City of Seattle

Seattle Parks and Recreation

Signs in the Sand Point Overlay District

Director's Report

June 2010

Proposal

The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) is proposing a new section in the sign code section of the Land Use Code (SMC 23.55) to allow commercial-like signs within the Sand Point Overlay District. The intent is to allow signs primarily within the campus area of the Overlay District where former naval buildings are being reused for institutional and commercial activities. Due to the existing historic street layout, number of buildings and increased activities within the Sand Point Overlay District, sign development standards are needed which permit larger and more signs than the existing Single Family (SF 7200) and Lowrise 3 (L-3) zoning allows. The buildings within the Overlay District are oriented toward streets and rights-of-way internal to the Sand Point Overlay and not to Sand Point Way NE, the main arterial abutting the Overlay District. Larger signs will ensure improved wayfinding for visitors to the district for one-time and daily activities. The proposal is consistent with the Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan for Warren G. Magnuson Park (2004) and the Sand Point Historic Properties Reuse and Protection Plan (1998).

Background

The City owns, and Parks manages, a majority of the former naval station as Warren G. MagnusonPark. The University of Washington owns five buildings within the historic district, the organization Solid Ground owns six buildings, and the Seattle Department of Transportation owns two structures. Development within the western portion of the former naval station is regulated by the provisions of the Sand Point Overlay District, adopted in 1997, as well as the underlying Single Family and Lowrise zoning. The remainder of the site is regulated by the underlying Single Family zoning. Portions of the site within 200 feet of the shoreline are regulated by the Shoreline Master Program.

From 1925 to the early 1970s, the entire peninsula belonged to the U.S. Navy as part of Naval Air Station-Seattle, known in the decade before its 1995 closure as Naval Station Puget Sound. The eastern portion of the peninsula was transferred to the City in the mid-1970s for MagnusonPark. Beginning in 1991, when the remainder of the base was identified for closure, the City took the lead in developing a plan for reuse of the property. This effort culminated in transfer of naval station property to the City of Seattle and to the University of Washington. [1]

In 1997 the City Council adopted the Sand Point Physical Development Management Plan (Resolution 29429, revised 1999 by Resolution 30063) [2] , Sand Point Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan (Ordinance 118622), and the Sand Point Overlay District (Ordinance 118624), which applies special use and development standards to the area.

On November 1, 1999, the Seattle City Council adopted a conceptual plan map (Resolution 30063) to provide guidance for future design of the entire park/overlay district area. A vision statement was crafted by the Sand Point Blue Ribbon Committee for Sand Point Magnuson Park to "...integrate multiple uses-park and recreation, the arts, environmental protection and restoration, education and residential-which will work together to create a unique park in our region...." [3]

Ordinance 119299 authorized the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation to administer the Sand Point Physical Development Plan, Construction Management Plan, Transportation Plan, Parking Plan, Site Design Guidelines, Historic Properties Reuse and Protection Plan, and any amendments to any of these or other plans pertaining to the City's Sand Point properties that may be approved by the City. The City owns the majority of the property, which Parks manages. The organization Solid Ground has a 51-year lease for properties in the southwest corner of the park, providing transitional housing and services. The University of Washington owns five buildings, located primarily along the western boundary of the park.

In October 2008, Ordinance 122829 amended sections of the Sand Point Overlay District which expanded overlay district boundaries, made changes to permitted uses and added development standards. Initially these amendments included provisions for sign standards. However these were removed prior to final council review due to several issues. Since then those issues have been addressed and are discussed in detail in this report.

The Sand Point Overlay District

In 1997 the City Council adopted the Sand Point Overlay District, Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) chapter 23.72. In general, the overlay expands permitted uses in the underlying single family and Lowrise zones "to integrate the property into the city of Seattle as a multi-purpose regional center" to provide recreation, education, arts, cultural and community activities; to provide increased shoreline public access and enhanced open space and natural areas; to provide affordable housing and social services for homeless families; and to provide low-impact economic development to provide employment and services for residents of the property and the broader community. [4] Allowed uses are as follows:

Single family Zone Principal Permitted Uses

a. Custom and craft work ;

b. Dry boat storage, limited to storage of nonmotorized, hand-launchable boats such as kayaks, canoes and sail boats;

c. Indoor and outdoor sports and recreation;

d. Institutions, except hospitals;

e. Lecture and meeting halls;

f. Motion picture theater not to exceed 500 seats within Building 47;

g. Offices, limited to a total of 86,000 gross square feet in the entire subarea;

h. Performing arts theaters;

i. Research and development laboratories;

j. Restaurants without drive-in lanes, limited to no more than 2,500 square feet per business establishment;

k. Storage of fleet vehicles including accessory service and repair;

l. Warehouses; and

m. General retail sales and service, up to 6,000 square feet per business establishment.

Lowrise 3 Principal Permitted Uses

1. Food processing;

2. Horticulture;

3. Institutions, except hospitals;

4. Lecture and meeting halls;

5. Medical service uses, excluding animal health services, mortuary and funeral services; and

6. Offices, in structures in existence as of July 18, 1997.

Discussion of the Proposed Amendment

Parks staff is proposing to add a new section to the Sign Code to help improve the visibility of Sand Point Overlay organizations and to meet visitor wayfinding needs. The new section would identify the maximum dimensions for permitted signs, expand the types of signs that may be permitted, and provide standards for the dispersion and lighting of signs. The proposed new sign code section will permit commercial signage which is consistent with principle permitting uses as defined in the Sand Point Overlay District SMC 23.72.

Sign standards proposed in the new section are based on conceptual designs provided in the Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan for WarrenG. Magnuson Park (2004), the Sand Point Historic Properties Reuse and Protection Plan (1998), and the historic review process outlined earlier in this report. Identification, directional and special event signs were located throughout the station during the naval era. The Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan for WarrenG.MagnusonPark was influenced by these historic signage patterns. The Plan was developed through a public process, as described below, and contains detailed construction drawings, and size and color requirements for a range of site signs.

Currently, underlying single family and multifamily zones regulate signs within the Sand Point Historic District and Warren G. Magnuson Park. These regulations are appropriate for traditional parks in Seattle. However, the Sand Point Overlay District contains more than 20 buildings containing more than thirty educational, environmental and cultural organizations. These buildings exhibit massing which is consistent with commercial, industrial and office buildings. In addition, more than eighty special events are held each year at various locations within the historic district and the overall park. These uses present unique wayfinding and tenant identification issues.

The proposal allows sign kiosks on both public property and rights-of-way throughout the Overlay District. The proposal also allows off-premises directional signs, signs identifying buildings or subareas within the Overlay District (and businesses within those buildings or subareas) and signs identifying businesses in the Overlay District to help guide people to specific tenants within the Overlay area. The proposal allows an exception from the current requirements that advertising signs cannot be located within certain distances from lots in residential zones, from public school grounds, public parks, public playgrounds and community centers. Because the Overlay Zone is located within a public park that includes residentially zoned lots, a public playground, and a community center, exemptions from the distance requirements are necessary for off-premises directional signs and signs identifying buildings or subareas within the Overlay.

There are only direct provisions for activities located on public rights-of-way or publicly-owned roadways. The intent is to allow a level of exterior signage which would assist with visitor wayfinding. The amendments are attempting to limit the amount of signage within the district. All tenants are not guaranteed to have "larger" signs (e.g. 24 SF). Depending upon the number of "larger" signs permitted by the amendments for an individual building, it is possible that only larger tenants would have the possibility to have a "larger" exterior sign. If there are signage needs for smaller multi-unit tenants this will need to be managed by individual lease holders in the same manner as traditional office buildings. Multi-unit tenants may have identification and/or directional signs inside buildings.

Table 1 summarizes consistency with the intent of the Sign Code, and Table 2 summarizes type of signs permitted by the proposed Sand Point Overlay District sign code provisions, and compares the proposed Code to existing Code standards for Single Family, Lowrise, Neighborhood Commercial 3 and Seattle Mixed zones.

Summary of Recent Public Outreach Efforts

Parks engaged in a public outreach process in late 2006 to gather input on the proposals for the MagnusonPark campus development, including the Land Use Code amendments and original sign code sections. In September 2006, information fliers were mailed to more than 2,900 area residences informing them of upcoming meetings and the opportunity for public comment at meetings and in writing. A new web page, "Sand Point Historic District Realizing the Vision" featured electronic copies of the proposed Land Use Code amendments and the development proposal. The web page and project contact information has remained online since 2006.

An open house was held on October 10, 2006 when citizens met development partners, reviewed details of each proposal, asked questions, and took home informational fliers. More than forty people attended. Parks staff also presented information to the following community organizations: Magnuson Park Community Communications Committee (September 26); Northeast District Council (October 5); View Ridge Community Council (October 17); and Magnuson Park Community Center Advisory Council (October 19).

In late October 2006, Parks mailed a flier to 5,600 residents summarizing what was heard at the open house and at the various community meetings and announcing a public hearing held by the Board of Park Commissioners on November 9, 2006. Staff briefed the Board of Park Commissioners on September 14 and November 9, 2006. At that briefing, the six proposals submitted for the development of facilities and programs in the buildings at MagnusonPark were described. The Board accepted written public comments on the proposals from late September through December 13, 2006. After extensive discussion at their meeting on December 14, the Board endorsed each of the proposals. The minutes and a video recording of that meeting are available on the Seattle Parks Department web site.

Three additional open house events were held in late November 2007 to provide information about proposed concession agreements and Land Use Code amendments and to receive public comments. Almost 300 members of the public attended.

Public comment at the open house and at presentations to community groups and testimony at the Board of Park Commissioners public hearing resulted in several hundred comments on the following topics, including permitting electronic message board signs along Sand Point Way or NE 65th Street and permitting large signs on buildings. Electronic message board signs along Sand Point Way is not part of the current proposal.

Most recently, Parks presented the proposal to the Magnuson Park Advisory Committee at their regularly scheduled meetings in February and April 2010.

Consistency with Applicable Plans and Policies

Several planning documents and legal agreements provide the vision for the properties comprising the Sand Point Historic District and Warren G. MagnusonPark. These are:

? The Sand Point Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan (Ordinance 118622, 1997)

? The Sand Point Historic Properties Reuse and Protection Plan (Resolution 29725, 1998)

? Sand Point/ MagnusonPark Final Design Guidelines (Resolution 29624, 1997)

? Recreation Use Covenant, Education Use Covenant and Historic Preservation Covenant between the City of Seattle, the University of Washington, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Secretary of Education (1999).

1. The Sand Point Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan provide land use, transportation, housing, capital facilities, utilities, and economic development policies.

Land use policies in the Sand Point Amendments to the Seattle Comprehensive Plan support the following uses within the overlay district:

Policy LU2: Develop and promote the northern part of the property (Activity Area 1) as the North Shore Recreation Area with public park area, public access to Lake Washington, recreational, arts and cultural opportunities, and a recreational small boat activity center.

Policy LU3: Develop and promote Activity Area 2 as an Education and Community Activities Area with open public areas, opportunities for education and educational support activities, selective economic development activities, and recreational, arts, and cultural activities.

Policy LU4: Develop and promote Activity Area 3 as an Arts, Culture and Community Center for the development of arts, culture, community activities and open public areas in existing buildings and adjacent outdoor spaces.

Policy LU5: Develop and promote Activity Area 4 as a Park Open Space/Recreation Expansion of Magnuson Park. Allow for an improved park entrance at the intersection of NE 65th and Sand Point Way NE, additional sports fields, unstructured open space, and a recreation center with gymnasium, theater, indoor swimming pool, and meeting spaces in an existing building.

Policy LU 6: Develop and promote Activity Area 5 as a Residential Area to be used to develop up to 200 units of housing, with appropriate support services, for homeless individuals and families.

In addition, a general policy in the City's Comprehensive Plan identifies the overall role of former naval air station:

Policy CR 22: Develop portions of the surplused Naval Station Puget Sound at Sand Point into a multi-purpose regional facility to support the arts and cultural activity.

2. The Sand Point Historic Properties Reuse and Protection Plan . The Sand Point Overlay District contains buildings that comprise an historic district that is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In August 2009 a nomination to the NRHP was completed and submitted to the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer for review. Historic preservation covenants in property transfer documents require that the City of Seattle and the University of Washington review plans with and obtain approval of the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer prior to initiation of construction, alteration, remodeling, demolition or other action that would materially affect the integrity or appearance of historic resources at Sand Point. A map of the Sand Point Historic District can be found as Attachment B at the end of this report.

3. The Sand Point/ Magnuson Park Final Design Guidelines provide design guidance relative to physical development of areas within the former Naval Air Station-Seattle campus, including construction related to buildings, utilities, recreational facilities, circulation systems, landscape and open space treatment, demolition, public art and other development. The guidelines provided detailed guidance on signs within the district for early redevelopment projects in the district. The Warren G. Magnuson Park Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan (2004) superseded these guidelines.

4. Recreation Use Covenant, Historic Preservation Covenant, and Education Use Covenant were included as part of the Secretary of Interior's transfer of the Sand Point Naval Station to the City of Seattle. The Recreation Use Covenants require that the "property shall be used and maintained for public park and recreation purposes in perpetuity". The Historic Preservation Covenant requires approval of the National Park Service or its designee, the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), for "any construction, alteration, remodeling, demolition, disturbance of the ground surface, irrevocable disturbance of landscape settings, or other action that would materially affect the integrity, appearance, or historic value of structures or settings..." within the Sand Point Historic District. The Education Use Covenant requires that Universityowned property be used for educational purposes for 30 years, and that the property not be used for any purposes other than those approved in advance by the U.S. Department of Education.

Table 1

Consistency with Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) 23.55.001, Intent of Sign Code

Table 2

Comparison of Proposed Sign Code

To Existing Code Provisions

TX: Attachment A-Sand Point Overlay District Map

Attachment B-Sand Point Historic District

Attachment C-Sand Point Development Parcel and Lots

Attachments A-C

Attachment D

Sand Point Overlay District Historic Building Uses

[1] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Biological Service, and the General Services Administration also own land on the peninsula.

[2] The 1997 Physical Development Plan for Sand Point identified six activity areas for the peninsula. These areas included the following uses: recreation, education and community activities, arts, culture and community center, residential uses, federal institutional uses and open space/recreation expansion areas in MagnusonPark.

[3] Sand Point Blue Ribbon Committee, Charles Royer, Chair, Report to the Mayor and the SeattleCity Council, Executive Summary , City of Seattle, February 1999.

[4] Seattle Municipal Code, Section 23.72.002.