A new multi-use residential and commercial project passed its plan review with the city of Battle Ground on Nov. 18 but now awaits the process for a road modification plan to add two driveways, which is scheduled to begin review on Dec. 23, according to the Battle Ground public information portal.
The Kirkland Battle Ground Lofts project is proposed as a four-story mixed-use building totaling 108,000 square feet. The project is proposed just south of the Best Western hotel along Southwest 15th Avenue. The building would feature retail on the first floor, facing Southwest 15th Avenue, with three floors of multi-family residential units. According to the project narrative, the site would include 117 parking spaces for residents and 16 parking stalls for commercial businesses.
In the final staff report for the land use application, a condition of approval was added requiring a road modification to be applied for to allow the two proposed driveways for this development—the Kirkland Battle Ground Lofts road modification narrative states.
The Condition of approval states that, for the proposed development to have two driveways, the Average Daily Trips (ADT) must be greater than 1,000, per Battle Ground city code. Currently, developers believe the project would generate 538 ADT.
The proposal shows two driveways: one on SW 15th Avenue and one on SW 1st Way.
A road modification needed to be submitted and approved to have more than one driveway.
The ground floor of the project comprises two commercial spaces of approximately 6,400 square feet. The upper levels will be a multi-family apartment complex with 102 dwelling units. The 102 dwelling units are expected to be 42 studio units, 45 one-bedroom units, and 15 two-bedroom units. The project aims to integrate commercial and residential uses within a single structure, meeting market demand for both commercial space and multi-family housing.
Since the proposed project includes 102 dwelling units, it exceeds the threshold and requires a minimum of 2 driveways. As the project is not a single-family development or a subdivision/short plat where that threshold is required, there is a provision in the Washington State fire code for multifamily residential, which the Kirkland Battle Ground Lofts project meets, with over 70% of the trips generated from the multi-family residential uses.
“This standard is in accordance with the Washington State fire code, which required two driveways for developments of over 100 units,” the road modification narrative states.
One of the proposed driveways will also conflict with traffic increases from a nearby project titled “West Main Commons,” which has recently gone through site prep for construction.
The development’s commercial spaces are located along Main Street, just east of the Best Western Hotel, with a main access point from just eastbound traffic. However, all directions of Main Street traffic can access the development, as Southwest First Way will be extended into the project from Southwest 15th Avenue, which intersects with West Main Street at a traffic light. The new stretch of Southwest First Way will divide the commercial and residential portions of the mixed-use development. The apartment portion will be connected to the retail and medical areas via a public promenade, as shown on the site plans.
According to the project’s website, the development would be a new “all-inclusive retail and medical experience.” In addition to three retail spaces, a two-story, 16,000-square-foot medical building would be included. A public promenade will connect the 225-unit apartment community.
The Kirkland Battle Ground Lofts project is also proposed to have an access point on Southwest First Way.
