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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_Modifications_Request_240726_v1 STRIDE Bus Rapid Transit South Renton Transit Center (SRTC) Site Plan Review, Conditional Use Permit, Master Site Plan Review, and Lot Line Adjustment Application Attachment 5a Modifications Request July 2024 Prepared by the Design Management Plan Sound Transit 1 South Renton Transit Center and Roadway Improvements Project Modifications Request Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-9-250 provides the process and criteria to obtain a variance, waiver, modification, or alternative from the requirements of the Title 4, Development Regulations. As discussed in Section 4.3 of the Project Narrative and Code Review (Attachment 5), at the current level of design it is anticipated that the project will require a modification from site bicycle parking and driveway width standards (RMC 4-4-080). The site will not have bicycle parking located within 50 feet of a main building entrance (RMC 4-4-080 (F)(11)(b)(v)). The site will have two driveways that exceed 30 feet in width (RMC 4 -4-080(I)(3)(b)) and three driveways along Lake Avenue S instead of the allowed 2.5 driveways (RMC 4-4-080(I)(4)(C)). Table 1 provides the evaluation for how these modification requests comply with this section. Table 1. Project Compliance with RMC 4-9-250 – Variances, Waivers, Modifications, and Alternates Land Use Code Requirement Evaluation of Compliance with Land Use Code D. Modification Procedures 2. Decision Criteria: Whenever there are practical difficulties involved in carrying out the provisions of this Title, the Department Administrator may grant modifications for individual cases provided he/she shall first find that a specific reason makes the strict letter of this Code impractical, that the intent and purpose of the governing land use designation of the Comprehensive Plan is met and that the modification is in conformity with the intent and purpose of this Code, and that such modification: a. Substantially implements the policy direction of the policies and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element and the Community Design Element and the proposed modification is the minimum adjustment necessary to implement these policies and objectives; b. Will meet the objectives and safety, function, appearance, environmental protection and maintainability intended by the Code requirements, based upon sound engineering judgment; c. Will not create substantial adverse impacts to other property(ies) in the vicinity; d. Conforms to the intent and purpose of the Code; and e. Can be shown to be justified and required for the use and situation intended; Yes, the project will comply with this requirement. Sound Transit is requesting a modification from the bicycle parking location specified in RMC 4-4-080(F), as well as driveway width and total number per frontage requirements specified in RMC 4-4-080(I). The proposed bicycle parking locations are arguably code-compliant as- is, since the bus canopies and shelter are the main buildings on-site, but in an abundance of caution Sound Transit is requesting a modification, nonetheless. RMC 4-4-080(F) Modification for Bicycle Parking Location The site is not required to provide bicycle parking as there is no onsite vehicular parking requirement. However, the South Renton Transit Center (SRTC) will provide bike parking, which is subject to the bike parking standards of RMC 4-4-080(F)(11)(b). Bike parking will not meet the standards of RMC 4-4-080(F)(11)(b)(v) as bike parking will be more than 50 feet from any entrance to an enclosed building onsite. This is because the proposed core facilities and security buildings are not public buildings. To better serve the public, specifically transit users, proposed bicycle parking, as measured along the most direct pedestrian access route, will be located within 10 feet of the nearest bus shelter at the east end of the bus bays and will be located within 130 feet of the nearest bus canopy at the west end of the bus bays. Subpart a This modification will be consistent with the Land Use Element and the Community Design Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Specifically, the modification supports Policy L-2: “Support compact urban development 2 Land Use Code Requirement Evaluation of Compliance with Land Use Code to improve health outcomes, support transit use, maximize land use efficiency, and maximize public investment in infrastructure and services.” Providing bike parking within 50 feet of the core facilities and security building would not serve the public interest, as bike parking would then not be adjacent to the bus bays and convenient to transit users. By siting bicycle parking near the transit center bus bays, Sound Transit is encouraging bicycle/public transit travel rather than non -motorized travel. Providing both bike racks and lockers in a location convenient to transit users demonstrates Sound Transit’s investment in public infrastructure. Subpart b Placing bike parking along Rainier Avenue S and on one of the transit center islands meets the objectives and safety, function, appearance, environmental protection, and maintainability of this subpart. Adequate space is provided surrounding the bike parking for pedestrian movement. Bicycle racks and lockers will be commercial grade and adhere to City standards for bike parking. Having bike parking within 50 feet of the proposed buildings would not meet the objective for the function of bike parking, as it would not be convenient for the transit users of the site. The proposed locations are conveniently located for transit users using the SRTC site and will avoid bicycle- pedestrian circulation conflict on the transit center islands. Subpart c Subpart c is not applicable as the standard for distances between bike parking and building entry is not primarily intended to protect adjacent property owners from adverse effects. However, the proposed bicycle parking location will not encourage people to bike through adjacent properties or otherwise adversely impact adjacent properties. Subpart d Placing bike parking near/within the transit center islands will meet the intent of the code by providing convenient access to bicycle parking for transit users. By meeting the letter of the code and placing bike parking within 50 feet of the proposed core facility buildings, this would miss the intent of the code, as bike parking would not be conveniently located for transit users who are utilizing the bus bays and shelters. Subpart e This modification is necessary to provide convenient bicycle parking for transit users. The SRTC site will not have public buildings as a focal point of the site for transit users, but rather transit islands. The transit island area is the area that needs to be served with bicycle parking. 3 Land Use Code Requirement Evaluation of Compliance with Land Use Code RMC 4-4-080(I) Modification for Driveway Standards The site will require two of the driveways that will serve as bus egress and ingress to exceed 30 feet, as specified in RMC 4-4-080(I)(3)(b), by less than 4 feet. The site will also require 3 driveways along Lake Avenue S instead of the allowed 2.5 driveways per RMC 4-4-080(I)(4)(c) (Attachment 16). The proposed driveway width is the minimum width necessary to provide the adequate turning radii of Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Stride buse and King County Metro (KCM) electric buses in order for them to enter the site from Rainier Avenue S and exit the site to Lake Avenue S. The number of proposed driveways along Lake Avenue S are the minimum necessary to allow for buses to enter and exit the transit center from Lake Avenue S and to provide an entrance and exit on Lake Avenue S for vehicles using the transit center parking lot. The proposed driveway layout was analyzed for traffic impacts, and it was determined that the proposed driveway layouts would not cause significant level of service impacts or require traffic mitigation to the surrounding intersections when compared to the No Build alternative (Attachment 36a through c). Subpart a This modification will be consistent with the Land Use Element and the Community Design Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Specifically, the modification supports Policy L-2: “Support compact urban development to improve health outcomes, support transit use, maximize land use efficiency, and maximize public investment in infrastructure and services.” While wider driveways and an extra driveway are a small tradeoff in walkability, SRTC wil be a transit center that will “support transit use” and will help the City achieve its vision of transforming the area into an area of “employment, and services are accommodated in a compact urban form.” The bus driveways on Rainier Avenue S will be signalized and no wider than a standard intersection in the City. Per the Rainier/Grady Junction Subarea Plan, the Rainier Avenue and Hardie Avenue SW intersection is considered an unsafe or poor-quality pedestrian crossing. The proposed signalization for the driveways and this intersection will improve safety for pedestrians. All other proposed driveways will have marked crosswalks. Modifying this requirement by less than 5 feet will not impact the area’s ability to meet the policies and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan and Rainier/Grady Subarea Plan. Subpart b These driveways will meet the safety, function, appearance, environmental protection, and maintainability goals of the code. All driveways will have marked crosswalks and the driveways onto Rainier Avenue S at Hardie Avenue SW will have signalization making it safer 4 Land Use Code Requirement Evaluation of Compliance with Land Use Code than a standard driveway for both pedestrians and motorists, and also improving the baseline condition at the intersection. The proposed modification is to allow driveways to function adequately for bus egress and ingress of the SRTC. The difference of less than 5 feet will not be noticeable to the public and site frontage improvements will greatly improve the overall aesthetic of the site. Likewise, the exceedance of the driveway limit by half a driveway along Lake Avenue S will not be noticeable to the public, but the new sidewalk and frontage improvements on Lake Avenue S will benefit the public and overall aesthetic of the site. This design has been analyzed for potential impacts to critical areas documented in the Critical Areas Report (Attachment 27) for this project. Subpart c This modification will not create adverse impacts to properties in the vicinity. The potential walkability and traffic safety impacts are addressed previously and are not property impacts. Subpart d This modification conforms to the intent and purpose of the code as is the bus driveway crossings at Rainier Avenu S are signalized for pedestrian safety and are the minimum size to adequately provide bus egress and ingress from the SRTC, which will support alternative modes of transportation to the single occupancy vehicle. The exceedance of the number of allowed driveways on Lake Avenue S will allow for reliable access to the site from Lake Avenue S for both buses and transit users using the transit center parking lot. All driveways on Lake Avenue S will have marked crosswalks to allow for safe crossing. In addition, no driveways are proposed on S Grady Way, so the proposed shared-use path along the Grady Way S frontage will be unincumbered by motorized v ehicles. Subpart e Sound Transit can provide additional design analysis and bus turning radii to demonstrate the necessity of this modification. Without this modification allowing for slightly wider driveway widths and an exceedance of allowed driveways by half a driveway, the SRTC will not be able to function as a transit center. Refer to Attachments 36a through c for the traffic study .