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1. How many bathrooms is the center permitted for?

The building at 414 Spring St. has four operational bathrooms. Two of these are located in the area designated as the public space of the building while two others are within a separate area denoted for storage. By law, a minimum of two public-use restrooms is required for this occupancy level. The two public restrooms were inspected as part of the recent permit work, although no structural upgrades were needed or performed in those spaces. (Note: This building was originally constructed in 1947 and the city’s permit records are unclear as to exactly when the different restrooms were installed.)

2. The center’s certificate of occupancy allows a maximum of 79 persons in the building at one time. Is there a specific square-foot requirement per occupant?

The Building Code does assign certain “square foot per occupant” requirements according to different areas; for example, a general assembly space (which is much of New Hope’s interior seating area) requires 15 square feet per occupant. Other areas such as kitchen and storage spaces have different requirements.

3. What about parking—how can the center be allowed a 79-person occupancy yet have so few parking spaces? Isn’t it possible that visitors to the center will park on neighborhood streets?

Off-street parking requirements are prescribed by Puyallup’s Parking Code (PMC Sec. 20.55). The New Hope property is zoned Central Business District (CBD). Over the years, the City Parking Code has aimed to accommodate remodels in certain areas without always necessitating new off-street parking. Specifically, PMC Sec. 20.55.065 only requires new off-street parking in the CBD zone if there is “new structural square feet” exceeding 5,000 square feet. Because New Hope’s building is only 3,360 square feet, no new off-street parking was required with its remodel. Staff has communicated with Multicare representatives regarding New Hope and is not aware of any ongoing spillover parking issue.

4. How was this drop-in center use initially permitted at this site, from a zoning standpoint?

When the proposal for the daytime shelter was first brought to the City in the fall of 2014, research determined that a drop-in center/daytime shelter was not a specifically defined use in Puyallup’s Municipal Code. Staff identified the proposed use as comparable to the YMCA’s Youth Investment Center and the City’s own Activity Center, and considered it similar to a professional service or general commercial activity—with both of these uses being permitted outright in the CBD and all other commercial zones. Accordingly, in September of 2014, City Manager Bill McDonald reported to the City Council that the proposed daytime drop-in homeless shelter was an outright permitted use.

5. How was the change of use permitted and how did the occupancy load change?

With its recent building permits, New Hope sought and was granted a change from one commercial-type occupancy group (“B”) to another group (“A-3”). Subject to meeting Building Code standards and having proper facilities, any “B” occupancy structure could potentially change to an “A-3” occupancy. Essentially, the allowable occupancy load is tied to the usable floor area and the occupancy group. In moving from a “B” occupancy group to an “A-3” occupancy group, this site’s occupancy load increased to 79 persons. From a Building Code standpoint, this remodel was not deemed a change of use but rather a change in occupancy group and in the amount of floor area utilized for the center’s operations.