A land use application has been filed with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections to build a a 7-story, 144-unit apartment building with a restaurant and grocery store at 3201 SW AVALON WAY.

Parking for 70 vehicles is proposed. Existing buildings would be demolished. Early Design Guidance conducted under 3032395-EG.

From the design proposal by NK Architects

Residential neighborhood with outstanding views and close proximity to the West Seattle Junction

The site is located t the intersectioon of SW Avalon Way and SW Genesee Street, on the middle part of the east of West Seattle hill, just within the northwest border of the West Seattle Golf Course.

Located on the eastern flank of the West Seattle hill, the site is perched on a southeastern-facing hillside that affords opportunities for solar exposure, as well as views over the forested parkland, West Seattle Golf Course, and Delridge valley.

The adjacent sites contains a mix of single family and low-rise residential buildings, with an increasing number of newer mid- rise residential and mixed use buildings. Most of the larger, recent developments are located along Avalon Way, increasing in density to the west, approaching Alaska Junction. There are also several parks and open spaces in the vicinity of the site

The portion of SW Avalon Way that is directly adjacent to the project site was originally developed as small single family houses. City of Seattle designated zone revisions for this portion of SW Avalon Way in the last several years has prompted redevelopment of multifamily apartments and condominium structures.

South of the project site, beyond an unimproved alley, is a large and long-established City of Seattle park which includes the West Seattle Stadium, the West Seattle Golf Course, and Camp Long. Beyond the park and towards Elliott Bay lays the low-lying residentially developed Delridge valley all of which subsequently drains into the Longfellow Creek watershed

Zoning

This project site sits at the edge of an MR (Midrise) and SF5000 zone, facing entirely the West Seattle Golf Course.

The site encompasses two parcels on a corner lot. The MR zone has a maximum base height of 60’ and FAR of 3.2. The project is seeking the maximum height and FAR bonuses allowed with zoning contingencies which would raise the maximum height to 75’ and increase the FAR to 4.25.

The project site is within the boundaries of the West Seattle Junction HUb Urban Village, and is pursuant to the West Seattle Junction Design Guidelines. The site is also within a salmon watershed and 40% Steep Slope mapped ECA (Environmental Critical Area).

The decision of the director of SDCI

The following approval is required:

Design Review with Departures (Seattle Municipal Code 23.41)*

Departures are listed near the end of the Design Review Analysis in this documen

BACKGROUND

The site was granted Relief from Prohibition on Steep Slope Development by the SDCI Geotechnical Engineer on June 20, 2018, under record 6671179-EX:

"We require an Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs) review for this project.
Based on a review of the submitted information and the City GIS system, we conclude that the project appears to quality for criteria established in the Critical Areas Regulations, SMC 25.09.090.B2a. Specifically, the portions of the project that encroach upon the ECA will be limited to areas of existing development. For this reason, we waive
the required ECA Steep Slope Variance associated with subsequent SDCI building application. We condition our approval upon building permit application for a design that
demonstrates that the proposed development will be completely stabilized in accordance with the geotechnical engineer’s recommendations as well as provisions of the ECA Code and Grading Code. All other ECA Submittal, General, and Landslide-Hazard, and development standards still apply for this development."

Download the full decision here