Signed Zoning Verification LetterCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 33325 8th Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-6325
253-835-7000
www.cityoffederalway.com
Jim Ferrell, Mayor
April 20, 2021
Sara Snader
Partner Engineering and Science, Inc.
611 Industrial Way West, Suite A
Eatontown, NJ 07724
ssnader@partneresi.com
Re: File #21-101184-00-AD; ZONING VERIFICATION LETTER
StorQuest - Federal Way, 29817 Pacific Highway South, Parcel #042104-9035, Federal Way
Dear Sara Snader:
On March 31, 2021, the City of Federal Way’s Department of Community Development received your
zoning inquiry regarding the property located at 29817 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way, WA (Parcel
042104-9035). The content below addresses the information requested.
• The current zoning for the subject property is Community Business (BC). This property is not part of an
overlay district.
• There are no open zoning or building code violations and/or Notice of Violations.
• The proposed development of the property for StorQuest Federal Way was reviewed under the city’s Use
Process III “Project Approval” (Federal Way Revised Code [FWRC] 19.65). Under this process, the property
received administrative land use review and was conditionally approved on June 1, 2017.
• This property is not part of a Planned Unit Development (PUD).
• Regulations for setbacks, height, lot coverage, etc. are use specific for the zone. Per FWRC 19.220.030,
enclosed, a self-storage facility in the BC zoning district requires the following minimum structural setbacks:
40 feet in the front; 15 feet on the sides and rear. No maximum lot coverage applies. The maximum height
allowed is 35 feet, with a potential increase of up to 55 feet under certain conditions identified in note 1.
Also, the subject property is located adjacent to a residential zone to the west; therefore, according to FWRC
19.220.030 note 2, within 100 feet of the residential zone, a maximum building height of 30 feet is permitted.
There are no minimum width, depth, or density and lot area requirements.
• The subject structure was approved and developed under the city zoning code requirements at the time of
application (file numbers 17-100640-UP, 17-100641-SE, 17-103374-AD, and 17-103635-CO). According to
the city’s database, there are no variances, special exemptions, exemptions, conditional, or special use
permits that apply to the subject property.
Sara Snader
Page 2 of 2
April 20, 2021
21-101184-00-AD Doc. I.D. 81278
• A copy of the decision documents or approved site plan on file can be obtained by filing a public records
request with the City Clerk’s Office. This can be done online by using the City of Federal Way’s Public
Records Request Center link at https://bit.ly/2khgCYo.
• A self-storage facility is a permitted use in the BC zoning district according to FWRC 19.220.030,
“Vehicle and equipment sales, service, repair and rental - Self-service storage facilities.”
• Per FWRC 19.220.030, required parking is one parking space per 300 square feet of the office gross floor area.
• Refer to the enclosed use zone chart, FWRC 19.220.030, “Vehicle and equipment sales, service, repair
and rental - Self-service storage facilities” for rules and regulations that apply to site development.
• Per FWRC 19.30.200, if a nonconforming use or development is damaged by sudden accidental cause,
that use or development, including associated improvements, may be reconstructed if it meets the
following requirements:
(1) The use or development, including associated improvements, as reconstructed, is not any
more nonconforming than it was immediately before the damage.
(2) The applicant applies for building and any land use permits to reconstruct the damaged
improvement within six months of the date of the damage and reconstructs the improvement
according to such permits.
For specific information regarding legal nonconformance issues, please refer to the nonconforming
chapter of the FWRC (19.30) which can be found online using the following link:
https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/FederalWay/.
If you have any further questions regarding this inquiry, please feel free to contact me at 253-835-2641 or
becky.chapin@cityoffederalway.com.
Sincerely,
Becky Chapin
Senior Planner
enc: FWRC 19.220.030, “Vehicle and equipment sales, service, repair and rental - Self-service storage facilities”
c: ZoningAgencyDocs@PartnerESI.com