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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-3384 Vacating ORDINANCE NO. 3384 0 AN ORDINANCE vacating alley right -of -way located in the block bounded by South 10th Avenue, South llth Avenue, West Walnut Street, and West Chestnut Avenue; approving the proposal to construct a medical office building, and approving an administrative adjustment allowing lot coverage of 90 percent with impervious surfaces, subject to all of the conditions in the Hearing Examiner's Recommenda- tion. WHEREAS, St. Elizabeth Medical Center has filed a peti- tion with the City Clerk requesting vacation of the north /south alley located in the block bounded by South 10th Avenue, South llth Avenue, West Walnut Street, and West Chest- nut Avenue; and WHEREAS, said petition was signed by the owners of more than two thirds of the property abutting upon the part of such alley sought to be vacated; and WHEREAS, St. Elizabeth Medical Center further has re- 11/ quested approval to construct a medical office building of approximately 32,500 feet along with an administrative adjust- ment allowing lot coverage of 90 percent with impervious surfaces, and WHEREAS, after due and legal notice pursuant to RCW Chapter 35.79, after a public hearing by the Hearing Examiner, and after a public hearing by the City Council of the City of Yakima, the City Council finds it is in the best interest of the City that said petition to vacate said alley right -of -way be granted, that said proposal to construct a medical office building and approve an administrative adjustment should be approved, subject to all of the conditions contained in the Hearing Examiner's Recommendation found in Examiner No. I91- 18 -27, City No. UAZO CL(3) #6 -91 and R/W VAC #3 -91, a copy - 1 - (ord /vcate.rp) t [,i of which is attached` hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference herein; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA: Section 1. The Hearing Examiner's recommendation to vacate a north /south alley located in the block bounded by South 10th Avenue, South 11th Avenue, West Walnut Street, and West Chestnut Avenue, is hereby affirmed, and said strip of public alley right -of -way, as legally described below, shall be vacated when the conditions set forth in Section 2 below have been fully satisfied, to-wit. That part of Block 392, Capitol Addition to North Yakima, as re- corded in Volume "A" of Plats, page 29, records of Yakima County, Wash- ington, described as follows: Beginning at the Northwest corner of Lot 1 of said Block 392; thence Southwesterly to the Northeast corner of Lot 16 of said Block 392; thence Southeasterly to the South- east corner of Lot 9 of said Block 392; thence Northeasterly to the Southwest corner of Lot 8 of said Block 392, thence Northwesterly to the point of beginning. (Yakima County, State of Washington) Section 2. This vacation is expressly made subject to the following conditions: 1. Payment of Eighteen Thousand Dollars ($18,000.00) in compensation to the City of Yakima by St. Eliza- beth's Medical Center, before or contemporaneous with execution by the City Council or an ordinance vacating the alley right -of -way. 2. Relocation by the hospital, at its expense, of any utilities located within the existing alley. The City shall retain a 20 foot wide utility easement, in the location of the existing alley. The easement shall be prepared and recorded by the City. 3. The hospital shall obtain written permission from any utility purveyor utilizing the easement prior to any construction over the easement. Copies of the agreements shall be provided to the City. Any relocation of utilities in order to accommodate construction shall be completed to City specifica- tions at hospital expense with a new easement for the relocated utility. - 2 - (ord /vcate.rp) �4 O Section 3. The Hearing Examiner's Recommendation to approve the proposal to construct a medical office building with approximately 32,500 square feet is affirmed and ap- proved, subject to the following conditions- 1. A final detailed site plan, for the properties that are the subject of this application, which includes the items shown on the original site plan, the additions or modifications required by the City Council, and demonstrating compliance with the Urban Area Zoning Ordinance, shall be submitted to the Planning Department prior to issuance of a certifi- cate of zoning review or building permit, pursuant to YMC 15.12.050. The plan is to include land- scaping detail, signage, lighting, defined loading and trash receptacle area, and pavement markings. 2. Provide a minimum total of at least 694 off - street parking spaces serving both the hospital and the medical office building, with 561 spaces allocated to the hospital and 133 spaces allocated to the MOB. The spaces shall be located as close as reasonably practical to both facilities respectively. 3. Construct commercial driveway approaches for all new curbcuts to both ends of the alley serving Lot G, and the south ends of alleys accessing Lots C and G, • unless the hospital decides to provide sole direct access to these lots from the adjoining public streets, in which case commercial driveway ap- proaches will still be required. 4. The parking lot designs for Lots C and G shall include measures to discourage traffic from entering from or exiting to the north, perhaps with signs and /or raised islands. 5. The curbcut on 11th accessing the parking lot imme- diately north of the MOB requires a City Approach Permit and a commercial driveway approach. 6. All parking lots shall be illuminated pursuant to current City standards, with lights shaded to avoid residential properties. 7. A new street light shall be installed on the south- west corner of 10th Avenue and West Chestnut in original tower. 8. A drainage plan prepared by a professional engineer dealing with on -site storm waters must be submitted to and approved by the City prior to construction. Drywells must include oil and grease separators in compliance with customary City standards. 9. The hospital shall construct a sidewalk on the north side of Chestnut Avenue, between 9th Avenue and the alley to the west, to match existing sidewalks. • - 3 - (ord /vcate.rp) 10. All landscaping shall be irrigated. References to Standard A landscaping refer to a three foot plant- 111 ing strip rather than the normal ten foot wide strip. Standard A and a low fence shall be utilized on the entire MOB block (including former Lot 1). Lot G1 (former Lot 2) shall utilize Standard C on the north and south sides, and Standard A on the east side. Lot C2 and C3 (former Lot 3) shall utilize Standard A on all three sides, not including the alley side. 11. All alleys not vacated shall be resurfaced and suitable for commercial traffic. 12. Speed limit and caution signage shall be erected on Chestnut and 10th Avenues, as determined by the City. 13. All expenses for implementation of these conditions shall be borne by the applicant. Section 4. The Hearing Examiner's Recommendation to approve an administrative adjustment allowing lot coverage of 90 percent with impervious surfaces, with the remainder to be landscaped, applicable to all hospital property identified in the June 1991 site plan is hereby affirmed and approved. Section 5. The Yakima City Council hereby adopts find- ings, conclusions, and recommendations pertaining to this vacation, office building proposal, and administrative adjust- ment and contained in the Hearing Examiner's Recommendation, City No. UAZO CL(3) #6 -91 and R/W VAC #3 -91, Examiner No. 191- 18-27, a true copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference herein. Section 6. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and di- rected to file a certified copy of this ordinance with the Clerk of the Yakima County Board of County Commissioners and the Yakima County Auditor. Section 7. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter, and this decision shall be final and conclusive unless within 30 days from the date of final action by the City Council an agreed party obtains an appropriate Writ of Judicial Review from the Yakima County Superior Court for the purpose of review of the action taken. - 4 - (ord /vcate.rp) PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approved this • /3 day of , 1991. Mayor ATTEST: A --0- - ) G of c_ City Clerk Publication Date: O /�G/1`./ Effective Date / /s`, -9/ - 5 - (ord /vcate.rp) Master Application by ) ) ST. ELIZABETH ) EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION MEDICAL CENTER ) City No. UAZO CL(3) #6 -91 for Alley Vacation and ) and R/W VAC #3 -91 Class 3 Review of ) Examiner No. I91 -18 -27 Medical Office Building. ) The Examiner conducted a public hearing on June 19, 1991. The staff report presented by Mr. Larry Lehman recommended approval of the vacation of the alley right -of -way, and approval of the medical office building subject to providing 671 off - street parking spaces for both the hospital and the office building. Attorney James Carmody represented the hospital. Sister Karen Dufault, architect Tom Gross, and traffic consultant Claudia Scrivenich testified in support of the proposal. Barbara Harris, an owner of property in the neighborhood, testified that she could support the project only if adequate parking was provided. The Examiner inspected the property both before and after the hearing. The record in this matter consists of the packet provided by the Planning Department to the Examiner, the testimony and documents received at the hearing, as well as the following documents: 1. Letter from Attorney Carmody dated July 8, 1991, together with attached parking studies for St. Mary Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital, and St. Alphonsus Hospital. 2. Undated letter from Paul and Barbara Harris received by the Examiner July 8, 1991. 3. Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital dated June 6, 1988. The Memorial Hospital Environmental Impact Statement was referred to briefly during the hearing itself with respect to Memorial's utilization of a 2.4 parking spaces per bed ratio. The Examiner agreed to accept the additional documents from Attorney ® EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 1 HEAR EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 EXHIBIT A YAKIM 9 98907 ( H (50091 ) 248-0 248-0700 6 Carmody and Mrs. Harris, after the hearing, because of a desire to comprehensively analyze the parking situation for purposes of • review by the City Council. Both the hospital and Mrs. Harris should have an opportunity to address the Council, if they wish, to respond to this supplementation of the record. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATION. The Examiner recommends approval of the alley right -of -way vacation, subject to payment of $18,000.00 compensation to the City. The Examiner further recommends approval of the medical office building subject to receipt of a revised site plan reflecting an administrative adjustment allowing 90 percent lot coverage and requiring additional parking. Five hundred sixty -one spaces are required for the hospital, and 133 additional spaces are required for the medical office building, for a total of 694 spaces. This compares to the 607 spaces proposed by the applicant, leaving a deficit of 87 spaces. Five hundred sixty -one spaces for the hospital treats the 511 spaces pre - existing all hospital expansion activities as sufficient for the hospital, and adds the additional 50 spaces required for the tower expansion. At the time of tower expansion approval in 1990, the hospital was adding a total of 107 spaces, and the surplus of those spaces over the 50 additional are permitted for use by the medical office building. The hospital is not required to move any of the currently approximately 349 cars parking on the street in the vicinity of the hospital to hospital parking lots. The current site plan reflects 607 spaces. It is unclear, with lot restriping and adjustments of lot coverage, how many additional spaces can be picked up. In the event additional property is required for parking, the review of that particular property as a parking lot would be subject to the normal review provisions of the zoning ordinance. From the view of the site, the matters contained in the official record, including the staff report, a review of both the EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 2 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 • Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan and the Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance, and from evidence received at the hearing, the Examiner makes the following: FINDINGS 1. Applicant. St. Elizabeth Medical Center. 2. Location. Vicinity of the southeast corner of South llth and Walnut Avenues. 3. Application. Master application for vacation of alley right -of -way and Class 3 review of medical office building as a use ancillary to the hospital. 4. Proposed Use. Medical office building and parking. 5. Current Zoning and Land Use. The St. Elizabeth Medical Center properties involved in this proposal, including parking, are located between Walnut and Yakima Avenues, and 8th and llth Avenues. They are zoned Professional Business (B -1). Land uses in the immediate vicinity of the Medical Center include single - family homes, apartments, nursing homes, funeral homes, churches, and 411 Adjacent Adjacent properties have the following characteristics: Lot B & Site of Hospital (between 8th & 10th Aves. & Walnut & Chestnut Aves.) Location Zoning Existing Use North (across Chestnut) R -3 Multi- Family B -1 Hospital Parking South (across Walnut) R -3 Single /Multi - Family & Commercial East (across 8th Ave.) R -3 Multi - Family Apartments East (immediately adjacent) R -3 Single- Family Homes West (across 10th Ave.) B -1 Hospital Parking Lot F & Site of Proposed Medical Office Building (between 10th & llth Aves. & between Chestnut & Walnut Aves.) Location Zoning Existing Use North (across Chestnut) B -1 Single - Family Residential South (across Walnut) B -1 Single - Family /Nursing Home East (across 9th Ave.) B -1 Hospital West (across 10th Ave.) B -1 Single /Multi - Family, Church & Professional Offices EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 3 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE Cr Y AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 Lot G (12 & 14 80. 10th Ave.) Location Zoning Existing Use North B -1 Multi- Family South B -1 Single - Family East (across 10th Ave.) B -1 Multi- Family & Hospital Parking West B -1 Single - Family Lot C (12 & 14 So. 9th Ave.) Location Zoning Exiting Use North B -1 Funeral Home Parking South B -1 Hospital East (across 9th Ave.) R -3 Multi- Family & Nursing Home West B -1 Hospital Parking & Professional Offices 6. Project Description. The hospital wants to vacate the north /south alley located in the block bounded by South 10th, South llth, West Walnut, and Chestnut Avenues. Within that block they want to build a 22,500 square foot two story medical office building, plus an 10,000 square foot basement (per June 19 site • plan). They also plan to expand two existing parking lots, and redesign other existing parking to serve parking needs for both the hospital and the medical office building (MOB herein). The office building would have approximately 12,000 square feet of office space on the first floor, approximately 10,500 square feet on the second floor, and approximately 10,000 square feet of storage in the basement. (See "St. Elizabeth Medical Office Building Project, May 1991" report prepared by CH2M Hill, p.l. (1991 Report herein) and June 19, 1991 Site Plan.) Based upon this report, the hospital plans to allocate 128 parking spaces to the office building and 479 to the hospital, for a total of 607. (1991 Report, supplemental narrative to application, p.3.) The latest detailed site plan is dated June 19, 1991. It shows 607 parking spaces, as does the prior site plan dated May 3, 1991. The difference between the two plans is that the latter shows a driveway on llth Avenue, north of the MOB, providing EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 4 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706 • additional access to that parking lot. Additional parking is obtained by expanding the parking previously approved in 1990 for the hospital's tower or north wing expansion. A house has been removed north of the proposed office building, on the south part of what is now designated Lot F4. In addition, a house will be removed at the southeast corner of what is designated Lot Cl, directly north of the hospital. In addition, ten foot wide parking stalls located in existing lots will be restriped to nine feet, consistent with zoning ordinance width requirements, creating additional spaces. This recommendation deals first with the relatively straightforward alley vacation, and then with the building and parking issues. VACATION OF ALLEY RIGHT -OF -WAY 7. Legal Description. That part of Block 392, Capitol Addition to North Yakima, as recorded in Volume "A" of Plats, page 29, records of . Yakima County, Washington, described as follows: Beginning at the Northwest corner of Lot 1 of said Block 392; thence Southwesterly to the Northeast corner of Lot 16 of said Block 392; thence Southeasterly to the Southeast corner of Lot 9 of said Block 392; thence Northeasterly to the Southwest corner of Lot 8 of said Block 392; thence Northwesterly to the point of beginning. (Yakima County, State of Washington) 8. Public Use of the Right-of-Way. The right -of -way is currently developed with a paved asphalt surface. Public use of the alley is primarily for access to Medical Center parking. A number of underground and overhead utilities are located in the right -of -way. 9. Criteria for Right -of -Way Vacation. City policy identifies five criteria for consideration: 9.1 Public Benefit. All land on this block is owned by the Medical Center. The alley is a barrier to efficient utilization of the land. There is no public benefit in keeping the alley. • EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 5 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE 80X 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 9.2 Denial of Access. Vacating the right -of -way does not deny access to any property in the block. 9.3 Consistency with Transportation Plans. The Six -Year Transportation Improvement Plan does not reflect any improvements to the alley, nor street improvement projects for adjacent streets. Vacation is consistent with City plans and policies. 9.4 Consistency with Existing and Anticipated Development and Zoning. This area is zoned B -1 and generally developed as a medical office area. The proposed redevelopment of this block is consistent with the intent of this zone and the actual development of the area. Vacation of the right -of -way contributes to redevelopment of the property. 9.5 Relocation of Utilities. Existing public and franchised utilities within the alley include sanitary sewer line, irrigation line, and natural gas line. The proposed building will be built over a portion of the alley, and all utilities will be relocated with appropriate easements at the expense of the hospital. 10. Compensation. The hospital hired appraiser Jim Haney to • appraise the alley. He came up with an uncontested value of $36,000.00. City Resolution No. D -5630 is consistent with state law and requires compensation to the City at one -half the appraised value, or in this instance $18,000.00. Compensation should be paid prior to or contemporaneous with adoption by the City Council of an ordinance vacating the alley. 11. Traffic Study. A traffic study was prepared by the applicant at the request of the City, and with respect to the alley vacation indicates that there are no problems with traffic or circulation resulting from the vacation. 12. Vacation Appropriate. Vacation of the right -of -way is appropriate. CLASS 3 REVIEW 13. Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan. Hospitals and their ancillary uses are necessary community support facilities. EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 6 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706 With appropriate measures they are compatible with the intent of • both the B -1 and adjacent R -3 zones. With the exception of specific concerns about parking, this proposal is consistent with the intent and objectives of the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan. The plan recognizes that a number of characteristics influence compatibility, including traffic and citizen preference. The primary concern is parking adequacy, and that will be reviewed below under the more detailed provisions of the zoning ordinance. In all other respects this project is compatible with the area. The street system is adequate, the building is of a size and design consistent with surrounding land uses, and the project will be attractively landscaped. 14. Yakima Urban Area Zoning Ordinance. Hospitals and their related activities are treated as a Class 3 use in the zoning ordinance and processed under YMC Ch.15.15. Generally Class 3 uses are not permitted unless compatible with the intent and character of the zoning district and the objectives and development criteria of the comprehensive plan. YMC 15.04.020(3). The primary impacts of this project are related to traffic and parking. Accordingly, the City required and the hospital had CH2M Hill prepare a traffic study which reviewed circulation patterns and parking requirements. In summary, the road network is adequate but parking is controversial. 14.1 Street Impacts. The hospital's transportation study indicates there will be a total of 620 one -way trips generated each day by the MOB. This will not have any significant impact upon arterials, nor will the level of service at nearby intersections be substantially affected. However, the southbound traffic on 8th Avenue, going through the intersection of 8th and Walnut, will drop from a Level of Service C to a Level of Service D in 1995, with the MOB. All other levels of service will remain the same, and for the most part are Level of Service A. The only intersection with real problems is South 8th and Walnut, and it is typically the traffic on 8th trying to get through the intersection, or turning left onto EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 7 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 Walnut in either direction, east or west, that has problems. Eighth Avenue does not have much through traffic, and if there are • significant delays trying to turn left onto Walnut, motorists will find alternate routes. 14.2 Pedestrians. Sidewalks are already installed on all of the streets in the project vicinity, except on the north side of Chestnut between 9th Avenue and the alley to the west. The site plan shows the sidewalk in this location, and although the applicant may not have intended to build a sidewalk there, one should be required. There are high pedestrian levels around the hospital and it is appropriate, in order to facilitate pedestrian safety, particularly for those hospital - related people using on- street parking, to require the sidewalk be built. The specifications of the sidewalk should be consistent with the other sidewalks on the block. 14.3 Transit. The site plan reflects an existing transit 'stop on West Walnut on the south side of the hospital. A bus turnout is not indicated on the site plan, but if the City Transit Department determines one is required in the future, the hospital • should be required to deed additional right -of -way to the City, without compensation, for the stop. This is appropriate in order to mitigate the parking situation and encourage safe utilization of public transit. Furthermore, this requirement is consistent with Condition 3C of the north wing building expansion decision dated November 15, 1990. 14.4 Parking History. The hospital is in a rapid expansion phase. This current application for an office building comes on the heels of the Examiner's approval of the hospital's tower or north wing expansion. That 48,000 square foot addition to the existing hospital was approved on a Class 3 review in two decisions by the Examiner, dealing separately with parking and the building expansion, dated November 6 and November 15, 1990, Examiner Nos. I90 -1 -68 and I90 -1 -69. Prior to the tower addition, the hospital had 511 parking spaces. This is based upon the hospital's detailed site plan dated EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 8 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 ti September 10, 1990, corrected to reflect 54 rather than 36 spaces • for Lot B5 immediately in front and north of the hospital, and adding 15 spaces in the work area behind the hospital, on its southwest corner. Although not adding beds, the tower expansion adds 48,000 square feet to the existing hospital. One of the floors will be utilized for a maternity ward, with utilization of the other two floors not yet determined. The tower project contemplates future demolition of the old nursing school, St. Elizabeth's Hall, located on the north side of the hospital. That building has 30,028 square feet, roughly equivalent to two of the three 16,000 square foot floors being added to the hospital. The hospital, Planning Department, and Examiner concurred that 50 additional parking spaces are appropriate and should be required for the tower addition, although the hospital at that time received approval for 127 new parking spaces. (St. Elizabeth Medical Center Transportation Study, September 1990, by CH2M Hill, p.19 re St. Elizabeth's Hall square footage, St. Elizabeth Medical Center Examiner's Decision No. 190 -1 -68, dated November 6, 1990 re approval of new parking spaces for tower addition.) That decision reflects total new spaces of 127. Subsequent analysis of materials provided by the hospital consultant and of the site plans indicates that number was incorrect. The lot directly north of the hospital, bounded by 9th and Chestnut, was characterized as Lot 3 during the tower expansion, and is now shown as Lots C2 and C3. Prior to the tower expansion there were 18 existing spaces there. As part of the tower proposal that lot was improved to include 33, thus providing 15 new spaces. Those existing 18 spaces were mistakenly included in the proposal, and should be subtracted from the 127 approved. There were actually 109 new spaces provided under the tower project. To summarize, pre -tower expansion there were 511 spaces. With the tower 109 spaces were added, for a total, after the tower, of 620 spaces. This is consistent with the 1991 Report by CH2M Hill, which concludes that there are 620 spaces after the tower or • EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 9 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 north wing expansion. (See 1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.18.) Many of these spaces are not yet available because of ongoing construction. The tower decisions did not determine the adequacy of then existing hospital parking. 14.5 MOB Parking. As proposed, the office building will have 22,500 square feet of office and 10,000 square feet of storage space. It displaces approximately 91 parking spaces (1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.28.) The new site plan adds 41 spaces, and restriping adds 37 spaces. These are reflected in the total of 607 spaces shown on the June 19, 1991, site plan (620 - 91 + 41 + 37 = 607). The zoning ordinance requires one space for each 200 square feet of medical office space, plus one space for each 500 square feet of storage space. (YMC Ch.15.06, Table 6 -1.) Without making adjustments for stairwells, elevators, restrooms, and mechanical space, which do not generate a parking requirement, the zoning ordinance requires 113 spaces for the offices, and 20 spaces for the storage area, for a total of 133 (22,500 square feet • divided by 200 and 10,000 square feet divided by 500). Mr. Lehman's staff report calculated 120 spaces were required, based on somewhat different figures. At that time he was working with 20,800 square feet of office space and 8,000 square feet of storage. The hospital consultant calculated 125 spaces, using 30,500 gross square feet and 4.11 spaces per 1,000 square feet, based upon the Institute of Transportation Engineers Parking Generation, 2nd Edition. (1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.25.) Parking Generation at p.102 indicates that 4.11 spaces are the average per 1,000 gross square feet of building area. There is no indication of adjustments for storage or mechanical areas. Gross square footage (GSF)is not defined in the book, and presumably applies to the entire building. By comparison, gross leasable area is defined, referring to that area actually leased to the tenant, but is not used in calculating parking in this EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 10 • HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CT' AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 913907 (509) 248 -0706 instance. Utilizing 4.11 spaces per 1,000 gross square feet, a 32,500 square foot building requires 134 spaces. This is consistent with our ordinance, which requires 133 spaces (prior to deduction for mechanical space, etc). Given the correlation between the two alternative calculation approaches, and acknowledging the validity of the comment in the ITE book that parking rates for medical office buildings reflect higher parking usage than general offices (Parking Generation, p.101), 133 spaces should be required. In the event the building is a different size, the City's parking formula should be used, without regard to the deduction for mechanical space, etc. 14.6 Hospital Parking. Different approaches to the parking yield different results. A comparison of these follow, and conclude in a determination of required parking. UAZO Analysis. This 214 bed hospital under the zoning ordinance is required to have 1.5 parking spaces per bed. • The tower addition is not' adding any beds at all, since the new beds in the maternity ward will be moved from elsewhere in the hospital. Under this analysis, the hospital would require 321 parking spaces and the new office building an additional 133, for a total of 454 spaces. Before the hospital even added the tower addition, it had 511 spaces, so arguably there was no need for additional parking for either the tower or the MOB. The inadequacy of the existing ordinance is demonstrated by the hospital's own actions in adding parking in conjunction with their tower expansion. Furthermore, St. Elizabeth's actions are consistent with those of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, which has substantially more parking than required by the ordinance, which they added to accommodate their recent expansion. St. Elizabeth's Medical Center Analysis. Based upon two afternoon surveys performed in 1990, the hospital has calculated parking demand. It is based on an assumption that • EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 11 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 VAX MA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 parking lots are at capacity when 90 percent of the spaces are used. The remaining spaces are necessary for efficient utilization • of the lot. The hospital analysis does not consider on- street parking to be a problem, and consequently disregards the number of cars on the street. According to the hospital, 36 jobs are being moved off -site, thus arguably reducing the number of spaces required. Their approach concludes that 386 spaces are required for the existing hospital, plus 50 for the tower expansion, minus 36 for the departments moved off -site, for total hospital spaces required of 400. (1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.26, together with June 17, 1991, Memorandum to Larry Lehman from Claudia Scrivenich of CH2M Hill, pp.3 -6, Section 4.) If an additional 133 are added for the MOB, 533 total spaces are required, and they plan to have 607. Little weight is placed on the evidence that 36 jobs are being moved off -site, thus reducing hospital parking need. The need for parking is a function of both the building size and the actual number of people within the building. Staffing levels can be expected to fluctuate, but parking lots have to be sized with • some reference to building size. The building space will be utilized for something, and in the long run it will probably include people. As part of the hospital's demand analysis Attorney Carmody, on July 8, 1991, provided to the Examiner additional information. This is contained in a four page letter together with three similar parking studies based on demand analysis formats. The letter indicates there are 314 day shift employees, prior to relocation of 36 employees, bringing the total on -site in the future to 278. Furthermore, the construction project results in the loss of 25 spaces together with about 30 more spaces in the area being utilized by construction employees. Mr. Carmody also included information concerning Medicare standards requiring, when no other standards apply, one space for each day shift staff member and employee, plus one space for each patient bed. Based on 278 employees and 214 beds, 492 EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 12 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 • spaces would be required. This is almost 25 percent more than the 400 calculated by CH2M Hill. The demand studies provided by Mr. Carmody typically included fairly detailed survey information concerning the number of employees on -site during various shifts, the number of out- patients, the number of visitors, volunteers, and doctors. All three studies included this information, and typically factored in growth and employee activity. Other communities also have problems getting their zoning ordinance to match the reality of hospital parking requirements. For example, the parking study for St. Mary Medical Center, apparently located in or near Long Beach, California, reflects that the zoning requirements for a hospital and medical offices of the size involved required 1,398 spaces. By comparison, the hospital was planning on providing 2,239 parking spaces. (See St. Mary Medical Center Parking Study, June, 1981, pp.49 -50.) ITE indicates that the data for hospitals: . . . suggests a need for additional data to aid in • drawing accurate conclusions. Future data should reflect the number of total beds, occupied beds, and doctors and employees on site at the time of the survey. (Parking Generation, p.95.) These are the sorts of data that were included in the St. Mary Parking Study referred to above and not included in the CH2M Hill study, and were referenced by the Examiner in the tower expansion decision dated November 15, 1990, which states: Future parking needs for hospitals and their related support facilities, including office buildings, should consider including information concerning the number of employees and any independent medical staff in the building during various shifts, the number of patients in the building on both a bed basis and outpatient basis, and the number of people in the building for meetings, seminars, and training. There is a tendency for hospitals to provide office space for physicians who are also on staff with the hospital. To the extent that doctors such as psychiatrists are also seeing private patients in the facility, the hospital takes on the aspects of a medical office. Much of this information should be available in- house. Information from other • EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 13 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 hospitals would also be helpful, comparing their available parking with their size in terms of these • various criteria, but perhaps most simply expressed as square footage and number of beds. (Examiner No. I90 -1 -69, p.6.) On- Street Parking. St. Elizabeth's demand analysis also reviews on- street parking supply and demand. Streets around the hospital were surveyed and cars counted during peak parking demand in the afternoon. This included 8th, 9th, 10th, and llth Avenues, and Chestnut and Walnut Avenues. Utilization of available on- street parking ranged from a low of 13 percent to a high of 89 percent. No effort was made to identify what portion of the cars were attributable to hospital activities. (See 1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.14, Figure 6.) One of the neighborhood complaints is that too many hospital related cars are parking on the streets. It is impossible on the available evidence to determine the exact number. However, a review of the information indicates that streets more distant from the hospital have significantly less on- street parking. The • total number of cars parked on the streets reflected in Figure 6 is 349. For analysis purposes, the streets with parking utilizing 40 percent or more of the on- street capacity total 226 cars. Assuming that half of those cars are related to the hospital, it appears that approximately 113 cars are parking on the streets rather than in hospital parking lots. It is reasonable to conclude that these cars are related to the hospital given the lack of other competing commercial enterprises generating significant parking requirements in the immediate area. Accordingly, 113 cars parked on- street are treated as attributable to the hospital. CH2M Hill, however, does not attribute any of the cars to the hospital because on- street utilization is generally less than 75 percent of the available spaces. In terms of neighborhood compatibility, however, one of the most significant impacts this hospital has is on the availability of street parking for other users of the neighborhood, EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 14 • HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (5091 248 -0706 • both residential and business. The hospital recognizes a desire to reduce the demand for on- street parking. As the consultant points out: The purpose of the new spaces [for the tower addition] was to meet the requirement for 50 additional spaces, to replace spaces temporarily lost during the north wing expansion construction, and to reduce the demand for on- street parking. (1991 Report, Transportation Study, p.18.) ITE Analysis. ITE has a chart for hospitals, similar to medical office buildings, showing that the average parking rate is 1.79 spaces per bed. (Parking Generation, p.96.) On that basis a 214 bed hospital requires 383 parking spaces. Since the 45,000 square foot addition to the hospital does not add any beds, there would be no reason under this approach to require more parking. With 133 spaces required by ITE for the office building, the total number of spaces required would be 516 also, well under the 607 proposed. Memorial Hospital Analysis. In 1988 Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital prepared an environmental impact statement for a 37,000 square foot addition to house the psychiatric department, while adding additional parking. The second phase dealing with outpatient surgery involved an additional 4,700 square feet. They were a 226 bed hospital with 549 off - street parking spaces prior to expansion. TRANSPO, a traffic engineering consultant, estimated Memorial's pre- expansion parking demand at 2.4 spaces per bed, or 540 parking spaces, based on data gathered at 15 general hospitals, citing Parking for Institutions and Special Events, Edward M. Whitlock, P.E., ENO Foundation for Transportation, Inc., Westport, Connecticut, 1982. The 2.4 space to licensed bed ratio was at the high end of the data range, which was from 1.6 to 2.4 spaces per bed, and reflected a high outpatient activity level and a low degree of ride sharing by employees. (Memorial Draft EIS dated June 6, 1988, Appendix A, p.9.) Based upon the 1982 paper relied upon by TRANSPO in • preparing Memorial Hospital's environmental impact statement, a EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 15 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706 paper which explicitly recognizes the newer trend in hospital utilization and which is nevertheless nine years old, an • appropriate number for hospitals is 2.4 spaces per bed. With 214 beds, St. Elizabeth's would be expected to have 514 spaces. On that same analysis however, one could argue that the hospital should have been able to add the tower addition without adding additional spaces, since no more beds were involved. Even if that were the case, 514 spaces for the hospital plus 133 spaces for the MOB totals 647, 40 more than on the proposed site plan. Memorial's expansion request, which was approved, resulted in 775 parking spaces for 226 beds, or 3.4 spaces per bed. This was the end result after adding 41,700 square feet to the existing facility without changing the number of licensed beds. The additional parking was as proposed by Memorial, based on their determination of what they needed to adequately serve their facility (Examiner's Decision I90 -1 -73, dated December 10, 1990, p.5). The number of spaces was deemed adequate by the Planning Department and not subject to significant criticism from the neighborhood. Empirical observation suggests that parking is still • tight at Memorial. Required Parking. The existing Urban Area Zoning Ordinance does not adequately deal with hospital parking requirements. With changes in both insurance reimbursement requirements and in the delivery of health care services generally, there is a significantly increased emphasis on outpatient, emergency room, and educational activities, none of which bear any clear rational relationship to the number of beds in a hospital but nevertheless generate parking requirements. The inadequacy of the zoning ordinance was recognized in the Examiner's tower decisions, which approved an addition to the hospital which did not involve increasing the number of beds. Nevertheless, 50 new parking spaces were required to accommodate the maternity ward. The reality is that 48,000 square feet of new hospital space is being added, with the potential future demolition of 30,000 square feet represented by EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 16 • HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CT AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 • the old nursing school. Assuming demolition, about 18,000 square feet of net new space is being added by the tower expansion. It is ludicrous to assume that even though no new beds are being added to the hospital that the added space will not generate additional parking demands. Assuming for the sake of analysis that the new space should perhaps have been treated as equivalent to medical office space, using the ITE numbers of 4.11 spaces per 1,000 gross square feet, an additional 74 new parking spaces could have been required. Despite persistent neighborhood concerns about excessive on- street parking with the existing facility, the Examiner approved adding 48,000 square feet with only an additional 50 parking spaces, without requiring that the old nursing school be torn down. Assuming that St. Elizabeth's Hall will in due course be removed, it is still clear that the hospital received the benefit of every doubt concerning its tower expansion application. Physical inspection of St. Elizabeth's hospital parking lots four times this spring, on weekdays, approximately 10:30 to 11 a.m. and 2:30 to 3 p.m., indicate that the highest parking occupancy appears to be in the morning rather than the afternoon, and that in the mornings on- street parking is utilizing nearly every available space on Chestnut Avenue between 9th and llth, together with substantial utilization of the remainder of Chestnut between 8th and 9th, and South 8th Avenue between Chestnut and Walnut. This occurs at a time of substantial construction activity, but once the tower expansion is complete, it is reasonable to assume that activities in those spaces will generate parking which displaces the current construction related activity. The aerial photographs, however, submitted by the hospital showing morning and afternoon photos for both June 6 and June 10, 1991, indicate that morning and afternoon lot usage is fairly evenly balanced. Any valid survey would have to be based on considerably more observations. Realizing that a proposed medical office building was on the horizon, this Examiner stated in the north wing building EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 17 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA, WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 expansion decision: The parking demand for any medical office building will be analyzed independently of hospital required parking, at the time of the application for the building itself. It is highly likely that any new medical office building will have to provide its own parking without taking advantage of existing hospital - related parking. It is also probable that the high end of any applicable parking requirement will be applied to the office building. City No. UAZO CL(3) #18 -90, Examiner No. 190 -1 -69, dated November 15, 1990, p.6. As a point of departure for analyzing future parking requirements for the hospital and related buildings, this Examiner finds that the 511 spaces pre- existing the tower expansion were adequate for the medical center as it then existed, with no surplus spaces. An additional 50 spaces are required for the tower expansion, with the MOB now generating a requirement of 133 additional spaces. Accordingly, the total parking required for the complex is 694 spaces. Six hundred seven are reflected on the June 19, 1991, site plan, leaving a deficit of 87 spaces. • This finding is based on a balancing of the various analytic approaches described above. The demand approach utilized by the hospital is based upon a 214 bed facility operating on an average daily census of 115 beds, substantially less than maximum capacity but apparently in line with hospitals of its size. In the event St. Elizabeth's succeeds with its maternity program, it is reasonable to expect that substantially more people will be utilizing the hospital for other purposes in addition to maternity, and that overall bed occupancy will increase. To design a parking lot based on assumptions concerning a facility operating at 54 percent of its bed capacity overlooks the significant adverse impact on the neighborhood of existing on- street and probable future overflow parking when hospital utilization increases. Furthermore, the demand study does not factor in any potential increase in employment due to growth of the hospital or an increase in bed utilization. EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 18 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CrTY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706 Finding that the 511 pre- expansion spaces were adequate for the medical center as it then existed is based upon a number of factors. The hospital had existed for a number of years in that physical configuration and parking lot size, representing an apparent equilibrium of supply and demand. In addition, 511 spaces is very similar to the 2.4 spaces per bed formula utilized by Memorial Hospital in analyzing its parking requirements prior to its recent building expansion. (2.4 spaces x 214 beds = 514 spaces.) Utilizing the 2.4 factor provides parity between the two hospitals, with the factor itself recognizing the increased trend in out - patient activity in hospitals. Even though this factor is utilized, however, it disregards the fact that there are presumably a significant number of hospital related cars parking on the street, easily more than 100 during peak parking demand. Those cars will presumably remain on the streets, because utilization of this factor basically preserves the status quo. Adding 50 spaces for the tower expansion probably understates the actual parking demand created by adding at least 18,000 square feet to the a hospital. Under these circumstances it is reasonable to require that the existing parking for the medical center, including the tower, not be allowed to subsidize the parking required for the new office building. The parking required for the hospital (not including the MOB), 561 spaces, works out to 2.6 spaces per bed. By comparison, the final ratio for Memorial Hospital is 3.4, indicating that Memorial is either substantially overparked, or St. Elizabeth's is still underparked. Only time will tell. 14.7 Lot Coverage. In the tower decision the hospital requested and received approval for an administrative adjustment allowing up to 90 percent lot coverage with impermeable surfaces, rather than the 80 percent required by the ordinance. Although not requested in this application, continuation of that approval is appropriate. Apparently the June 19 site plan reflects up to 80 percent lot coverage, and also reflects the restriped parking lots, EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 19 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 from ten feet to nine feet, generating additional parking. A new • site plan, however, will have to be prepared in order to determine to what extent the additional spaces required by this decision can be picked up through the lot coverage adjustment and restriping. In the event additional land is required for parking facilities, that land will be subject to the normal review requirements of the zoning ordinance. 15. Environmental Review. Street vacations are categorically exempt from SEPA review. YMC Ch.6.88 and WAC 197- 11- 800(2)(h). The City of Yakima issued a Determination of Non - significance relative to the Class 3 review on June 4, 1991. 16. Public Notice. Notice of the public hearing for Class 3 review and alley vacation was provided in the following manner: June 7, 1990 - Legal ad published in newspaper. June 7, 1990 - Mailing of notice to owners within 300 feet. May 31, 1990 - Posting of property. Notice of this hearing, pertaining to the vacation of right - of -way, was accomplished in the following manner. May 21, 1991 - Resolution D -5922 adopted to set public hearing. • May 22, 1991 - Posting, in three public places. May 31, 1991 - Posting of property. From the foregoing Findings, the Examiner makes the following: CONCLUSIONS 1. The Examiner has jurisdiction. 2. All notice provisions have been complied with. 3. Vacation of this right -of -way is consistent with RCW Ch.35.79 and Yakima City Ordinance No. D -5630. No public purpose is served by retaining the right -of -way. 4. Subject to providing additional parking, the application for a MOB complies with the objectives of the Urban Area Comprehensive Plan, the intent of the B -1 zoning district, and the provisions of the Urban Area Zoning Ordinance. Based upon the foregoing Findings and Conclusions, the Examiner submits to the Yakima City Council the following: EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 20 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706 ® ALLEY RIGHT -OF -WAY RECOMMENDATION Approve vacating the alley right -of -way described as: That part of Block 392, Capitol Addition to North Yakima, as recorded in Volume "A" of Plats, page 29, records of Yakima County, Washington, described as follows: Beginning at the Northwest corner of Lot 1 of said Block 392; thence Southwesterly to the Northeast corner of Lot 16 of said Block 392; thence Southeasterly to the Southeast corner of Lot 9 of said Block 392; thence Northeasterly to the Southwest corner of Lot 8 of said Block 392; thence Northwesterly to the point of beginning. (Yakima County, State of Washington) subject to the following conditions: 1. Payment of Eighteen Thousand Dollars ($18,000.00) in compensation to the City of Yakima by St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, before or contemporaneous with execution by the City Council of an ordinance vacating the alley right -of -way. 2. Relocation by the hospital, at its expense, of any utilities located within the existing alley. The City shall retain a 20 foot wide utility easement, in the location of the existing alley. The easement shall be prepared and recorded by the City. 3. The hospital shall obtain written permission from any utility purveyor utilizing the easement prior to any construction over the easement. Copies of the agreements shall be provided to the City. Any relocation of utilities in order to accommodate construction shall be completed to City specifications at hospital expense with a new easement for the relocated utility. MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING RECOMMENDATION Approve the proposal to construct a medical office building of approximately 32,500 square feet, subject to the following conditions: 1. A final detailed site plan, for the properties that are the subject of this application, which includes the items shown on the original site plan, the additions or modifications required by All EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 21 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CRY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 the City Council, and demonstrating compliance with the Urban Area • Zoning Ordinance, shall be submitted to the Planning Department prior to issuance of a certificate of zoning review or building permit, pursuant to YMC 15.12.050. The plan is to include landscaping detail, signage, lighting, defined loading and trash receptacle area and pavement markings. 2. Provide a minimum total of at lease 694 off - street parking spaces serving both the hospital and the medical office building, with 561 spaces allocated to the hospital and 133 spaces allocated to the MOB. The spaces shall be located as close as reasonably practical to both facilities respectively. 3. Construct commercial driveway approaches for all new curbcuts to both ends of the alley serving Lot G, and the south ends of alleys accessing Lots C and G, unless the hospital decides to provide sole direct access to these lots from the adjoining public streets, in which case commercial driveway approaches will still be required. 4. The parking lot designs for Lots C and G shall include measures to discourage traffic from entering from or exiting to the north, perhaps with signs and /or raised islands. 5. The curbcut on llth accessing the parking lot immediately north of the MOB requires a City Approach Permit and a commercial driveway approach. 6. All parking lots shall be illuminated pursuant to current City standards, with lights shaded to avoid residential properties. 7. A new street light shall be installed on the southwest corner of 10th Avenue and West Chestnut in original tower. 8. A drainage plan prepared by a professional engineer dealing with on -site storm waters must be submitted to and approved by the City prior to construction. Drywells must include oil and grease separators in compliance with customary City standards. 9. The hospital shall construct a sidewalk on the north side of Chestnut Avenue, between 9th Avenue and the alley to the west, to match existing sidewalks. 10. All landscaping shall be irrigated. References to EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 22 110 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248 -0706 Standard A landscaping refer to a three foot planting strip rather than the normal ten foot wide strip. Standard A and a low fence shall be utilized on the entire MOB block (including former Lot 1) . Lot G1 (former Lot 2) shall utilize Standard C on the north and south sides, and Standard A on the east side. Lot C2 and C3 (former Lot 3) shall utilize Standard A on all three sides, not including the alley side. 11. All alleys not vacated shall be resurfaced and suitable for commercial traffic. 12. Speed limit and caution signage shall be erected on Chestnut and 10th Avenues, as determined by the City. 13. All expenses for implementation of these conditions shall be borne by the applicant. [These conditions incorporate the prior conditions for tower parking lot approval.] LOT COVERAGE ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENT RECOMMENDATION Approve an administrative adjustment allowing lot coverage of 90 percent with impervious surfaces, with the remainder to be Aft landscaped. This adjustment applies to all hospital property identified in the June 19, 1991, site plan. DATED this 10th day of July, 1991. V a4 4 PHILIP A. LAMB Hearing Examiner EXAMINER'S RECOMMENDATION - 23 HEARING EXAMINER FOR THE CITY AND COUNTY OF YAKIMA POST OFFICE BOX 4 YAKIMA. WASHINGTON 98907 (509) 248-0706