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Local flower farm seeks setback leniency for permanent market and ADA restroom
Summary
Sunnyside Urban Farms told the city it plans a permanent market 'barn' and an ADA restroom but its original site design used the street edge rather than the property line for setback calculations; the farm asked for guidance and council members urged them to work with staff and, if needed, submit an ordinance change application for planning commission review.
Chelsea Butler, representing Sunnyside Urban Farms, updated the council on the farm’s third season of operation and asked for guidance about setbacks for a proposed permanent market structure that would include an ADA restroom and on‑site cooler.
Butler said the farm removed a condemned house, expanded planting rows and is now moving toward a small permanent footprint on the street side for staging and customer pickup, with a greenhouse to the south. She told the council the architect initially applied setbacks to the street edge instead of the property line, which reduced the available buildable footprint; with parking and ADA restroom needs included, the design was reduced to roughly 25‑foot setbacks and cannot include all desired elements without relief.
Butler said, “we want to put in an ADA bathroom which takes up some space…we want to put at kind of on the street side a small footprint market where we could kind of stage flowers…and then a greenhouse on the south side.”
Council members praised the farm’s work and expressed openness to considering an accommodation while emphasizing consistency in zoning. Several council members recommended that Butler work with city staff and the planning department to explore options and, if necessary, submit an ordinance change application. Staff outlined the standard process: an application would go to the planning commission for a public hearing and then the commission would make a recommendation to city council.
Butler said the farm hopes to provide parking to keep customers off the street and to keep the market accessible while meeting ADA requirements. Council members suggested staff and applicants look for design options that balance the farm’s needs and neighborhood consistency before any formal code change.
No formal council action was taken; staff advised Butler on next steps for a potential variance or ordinance amendment and the planning commission review path.
