20-1022 Trailer staging or truck turning areas 3.x

QUESTION

The Imperative 15 parking requirements are not feasible for the truck / trailer operational areas of the South County Recycling and Transfer Station (SCRTS). The LBC required layout with maximum distances between buffers will not allow for either the trailer staging areas or truck turning that is essential to the operation of SCRTS. The proposed site plan has carefully analyzed the trailer staging areas and truck turning requirements to minimize the amount of open hardscape. In addition, the site layout includes a vegetated buffer area on three of the four sides of the trailer staging areas. Also, unfortunately permeable paving in these areas will not be possible because it could not support the heavy loads from industrial trailers, as well as runoff treatment restrictions for industrial facilities as mandated by The Washington State Department of Ecology. 

The small vehicle parking areas for visitors and staff (noted as "Public Parking" and highlighted in the attached site plan diagram) will be designed to meet the parking requirements of Imperative 15 and will also include permeable paving.

We are seeking an exemption for the Imperative 15 parking requirements for the truck / trailer operational areas (noted as "Truck / Trailer Maneuvering Area" and Trailer Parking" and highlighted in the attached site plan diagram) given that these requirements will prohibit the industrial functioning of the project.

ANSWER

The project may exceed the maximum dimensions of uninterrupted surface cover stipulated in I15 Human Scale + Humane Places, according to the following new exception:

PL-022 Surface Cover Requirements for Oversized Vehicles

Where the essential function of a project requires parking and maneuvering areas for trucks or over-sized vehicles that cannot be accommodated within the maximum dimensions of uninterrupted surface cover, those dimensions may be exceeded if all of the following conditions are met:

  1. the area of uninterrupted surface cover is no more than the minimum needed to perform the essential function,
  2. the area is not used for passenger vehicle parking,
  3. the area devoted to passenger vehicle parking meets requirements for total surface cover and separation dimensions  
  4. the design incorporates at least one additional Human Scale element beyond what is required per the frequency shown at the bottom of Table 1 (LBC 3.1). LBC 4.0 teams must provide at least one intentional Human Scale element. The additional/intentional element can address either gathering places or the project edge, and may include plantings that provide visual and experiential buffers to the expanse of impervious surface.

Projects using this exception must still comply with the other Human Scale, Proportion, and Signage requirements of this Imperative.

Required Exception Documentation:

  1. a narrative and calculations demonstrating the minimum area of surface cover required to perform the essential function
  2. drawings and a narrative identifying the additional human-scaled elements

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