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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHearing Examiner Decision - Appendix A - Renton Transit Transcript by Rev.com Page 1 of 12 Appendix A October 15, 2024 Hearing Transcript Renton Transit Center -- PR21-000095 Note: This is a computer-generated transcript provided for informational purposes only. The reader should not take this document as 100% accurate or take offense at errors created by the limitations of the programming in transcribing speech. A recording of the hearing is available at the City of Renton Community and Economic Development Department should anyone need an accurate rendition of the hearing testimony. Examiner Olbrechts: (00:17): Alright. Yeah, for some reason we're getting a little bit of an echo, but I think we can work with that. Okay. Alright. For the record, it's October 15th, 2024, 11:00 AM I'm Phil, a hearing examiner for the City of Renton, holding a hearing this morning on an application from Sound Transit for the South Renton Transit Center. The permits involved, applications involved are for master plan approval, site plan approval, conditional use permit, lot line adjustment, the bicycle parking modification and driveway modification. So a few things to consider here and the hearing format is we'll have a presentation from staff and who's our lead staff person today for the city of Brenton? Is that you? Planner Ding: (01:04): Jill? Jill Ding. Examiner Olbrechts: (01:05): Okay. Jill Ding will give us an overview of the project when she's done. We'll move on to applicant comments and after that then we'll move on to public comments. The purpose of the hearing today, anyone who wishes to participate today, I'll have an opportunity to do so. When we get to that portion of the hearing, I'll explain how you can make yourself heard. Once we've gotten all those comments, we'll go back to Ms. Sting to answer any questions that were raised during public comment and or the applicant as well as that's her opportunity to complete the record with any other information she finds necessary for a good and thorough review of the review criteria. Once Mrs Ding is done, we'll move on to applicant's. They get final word and I get 10 business days to issue a final decision. And Mr. Ros, I guess as usual you have a copy of the exhibit list. Maybe you want to post those right now so we can go over the documents that are going to be considered. Speaker 4 (01:59): I do, yes. Examiner Olbrechts: (02:00): Alright. Speaker 5 (02:06): Transcript by Rev.com Page 2 of 12 Okay, Examiner Olbrechts: (02:07): There we go. Okay, so Speaker 5 (02:10): Let me show you the first page here. Examiner Olbrechts: (02:12): This is Speaker 5 (02:12): What we currently have. Examiner Olbrechts: (02:14): Yeah, a lot of work went into this one. As you can see, we have a total of how many exhibits, Ms. Cisneros, along with the staff PowerPoint and everything, 39 documents in total, which includes traffic, drainage, grading reports, architectural elevations and that kind of thing. At this point, just want to ask, and Mrs. SROs is kind of going through, scrolling through the list on the screen. If anyone needs to see any of those documents or has any concerns, objections with their entry in the record, now's the time to let us know. Just click on the raise hand button at the bottom of your screen, not seeing any takers. So I will go ahead then and admit exhibits one through 39 and Mr. Ros, that doesn't include the rent and core maps and all that, right? So we got a Speaker 5 (02:57): Little bit more. Examiner Olbrechts: (02:58): It's not okay, here's Speaker 5 (02:58): The next page that we would like to introduce into. But today, Examiner Olbrechts: (03:01): Yeah, that's what I thought. Okay. So we also have 40 would be the staff PowerPoint, the City of Renton maps at the city's website, which are kind of aerial photographs, critical area maps, that kind of thing of the project site. And then finally Google Earth gives us another aerial viewpoint of the project. Any objections over 40 through 42. Again click on the virtual hand, seeing no objections, those are admitted as well. So, alright, Ms. Sting, let me swear you in. Just raise your right hand. Do you swear affirm to tell the truth, nothing but the truth in this proceeding? Speaker 5 (03:30): I do. Transcript by Rev.com Page 3 of 12 Examiner Olbrechts: (03:30): Oh, great. Go ahead Planner Ding: (03:34): All, let me share my screen so you can see the PowerPoint. Are you seeing the PowerPoint Speaker 5 (04:01): Correctly or is it, there's notes a little different. Examiner Olbrechts: (04:04): Yeah, there's notes. Speaker 5 (04:05): Yeah. Planner Ding: (04:06): Okay. It's always a little tricky, isn't it? Is it under display settings? Is this right? I think so, yes. Okay, Examiner Olbrechts: (04:16): There we go. Planner Ding: (04:17): There we go. Okay, good. Thank you. I always need a little bit of a refresher on how to do this at these hearings. So good morning, my name is Jill Ding. I am a senior planner here with the city of Renton. I am here to present the staff recommendation for the South Renton Transit Center and Roadway Improvement Project. Just to start out with a brief description of the proposed project, the applicant sound transit is requesting master plan review, site plan review, a hearing examiner, conditional use permit, lot line adjustment, bicycle parking modification, and driveway modification for the construction of the South Renton Transit Center. You can see a vicinity map identified where the site is located. It's at the northeast intersection of Southwest Grady Way and Rainier Avenue South. It is located within our commercial arterial or ca zone. There are high seismic hazard areas mapped on the site and it is also mapped within a downtown well head protection area zone two. The site is mostly flat and is comprised of impervious surfaces. (05:49): Okay, and to continue my description, sound transit has partnered with the Washington State Department of Transportation, implement a new bus Rapid Transit Service along I 4 0 5. The transit center would include stops for sound transit and King County metro routes, bus operator facilities, transit, shelter, canopy eight bus space, 13 bus layover spaces with a gantry for bus charging 158 surface parking stall for transit center users and bicycle racks and lockers. So as far as the analysis staff has reviewed the proposed project and has routed it to other pertinent departments for compliance with city adopted codes and regulations, we found that the proposal is consistent with the relevant comprehensive plan, land use and transportation element policies. The proposal is compliant with all relevant zoning and urban design regulations if all conditions of approval are complied with. The proposal is compliant with the critical areas regulations if all conditions of approval are complied with. Transcript by Rev.com Page 4 of 12 The proposal is compliant with the conditional use permit criteria if all conditions of approval are complied with. The proposal is compliant with the master plan and site plan review criteria if all conditions of approval are complied with, the proposal is compliant with the bicycle parking and driveway modification criteria if all conditions of approval are complied with and the proposal is compliant with the lot line adjustment principles of acceptability if all conditions of approval are complied with. (07:50): We also, as I noted, routed it to other departments for review. Police and fire prevention staff indicate that sufficient resources exist to furnish services to the proposed development. Water and sewer service is provided by the city of Renton. Water and sewer improvements will be required within and around the project site. A drainage report prepared by Osborne Consulting Inc. Was submitted with the application materials. The proposed project would provide modular wetlands, biofiltration, s swales and TER units to meet water quality requirements. And the proposed project would be required to comply with the city of Renton surface water design manual. (08:38): So with that staff is recommending approval of the South Renton Transit Center and Roadway Improvement Project. The file number is LUA 24 dash 2 33 as depicted in exhibit number two and we have recommended seven conditions of approval after the issuance of the staff recommendation, the applicant and the city met and came to an agreement on some revised wording on a few of the conditions. So I have got that information next. So we've got some post amendments here that we have come to an agreement on for conditions 3, 4, 5 and 7, 3, 4 and five. The condition language recommended by staff remains the same but there is a sentence that is added. I've underlined that. So that is the change to those conditions. So for conditional number three, which regarding the design of the gantry wrap, we are recommending adding the design of the charging gantry wrap. We'll screen from public view the equipment within it and will be cohesive with the overall site design condition. (10:07): Number four, we recommend adding the design of the benches shall be made of durable and vandal and weather resistant materials that do not block pedestrian access and will be cohesive with the overall site design condition. Number five, we recommend adding the materials chosen for the core buildings and bus island canopies will be cohesive with the overall site design and condition. Number seven, we are recommending that this condition be reworded. The applicant had some concerns about having their geotechnical engineer sign a sealed letter that they had reviewed the plans. They're instead requesting that the geotechnical engineer stamp the applicable plans to verify that they have reviewed the plans and that they are in compliance with the recommendations of their report. So we're recommending that condition seven Now read the applicant's geotechnical engineer shall review the project's building and civil permit plans to verify compliance with the submitted geotechnical report. The geotechnical engineer shall provide his first seal on the following plans that are based on geotechnical engineering recommendations, structural engineering drawings and typical section drawings which include the pavement sections and excavation requirements. That concludes my presentation. Do you have any questions? Examiner Olbrechts: (11:45): No. Well, just a real quick one, I took a quick look at the traffic report and it looks like part of the traffic analysis was dependent upon a couple of road projects. I'm just kind curious what the status of the road projects is. Are those that have been funded and pretty much guaranteed to move forward or where are they at? Transcript by Rev.com Page 5 of 12 Planner Ding: (12:03): So we have a development engineer, Mike cipo should be on the should present and kids should be able to answer that question for you, Mike. Examiner Olbrechts: (12:13): Okay. Mr. spo, let me swear you in real quick once you get on, do you swear or prefer to tell the truth, nothing but the truth in this proceeding? Speaker 6 (12:22): I do. Examiner Olbrechts: (12:22): Okay, great. Go ahead. Speaker 6 (12:25): Yes. So the biggest portion of the traffic changes, there's one portion of the project that is going to do some improvements along state Route 1 67 at the Butterfly interchange with I 4 0 5. And that is actually a portion of this project which will be under the purview of lost stock. The other project in question is the King County Eyeline Project, which will be installing new bus travel lanes on the north side of Grady Way. And so that project is anticipated to actually begin construction before this project is. Examiner Olbrechts: (13:02): Okay. Great. Okay. Thanks for the clarification. Appreciate it. Yes. Alright, let's move on to applicant's and Applicant's don't want to say anything, you don't have to, but now's your chance. Speaker 7 (13:13): Yes, we'll say something. Examiner Olbrechts: (13:14): Okay. Sounds good. And are you Mr. Alek, is that correct? Speaker 7 (13:18): Mr. Alek Examiner Olbrechts: (13:19): Alch. Okay. Let swear you in. Mr. Alek, do you raise your right hand? Do you swear Affirm, tell the truth, nothing but the truth this proceeding? Speaker 7 (13:25): I do. Examiner Olbrechts: (13:26): Okay, great. Go ahead. Transcript by Rev.com Page 6 of 12 Speaker 7 (13:28): Awesome. Nice to meet you Mr. Rex. Hearing Examiner, I have myself today, Joey Halek, senior project manager at Sam Transit. And just to kind of give you an intro in my role in the project, I've been leading this project for the past two and a half years through the final design effort to get us to where we are today overseeing the design and future construction of the project. I also have with me here, Gary Yow. He is not on camera right now, but give him a second to put his camera on. Okay. Everybody Examiner Olbrechts: (14:05): There. It's Speaker 7 (14:07): Gary Yaow here. He is a senior current planner at Sound Transit. I've been working hand in hand with Gary as he is the land use expert on the project, understanding all of the land use project. And then I wanted to go through and talk to you about a few brief comments regarding four particular items we had. I'll state them off one by one and if you have no preference on how I address them, I'll just go through 'em each one by one. Examiner Olbrechts: (14:33): Sure. The Speaker 7 (14:34): First one. Sure. First one is that we have sound transit staff on the call as well as sound transit consultants, the ones who are behind the actual design of the project doing the important and very work that we appreciate. We also have the SAM Transit consult staff, the resumes, and we would be submitting that as an exhibit, additional exhibit to the record with that exhibit and future additional exhibits that I'll go over shortly. If you have a preference on how you would like to perceive those, whether it's via email, either during this hearing, during this public hearing or after, please let us know. Examiner Olbrechts: (15:12): Yeah, well yeah, I think in terms of getting them admitted, I'll just wait until you're done with your presentation and then we'll just try to get 'em all admitted at the same time and then you can email them to me afterwards. That'll probably Speaker 7 (15:22): Work Examiner Olbrechts: (15:23): Fine. Okay. Yeah, yeah. Speaker 7 (15:24): Sounds good. Awesome. The second item that we're going to talk about, I'm going to talk about is the project background, which will also be an additional exhibit that we're going to submit to the record. That one just outlines the overall history of the project and coordination and collaboration we've been doing with the city of Renton. The third item is some clarifications and comments on the city's draft staff report and the recommendations as outlined in this presentation. And the final one, as I addressed Transcript by Rev.com Page 7 of 12 earlier, is providing additional exhibits as submitting those to the record, which we'll do at the end of my spiel I'll informally note. So if you have no preference on how you want to receive that information, I'll go ahead and start one by one from when I list it off. Examiner Olbrechts: (16:16): Okay, Speaker 7 (16:17): Cool. Awesome. Gary, did you want to pull up the resumes exhibit? Awesome, thank you Gary. So this is one of the additional exhibits that we'll be submitting to the record. It just outlines the sound transit consultant staff, the resumes just to outline the experience and credentials that they have on the project as the design consultant team. And if there are any questions that examiner you may have, we have the consultant staff here available to answer any questions. Examiner Olbrechts: (17:07): Okay. Speaker 7 (17:09): That's the first item. Gary, you can go ahead and proceed to the second item, which is the project background. So this is another additional exhibit we'd like to submit to the record. This exhibit, what it's outlining is the over the years, the history of the project from its inception in 2016 all the way until today, 2024. Just briefly as summarizing and outlining the extremely hard work that Sam Transit and the City of Renton have done together to work on this project and get to this point today just to provide additional context and clarity behind all of the work that went into the project. (17:46): The third item that I addressed was the clarifications and notes on the conditions, recommended conditions of approval that Jill had outlined as well as the staff report, all of the conditions of approval, we agreed with the city's modifications and changes to the language that Jill had noted in her presentation. So sound transit agrees to those in the draft staff report that the city put together on page 34 of the staff report. There is a note that the city staff report discusses a vegetated green wall on both facades of the four building facilities at site. I do want to add a clarification that there will actually be a vegetated green wall only on the Western facade or the west side of the building. So both sides of the building will not have a vegetated green wall, just the west side of the building. That is one clarification to the staff report that wanted to make. Moving on. One other clarification that I'm going to pass over to Gary ow here to make, I will let Gary talk about that. It looks like he's on Jeremy's computer. Thank Speaker 2 (19:05): You Mr. Sir. Examiner Olbrechts: (19:06): Okay. Mr. Y you swear in, just raise your right hand. Do you swear affirm tell the truth, nothing but the truth in this proceeding? Oh, you're muted, Mr. Mr. Y. There we go. Speaker 2 (19:20): I do, yes. Thank you. Transcript by Rev.com Page 8 of 12 Examiner Olbrechts: (19:22): We are getting an echo from you for Summ reason. I don't know if you've got multiple connections to this hearing Navy or something Speaker 2 (19:30): You wouldn't mind muting your screen. That'd be great. Thank you. Examiner Olbrechts: (19:32): Oh, there you go. Okay. Speaker 2 (19:34): Apologize for the technical difficulties this morning Mr. Examiner Olbrechts: (19:39): Alright. Speaker 2 (19:39): Okay, Examiner Olbrechts: (19:40): Just Speaker 2 (19:40): One quick note from me On the city staff report on page 56, city staff notes that our increase in traffic will be mitigated through the payment of transportation impact fees. And I just wanted to note just a very small but important correction to that statement as part of the revised code of Washington RCW 82.0 2.090 subsection one, regional transit authorities. Our facilities are actually not considered development activity that is subject to impact fees. And in addition to that, RCW 36.7 a 0.070 subsections six C, also exempts transportation facilities and services of statewide significance as defined in 47.0 6.140 from concurrency requirements. So we just wanted to note that it's information we had shared with city staff a very long time ago. So just wanted to note that correction from our end of things. Examiner Olbrechts: (21:14): That's Speaker 2 (21:14): It for me. Examiner Olbrechts: (21:14): Perfect. Alright. Thank you sir. Alright, Mr. Alek, anybody else? Speaker 7 (21:22): Transcript by Rev.com Page 9 of 12 No one else. Just myself and Gary at the moment. But I will go into the final item, which we kind of talked about earlier was additional exhibits that we have that we want to submit to the record as well. And this will be a tag team effort between Gary and myself. I'll have Gary talk about the first two exhibits that he's going to pull up on his screen. The first one is going to be the notice of application slash notice of public hearing, and the second one is going to be the affidavit of installation of the public information sign. And when Gary has that up and ready to show on his screen, he'll walk through those two and then I'll walk through the final for you, which I will provide more detail on once Gary has concluded. Speaker 4 (22:03): Okay, Speaker 2 (22:10): Sounds good. Thanks very much. First exhibit that I wanted to add to the record please. And I'm hearing some echo here. Join us. Let's try that. Let's see here. You have your speaker meeting. Let's try this now. Still getting some over here. Well let's try this and please let me know if you are having issues hearing me. Examiner Olbrechts: (22:46): No, it's not too bad right now. Speaker 2 (22:49): Okay. I apologize again for the technical difficulties here. First two exhibits are pretty straightforward. They are just simply the notice of application and the notice of public hearing that the city issued and we just wanted to make sure that that is part of the public hearing record. The second exhibit here is an affidavit of installation of our public information sign at the project site. And those are the only two additional exhibits that I would like to speak to. And at this time I'll turn it back over to Mr. El Check here to complete the remaining exhibits that sound transit would like to admit into the public hearing. Thank you. Thanks Gary. Speaker 7 (23:51): Nick, apologies for the audio challenges we are having and thank you for your patience here, examiner with us on this. The next exhibit that Sound transit would like to submit to the record is the attachment nine, which is the title report that sound transit submitted as part of the conditional use permanent application. The title report just at providing any background on easements located on the site, as well as also supporting the Law on adjustment application that sound transit has submitted. The next exhibit, which Gary is going to pull up is an exhibit outlining the sound transit board resolution. Oh no, that is the wrong one that Gary has, which is fine. I can speak. Okay, thank you Gary. This one is the resolution number R 2021 dash oh five, which is a board resolution sound transit board passed in 2021, which outlines the deferral of the permanent parking improvements as part of the sound transit board's realignment action that was taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, aligning the deferral of the parking improvements such as the potential future parking garage at the site. (25:02): Which leads into the final exhibit that we would like to submit to the record, which is a background on the parking garage and transit oriented development, also known as the TOD acronym. You see there, Transcript by Rev.com Page 10 of 12 this is just providing more background that there is the indefinite delay of the potential future parking garage and the transit oriented development. That parking garage of course being deferred as part of the board realignment action in 2021. And the TODA potential future project that has not yet been approved by the Sound Transit Board. The service parking lot that you saw in Jill's exhibit she provided of the site plan in her presentation with the two boxes that outline that parking lot. That would be the location, the potential future location where the garage and transit oriented development site would be. So this exhibit here provides more background on those delayed, indefinite delayed projects and the potential future plans for 'em. With that, that is all the additional exhibits we have to submit to the record to of course being the resumes and the project background that we talked about earlier. Examiner Olbrechts: (26:12): Okay. Mr. Cisneros, I think we're on exhibit exhibit 43 at this point. Is that the next exhibit number? Speaker 5 (26:20): Yes. I'm also making a note of all the ones he's mentioned and adding them to the list for you. I'll send the list over to you. Examiner Olbrechts: (26:25): Okay. Actually I have a list already. I'm going to share my screen. Speaker 5 (26:29): Okay, good. Examiner Olbrechts: (26:29): Where I put that. There it is. Speaker 5 (26:32): Yeah, so exhibit 43 would be the next number. Examiner Olbrechts: (26:34): Okay. Alright, so Mr, I'll check just to make sure we're on the same page here. I have 43 of the resumes and how many individuals was that? I didn't see, there weren't lot on there I don't think. Speaker 7 (26:46): Yeah, we'll find that out for you. It would be, that would be eight in divisions. Examiner Olbrechts: (27:03): Oh, okay. Great. Alright, and then the next one is the project background, then I think 45 conditions of approval revisions. Did you have an actual document for that or, I don't recall that you flashed anything on the screen for that one or Speaker 7 (27:15): Oh no, my apologies. That is not an actual document. That was just sound transit agreeing with Transcript by Rev.com Page 11 of 12 Examiner Olbrechts: (27:20): The city Speaker 7 (27:23): Revisions and modifications to the conditions of approval. Examiner Olbrechts: (27:25): I'll take that out there then. Speaker 7 (27:27): Apologies for Examiner Olbrechts: (27:27): That. No, that's my error. Okay, so then the notice of application you had up, I think the notice of public hearing then 47 Speaker 5 (27:36): And I believe the notice of application has the public hearing with it, so I think it's a one. Examiner Olbrechts: (27:41): Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, he did present it that way. Okay, let me get that. Like that. Speaker 7 (27:45): No worries. Examiner Olbrechts: (27:46): That's Speaker 7 (27:46): Correct. Examiner Olbrechts: (27:47): Yeah. Alright then 46 will be the affidavit of public information 47, the title report 48 is the resolution sound transit. And then 49 is the background. Is that an accurate list? Speaker 7 (28:03): That is, yes, Examiner Olbrechts: (28:03): That's correct. Speaker 7 (28:04): Thank you for clarifying that. Transcript by Rev.com Page 12 of 12 Examiner Olbrechts: (28:05): Alright, so at this point just ask if any objections to proposed exhibits 43 through 49. If you do object like before, just click on the virtual, the bottom of your screen, or if you need to have the document's emailed to you or to have an opportunity to look it over, let us know. Not seeing any takers. So we'll go ahead and admit exhibits 43 through, lemme see. I just put that down through 49. Alright, Mr. I check anything else? Speaker 7 (28:31): No, that concludes our statement. Thank you so much for your time and for listening to us and yeah, say thank Examiner Olbrechts: (28:38): You. Sounds good. Great. Appreciate your comments. Let's move on to public comments at this point and if you want to participate, just raise your virtual hand and I see that we've got somebody who wants to say something looks like that's odd for some reason I have my virtual hand is up but I didn't click on it. Yeah. Alright. Anyone else want to speak? Just click your virtual hand, no takers. Yeah, it looks like a really big applicant team is just watching us today, so. Alright, Ms. Dig, any final comments? Planner Ding: (29:12): I do not have any final comments. Examiner Olbrechts: (29:13): Okay, well I guess then I can go ahead and close the hearing. I think this gets the prize for the biggest applicant team. Actually. We've got a really, obviously it's took a lot of work to put this together and it's going to be a great benefit to the rent and community and I'll be happy to approve that and get that approval out within the next couple of weeks. So it looks like everybody did a really good job and really informative materials and that makes my job a lot easier too. So we'll get that approval out and we're adjourned for this morning. Have a great day.