HomeMy WebLinkAboutD_Highlands_Community_Church_RVMP_231107DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
D_Highlands_Community_Church_RVMP_231107
PLANNING DIVISION
ROUTINE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PERMIT
EVALUATION FORM & DECISION
DATE OF DECISION: November 7, 2023
PROJECT NUMBER: LUA23-000360, RVMP
PROJECT NAME: Highlands Community Church RVMP
PROJECT MANAGER: Mariah Kerrihard, Assistant Planner
APPLICANT: Daniel Warrick
3517 NE 77th St Carnation, WA 98014
OWNER: Bill Hepler
3031 NE 10th St, Renton WA 98056
CONTACT: Daniel Warrick
3517 NE 77th St Carnation, WA 98014
PROJECT LOCATION: 3031 NE 10th St, Renton WA 98056 (APN 7227801023)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant is requesting approval of a Routine Vegetation Management Permit
(RVMP) at 3031 NE 10th St (APN 7227801023). The property is approximately 4.76 acres in size. The property is
located within the Center Village (CV) zone. The applicant proposed to remove three (3) landmark trees including
a 32-inch (32”) DBH Black Cottonwood, a 36-inch (36”) DBH Black Cottonwood and an 80-inch (80”) DBH Black
Cottonwood. All three (3) of the trees are Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa). A landmark tree is defined as
a tree with a caliper of twenty-four inches (24”) or greater, except for big leaf maples, black cottonwoods, and red
alder trees, which qualify as landmark trees with a caliper of thirty inches (30”) or greater. (RMC 4-11-200). The
applicant, a professionally certified ISA arborist submitted a TRAQ report that classified all trees proposed for
removal as ‘high-risk’ (Attachment 1). The purpose of the tree removal is to prevent damage to multiple targets
including nearby buildings, fencing and people. According to COR Maps, Sensitive Slopes up to 40% may be present
on the site, however it appears to be an engineered slope associated with the development of the subject property
and/or the abutting property and they are predominately within the 15% to 25% range.
CRITICAL AREA:
EXPIRATION DATE: One (1) year from issuance
GENERAL REVIEW CRITERIA 4-9-195D4:
YES 1. The lot shall comply with minimum tree density requirements pursuant to RMC 4-4-130,
Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations.
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City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Routine Vegetation Management Permit Highlands_Community_Church_RVMP LUA23-000360, RVMP
Permit Date: November 7, 2023 Page 2 of 4
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Staff Comments: Per RMC 4-4-130.H, tree credit requirements shall comply at a minimum
rate of 30 credits per net acre. The applicant submitted a tree credit calculation with the
arborist report (Attachment 1) that indicated the site had a total of 179 tree credits. After
removal of the three (3) trees, resulting in the loss of 36 credits, the site would have a total
of 143 tree credits. Based on the total area of the site, approximately 4.76 acres, a total of
142.8 tree credits is required at the rate of 30 credits per acre (30 credits x 4.76 acres =
142.8 credits). Therefore, the site would comply with the tree credit requirement after
removal of the three (3) Black Cottonwood trees.
YES 2. The land clearing and tree removal shall be consistent with restrictions for critical areas,
pursuant to RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations, and RMC 4-3-
050, Critical Areas Regulations.
Staff Comments: According to the COR mapping system the proposed tree removal is
located in areas mapped with potential slopes between 15% and 40% on a portion of the
property, however, these slopes appear to be engineered as part of the development of
the site. The removal of the trees is not anticipated to create a hazardous condition as the
area is stabilized with turf lawn.
YES 3. Removal of a landmark tree shall meet the review criteria for removal off landmark tree,
pursuant to RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations.
I. The tree is determined to be a high-risk tree; or
II. The tree is causing obvious physical damage to buildings (over 200 square feet)
driveways. Parking lots, or utilities, and it can be demonstrated to the
Administrator’s satisfaction that no reasonable alternative to tree removal exist,
including tree root pruning, tree root barriers, tree cabling, or preventative
maintenance, such as cleaning leaf debris, deadwood removal, or
directional/clearance pruning; or
III. Removal of tree(s) to provide solar access to buildings incorporating active solar
devices. Windows are solar devices only when they are south facing and include
special storage elements to distribute heat energy; or
IV. The Administrator determines the removal is necessary to achieve a specific and
articulable purpose or goal of this Title.
Staff Comments: The applicant is requesting to remove three (3) landmark trees. All three
(3) of the trees are Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) trees ranging in diameter from
32-inches (32”) to 80-inches (80”). Of these three (3) trees, they were all identified as dead
or being high-risk trees according to the TRAQ forms, thereby meeting criterion #1. The
trees are showing signs of significant rot and decay at the base and one (1) has died in the
upper 40 ft of the canopy.
N/A 4. Street frontage and parking lot trees and landscaping shall be preserved unless otherwise
approved by the Administrator.
Staff Comments: Not Applicable. The trees are not street frontage, parking lot or
landscaping trees.
N/A 5. The land clearing and tree removal shall not remove any landscaping or protected trees
required as part of a land development permit.
Staff Comments: Not Applicable. The trees were not required as part of a land
development permit for landscaping or tree requirements. Black Cottonwoods are not a
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City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Routine Vegetation Management Permit Highlands_Community_Church_RVMP LUA23-000360, RVMP
Permit Date: November 7, 2023 Page 3 of 4
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species associated with non-riparian buffer plantings and it is likely these are volunteer
trees that were not removed as saplings. Neither street frontage nor parking landscaping
is proposed to be removed.
YES 6. The land clearing and tree removal shall maintain visual screening and buffering between
land uses of differing intensity, consistent with applicable landscaping and setback
provisions.
Staff Comments: The property is located within the Center Village (CV) zone. The northern
property line abuts the right-of-way for NE 10th St, a minor arterial. The southern property
line abuts the right-of-way for NE 9th St. The remaining parcels along the property lines are
within the CV zone. Removal of the trees would not remove required visual screening and
buffering between land uses of differing intensity.
YES 7. The land clearing and tree removal shall not create or contribute to a hazardous condition,
such as increased potential for blowdown, pest infestation, disease, or other problems that
may result from selectively removing trees and other vegetation from a lot.
Staff Comments: Provided documentation did not indicate that the removal of the trees
would create or contribute to a hazardous condition.
N/A 8. The land clearing and tree removal shall be consistent with the requirement of the
Shoreline Master Program, pursuant to RMC 4-3-090F1, Vegetation Conservation and
RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations.
Staff Comments: Not applicable. The property is not located within shoreline jurisdiction.
DECISION: The Highlands Community Church RVMP, LUA23-000360, RVMP is Approved .
*CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL: None
SIGNATURE & DATE OF DECISION:
________________________________________ ____________________________________
Matthew Herrera, Acting Planning Director Date
RECONSIDERATION: Within 14 days of the decision date, any party may request that the decision be reopened
by the approval body. The approval body may modify his decision if material evidence not readily discoverable
prior the original decision is found or if he finds there was misrepresentation of fact. After review of the
reconsideration request, if the approval body finds sufficient evidence to amend the original decision, there will
be no further extension of the appeal period. Any person wishing to take further action must file a formal
appeal within the 14-day appeal time frame.
APPEALS: Appeals of permit issuance must be filed in writing on or before 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2023. An
appeal of the decision must be filed within the 14-day appeal period (RCW 43.21.C.075(3); WAC 197-11-680). Appeals
must be submitted electronically to the City Clerk at cityclerk@rentonwa.gov or delivered to City Hall 1st floor
Lobby Hub Monday through Friday. The appeal fee, normally due at the time an appeal is submitted, will be
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11/7/2023 | 12:29 PM PST
City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Routine Vegetation Management Permit Highlands_Community_Church_RVMP LUA23-000360, RVMP
Permit Date: November 7, 2023 Page 4 of 4
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collected at a future date if your appeal is submitted electronically. The appeal submitted in person may be paid
on the first floor in our Finance Department. Appeals to the Hearing Examiner are governed by RMC 4-8-110 and
additional information regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office,
cityclerk@rentonwa.gov.
EXPIRATION: The Routine Vegetation Management Permit shall be valid for one (1) year from the date of issuance.
An extension may be granted by the Planning Division for a period of one (1) year upon application by the property
owner or manager. Application for such an extension must be made at least 30 days in advance of the expiration
of the original permit and shall include a statement of justification for the extension.
Attachment1:
Attachment 1: Arborist Report and TRAQ Form
cc: N/A
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