21-103691-PC-Federal Way Pre-application questions-09-03-2021
425.827.2100
freiheitarch.com 777 108th Avenue Northeast
Suite 1650
Bellevue, WA 98004
Pre-application questions for Federal Way Townhomes
Property location: 32818 1st Ave S, Federal Way, WA 98003
The following review areas are anticipated: Land Use, Clearing and Grading, Right of
Way, Building, Transportation, Fire, and Utilities.
Planning Review Process and Schedule
• Please confirm that per City of Federal Way zoning code this project will fall
under City of Federal Way Process II for attached Dwelling Units.
• What is the estimated response time in the City of Federal Way for planning
comments?
• What is the typical building permit submittal response time for the City of
Federal Way?
• Will each building require a separate building permit submittal?
Zoning and Land-Use
• Please verify that the anticipated zoning will be RM1800 after the completion
of the rezone under application number LL 20-103733 and SEPA 20-103734.
• Please confirm whether that open space within the internal easement can
count for open space requirements.
• There is a required landscape buffer (10’) along “ingress / egress site access
easements/driveways”. Does that requirement apply to the existing internal
easement?
• Please verify that per the Federal Way zoning code 19.205.010 lot coverage
is not limited in RM1800. What sections of the code regulate maximum lot
coverage and maximum impervious surface for this site?
• Affordable housing requirements for a project this size per City of Federal
Way Code are a minimum of 2 units or 5% of the total number of units.
Please confirm that this is correct.
• Please confirm that two (2) stalls per dwelling unit are required in zone
RM1800, and additional guest parking stalls are not required.
• Can a multi-family Play area and other site amenities be located within or
partially located within the internal easement?
• Per the City of Federal Way zoning code, any two adjacent structures must
be separated by a minimum of 20’ or be considered as a single structure per
19.110.040. 19.205.010 limits the maximum number of units in a building to
eight in zone RM1800. If the two adjacent structures are considered a single
structure does that limit the total number of units allowed within those two
structures to a maximum of eight units?
• Per 19.205.010 the maximum structure height for zone RM1800 is 35’. If the
two adjacent structures are considered a single structure per 19.110.040, is
the maximum structure height measured using the combined structures?
• Please confirm that building area is calculated using the interior surface of
the exterior wall per Gross Floor Area definition in 19.05.070? How is the
area of the building measured in relation to maximum lot coverage?
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• Please confirm our proposed yards as:
o S 328th St will be considered a front yard
o 1st Ave S will be considered a street frontage yard
o The east property line will be considered a side yard
o The south property line will be considered a rear yard
• S 328th St and 1st Ave S required a 10’ Type III Landscape Buffer that can be
credited to the common open space requirement. Can paving and other
landscape elements be included in the buffer?
• Can private open space overlap the required yards/building setbacks?
• Are private open spaces required to be individually fenced?
Site Access and Off-Site Improvements
• Confirm if additional ROW dedications are required on either 1st Ave S or S
328th streets.
• Please confirm site access can be provided at two locations on S 328th St
approx. corresponding to the existing site access points. The dimensions are
shown on the attached plan.
• Please confirm no additional street frontage improvements are required on S
328th St. beyond modification of the site access points.
• Please confirm no additional street frontage improvements are required on
1st Ave S beyond modification of the existing site access points.
• Please confirm no additional right of way street lighting improvements are
required.
Tree Retention
• Please provide guidance on site specifics in regard to tree retention and
mitigation.
Stormwater
• Please confirm the stormwater requirements and the specific manual for the
site.
• Please confirm a stormwater vault is acceptable for detention.
• Please confirm stormwater outfall connection point for discharge.
Water Service
• Please confirm point of connection for water services to the City of Federal
Way water system.
• Please confirm water meter requirements, and that grouped meters on the
building are acceptable.
• Can a water availability letter be provided?
Sanitary Sewer
• Please confirm the point of connection for Sanitary Sewer services will be
from S 328th Street.
• Can a sewer availability letter be provided?
Fire Protection
• Please confirm current water modeling and fire flow pressures availability.
• Please confirm fire access requirements for the site as shown on site plan.
• We would like to propose that the fire response be accessed from the loop
road, and the fire apparatus will not need to access the center driveways.
• Will additional on-site fire hydrant(s) be required.
• Please confirm the maximum hose reach will be 200’.
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• Please confirm the maximum dead-end driveway required for fire access will
be 150’.
Solid Waste
• Please confirm that curb-side pick-up at each townhome unit using individual
totes is acceptable for solid waste services. Totes are stored inside the unit
garage and staged within the garage apron on pickup day.
Electrical/Communication Services
• Please confirm electric and communication services will be located off of 1st
Ave S.
• Please confirm that grouped meters per building is acceptable.
• What telecom services are located in the ROW?
Transportation, Mitigation, and Fees
• What transportation impact fees will be assessed?
• What School Impact fees will be assessed?
• What surface and stormwater utility development charges will be assessed?
• Are there any additional impact or late comer fees that we should be aware
of associated with this site?