Template - Staff Report for Planning Commission...Public Hearing Review of New Zoning Standards for Self-Storage Facilities 10/1/2019 Page 6 of 7 . Movement). No tenant may use a self-service

Planning Commission

To request other formats, contact: Community and Economic Development | (360) 487-7813 | WA Relay: 711 |[email protected]

TO: Planning Commission

HEARING DATE: 10/8/2019

FROM: Bryan Snodgrass, Principal Planner, [email protected], 360-487-7946, and Cayla Cothron, Associate Planner, [email protected], 360-487-7899

SUBJECT: Public Hearing Review of New Zoning Standards for Self-Storage Facilities

Report Date: 10/1/2019

Impacted Location: Applies citywide

Proponent: City staff

I. BACKGROUND AND REVIEW PROCESS:

In December 2018, City Council adopted a moratorium on applications for new self-storage facilities. This decision stemmed from concerns that this use provides extremely limited employment and commercial activity, which potentially conflicts with long-range visions for economic development, placemaking, and efficient corridor development articulated in the Vancouver Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Plan. The moratorium was extended an additional six months in June 2019 and is now scheduled to expire December 17.

Potential code changes to allow self-storage facilities in a more limited manner than permitted under current city code were discussed with the Planning Commission at workshops on September 10 and September 24, following a City Council workshop on September 9. The proposed standards will be reviewed at the October 8 Planning Commission public hearing, and at the final City Council hearing on November 17. Changes are intended to be adopted prior the scheduled December 17 expiration of the current moratorium on new self-storage facilities.

Notice of the October 8 public hearing agenda will be published in the Columbian newspaper and listed on the Planning Commission website. Existing storage businesses in Vancouver and known interested parties will be notified by letter or email. On October 2, a SEPA determination of non-significance will be published in the Columbian and a checklist circulated.

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II. SUMMARY OF ISSUE/APPLICANT PROPOSAL:

New zoning standards and other code updates for self-storage facilities have been identified and developed by city staff as a result of the temporary moratorium, and are listed in Attachment A of this report. Self-storage is recommended to continue to be permitted in zoning districts where it is currently allowed (General Commercial, Community Commercial, Office Campus Industrial, and Light Industrial), but only outside of major corridors and subject to some additional standards as summarized below:

Recommended New Self-Storage Standards • Prohibit new storage uses on properties located within 500 feet of major

transportation corridors as identified in Figure B of this report. This is intended to focus new storage facilities away from citywide areas intended for more active uses and intensive employment activities. Staff had previously considered defining these areas to include a 1,000-foot corridor buffer and major subareas; however, upon further analysis this was found to leave too few remaining areas where new storage facilities could locate and eliminated some areas that may be appropriate for self-storage, such as areas where a facility could provide a buffer between commercial and residential uses on parcels that are zoned commercial but do not directly abut commercial corridors. In addition, current zoning in most subareas already prohibits new storage uses. Recommended subject corridors in Figure B are the major transit corridors used in 2018 code changes related to affordable housing, with SE 192nd Avenue and SE 1st Street added following recent Planning Commission workshop discussion.

• Allow existing self-storage facilities to expand or modify buildings within the boundaries of current properties if they are rendered non-conforming by new code changes. This is intended to recognize that the estimated 30 existing storage businesses citywide provide ample capacity to meet current demand, but should be afforded some latitude to expand or modify storage buildings as needed to meet the new standard or changing market demand.

• Require new self-storage to be two or more stories with interior building access only. This is intended to facilitate more efficient use of limited land supplies, and reflect apparent industry trends.

• Prohibit outdoor storage on the property. • Prohibit activities not appropriate within storage units such as heavy industrial

activity, storage of hazardous materials or animals, or conducting garage or estate sales. These are intended to ensure greater compatibility with surrounding properties, and enhance safety.

• Require each floor above the ground floor facing a street to be at least 15% glass. • Require at least 75% of any ground floor building wall facing a primary, minor, or

collector arterial street to incorporate interest-creating features. These are intended to address concerns raised during the process, and reflect emerging industry trends in urban settings. The 15% upper floor glass requirement is informed by similar requirements established in Shoreline, Washington, addressed here. The 75%

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ground floor interest gathering requirement is Vancouver’s standard requirement to avoid blank walls downtown and elsewhere.

Other Code Updates • Update VMC 20.160 Use Classifications to specify that self-storage does not include

outdoor storage, and specifically include outdoor storage in the warehouse/freight movement use category instead; prohibit tenants from using storage units for residential purposes; and state that the term mini-storage used in the code is meant to mean self-storage.

• Update use tables in VMC 20.430 Commercial and Mixed Use Districts and 20.440 Industrial Districts to add footnotes that reference the new self-storage standards.

III. REVIEW CRITERIA AND FINDINGS:

The Vancouver Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Plan establish the long-term vision for enhancing livability, developing commercial districts and corridors, and efficient use of employment land and job creation throughout the city.

A. The Vancouver 2016 – 2021 Strategic Plan contains the following applicable goals and objectives:

Goals 6: Facilitate the creation of neighborhoods where residents can walk or bike to essential amenities and services – “20-minute neighborhoods”

Goal 8: Strengthen commercial, retail and community districts throughout the City

Goal 9: Build the strongest, most resilient economy in the region

• Objective 9.1: Create infrastructure and policies that support job creation

B. The Vancouver Comprehensive Plan 2011 – 2030 contains the following applicable policies:

Community Development Policies

• CD-2 Efficient development patterns: Encourage efficient development throughout Vancouver to ensure achievement of average density of 8 units per acre set by countywide planning policies. Encourage higher density and more intense development in areas that are more extensively served by facilities, particularly transportation and transit services.

• CD-4 Urban centers and corridors: Achieve the full potential of existing and emerging urban activity centers and the corridors that connect them, by:

a. Promoting or reinforcing a unique identity or function for individual centers and corridors

b. Planning for a compact urban form with an appropriate mix of uses c. Working with stakeholders to develop flexible standards to

implement the vision for that center or corridor

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• CD-6 Neighborhood livability: Maintain and facilitate development of stable, multi-use neighborhoods that contain a compatible mix of housing, jobs, stores, and open and public spaces in a well-planned, safe pedestrian environment.

• CD-8 Design Facilitate development and create standards to achieve the following:

a. Increased streetfront use, visual interest, and integration with adjacent buildings

b. Improved pedestrian connections and proximity of uses within developments

c. Enhanced sense of identity in neighborhoods and subareas d. Publicly and/or privately owned gathering spaces facilitating

interaction

Economic Development Policies

• EC-6 Efficient use of employment land: Maximize utilization of land designated for employment through more intensive new building construction and redevelopment and intensification of existing sites.

Staff Findings: The proposal is consistent with applicable Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. Prohibiting new storage facilities on and near major corridors while allowing existing storage buildings to remain in these areas, and directing new storage facilities to other locations is consistent with Strategic Plan Goals 6, 8, and 9, facilitating 20-minute neighborhoods, and strengthening commercial districts and the economy as a whole. It is also consistent with Comprehensive Plan Policies CD-2, CD-4, and EC-6, calling for efficient land development patterns, achieving the potential of corridors, and efficient use of employment land. Requiring two-story construction with interest gathering features is consistent Policies EC-6, and CD-8 facilitating efficient use employment land and design features.

IV. RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Based on the analysis and findings of this report, staff recommends that the Planning Commission forward a recommendation to the Vancouver City Council to approve the proposed new standards for self-storage facilities.

Attachments: A. Proposed new standards and code updates B. Figure Map of Transit Corridors

ATTACHMENT A – PROPOSED NEW STANDARDS AND CODE UPDATES

New Chapter 20.895 Miscellaneous Special Use Standards

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20.895.100 Self-Service Storage.

A. Defined. The development standards of this section apply to any facility that falls within the use classification for Self-Service Storage, pursuant to VMC 20.160.020(C)(8).

B. General Requirements.

1. Self-service storage shall be prohibited within 500 feet of transit corridors illustrated in Figure 20.895-1.

[Insert Figure Map]

2. Self-service storage is permitted only within multi-story structures.

3. Self-storage units shall gain access from the interior of the building(s) or site.

4. Self-storage units shall not be used for:

a. Heavy manufacturing, fabrication, or processing of goods, service or repair of vehicles, engines, appliances or other electrical equipment, or any other heavy industrial activity.

b. Conducting garage or estate sales. This does not preclude auctions or sales for the disposition of abandoned or unclaimed property.

c. Storage of flammable, perishable or hazardous materials or the keeping of animals.

5. Each floor above the ground floor of a self-storage facility building that is facing a street shall at a minimum be comprised of 15% glass.

6. At least 75% of the width of any new or reconstructed first-story building wall facing a principal, minor, or collector arterial street shall be devoted to interest-creating features, such as pedestrian entrances, reliefs, murals, landscaping, transparent show or display windows, or windows affording views into retail, office, or lobby space.

7. Outdoor storage is prohibited. All goods and property stored at a self-storage facility shall be stored in an enclosed building. No outdoor storage of boats, RVs, vehicles, or similar, or storage in outdoor storage pods or shipping containers is permitted.

8. Recognition of Existing Facilities. Existing self-service storage facilities as of the date of adoption of this ordinance are permitted to expand within the boundaries of the property. The expansion shall be consistent with and meet all applicable standards of the zoning district as well as this section.

Amended Chapter 20.160 Use Classifications

20.160.020 Listing of Use Classifications

8. Self-Service Storage. Commercial operations that provide rental of storage space to the public. The storage areas are designed to allow private access by the tenant for storing or removing personal property. These facilities do not include outdoor storage or moving and storage companies where there is no individual storage or where employees are primary movers of the goods to be stored (see subsection (D)(5) of this section, Warehouse/Freight

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Movement). No tenant may use a self-service storage facility for residential purposes. Self-service storage is synonymous with self-service storage facility and mini-storage.

D. Industrial use types.

5. Warehouse/Freight Movement. Uses involved in the storage and movement of large quantities of materials or products indoors and/or outdoors; associated with significant truck and/or rail traffic. Examples include free-standing warehouses associated with retail furniture or appliance outlets; household moving, outdoor storage, and general freight storage; food banks; cold storage plants/frozen food lockers; weapon and ammunition storage; major wholesale distribution centers; truck, marine and air freight terminals and dispatch centers; bus barns; grain terminals; and stockpiling of sand, gravel, bark dust or other aggregate and landscaping materials.

Amended Chapter 20.430 Commercial and Mixed Use Districts

Table 20.430.030-1. Commercial and Mixed-Use Districts Use Table

USE CN CC CG CX WX CPX1 MX2 RGX44

Self-Service Storage X P3, 50 P50 X X X X

50 Subject to requirements and standards within the Miscellaneous Special Use Standards for Self-Service Storage, pursuant to VMC 20.895.100.

Amended Chapter 20.440 Industrial Districts

Table 20.440.030-1. Industrial Zoning Districts Use Table

USE OCI20 IL1 IH ECX27

Self-Service Storage P35 P35 X X

35 Subject to requirements and standards within the Miscellaneous Special Use Standards for Self-Service Storage, pursuant to VMC 20.895.100.

To request other formats, contact: Community and Economic Development | (360) 487-7813 | WA Relay: 711 |[email protected]

ATTACHMENT B – FIGURE MAP OF TRANSIT CORRIDORS