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Owners of Mini Tree House propose temporary shipping-container office as step toward retail and housing expansion
Summary
Owners Jana and Dimitri presented plans to use a shipping container, clad or painted to match the building, as temporary office and storage on a gravel lot while they plan a permanent retail expansion with apartments above; staff said accessory-structure code and the Snoqualmie historic overlay will guide design and permitting.
Jana and Dimitri, owners of Mini Tree House, told the planning commission they bought an adjacent building and plan to use part of the rear gravel lot to provide temporary office and storage while they renovate and eventually add retail with residential units above.
At the meeting they described two main options: retain a shipping container and add windows, doors and exterior paint/trim, or build a low-cost framed structure clad to look like a permanent building. "We're looking at January for move ins," one owner said of the renovated front retail space, and they said the container use at the rear would be temporary while they raise funds to construct a permanent addition in about two years.
Staff and commissioners focused on which permit pathway applies and on design compatibility in the city's historic overlay. Director Davis said accessory structures are allowed in code but cautioned the historic overlay's architectural design standards prefer "traditional finished materials found in Snoqualmie Historic Area, including brick, stucco and horizontal or vertical wood siding," and that modern synthetic substitutes visible from the street are discouraged. Staff also noted code requirements that detached accessory structures be at least 10 feet from the principal structure and that floor areas typically not exceed 50% of the primary building area.
Commissioners and owners discussed practical site details: moving the container closer to the building to meet the 10-foot separation, adding a fence, planter boxes and improved gravel to screen the lot, and providing a gate for access. Staff flagged that a temporary-use permit (TUP) may not be a perfect fit and that applicants should instead consider accessory-structure permitting and a formal pre-application to confirm timelines and conditions.
Owners said they want to make the area presentable — including covering dumpsters and adding landscaping — and will meet with staff for a pre-application to refine design, materials and the permitting route before filing a formal application.
Next steps: owners will meet with staff for a pre-application to determine whether the container will be processed as an accessory structure with specific design conditions or require another permitting approach; final decisions about materials and a TUP/permit will be made during formal review.
