FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND DECISION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE

Background The proposed project would convert a former City-operated plant nursery at 5513 South Cloverdale Street (the site) into an urban farm (the project or proposal). The site is owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks), zoned Single-Family 5000, and covers just over 6.9 acres. In September 2012, the City Council and the Mayor approved a five-year operating agreement that authorized Seattle Tilth, and the Friends of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands, to manage the site. The intent of both organizations is to operate the site as a working farm and wetlands preservation area. In March 2013, Parks submitted a land use application that requested modifications of development standards consistent with allowing an urban farm to be established on the site (see table on p.3). Although the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) includes development standards for urban farms in residential zones, those standards were not specifically established for properties as large as the site. City Council approval is required to modify the existing development standards that apply to a site that is a City facility as defined in SMC 23.84A.006. Under SMC Chapter 25.05, Parks completed an environmental review of the proposed project as required by the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and published a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) in November 2012. The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) also reviewed the project and issued its Analysis and Recommendation on August 4, 2014. Notice of an associated public hearing before the City Council's Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries, and Gender Pay Equity Committee (Committee) was also published on August 4, 2014. DPD recommended the project be approved. This matter first came before the Committee on September 5, 2014. At that meeting, the Committee considered the merits of the proposal and held a public hearing to accept comments on DPD's recommendation. At its September 16, 2014, meeting, the Committee voted to recommend that the full City Council approve the project and grant the requested development standard modifications. Findings of Fact The City Council adopts the following Findings of Fact: 1. The site is a 6.9 acre flag-shaped parcel located at 5513 South Cloverdale Street. Seattle Tilth, and the Friends of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands, are establishing an urban farm and engaging in wetland restoration projects on a 5.9 acre portion of the site. The remainder of the site is located immediately north of Lake Washington within the Shoreline District (Urban Residential and Conservancy Recreation shoreline environments) and an Environmentally Critical Area (shoreline habitat) and would not be subject to any additional development under Parks' proposal. 2. The site is owned by Parks and zoned Single-Family 5000. 3. Uses surrounding the site include Pritchard Island Beach Park to the north, single-family homes to the east and northwest, Lake Washington to the South, and Beer Sheva Park to the southwest. 4. Vehicular access to the site is provided from South Cloverdale Street. An existing curb cut that allows vehicles to enter the property is located at the intersection of South Cloverdale Street and Park Drive South in the northeast corner of the site. South Cloverdale Street is a non-arterial street partially improved with curbs, sidewalks, gutters, and street trees. Park Drive South is an unimproved roadway that is partially covered by trees, grass, and other vegetation. 5. Parks' plans for the site call for creating an additional curb cut along South Cloverdale Street in the northwest corner of the property. A U-shaped driveway would be developed on the site that would allow vehicles to enter from the proposed curb cut in the northwest corner of the property and exit from the existing curb cut at the intersection of South Cloverdale Street and Park Drive South. 6. Parks' plans also call for creating 15 on-site parking spaces in the northeast corner of the site, immediately south of the existing curb cut. 7. Additional pedestrian access to the site would be provided from a gateway to Beer Sheva Park in the southwest corner of the site. 8. Approximately 2,989 cubic yards of grading is expected to occur due to developing driveways and pathways, constructing structure foundations, installing retaining walls and rockeries, and removing existing material located on the site. 9. Planned landscaping activities include installing planting beds and trees, and restoring mapped wetlands and wetland buffer areas. 10. The site is generally flat with some slopes along the perimeter measuring up to 36%. 11. Existing development on the site includes five greenhouses, a small office and storage building, and related infrastructure. 12. Under Parks' proposal, four of the existing greenhouses would be disassembled and reconstructed on new foundations in the northern portion of the site. The fifth existing greenhouse (Greenhouse #2, in the northeast corner of the site) would remain at its current location and undergo minor renovations. 13. The existing, 790 square foot office and storage building is proposed to be remain and undergo renovations. 14. Parks' proposal also calls for constructing several one-story structures: * 1,819 square foot classroom building with a 472 square foot canopy structure; * 952 square foot compost shed; * 320 square foot farm stand; and * 472 square foot farm processing (wash and pack) and storage building. 15. The site includes the following types of Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs): shoreline habitat, wetlands, and liquefaction-prone areas. DPD determined the project would only impact portions of the site located outside of mapped shoreline environments; therefore, no formal ECA shoreline exemption was required. DPD and Parks also determined the project would have no negative impacts on mapped wetlands or wetland buffer areas. Parks approved an ECA wetlands exemption for the project in January 2013. Liquefaction-prone areas are located throughout the site, and the design and construction of the structures associated with the project would be required to comply with existing City building regulations addressing development in areas that may be subject to liquefaction. Parks determined and DPD concurred that additional conditioning was not necessary under SEPA due to existing City building regulations. 16. The site is a City facility as defined in SMC 23.84A.006. SMC 23.76.036 and 23.76.064 provide that the City Council may waive or modify development standards for City facilities. 17. The following development standard modifications are being sought:

18. Parks is requesting permission to install commercialgrade mechanical equipment in the classroom building. The kitchen would be used for educational programs and community events. Equipment including an exhaust fan would be installed on the building's roof, approximately 94 feet from the closest residential property line. DPD expects any odors associated with the kitchen and mechanical equipment to be minimal and dissipate at that distance. Compliance with the City's Noise Ordinance, SMC 25.08, would also be required. 19. The proposed 14,978 square foot increase over the existing 1,000 square foot gross floor area limit for structures on an urban farm with no principal structure is requested to allow the construction of four new one-story structures (classroom building, compost shed, farm stand, and the farm processing and storage facility) and alterations to six existing structures (five greenhouses and the office and storage building). Parks contends the scale of the structures is appropriate given the large size of the site, and necessary for the project's long-term success as a functioning urban farm. 20. The proposed increase over the existing 12-foot height limit for structures on an urban farm with no principal structure is requested to allow the classroom building, Greenhouse #2, compost shed, and farm processing and storage building to be constructed to heights ranging from 12 feet 10 inches to 21 feet. These proposed heights are less than the 30to 35-foot height limits that apply to most principal structures constructed on single-familyzoned lots. 21. Parks is also requesting permission to allow a portion of the vehicle maneuvering area for the new parking spaces that would be constructed in the northeast corner of the site to extend into the Park Drive South right-of-way. Consistent with public comments DPD received regarding preserving Park Drive South as an unimproved right-of-way (see #23, below), Parks sought to maintain the existing curb cut and driveway configuration in the northeast corner of the site while also minimizing impacts to existing wetlands and future planting areas. Locating a portion of the vehicle maneuvering area within the Park Drive South right-of-way was determined by Parks to be less impacting than other potential parking locations on the site. 22. The proposed 25,986 square foot increase over the existing 4,000 square foot size limit for planting areas on an urban farm in a single-family zone is requested to allow 18,845 square feet of crop fields and 11,141 square feet of enclosed planting areas (comprised of the five relocated or renovated greenhouses) to be developed on the site. According to Parks, Seattle Tilth and the Friends of Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands seek "to engage 5,000 community members and produce more than 20,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables annually and to utilize the site to [the] reasonable potential [of] the lot size." The existing 4,000 square foot size limit for urban farm planting areas in single-family zones may be appropriate for most privately-owned residential properties in those portions of the City; however, the site is a public park facility that covers 6.9 acres of land and has the potential to support community-oriented food production on a larger scale. 23. DPD initiated the required public comment period for this proposed project in April 2013 and received several written comments. Many of the commenters had specific concerns about required improvements to Park Drive South. In response, Parks submitted a request to DPD to exempt Park Drive South from all required street improvements. DPD, in consultation the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), granted the exemption request. Other commenters expressed frustration with visitors to the site parking along South Cloverdale Street and making it difficult for residents and emergency vehicles to access the residential properties to the east. In response, Parks worked with SDOT to install additional parking signage, including some no-parking signage, in strategic locations along South Cloverdale Street; partnered with Seattle Tilth to develop a strategy for managing daily and special-event parking associated with the site; and amended the project plans to include the second curb cut along South Cloverdale Street to allow for better traffic flow through the site. 24. The Director of the Seattle Design Commission (SDC) and the Director of Planning and Development for Parks collectively decided to not include the project on the SDC's review docket. Thus, the SDC did not review the proposal. 25. Under SMC Chapter 25.05, Parks completed an environmental review of the project as required by SEPA and published a DNS in November 2012. DPD reviewed the DNS and concluded it was adequate and that existing City codes and development regulations applicable to the project would sufficiently mitigate project impacts. 26. SMC 23.76.050 requires the DPD Director to evaluate the project based on the standards and criteria for the approval sought, and consistency with applicable City policies. On August 4, 2014, DPD issued the Director's Analysis and Recommendation on the project. The DPD Director recommended the City Council approve the proposed modifications of development standards and grant the concept approval for the project. 27. Only one public comment was submitted at the Committee's September 5, 2014, public hearing on the project. The commenter asked a question about the content of Parks' proposal and expressed general support for the project. Conclusions The City Council adopts the following Conclusions: 1. The site is a City facility as defined in SMC 23.84A.006. 2. The City Council also has authority to waive or modify development standards for a City facility under SMC 23.76.036 and 23.76.064. 3. The proposal to convert the site into a working urban farm offers an opportunity to improve food security for low-income families in Southeast Seattle, provide educational opportunities for at-risk and under-served youth, preserve an in-City wetland environment, and offer the surrounding community access to a unique form of open space. 4. The City's development standards for urban farms were not specifically established for properties as large as the site. 5. The requested modifications of development standards are necessary to allow the project and site to effectively function as an urban farm. Decision The City Council approves in concept the proposed urban farm described in Clerk File 312943 and GRANTS the following development standard modifications for the project: Development Standard Modifications

Dated this ______ day of September, 2014. _________________________ City Council President