HomeMy WebLinkAboutRSD Transportation Center Expansion - Civil - EV Deviation Request Letter_V1_250203
255 S. King Street, Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104 | 206.426.2600 | JACOBSONENGINEERS.COM
February 3, 2025
Clark Close
Current Planning Manager
City of Renton
Community and Economic Development
1055 S Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
Re: RSD Transportation Center Expansion – EV Parking Exception Request Letter
Dear Mr. Close,
The project proposes expanding the existing transportation center parking lot in the NW corner of the
property (parcels 7224000676 and 7224000675), which will consist of a new paved parking lot with
sidewalks, landscaping, and a public amenity space at the northwest corner of the site adjacent to the
public right-of-way. Additionally, some right-of-way improvements are proposed to remove existing
driveway access to the parcels and replace them with new concrete sidewalks and curbs/gutters.
The Renton School District’s Transportation Center is located at 420 Park Ave N in Renton.
As part of the parking lot expansion project (see Figure 1 below), a total of 32 standard parking stalls
(9’X20’) and 12 angled parking stalls (9’x20’x60O) are being proposed to be constructed with the
standard stalls slated to be used by School Bus Driver’s vehicles and the angled stalls to be used by
Renton School District Fleet vehicles (i.e. Shuttle Bus or equivalent).
Figure 1
255 S. King Street, Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104 | 206.426.2600 | JACOBSONENGINEERS.COM
It is our understanding that the project shall also provide Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure per the
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Section 51-50-0429. This WAC Code requires the construction
of new buildings and accessory structures, which may include parking lots, to account for 10% of the
total parking spaces to have EV charging capability. Table 429.2 of the WAC Code defines the
requirement based on the International Building Code (IBC) occupancy classifications.
Our interpretation of WAC Code Section 51-50-0429 is a minimum of (5) five parking spaces would be
required to have infrastructure installed and be EV Charging Ready. The project would also be required
to install vaults/handholes and conduits with terminated wires for (5) additional parking spaces for
future EV Charges. The project also be required to provide infrastructure and be EV Charging Ready for
the (1) Accessible Parking Space located in the SE corner of the proposed parking lot. In addition, an EV
Capable Vault would need be installed for (5) additional future chargers – see Figure 2 below.
Figure 2
Based on these additional requirements by the WAC for this project, there is a potential for 16 total
parking spaces that could not be used by Renton School District staff in the standard parking stall lot,
which would leave only 16 parking spaces that could be utilized. The EV charging station infrastructure
requirements for the project may leave the school district with potentially unusable parking spaces for
non-electric vehicles, significantly increasing the construction costs per parking space and for the EV
infrastructure installation.
255 S. King Street, Suite 800, Seattle, WA 98104 | 206.426.2600 | JACOBSONENGINEERS.COM
Furthermore, when interpreting the WAC Code, the project is not constructing any new buildings that
would be tied to this parking lot. There is an existing building and the parking lot is possibly considered
an accessory structure, however, the parking lot will be used by school bus drivers who would have an
access card to gain access through the new pedestrian gate in SE corner of the expanded parking lot,
then walk over to the bus parking lot on east side of existing transportation facility property. They
would not be accessing or working inside the existing building. Because of this interpretation, we
believe EV parking stalls aren’t required for the new parking lot expansion project and would therefore
request that the provisions for EV Parking Infrastructure be removed for this project.
Thank you for your consideration and time in reviewing this exception request. Should you have
questions, or if I can provide you with additional information, please feel free to contact me at (206)
293-9134 or sascha@jacobsonengineers.com.
Regards,
Sascha Eastman, P.E., Senior Project Manager
Attachment: C010 OVERALL SITE PLAN and C501 PAVING PLAN (11x17’s)
NOTE:
SHEET HAS BEEN
PRINTED TO BE 11X17
AND NOT TO SCALE
EV Capable - vault near
parking stalls for future
(5) chargers
EV Ready - (2)
vaults/handholes with
terminated wires near
parking stalls for future
(5) chargers
EV Charging - (3)
vaults/handholes with
terminated wires and
chargers for (5) chargers
(2 doubles, 1 single)
EV Accessible Charging
- (1) vault/handhole with
terminated wires and
chargers for (2) chargers
(1 doubles)
GATE WITH CARD
READER
NOTE:
SHEET HAS BEEN
PRINTED TO BE 11X17
AND NOT TO SCALE
STANDARD PARKING
STALLS
ANGLED PARKING
STALLS