Title
Approval of Zoning Code Amendments Related to Accessory Drive-Through Lanes in the Briggs Village commercial area
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Planning Commission recommends Council move to adopt the proposed ordinance as drafted.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the Zoning Code Amendments Related to Accessory Drive-Through Lanes in the Briggs Village commercial area
Report
Issue:
Whether to allow for an increase in the types of businesses allowed to have drive-through lanes within the Briggs Village. The proposed ordinance includes increased design criteria associated to any drive-through lane proposed.
Staff Contact:
Nicole Floyd, Senior Planner, Community Planning & Development, 360.570.3768
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item.
Background and Analysis:
Background and Analysis has not changed from first to second reading.
The Briggs Village Master Plan was adopted in 2003 and has been envisioned as a dense mixed use urban village. While residential development has occurred, the commercial (retail and office) uses have not yet been constructed. To address this, amendments to the Master Plan were adopted in 2014 modifying specific standards related to the commercial core of the Village to decrease the amount of office and commercial space allowed and alter building design requirements to better reflect market realities. A recent change in ownership and these amendments have spurred multi-family development in the core (currently under review), commercial development has not occurred.
The applicant acquired the property in 2015 and has been actively marketing the commercially zoned areas since. The applicant believes that the current limitations on accessory drive-through lanes have been a key factor as to why the commercial core remains undeveloped today. Currently, only banks are allowed to have a drive-through lane, and the applicant believes that this has deterred a variety of development opportunities for businesses such as pharmacies, small scale restaurants, and coffee shops. The proposed amendments would allow for a broader range of uses to have accessory drive-through lanes in a very limited area within the Briggs Village.
In order to maintain the strong emphasis on the pedestrian environment within the area, the City and applicant worked together to draft new design standards that are for accessory drive-through lanes that ensure the emphasis remains on the pedestrian environment. Significant emphasis on the potential site layouts and subsequent locations of the drive-through lanes was paid when drafting these revisions. The new language is intended to ensure that the building design continues to cater to the pedestrian over the driver. Through the combination of the following criteria, the number of locations able to have a drive-through is significantly limited, but the types of businesses allowed is expanded. The criteria can be reviewed in the attached draft ordinance, and is summarized by staff as follows:
• Access from Interior Parking Lots Only: New drive-through lane would be required to be accessed from existing interior parking areas only. This ensures that the drive-through would be located in areas that are already intended to be auto oriented, and ensures areas currently intended for pedestrian circulation are protected.
• Uninterrupted Pedestrian Access: A new design criterion requires that dedicated pedestrian access to the entry of the building is maintained both from the parking lot and primary street frontage. This minimizes conflicts between auto and pedestrian circulation.
• Building Designed for the Pedestrian: Drive-through lanes would only be permitted in association with businesses that primarily engage in providing services to walk-in customers. This would be evaluated by looking at the overall design of the building and ensuring pedestrian entries and amenity space is provided.
• Single Lane: Only one drive-through lane would be permitted in association with any business. This further emphasizes the intent that the drive-through is to be an accessory feature rather than the primary point of sale.
In sum, the proposed provisions will allow for greater flexibility in the uses permitted to have accessory drive-through lanes while significantly limiting their potential locations by enhancing the site design criteria within the code. Staff and the Planning Commission recommend approval of these amendments because the revisions may help encourage the commercial development that has long been anticipated in the Briggs Village, while maintaining the underlying pedestrian orientation and design intent within the master plan.
Public Process / Community Interests:
Public outreach has included a mailing to all residents of the Briggs Village, a meeting with past interested parties of the Briggs Village Master Plan, and publication in the Olympian. The proposal is supported by the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce and to date no members of the community have voiced any opposition to the proposed amendments. The Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on November 21, 2016 where they solicited public input, deliberated, and unanimously recommended approval of these amendments to the City Council.
Options:
1. Adopt the amendments as drafted in the proposed ordinance.
2. Adopt the proposed ordinance with modifications.
3. Reject the amendments proposed in the ordinance.
Financial Impact:
No specific impact to the City has been identified; however, should the revision encourage commercial growth within the village associated tax revenues are likely.
Attachments:
Proposed Ordinance
Drive-Through Context Examples
Drive-Through Location Option
Letter of Support