1918 WALL ST 2018-01-02 MF Import

3. Public Necessity: The new Jail and Work Release facilities will relieve the over -crowded conditions in the existing Jail. The existing Jail has also been found to be substandard. The new Jail should also substantially reduce escape opportunities through both improved physical security and by arranging facilities so as to permit improved prisoner supervision. B. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: VARIANCE The following findings and conclusions are based on the criteria established in Section 19.70.060A and B and Ordinance 692-80 (Hearing Examiner) Section 14: 1. The County is seeking a Variance from Section establishes a maximum height of buildings in the Variance would permit the Jail structure to extend feet. 19.30.060 E. M. C. which C-1 zone at 65 feet. The to an average height of 120 2. The subject property is part of the contiguous Snohomish County Governmental Complex which is an exceptional or extraordinary circumstance that does not generally apply to other properties in the zone. The proposed structure will be generally in scale with the current County Administration Building. 3. The County does not represent that special circumstances which apply to the property deny it rights and privileges which are enjoyed by other properties in the vicinity under the identical zone classifications, but rather that it has a special public responsibility to provide detention facilities which are humane, secure, and economical of Public funds. These responsibilities are best satisfied by the structure as described. 4. The variance requested will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the properties or improvements in the vicinity of a zone in which the property is locate ` inasmuch as the buildings will be separated from the properties of others ul public streets or alleys. These facilities, together with the existing ^•,rnegie Building, will become a logical extension rf the existing County Campus, with consistent building proportions. The proposed structure will not block residential views. 5. The Comprehensive Plan designates this property for Central Business District uses. The purpose section of the B-3 Central Business District zone (Sec. 19.28.010B) which implements the Comprehensive Plan supports governmental uses in this area by stating the zo.ie is to provide a multi -use character: retail, financial, office, governmental and residential. 6. If this Variance is not granted an unnecessary hardship will continue to the County, the cause of which is beyond its control. Specifically, the County would be obligated to in::ree-e the horizontal dimensions of the detention facility at the public expense of in, -:eased land acquisitions; decreased parking and expansion opportunities; decreased building setbacks; and decreased opportunities for landscaping. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Based on the above findings and conclusions, the Staff recommends approval of the Special Property Use Permit and Variance for the construction of the Snohomish County Jail in the 3000 block of Lombard Avenue and the same Special Property Use Permit for the remodel of the Employment Security building at 3015 Oakes Avenue for use as a Work Release facility with the following conditions: 1. A specific landscaping plan shall be submitted to the Planning Department for review and approval prior to issuance of any building permits. The plan shall provide visual separation between parking areas and all street frontages. This plan shall consist of vegetation at least three feet in height with trees interspersed as indicated on the site plan. There shall also be a substantial amount of landscaping provided on the Wall Street and Lombard Avenue frontages to provide some visual relief from thi- massive structure. -3-