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Public Comments Submitted for ECC Shelter LAND-2016-01036 Public Comments in Black Responses to Comments in Blue 1. The City already has services such as Hopelink, why does the City need another. a. City Response: The City processes any and all applications submitted and completes a technical review against the adopted zoning codes and policies. Unless an application is being submitted for an Essential Public facility Permit, an easement of need is not required. b. Applicant Response: Hopelink does offer valuable services to the community, including shelter services and transitional housing for families through the Coordinated Entry for All program in King County. The need for emergency shelter is growing in the Redmond community and BelRed Family Resource Center will be providing overnight shelter for families without stable housing of their own, as well as case management to assist them in transitioning out of homelessness. The Coordinated Entry process takes some time, and BelRed Family Resource Center is able to provide shelter for families while they await placement through Coordinated Entry. Hopelink offers a variety of important services such as a food bank and some financial services and BelRed Family Resource Center will work in partnership with Hopelink and other services providers in the area. 2. Concerned there will be increased noise. a. City Response: All adopted municipal and zoning code policies must be adhered to for all applications submitted. If approved, permits would be required to comply with noise regulations RMC 6.36. 3. Concerned for increase of crime activity or potential. Concerns that the proposed project will attract additional crime. Concerns that adjacent green belt and vegetation buffer will be used for criminal activity. Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- a. City Response: The City is reviewing emergency services calls made by other facilities that the applicant team is associated with and operates. All data gathered and analysis completed will be provided to the Hearing Examiner to review for her decision. Additionally, during the meeting held on August 24, it was discussed that the City can require additional conditions of surveillance for the greenbelt should this be a request of the community. b. Applicant Response: The safety of the community, including residents at BelRed Family Resource Center is a top priority. Women with children, who are experiencing homelessness, are a vulnerable population and often the victims of crime. The shelter will provide a safe place and stability for families as they work to move out of homelessness and into stable housing and employment. Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission was chosen to operate BelRed Family Resource Center because they have vast experience and highly trained staff. Similar shelter models (single women with children) operated by Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission show a very low level of incidents associated with the shelter, and almost no community impact from the low number of incidents occurring within the shelter. The Belltown shelter averaged 20 incidents per year involving emergency responders visits related to shelter residents; of these 20 incidents, an average of 15 were medical calls. None of these incidents proposed a risk to the Belltown area, which is a relatively high risk neighborhood. 4. Previous 1968 CUP was terminated due to abandonment. a. City Response: Staff has looked into the documents we have on file and are unable to locate the particular information on termination that has been referenced. If staff is provide the language and location of the language the City can and will look into this item further. 5. None of the SDP or previous CUP approvals were for a homeless shelter. a. City Response: The previous SDP and CUP approvals were not for a homeless shelter; however, the site does have approval for a Religious Institution and the homeless shelter is being proposed as an accessory Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- use of the religious facility and their mission to provide charitable services. 6. SDP superseded the CUP because both cannot remain in effect. a. City Response: Staff has looked into the documents we have on file and are unable to locate the particular information on termination that has been referenced. If staff is provide the language and location of the language the City can and will look into this item further. 7. Assessment of need should be required before allowing a CUP in place. a. City Response: An assessment of need per RZC 21.76 is only required as part of an application for an Essential Public Facilities Permit. The City does not have the authority to require a Conditional Use Permit under the Redmond Zoning Code to illustrate an assessment of need. 8. Once project parcel was segregated the CUP and SDPs only remained with the 2.91 acre parcel with the assembly structure. a. City Response: The CUP and SDP approvals remain with the original scope area and transfer through both subdivisions and ownership unless otherwise noted. This is consistent with all Land Use Entitlements issued by the City of Redmond. 9. There will be a decrease in property value. a. City Responses: The City does not have authority to evaluate or consider property value as part of a Conditional Use Permit application. 10. Concerns overflow parking will monopolize on-street parking or create a safety hazard. a. City Response: If approved, the applicant is only permitted to have a specific number of vehicles parked and associated with the facility. The applicant is required to maintain a parking agreement for off- street parking with the church. Additionally, the applicant would be conditioned to have a parking policy and action plan in place to ensure parking standards were adhered to if approved, a violation of Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- any conditions of approval could be grounds for revocation of the permit. 11. Will police responses times be sufficient and which jurisdiction will respond. a. City Response: City of Redmond and City of Bellevue Police attended the August 24th Neighborhood Meeting and confirmed that response times would be just as swift as they are for the neighborhood and surrounding areas now. Both Police Departments confirmed that the City of Redmond would respond first and if for any reason could not was not available, Bellevue would immediately respond to the call(s). 12. The structure in question was only ever used as a single family home legally. a. City Response: The single family home structure was entitled to be used for a school, office space and a pastor residence. It was not required to be used for all only entitled. 13. Hearing Examiner cannot modify previous CUP approvals. a. City Response: The Hearing Examiner will be holding a hearing an issuing a decision on a new Conditional Use Permit Application and will not be modifying the previous CUP approvals. 14. Building Permits applied for regarding the house structure do not mention the CUP and some of the building permits state the structure would be used as a pastor residence only for the purpose of the permit. a. City Response: Building Permits are not required to list entitlement approvals such as CUPs, SDPs or any others. Building permit applications may apply for alternations to a structure relevant to any entitled uses for the site. If at the time of a building permit an applicant only planned to exercise one use allowed on the site they would not be required to state the other uses allowed by entitlement approvals. Any description information regarding uses on a building permit application cannot void an entitlement approvals gained by a Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- site. Staff does evaluate all building permits to ensure they are complaint with the permitted uses allowed for the site and zone. 15. There will be impacts due to increased traffic and parking. This project will bring a lot of additional traffic. a. City Response: The applicant is required to provide a traffic analysis showing the exact number of new trips during peak hours that would be added by the project. If the analysis shows that the applicant’s proposal exceeds certain defined thresholds or what City infrastructure is currently able to support the application would be required to complete mitigation to reduce or eliminate trips and impacts. b. Applicant Response: A traffic study has been provided and we are in the process of amending that traffic study to comply with the City of Redmond’s requirements. Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission operates other sites in King County. At KentHOPE Resource Center there are 7- 8 guests with personal vehicles out of 35 guests/day and the Emergency Family Shelter in Seattle, there were 3-5 guests with personal vehicles out of 48 guests (approximately 15-18 adult women plus their children). Based on this data, it is expected that BelRed Family Resource Center will have 5-8 guests with personal vehicles and no more than 10 at any one time. 16. There is no public transportation nearby that is useful. a. Applicant Response: Public transportation is located on the corner of 173rd Ave NE and NE 24th on the 249, 888, 895 bus lines. 226 bus line is accessible with a half mile of the BelRed Family Resource Center. 17. Creekside is not a partner in the project. a. City Response: Creekside Covenant Church is a signed applicant for the Conditional Use Permit. b. Applicant Response: The BelRed Family Resource Center is a partnership between Evangelical Chinese Church, Creekside Covenant Church, Westminster Chapel and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 18. The house and a homeless shelter are not a church therefore the SDP and CUPs cannot be used. a. City Response: “Church” is not a permitted use within the Redmond Zoning Code. “Religious Institutions” is the use an applicant seeking to construct a church would apply under. Religious Institutions are not limited to “churches” or places for congregation and sermon. Religious Facilities encompasses all aspects and operations that may be associated with the exercising of a particular religion or religious organization. As defined by the RZC, Religious Institutions are Churches, temples, synagogues, monasteries, and similar establishments operated by religious organizations. The a SDP/ CUP for a Religious Institution is required for an organization that is seeking to gain a membership of 250 persons or more at the location proposed, per the Redmond Zoning Code (21.08.050), a Religious Institution is a permitted use without a CUP if proposed for less than 250 members at the proposed site. 19. Does not meet permitted uses of the zone. a. City Response: The site has approval for a Religious Institution and the homeless shelter is being proposed as an accessory use of the religious facility and their mission to provide charitable services. Without being affiliated to an operation of a religious institution, the shelter would not be considered a permitted use if it was proposed on its own without affiliation or partnership of a religious institution. 20. Does not match the character of the neighborhood. a. Applicant Response: The character and external appearance of the house will not be changed and it will continue to blend into the neighborhood. The house will be inhabited by families (mothers with children), which also reflects the character of a family neighborhood. 21. Is requesting a multi-family structure, only single family is allowed. a. City Response: The Redmond Zoning Code Defines a Multifamily Structure as, a structure that includes multiple primary dwelling units, or a series of five or more dwelling units with common or party walls Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- on one or two sides but with separate front and/or rear access. The application request is to use the 5,000 square foot single family structure as a single dwelling unit for the purpose of a homeless shelter with a maximum building occupancy of 40 persons. Due to this use not being that of a single family home, office space related to the churches daily operations, school or pastor residence as approved previously as part of the CUP and SDPs on file, the applicant must go through a new Conditional Use Permit application review and decision process. While the homeless shelter is proposed as an accessory use to the religious institution approvals for the site, those approvals did not account or cover the proposed impacts and operations of a homeless shelter and; therefore, a new CUP application review process is required to determine if the shelter can be located on the site. 22. What happens to parking and the shelter if Creekside were to leave or revoke parking agreement? a. City Response: If approved, the applicant is only permitted to have a specific number of vehicles parked and associated with the facility. The applicant is required to maintain a parking agreement for off- street parking at all times. Additionally, the applicant would be conditioned to have a parking policy and action plan in place to ensure parking standards were adhered to if approved, a violation of any conditions of approval could be grounds for revocation of the permit. 23. Allowing males up to 18 years of age that are legal dependents could increase safety risks and sexual assault concerns. a. Applicant Response: Families staying in shelter may have teenage children in their care, as could any single family unit moving into the neighborhood. However, shelters serving single women with children primarily see children age 12 and under. Any dependent (male or female) up to 18 years of age served at the shelter must be enrolled in high school in order to access services. A background check for all guests 18 years and older is a part of the screening process. Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Adherence to the community guest agreement applies to every member of the family as a condition for staying at BelRed Family Resource Center. 24. Where will partners, husbands and lovers of the women meet them? a. Applicant Response: Shelter residents will not be allowed to have guests visit them in the shelter neighborhood. In the event of friends or family of shelter residents visiting at the shelter, the visitor will not be admitted to the building and will be instructed to leave the area. The resident will be issued a warning that subsequent visits may result in an exit from the shelter. The ideal scenario for intact families (two parents with children) is that they be sheltered together; for that reason, staff will be working with women who have partners to move quickly to a location where their whole family can stay together. Male partners will NOT be allowed to remain in the shelter area while their families reside in the BelRed Family Resource Center. b. City Response: if approved, the City would make a condition of approval that the Community Agreement in-place by the facility and its clients be strictly enforced. Any violation with a condition of approval could result in the revocation of the permit. 25. The project will contribute to an increase in loitering, begging, drug use and other related activities. a. Applicant Response: Guest agreement will stipulate that guests may not loiter outside of the shelter. Staff will address this with any guest loitering outside of the shelter. Continued incidents will result in an exit from shelter. Families will have resources for basic needs covered as part of their shelter stay. This shelter will only serve women with children, which is a lower risk population than single adults. Possession, use, or selling of drugs or alcohol will be strictly prohibited and will result in an immediate removal from shelter. b. City Response: If approved, the City would make a condition of approval that the Community Agreement in-place by the facility and its clients be strictly enforced. Any violation with a condition of approval could result in the revocation of the permit. Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- 26. Concerns from the neighbors regarding the clients of the shelter bringing contagious deses such as TB, Hepatitis and HIV. a. Applicant Response: As with any neighborhood resident, personal health history may not be known. However, the presence of an individual with Hepatitis or HIV in the house does not in itself pose a contagion risk to the community as these are not diseases spread casually. The health of the community, including shelter residents is a top priority. All precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of viruses including food safety, standards for cleaning, regular handwashing, and referrals to medical professionals as needed. 27. Day Center for homeless not used. This was because there was not a need and homeless will all be brought in from other cities. a. Applicant Response: The primary goal of the shelter will be to first serve Redmond and other Eastside families. The day center only model was under-utilized because overnight shelter was not offered. Families experiencing homelessness needed to seek safe nighttime shelter for their children, which required seeking services outside of this area. The current day and night shelter model will allow families to receive safe nighttime shelter and daytime services in one location. b. City Response: An assessment of need cannot be required by the City for a Conditional Use Permit Application. 28. Will the structure be upgraded for earthquake safety? a. City Response: If approved, the structure would be required to meet all current structural safety standards for the occupancy including fire sprinklers and earthquake safety. 29. Permit if approved should have to be re-evaluated and renewed every 3-5 years. a. City Response: The Redmond Zoning Code current does not give the City authority to modify approval vesting and expirations in that manner. Any member of the public though may submit a request for a privately initiated code amendment to be added to our annual docket process. If you would like more information on how you can Attachment 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- participate in proposing new code or amendments to currently adapted code please let staff assigned to this project know and they will connect you to the right contacts and forms. Attachment 3