides that institutions such as community centers, child care centers, private schools, religious facilities, public or private libraries, and existing institutes for advanced study or other similar institutions may be permitted as conditional uses in single family zones.  Sections 23.44.022 D through M sets forth criteria to be used to evaluate and/ or condition the proposal.  The applicable criteria are discussed below beginning with SMC 23.44.022D then SMC 23.44.018.

D. General Provisions

New or expanding institutions in single family zones shall meet the development standards for uses permitted outright in Section 23.44.008 through 23.44.016 unless modified elsewhere in this subsection or in a Major Institution Master Plan.

According to the plans submitted with the application, the proposal meets the applicable development standards enumerated in Section 23.44.008 through 23.44.016.

E. Dispersion

The lot line of any proposed new or expanding institution, other than child care centers locating in legally established institutions, shall be located six hundred (600’) or more from any lot line of any other institution in a residential zone, with certain exceptions.

The proposed lot line is located more than six hundred feet (600’) from any lot line of any other institution.

F.  Demolition of Residential Structures.

No residential structure shall be demolished, nor shall its use be changed to provide for parking.

The proposed work does not include demolition of any residential structures.

G. Reuse of Existing Structures.

Existing structures may be converted to institution use if the yard requirements for institutions are met. Existing structures which do not meet these yard requirements may be permitted to convert to institution use, provided that the Director may require additional mitigating measures to reduce impacts of the proposed use on surrounding properties.

The existing structures are already an established institutional use and meet yard requirements.

H. Noise and Odors

For the purpose of reducing potential noise and odor impacts, the Director shall consider the location on the lot of the proposed institution, on-site parking, outdoor recreational area, trash and refuse storage areas, ventilating mechanisms, sport facilities, and other noise generating and odor-generating equipment, fixtures or facilities.  The institution shall be designed and operated in compliance with the Noise Ordinance, Chapter 25.08.

In order to mitigate identified noise and/or odor impacts, the Director may require measures such as landscaping, sound barriers or fences, mounding or berming, adjustments to yard or parking development standards, design modifications, setting hours of operation for facilities or other similar measures.

The proposed work is for an expansion of a school use.  There may be additional noise during class movement between buildings and during intermittent outdoor play, but it should not significantly increase noise and odors in the neighborhood.  The adjoining student campus operates with similar class breaks and recess.  Therefore, noise levels are anticipated to slightly increase at class passing time and can be controlled by adult supervision during student circulation and break periods.  Vehicles in and out of the parking area will create some additional noise and odor, some of which is transferred from the larger school building to the north and some of which will be additional due to increased student population. Temporarily, there will be increased noise related to repairs and construction. These noise levels will be regulated by the City Noise Ordinance.  Minimal odor impacts are anticipated to occur as a result of this proposal including cars, landscaping, landscape maintenance, and other normal maintenance.

1. I. Landscaping.

Landscaping shall be required to integrate the institution with adjacent areas, reduce the potential for erosion or extensive stormwater runoff, reduce the coverage of the site by impervious surfaces, screen parking from adjacent residentially zoned lots or streets or to reduce the appearance of bulk of the institution.

The proposal will have both new landscaping and renovation of existing landscaping.  The grass playfield adjacent to the proposal will be restored with grass or playground surfacing.  New trees will be added to the property, new landscaping will be installed along the south side of the play area.   

J. Light and Glare

Exterior lighting shall be shielded or directed away from adjacent residentially zoned lots. The Director may also require that the area and intensity of illumination, the location or angle of illumination be limited.

The school use will be mostly during the day. Any new lighting will be shielded or directed away from residentially zone lots.

K. Bulk and Siting

Lot Area:  If the proposed site is more than one (1) acre in size, the Director may require the following and similar development standards:

a.  For lots with unusual configuration or uneven boundaries, the proposed principal structures be located so that changes in potential and existing development patterns on the block or blocks within which the institution is located are kept to a minimum.   

The proposed change of use site area is less than one acre and does not impact development patterns. There is no new structure proposed, but rather a reuse of an existing building.

b.  For lots with large street frontage in relationship to their size, the proposed institution shall reflect design and architectural features associated with adjacent residentially zoned block faces in order to provide continuity of the block front and to integrate the proposed structures with residential

The proposal is to renovate an existing institutional structure, which reflects a similar change that occurred with the northern portion of the school.   

Yards: Yards of institutions shall be as required for uses permitted outright in Section 23. 44.008, provided that no such structure other than freestanding walls fences, bulkheads or similar structures shall be closer than ten feet (10’) to the side lot line.  The Director may permit yards less than ten feet (10’) but not less than five feet (5 ft.) after finding that the reduced setback will not significantly increase impacts, including but not limited to noise, odor and comparative scale, to adjacent lots zoned residential and there will be a demonstrable public benefit.   

The proposed work will meet the required yards development standard.

Institutions Located on Lots in More Than One (1) Zone Classification: For lots which include more than one (1) zone classification, single-family zone provisions shall apply only to the single-family-zoned lot area involved.

The subject site is located within one zone classification.

Height:  Religious symbols for religious institutions may extend an additional twenty-five (25’) above the height limit.

According to the submitted site plan, no religious symbols are proposed.

For gymnasiums and auditoriums that are accessory to an institution the maximum height shall be thirty-five (35) feet if portions of the structure above thirty-five (35) feet are set back at least twenty (20) feet from all property lines. Pitched roofs on a gymnasium or auditorium which have a slope of not less than three to twelve (3:12) may extend ten (10) feet above the thirty-five (35) foot height limit. No portion of a shed roof on a gymnasium or an auditorium shall be permitted to extend beyond the thirty-five (35) foot height limit under this provision.

No gymnasium is proposed.

Façade Scale:  If any facade of a new or expanding institution exceeds thirty feet (30’) in length, the Director may require that facades adjacent to the street or a residentially zoned lot be developed with design features intended to minimize the appearance of the bulk.  Design features which may be required include, but are not limited to, modulation, architectural features, landscaping or increased yards.

There will be landscaping along the south and east façades between the building and the right of way.  The existing building is elevated from the right of way and will not increase existing façade impacts in the neighborhood. No increased bulk is proposed at the site and no conditions are proposed.

L. Parking and Loading Berth Requirements

c.) SMC 23.44.022.L provides that the Director may modify the parking and loading requirements of Section 23.54.15, required parking, and the requirements of Section 23.44.016, parking location and access, on a case by case basis using the information contained in the transportation plan prepared pursuant to Subsection M of this section.  The modification shall be based on adopted City Policies and shall:

1. i. Provide a demonstrable public benefit such as, but not limited to, reduction of traffic on residential streets, preservation of residential structures, and reduction of noise, odor, light and glare; and

ii. Not cause undue traffic through residential streets nor create a serious safety hazard.

Twenty-one additional parking spaces will be provided in the area of expansion adjacent to the vacant church.  This is in addition to 48 spaces on the north portion of the campus.  The 21 spaces will be used for staff and visitor parking and during drop off and pick up hours. No modification of parking and loading requirements are warranted with the project.

M. Transportation Plan

A transportation plan shall be required for proposed new institutions and for those institutions proposing expansions which are larger than four thousand (4,000) square feet of the structure area and/or required to provide twenty (20) or more spaces.

 

The project proposal falls below thresholds requiring a Transportation Plan since the expansion is less than 4,000 square feet and additional required parking is 11 spaces, less than 20 spaces. Some of the required parking spaces have been moved to the new site.  However, the school has a Transportation Plan implemented when it began operations at the site to the north.

 

Conditional Use (23.44.018) General Provisions

C. A conditional use may be approved, conditioned or denied based on a determination of whether the proposed use meets the criteria for establishing a specific conditional use and whether the use will be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to property in the zone or vicinity in which the property is located.

The Department recognizes the public benefit achieved by providing convenient private schools in single family zones but establishes the conditional use process as a mechanism for the screening and mitigation of likely impacts related to the uses.  Based on the proposed design, scale, and location, the proposal is determined to not be detrimental to the public welfare nor injurious to the properties in the vicinity.

D. In authorizing a conditional use, the Director or Council may mitigate adverse negative impacts by imposing requirements and conditions deemed necessary for the protection of other properties in the zone or vicinity in which the property is located.

No conditions are imposed because the scope of this expansion does not rise to a level of impacts that warrant such measures.

DECISION - ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONAL USE

The conditional use application is APPROVED WITH NO CONDITIONS.

The proposal is consistent with Administrative Conditional Use criteria and the Land Use Policies which allow this type of use to be expanded in single family zones.