HomeMy WebLinkAboutEX_39_C_Advisory_Notes_SRTCDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Page 1 of 2 LUA24-000233
ADVISORY NOTES TO APPLICANT
The following notes are supplemental information provided in conjunction with the administrative land use
action. Because these notes are provided as information only, they are not subject to the appeal process for
the land use action.
Planning:
(Contact: Jill Ding, 425-430-6598, jding@rentonwa.gov)
1. RMC section 4-4-030.C.2 limits haul hours between 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday unless
otherwise approved by the Development Services Division.
2. Commercial, multi-family, new single family and other nonresidential construction activities shall be
restricted to the hours between seven o’clock (7:00) a.m. and eight o’clock (8:00) p.m., Monday through
Friday. Work on Saturdays shall be restricted to the hours between nine o’clock (9:00) a.m. and eight
o’clock (8:00) p.m. No work shall be permitted on Sundays.
3. Within thirty (30) days of completion of grading work, the applicant shall hydroseed or plant an
appropriate ground cover over any portion of the site that is graded or cleared of vegetation and where
no further construction work will occur within ninety (90) days. Alternative measures such as mulch,
sodding, or plastic covering as specified in the current King County Surface Water Management Design
Manual as adopted by the City of Renton may be proposed between the dates of November 1st and
March 31st of each year. The Development Services Division’s approval of this work is required prior to
final inspection and approval of the permit.
4. The applicant may not fill, excavate, stack or store any equipment, dispose of any materials, supplies or
fluids, operate any equipment, install impervious surfaces, or compact the earth in any way within the
area defined by the drip line of any tree to be retained.
5. The applicant shall erect and maintain six foot (6') high chain link temporary construction fencing around
the drip lines of all retained trees, or along the perimeter of a stand of retained trees. Placards shall be
placed on fencing every fifty feet (50') indicating the words, “NO TRESPASSING – Protected Trees” or on
each side of the fencing if less than fifty feet (50'). Site access to individually protected trees or groups
of trees shall be fenced and signed. Individual trees shall be fenced on four (4) sides. In addition, the
applicant shall provide supervision whenever equipment or trucks are moving near trees.
Development Engineering:
(Contact: Michael Sippo, 425-430-7298, msippo@rentonwa.gov)
1. See attached Memo dated October 4, 2024
Fire Authority:
(Contact: Corey Thomas, 425-276-9582, cthomas@rentonrfa.org)
1. None
Technical Services:
(Contact: Stephanie Rary, 425-430-6592, srary@rentonwa.gov)
1. None
Parks Planning and Natural Resources:
(Contact: Jason Lederer, 425-430-6547, jlederer@rentonwa.gov)
ADVISORY NOTES TO APPLICANT
Page 2 of 2 LUA24-000233
1. We appreciate the consideration of pedestrian and cyclist circulation as a component of this project
and the investment by Sound Transit to support the installation of new dedicated bicycle facilities
along S 7th Ave and Hardie Ave. However, additional design considerations should be made to enhance
safe access and egress for cyclists crossing Rainer Ave S. at Hardie and S 7th Ave at Shattuck Ave. In
these locations cyclists will need to cross major roads to access the new transit facility and existing
cycle track along Shattuck Ave respectfully. While the submitted plans indicate crosswalks to facilitate
pedestrian crossing of Rainer, the existing documents do not provide detail on how these crossings will
be designed to safely accommodate bicycle access.
2. We encourage pedestrian activation of the vegetated areas along the south side of the development
site adjacent to S Grady Way to mimic park land. While we understand this location is specifically
identified to support LID stormwater management, there is also opportunity to activate these areas as
a stormwater park or similar feature. This area of Renton where the transit center will be located is
underserved by parks and green space and this project is an opportunity to better serve this location,
future transit users, and support broader public safety goals through enhanced passive activation by
potential parkland users. Parks and Recreation would be happy to coordinate with Sound Transit on
this potential opportunity.
3. All proposed tree removal and new plantings should be coordinated and approved by the Urban
Forestry and Natural Resources Manager.
Police:
(Contact: Cyndie Parks, 425-430-7521, cparks@rentonwa.gov)
1. None
Building:
(Contact: Rob Shuey, 425-430-7235, rshuey@rentonwa.gov)
1. None
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: October 4, 2024
TO: Clark Close, Current Planning Manager
FROM: Michael Sippo, Civil Engineer III, Plan Review
SUBJECT: South Renton Transit Center
APN: 1923059074, 1923059063, 1923059035, 1923059068
LUA24-000233
I have reviewed for the South Renton Transit Center project located at parcel(s) 1923059074,
1923059063, 1923059035 and 1923059068. The following comments are based on the land-use
application submittal made to the City of Renton by the applicant.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The site is approximately 8.3 acres in size (comprised of 4 parcels) and is rectangular in shape with
one lot fronting S Grady Way between Rainier Ave S and Lake Ave S to the south, one lot bordering
Rainier Ave S and Lake Ave S, one lot only bordering Rainier Ave S to the west and one lot only
bordering Lake Ave S to the west. The site is currently vacant and used to serve as a car dealership
and now consists of only a large parking lot, foundations of demolished buildings, onsite lighting
and large PSE transmission lines running east/west along the furthest south property line. The
site is essentially flat with the onsite conveyance system draining from the east to west where
runoff is collected and routed via public conveyance system to the existing system is Rainier Ave
S and the intersection of S Grady Way and Rainier Ave S.
WATER
1. The subject development is within the City of Renton’s water service area and in the 196-
pressure zone. There are existing water mains on and in the vicinity of the site:
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• There is a 12-inch water main in Rainier Ave S (from Hardie Ave to S 7th St) that
can provide a maximum flowrate of 5,000 gpm, but south of Hardie Ave SW the
flow rate from the 12-inch main is reduced to 3,400 gpm because of a lesser flow
coming from the south – refer to City water project plan no. W-3430.
• There is an existing 8-inch water main located onsite that bisects the 4 parcels
running from north to south and across S Grady Way. The water main branches
near the site’s north property line and continues into the adjacent commercial
parking lots to the northeast and northwest and offsite ultimately tying into
Rainier Ave S and S 7th St – refer to City water project plan no. W-1785.
2. The site is located inside of the City’s wellhead protection area, Zone 2.
SEWER
1. The subject development is located in the City of Renton sewer service area. There are
existing sewer mains on and in the vicinity of the site:
• There is an existing 8-inch diameter city of Renton sewer main (see City sewer
project plan S-1806) located within the proposed site that flows east to west
through the middle of the site before turning south and connecting into the street
sewer main system located in the intersection of Rainier Ave S and S Grady Way.
• There is an existing 8-inch diameter sewer main located in Rainier Avenue S, at
the intersection of Rainier Ave S and S Grady Way that crosses Rainier to the
northwest and connects into the King County Metro sewer main located on the
west side of Rainier. See City sewer project plan S-0079.
STORM
1. The site is located within three subdrainage basins and contains 4 threshold discharge
areas: the Black River – Springbrook Creek, Rolling Hills Creek and South Renton Drainage
Basins and contains only the Zone 2 wellhead protection area onsite. The site topography
is relatively flat and gently slopes from the east to west. There are stormwater mains on
and in the vicinity of the site:
• There is an existing unmapped conveyance system located on the site that likely
connects to the City’s conveyance system that bisects the site from the east to
west.
• There is a 27-inch City owned conveyance system that runs through the center of
the site from east to west – refer to City stormwater project plan no. R-1806. The
conveyance system captures upstream flows along Lake Ave S and the King
County Park and Ride along with flows from a portion of S Grady Way and
Shattuck Ave S and the car dealership properties to the north.
• There is an existing 24-inch City owned conveyance system located in Rainier Ave
S that collects runoff from the northbound travel lane and connects to the 27-
inch system exiting the site and is conveyed to the west – refer to City stormwater
project plan no. D-3430.
• There is an existing 12-inch City owned conveyance system located in S Grady
Way that collects runoff from the project frontage along S Grady Way and a small
portion of the site and routes it to the south across S Grady Way – refer to City
stormwater plan no. R-1311.
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2. The project is divided into four threshold discharge areas (TDAs): South Renton Transit
Center, including Rainier Ave S (SRTC 1), S Grady Way (SRTC 2), Lake Ave S (SRTC 3), and
Hardie Ave SW (SRTC 4).
TRANSPORTATION
1. The proposed development fronts S Grady Way, Rainier Ave S, Hardie Ave SW and Lake
Ave S.
• S Grady Way is classified as a principal arterial with an existing right-of-way (ROW)
width of 100 feet and contains 2 west-bound, 2 east-bound and 2-southbound
turn lanes at the Rainier intersection which tapers to a north-bound turn lane at
Lake Ave S. The project frontage and intersection contain sidewalks adjacent to
the curb with a large landing and gateway art project at the intersection.
• Rainier Ave S is classified as a principal arterial with a variable ROW width ranging
between 115 and 135 feet. Rainier Ave S contains 3 north-bound and 3 south-
bound lanes with one each of those lanes being dedicated bus/turn-only lanes.
At the intersections of S Grady Way and Hardie Ave SW, lane tapers occur from a
center median to add additional turn/taper lanes. The project frontage contains
planter strip and sidewalk that was constructed as a portion of the Rainier Ave
Phase 2 improvements.
• Hardie Ave SW is classified as a collector arterial with an existing ROW width of
70 feet and contains 1 northbound and 1 southbound lane and a dedicated right-
turn only from the south-bound lane onto Rainier Ave S. The intersection with
Rainier is separated by a median planter which only allows for right-in, right-out
access to Hardie. The west side of the street contains planter and sidewalk,
whereas the east side only contains sidewalk adjacent to the curb. The existing
street width of 46-feet is wide enough to accommodate parking on both sides.
There is an existing planter that separates the right in/out lanes due to the acute
intersection angle with Rainier.
• Lake Ave S is a private street that is owned and operated by King County Metro
for the park and ride. Road width varies but is generally wide to accommodate
bus loading for passengers and turn movements up to 45-feet in width. Lake Ave
S is accessed from S Grady Way via traffic signal.
CODE REQUIREMENTS
WATER
1. The applicant has submitted a preliminary Overall Utility plan with the land use
application that was prepared by HDR Engineers, dated June, 2024. The plan shows the
existing water main internal to the site being removed and replaced with a looping water
main system that connects to the existing water main in Rainier Ave S at the intersection
of Rainier/Hardie and loops in the south driveway to the eastern connection in Lake Ave
S. The water main will provide connection to the properties to the north along with
providing appurtenances and fire hydrants as needed for current and future construction
to serve the buildings, landscaping and future parking structure. The water main
connection in Lake Ave S connects to the existing main to the north and loops south along
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Lake Ave S into S Grady Way where it is extended to the west along the north west-bound
travel lane to a point of connection in Rainier Ave S at the intersection Rainier/Grady. The
water main in Grady will maintain the connection to the properties south of S Grady Way.
2. Renton Regional Fire Authority has determined that the preliminary fire flow demand for
the proposed development is 1,500 gpm for the new buildings and development including
the use of an automatic fire sprinkler system. The following developer’s installed water
main improvements will be required to provide domestic and fire protection service to
the development.
a. Relocation of existing on-site water mains with minimum 10 feet of separation to
building foundation. A 15-foot utility easement will be required for the new water
mains, hydrants and water meters within the property. The plans generally
appear to show conformance with this requirement and will be reviewed in detail
during the Civil Construction Permit phase.
b. City Code requires a water main extension along the property street(s) frontage,
therefore a new 12-inch water main (minimum 12-inch in the Downtown Area and
Commercial/Industrial Zone Areas per the adopted Water System Plan) will be
required along S Grady Way and along Lake Ave S. The plans generally appear to
show conformance with this requirement and will be reviewed in detail during the
Civil Construction Permit phase.
c. Service continuity to the adjacent properties shall be maintained as a portion of
the construction of the new main that provides looped system connections to the
onsite water main. The plans generally appear to show conformance with this
requirement and will be reviewed in detail during the Civil Construction Permit
phase.
d. Installation of additional fire hydrants around the building(s) and site as required
by the City’s water utility and Renton Regional Fire Authority for current and
future build-out. The plans generally appear to show conformance with this
requirement and will be reviewed in detail during the Civil Construction Permit
phase.
e. Stub-outs for future connection to the parking garage and future development
area shall be provided to the maximum extent feasible to reduce future utility
impacts to the site once operational.
f. Vacation of all existing utility easements by Renton City Council shall occur prior
issuance of final occupancy.
g. Installation of a fire sprinkler stub a with a detector double check valve assembly
(DDCVA) for backflow prevention to each building as required by the City building
department or Renton Regional Fire Authority.
i. The fire sprinkler stub and related piping shall be done by a registered
fire sprinkler designer/contractor. The DDCVA shall be installed on the
private property in an outside underground vault per City standard plan
no. 360.2. The DDCVA may be installed inside the building if it meets
the conditions as shown on City’s standard plan 360.5 for the
installation of a DDCVA inside a building. The location of the DDCVA
inside the building must be pre-approved by the City Plan Reviewer and
Water Utility.
ii. A hydrant is required within 50 feet of the building’s fire sprinkler
system fire department connection (FDC).
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h. Installation of a domestic water meter to the building(s) as applicable.
i. The sizing of the meters shall be in accordance with the most recent
edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code.
ii. All commercial domestic water meters shall have a reduced pressure
backflow assembly (RPBA) installed behind the meter on private
property per City Standards. The RPBA shall be installed inside an above
ground heated enclosure per City Standard Plan 350.2. The RPBA may
be located inside the building if a drainage outlet for the relief valve is
provided and the location is approved by the City Plan Reviewer and City
Water Utility Department.
i. Installation of a landscape irrigation meter and double check valve assembly
(DCVA), as applicable.
3. Refer to City of Renton General Design and Construction Standards for Water Main
Extensions as shown in Appendix K of the City’s 2019 Water System Plan.
4. Adequate horizontal and vertical separation between the new water main and other
utilities (storm sewer pipes and vaults, sanitary sewer, power, gas, electrical) shall be
provided for the operation and maintenance of the City mains.
5. Retaining walls, rockeries or similar structures cannot be installed over the water main
unless the water main is inside a steel casing.
6. The development is subject to applicable water system development charges and meter
installation fees based on the size of the water meters.
SEWER
1. The applicant has submitted a preliminary Overall Utility plan with the land use
application that was prepared by HDR Engineers, dated June, 2024. The plan shows the
existing sewer main internal to the site being removed and replaced with a new sewer
main that connects to the existing manhole at the intersection of Rainier/Grady within
the City gateway monument art piece. The new sewer main located within the site will
serve the proposed buildings and provide connection via side sewer services to the
property to the north. The plan also shows a new connection within the intersection of
Rainier/Grady with new sewer main extending along the entirety of the project’s S Grady
Way frontage from Rainier Ave S to Lake Ave S.
2. The following sewer system improvements will be required as a part of the development:
a. After discussion with the City development review engineering and sewer
departments, in order to reduce traffic impacts of installing the sewer within the
S Grady Way travel lanes, the new public sewer horizontal alignment will be
acceptable within the new 16-foot wide shared-use path along the S Grady Way
frontage.
i. Pathway will be a shared maintenance path with Puget Sound Energy
for maintenance of the electrical transmission wires and poles and shall
be designed to sufficient loading capacity for large maintenance
vehicles and trucks.
ii. Pathway shall have sufficient access provided from both Lake Ave S and
Rainier Ave S. Access should also take into account service vehicles
possibly using the internal hammerhead adjacent to the path with
surfacing and/or vegetation types that will not block emergency use
access.
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b. The applicant shall connect the internal sewer main to the new sewer main within
the shared use path in lieu of the proposed connection point within the gateway
monument art to reduce the likelihood of damage to the art piece or restoration
required.
c. The applicant shall provide and maintain side sewer connection to the 720 Rainier
Ave S building to the maximum extent feasible during construction as to minimize
service interruptions and provide a permanent and accessible connection to the
property via new sewer main.
d. Stub-outs for future connection to the parking garage and future development
area shall be provided to the maximum extent feasible to reduce future utility
impacts to the site once operational.
e. In accordance with King County Metro wastewater requirements,
garbage/recycling areas shall be covered unless express consent is given by the
agency allowing for the area to remain uncovered.
i. Installation of an oil/water separator downstream of the
garbage/recycling area. The oil/water separator shall be sized in
accordance with standards found in the latest edition of the Uniform
Plumbing Code (UPC). The oil/water separator shall drain by gravity to
the sewer main and shall be located so that it is accessible for routine
owner maintenance.
f. All new side sewers shall be a minimum of 6”. All side sewers shall flow by gravity
to the main at a minimum slope of 2%.
g. Any new sewer mains to be owned and maintained by the City shall be placed in
a 15’ wide public sewer easement.
h. Side sewers shall connect directly into the sewer main (public or private) and not
into manholes.
3. The development is subject to applicable wastewater system development charges based
on the size of the new domestic and water meters to serve the parcel. These fees will be
collected at the issuance of the civil construction permit.
SURFACE WATER
1. The development is subject to a system development charge (SDC) for stormwater. The
2024 SDC for stormwater is $0.92 per square foot of new impervious surface area, but
not less than $2,300.00. The fee that is current will be charged at the time of
construction permit issuance.
2. A preliminary Drainage Plan and Technical Information Report (TIR), dated June, 2024,
was submitted by Osborne Consulting, Inc with the Land Use Application. Based on the
City of Renton’s flow control map, the site falls under Peak Rate Flow Control Standard
(matching Existing Site Conditions) and is located within the Black River drainage basin.
The development is subject to a Full Drainage Review in accordance with the 2022
Renton Surface Water Design Manual (RSWDM). All nine core requirements and the six
special requirements have been discussed in the Technical Information Report. The
detention, water quality and conveyance shall be designed in accordance with the
RSWDM that is current at the time of the civil construction permit application. The
applicant has proposed to connect to the City of Renton’s storm drainage system
located in four distinct locations matching the existing threshold discharge areas in
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Rainier Ave S, S Grady Way, Lake Ave S and Hardie Ave S. The project is not proposing
any drainage diversions.
a. Due to the project’s location within the peak rate flow control matching existing
conditions basin and having an existing impervious coverage of nearly 100%, a
formal detention system is not triggered (Core Requirement #3). During the civil
construction permit process, the final will be reviewed in full detail to ensure
that the flow control standards are being met as outlined in the 2022 RSWDM.
b. The applicant is proposing to use the modular wetlands, biofiltration swales and
Filterra units in order for the project to meet the enhanced water quality
requirements. The facilities are located throughout the site and within Rainier
Ave S and Lake Ave S to meet Core Requirement #8.
c. On-site BMPs satisfying Core Requirement #9 will be required for the site. On-
site BMPs shall be evaluated in order of preference by feasibility as described in
Section C.1.3 of the 2022 RSWDM. All targeted impervious area to the maximum
extent feasible shall be conveyed to an On-site BMP.
i. The applicant is not currently proposing any mitigation for the site based
on the infeasibility criteria within the 2022 RSWDM with the exception of
amended soils for landscaped areas. Final review of onsite BMP feasibility
will be reviewed during the civil construction permit approval process.
d. The following stormwater improvements are required and shall be discussed or
revised within the TIR:
i. All Core Requirements and Special Requirements must be evaluated within
the TIR.
ii. The technical information report indicated that oil control will be utilized
for areas within threshold discharge areas that are considered “High Use”
per Special Requirement #5.
iii. The technical information report indicated that treatment liners will be
utilized for the open conveyance biofiltration swales due to being located
within zone 2 of the aquifer protection area per Special Requirement #6.
iv. The site is not located within the flood hazard area.
3. Storm drainage improvements along all public street frontages are required to conform
to the City’s street and stormwater conveyance standards. Any new storm drain
installed on or off-site shall be designed and sized in accordance with standards found in
Chapter 4 of the 2022 RSWDM and shall account for the total upstream tributary area,
assuming developed conditions for onsite tributary areas and existing conditions for any
offsite tributary areas.
4. Effective June 22, 2022, the City of Renton has adopted the 2022 RSWDM, which is
based on the 2021 King County SWDM. Under the new 2022 RSWDM stormwater
requirements, on-site BMP sizing credits for modeling credits can no longer be used for
privately maintained on-site BMPs, with the exception of full dispersion and full
infiltration BMPs.”
5. A geotechnical report for the site was prepared by HWA Geosciences, Inc. dated March,
2022, and was provided with the land-use submittal. The report includes information
concerning the soils, geology, drainage patterns, vegetation present, water table and
soil permeability, with recommendations of appropriate on-site BMP options with
typical designs for the site from the geotechnical engineer.
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a. The geotech report indicates that the site soils consist of surficial layer of fills
over alluvial deposits with the deposits being generally very loose and loose in
the upper portion where they become denser at depth. Interbedded layers of
peats and highly organic soils were encountered in most borings and consisted
of layers below artificial fill. Groundwater was also encountered at a depth of
approximately 5 feet.
i. Due to the underlying soils and high groundwater, the geotechnical and
technical information reports determine that infiltration is infeasible and
non-infiltration alternatives should be considered to manage the surface
runoff at the site. Staff concurs with this recommendation and will provide
final review of infiltration options during the civil construction permit
process.
ii. Remedial action to remove contaminated soils occurred in 2022 and a
Remedial Action Report by Shannon & Wilson dated February, 2024, was
provided with the land-use submittal. Recommendations for future work
recommend that a groundwater monitoring program be implemented
during construction. Staff concurs with this recommendation and will
coordinate with Sound Transit and the contractor during construction to
ensure that implementation occurs.
6. The site is located within Zone 2 of the Aquifer Protection Area (APA), and therefore
open facilities and open conveyance systems may require a liner in accordance with the
design criteria in Sections 6.2.4 and 1.2.3.3 of the 2022 City of Renton Surface Water
Design Manual.
7. Erosion control measures and construction stormwater pollution prevention measures
to meet the City requirements shall be proved for during the civil construction permit
process.
8. A Construction Stormwater General Permit from Department of Ecology will be required
since grading and clearing of the site exceeds one acre. A Stormwater Pollution
Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required for this site.
9. The current Surface Water Standard Plans shall be used in all drainage plan
submittals. The current City of Renton Standard Details is available online in the City
of Renton website.
TRANSPORTATION
1. Street and frontage requirements: The proposed development site has frontage on
Rainier Ave S, S Grady Way, Hardie Ave SW and Lake Ave S (Private).
a. Rainier Ave S is classified as a principal arterial with a variable ROW width ranging
between 115 and 135 feet. Rainier Ave S contains 3 north-bound and 3 south-
bound lanes with one each of those lanes being dedicated bus/turn-only lanes. At
the intersections of S Grady Way and Hardie Ave SW, lane tapers occur from a
center median to add additional turn/taper lanes. The project frontage contains
planter strip and sidewalk that was constructed as a portion of the Rainier Ave
Phase 2 improvements. Per Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-6-060, the minimum
ROW width required on a seven lane principal arterial is 125 feet.
i. In 2014, the City’s Transportation Division upgraded the Rainier Ave S
corridor from S Grady Way to SW 7th St as a portion of the Rainier Ave
Phase 2 improvements which modernized Rainier Ave S with bus/right-
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turn only lanes, center median island, planters, street lighting and
sidewalks. The City’s Transportation division will support a modification to
retain the existing improvements with the condition for the construction of
the new bus only intersection at Rainier and Hardie as discussed below.
With the existing improvements remaining, only a small portion of right-
of-way dedication to accommodate the new traffic signal at the
Rainier/Hardy intersection is anticipated.
ii. The applicant is proposing to construct a new bus-only traffic signal at the
intersection of Rainier Ave S and Hardie Ave SW that will allow busses to
enter and exit the transit center from Rainier Ave S from both directions
and also enter and exit directly from Hardie Ave SW. The Traffic Analysis
for Transit Access addendum to the project traffic analysis by HDR dated
September, 2022, provides detail on the justification and technical analysis
for the bus-only movements with alternatives showing the optimum
configuration that benefits the transit center, pedestrian and vehicular
traffic. Staff concurs with the conclusion of the report and that this signal
provides an overall benefit to the community as proposed. Detailed
operations and engineering for the signal will be reviewed in detail during
the civil construction permit process.
iii. The applicant shall provide detailed design and survey information for all
taper lane transitions to and from the intersection on Rainier Ave S and
Hardie Ave SW, taking into account retaining the existing planter median
to the maximum extent feasible while providing safe transit, vehicular and
pedestrian traffic flows. The design information shall include connections
and rebuilding of the existing sidewalks to provide safe transitions and
reconstruction of neighboring driveways meeting ADA requirements to the
extent that the taper lane matches to existing improvements.
iv. The access to and from the transit center on Rainier Ave S for vehicular
traffic utilizing the 2 southern-most existing driveway cuts will be
restricted to right-in right-out only access (no left turns). The existing C-
curbing will be required to remain in place or be replaced following
construction to restrict left turns to and from the site access. Signage shall
be provided interior to the site indicating right-turn out only.
v. All improvements to Rainier Ave S shall be directly coordinated via the
applicant with The Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT). Any changes resulting from WSDOT’s review shall be
implemented in the final civil construction design and directly coordinated
with the City in a timely manner as to provide reasonable time to review
such changes. A final letter from WSDOT accepting all proposed
improvements and design shall be provided from the applicant to the City
prior to proceeding with construction.
b. S Grady Way is classified as a principal arterial with an existing right-of-way (ROW)
width of 100 feet and contains 2 west-bound, 2 east-bound and 2-southbound
turn lanes at the Rainier intersection which tapers to a north-bound turn lane at
Lake Ave S. The project frontage and intersection contain sidewalks adjacent to
the curb with a large landing and gateway art project at the intersection. Per
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Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-6-060, the minimum ROW width required on a six
lane principal arterial is 113 feet.
i. S Grady Way along the project frontage contains two unfunded
Transportation Improvement projects as identified on the City’s 2022-2028
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) (projects #30 & #47).
ii. TIP Project #30 is identified as the S Grady Way Overpass and is described
as a “coordinated effort between the City of Renton and WSDOT” which
will “provide grade separation of one eastbound and one westbound lane
of Grady Way South over SR 167…”. At this point in time, the project does
not have funding from either the City or WSDOT and feasibility has not
been determined. Due to the significant nature of the project, the timing
and or impacts to the South Renton Transit Center project are unknown
and would be highly speculative at best. For these reasons, it is not
feasible to require mitigation from the SRTC project to accommodate the
overpass project.
iii. The City’s Transportation division will support a modification to retain the
existing curb line along S Grady Way with the condition for the
construction of the planter strip, Lake/Grady intersection upgrades and
multi-use path as discussed below.
iv. TIP Project #47 is identified as the South Grady Way Multi-Modal
Improvements (Rainier Ave S to Talbot Rd S) and is described as: “the
project will remove the islands at the intersections of S Grady Way with
Lake Ave S and Shattuck Ave S, to allow for a continuous eastbound lane
from Rainier Ave S to Talbot Rd S. Included are modifications to traffic
signals, new pedestrian crossing and channelization. This project will
perform a comprehensive analysis of multi-modal transportation
improvements, including review of potential transit improvements along
Grady Way, such as Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes and Traffic
Signal Priority (TSP).” The King County I-Line project is anticipated to
begin construction in 2025 and will provide a bus-only lane from Talbot to
Shattuck for west-bound bus travel and will widen Grady in the west-
bound direction from Talbot to Shattuck and provide signal modifications
at Grady/Talbot for bus-only traffic signal priority. During coordination
with Sound Transit and King County Metro, it was determined that bus-
only lane improvements from Talbot to Shattuck was sufficient for transit
center and park and ride operations, that access will be primarily from
Shattuck and that there are no future plans for bus-only lanes from
Shattuck to Rainier. This results in retaining the existing north curb-line
and vehicle lane configuration on S Grady Way for the entire frontage. In
order to accommodate multi-modal transportation, the transit center
development will provide a 16-foot wide multi-use path with 8-foot
planter strip separating vehicular traffic and the path along the entirety of
the S Grady Way frontage. The multi-use path will provide sufficient room
for pedestrian and bicycle traffic in addition to providing maintenance
access for the PSE transmission towers and City public works.
v. The preliminary plans show that intersection of S Grady Way and Lake Ave
S will receive minor upgrades to the traffic signal and pedestrian islands to
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Page 11 of 15
accommodate the bus and pedestrian traffic in a safe manner and provide
ADA upgrades. The pedestrian ramps at Grady/Lake and Grady/Rainier
will also be upgraded to provide vehicular maintenance access to the 16-
foot multi-use path.
vi. The applicant has provided a street section showing and labelling the
existing ROW line, centerline of ROW, ROW dedication, centerline of
pavement, pavement width, showing and labelling all the street frontage
elements and widths with the land use application. Staff concurs that this
street section generally meets the intention of City code and TIP projects
#30 & 47 and will review in detail during the civil construction permit
process.
c. Hardie Ave SW is classified as a collector arterial with an existing ROW width of
70 feet and contains 1 northbound and 1 southbound lane and a dedicated
right-turn only from the south-bound lane onto Rainier Ave S. The intersection
with Rainier is separated by a median planter which only allows for right-in,
right-out access to Hardie. The west side of the street contains planter and
sidewalk, whereas the east side only contains sidewalk adjacent to the curb.
The existing street width of 46-feet is wide enough to accommodate parking on
both sides. There is an existing planter that separates the right in/out lanes due
to the acute intersection angle with Rainier. Per Renton Municipal Code (RMC)
4-6-060, the minimum ROW width required on 2 lane collector arterial is 83
feet.
i. The applicant is proposing to construct a new bus-only traffic signal at
the intersection of Rainier Ave S and Hardie Ave SW that will allow
busses to enter and exit the transit center from Rainier Ave S from
both directions and also enter and exit directly from Hardie Ave SW.
The Traffic Analysis for Transit Access addendum to the project traffic
analysis by HDR dated September, 2022, provides detail on the
justification and technical analysis for the bus-only movements with
alternatives showing the optimum configuration that benefits the
transit center, pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Staff concurs with the
conclusion of the report and that this signal is provides an overall
benefit to the community as proposed. Detailed operations and
engineering for the signal will be reviewed in detail during the civil
construction permit process.
ii. The intersection improvements on Hardie will provide planter, median,
pedestrian, lighting and ADA upgrades at the intersection to
accommodate the new traffic signal. These upgrades will tie into the
existing sidewalks and planter strips north of the intersection along
Hardie. Staff concurs in principle with the preliminary intersection
layout as proposed. Detailed engineering and layout will be reviewed
in detail during the civil construction permit process.
d. Lake Ave S is a private street owned and maintained by King County Metro that
provides ingress and egress for the park and ride operations on the property.
Road width varies but is generally wide to accommodate bus loading for
passengers and turn movements up to 45-feet in width. Lake Ave S is accessed
from S Grady Way via a City-owned and maintained traffic signal.
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i. The applicant is proposing to provide two connections to Lake Ave S
along the site’s east property line which includes bus lanes, vehicle
access and sidewalks. All sidewalks must meet current ADA standards
and will be reviewed for compliance during the civil construction
permit process.
ii. The preliminary plans show that intersection of S Grady Way and Lake
Ave S will receive minor upgrades to the traffic signal and pedestrian
islands to accommodate the bus and pedestrian traffic in a safe
manner and provide ADA upgrades. The pedestrian ramps at
Grady/Lake and Grady/Rainier will also be upgraded to provide
vehicular maintenance access to the 16-foot multi-use path. A right-
of-way dedication or permanent easement for the median island and
small portion of frontage along Grady/Lake to benefit the City from
King County is required for permanent operations of the signal and
portions the multi-use path located on the King County property.
2. Several modifications for street and transportation standards are required prior to
issuance of the civil construction permit and/or in conjunction with CUP and Site plan
approval.
a. The applicant has requested a modification for Driveway Standards. The
modification request states: “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
Ave S instead of the allowed 2.5 driveways per RMC 4-4-080(I)(4)(c)…The
proposed driveway width is the minimum width necessary to provide the
adequate turning radii of Sound Transit Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Stride buses 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”.
i. The applicant indicates that the proposed driveway layout was
analyzed for traffic impacts, and that 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.
ii. The City’s development engineering and transportation group have
reviewed the modification proposals as described above and concur
that the modifications are necessary to ensure that the critical
operations of the transit facility are maintained. Detailed design will
be reviewed during the civil construction permit process.
b. Modification of standard street sections for both the Rainier Ave S and S Grady
Way corridors is being proposed by the applicant. A formal modification request
has not been submitted.
i. The City’s transportation group has determined and will support an
alternative standard to match the established standard street sections
for Rainier Ave S (entire frontage section including planters and
sidewalks as constructed by the Rainier Ave S Phase II Improvements)
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Page 13 of 15
and S Grady Way (maintain existing curb line and travel lane
configuration).
ii. A modification request for these sections shall be submitted prior to
issuance of the Civil Construction Permit.
3. The applicant is proposing to add a bus-only lane on SR 167 between the I-405 SB on-
ramp and the I-405 SB off-ramp to improve transit operations and speed and reliability.
a. The “South Renton Transit Center Additional Transportation Analysis
Memorandum” dated June, 2024, provides evaluation of the transit travel
time and impacts to freeway and the intersection at Rainier Ave S and
northbound SR 167. The effect of this lane addition on the freeway will be
minimal to none on City facilities.
b. Approval of the lane is under the purview of WSDOT. A final letter from
WSDOT accepting all proposed improvements and design shall be provided
from the applicant to the City prior to proceeding with construction.
4. The applicant is proposing Non-Motorized Transportation improvements on and around
the new transit center.
a. The “South Renton Transit Center Additional Transportation Analysis
Memorandum” dated June, 2024, outlines the non-motorized transportation
improvements as follows: “To improve connections between the proposed
transit center and existing and planned bicycle networks, a two-way cycle
track has been added to the project design along Lake Avenue S…At its
western end, the cycle track will connect to a multi-use path that leads to the
proposed transit center. At its eastern end, the track will connect to the
existing two-way cycle track along Shattuck Avenue South. The cycle track has
been designed to accommodate all vehicles that are projected to use Lake Ave
S and will not affect traffic operations.”
b. Staff is in concurrence with the non-motorized improvements as described
above and will provide detailed engineering review during the civil
construction permit review process.
5. On and off-site ADA (including the street frontages), curbing, sidewalk and parking
lot/drive-aisle improvements will be reviewed in conjunction with the civil construction
permit for the project and will require a grading plan consisting of spot elevations and
slopes showing that ADA and City specifications are being met.
6. Property corner dedication meeting City code shall be provided.
7. Street lighting and street trees are required to meet current city standards. Final
lighting plans are required to be submitted with the civil construction permit application
and will be reviewed during the construction utility permit review.
a. Due to clearance requirements on the S Grady Way project frontage with the
PSE transmission powerlines, reduced height street lights and selected street
trees are required in order to maintain adequate separation.
b. Applicant has provided a preliminary lighting analysis showing that the
increase in frequency of streetlights along the frontage meeting lighting levels
as required by City code. Detailed engineering review will occur during the
civil construction permit process.
c. Any existing street lights impacted or removed during constructed shall be
replaced with street lights meeting current streetlight standards.
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8. Undergrounding of all existing and proposed utilities is required on all frontages per
RMC 4-6-090.
a. No existing overhead utilities are proposed to be undergrounded. PSE
transmission mains cannot be undergrounded.
b. The applicant is proposing to underground all new utilities.
9. Paving and trench restoration will comply with the City’s Trench Restoration and
Overlay Requirements.
a. Sound Transit provided a letter to the City on October 3, 2024 that allows
temporary patching of exploratory pot-holes within the City right-of-way until
site construction begins where the permanent restoration will occur.
b. City development engineering is in concurrence with the methodology, timing
of temporary patching and repairs and final restoration time frame as outlined
in the letter.
c. Concrete panels in the travel lanes of S Grady Way and the intersection of
Grady/Rainier shall be replaced with concrete panels in kind or better
condition if impacted by construction. All panel replacement shall meet
current City standards.
10. Refer to City code 4-4-080 regarding driveway regulations. Driveways shall be designed
in accordance with City standard plans 104.4 and 104.5.
a. The maximum width of any driveway shall not exceed 30-feet.
i. The City’s development engineering and transportation group have
reviewed the modification proposals as described above in section 2 and
concur that the modifications are necessary to ensure that the critical
operations of the transit facility are maintained. Detailed design will be
reviewed during the civil construction permit process.
ii. The 2 southern existing driveway cuts in Rainier Ave S shall remain as-is and
not replaced with curved radii. The new intersection on Rainier/Hardie and
driveway cuts on Lake Ave S will have curved radii to support bus turning
operations. City staff is in concurrence with this proposal as currently
shown.
b. Driveways shall be located a minimum of 5-feet from property lines.
c. Maximum driveway slope is 8%
11. Parking lot construction shall be in accordance with City code 4-4-80 (G).
12. A traffic study “Interim Parking Traffic Analysis Summary Memo” dated May, 2022,
traffic study addendum “Traffic Analysis for Transit Access to South Renton Transit
Center” dated September, 2022, and “Additional Transportation Analysis
Memorandum” dated June, 2024 were provided by HDR. The analysis reviewed the
“interim” (surface parking lot) and “full-build out” (parking garage) scenarios and
determined vehicular traffic generated from a proposed development in both scenarios
exceeds 20 vehicles per hour in either the AM (6:00 – 9:00) or PM (3:00 – 6:00) peak
periods and provided a discussion on traffic circulation to and from the site and onsite
traffic circulation as described in the sections above.
a. Based on the calculations provided, weekday peak hour AM trips would generate
221 new vehicle trips, with 53 vehicles leaving and 168 vehicles entering the site
in the interim scenario and 380 new vehicle trips, with 75 vehicles leaving and 305
vehicles entering in the full build out scenario. Weekday peak hour PM trips would
generate 234 new vehicle trips, with 62 vehicles entering and 172 vehicles exiting
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the site in the interim scenario and 404 new vehicle trips, with 92 vehicles
entering and 312 vehicles exiting the site in the full build out scenario. As detailed
in the report the proposed project is not expected to lower the levels of service of
the surrounding intersections included in the traffic study and only increased by a
maximum of 15 seconds in the 5 study intersections.
i. Increased traffic created by the development will be mitigated by payment
of transportation impact fees, frontage and intersection improvements as
noted in sections 1 & 2 above, and access improvements as noted in
section 1 above.
GENERAL COMMENTS
1. All existing and proposed utility lines and poles (i.e. power, electrical, phone, and cable
services, etc.) along property frontage and within the site must be underground. The
construction of these franchise utilities must be inspected and approved by a City of
Renton inspector.
2. Maximum exposed retaining wall height is 6-ft and shall be setback a minimum of 3-ft
from the right-of-way as outlined in RMC 4-4-040 – Fences, Hedges and Retaining Walls.
3. Adequate separation between utilities as well as other features shall be provided in
accordance with code requirements.
a. 7-ft minimum horizontal and 1-ft vertical separation between storm and other
utilities is required with the exception of water lines which require 10-ft horizontal
and 1.5-ft vertical.
b. The stormwater line should be minimum 5 feet away from any other structure or
wall or building.
c. Trench of any utility should not be in the zone of influence of the retaining wall or
of the building.
4. All civil construction permits for utility and street improvements will require separate plan
submittals. All utility plans shall confirm to the Renton Drafting Standards. A licensed Civil
Engineer shall prepare the civil plans. Please visit the Development Engineering Forms
page for the most up-to-date plan submittal requirements:
http://rentonwa.gov/business/default.aspx?id=42473
5. A landscaping plan shall be included with the civil plan submittal. Each plan shall be on
separate sheets.
6. Fees quoted in this document reflect the fees applicable in the year 2024 only and will be
assessed based on the fee that is current at the time of the permit application or issuance,
as applicable to the permit type. Please visit www.rentonwa.gov for the current
development fee schedule.
7. A demo permit is required for the demolition of the existing buildings/foundations. The
demo permit shall be acquired through the building department.