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HomeMy WebLinkAbout051925 Audience Comment Submittal - A. Laulainendie 5/i25 SidZ�ep,,ee Q, c4d,44 , Comments to RSD School Board August 14, 2024 I am commenting regarding the use of funds from the November 8' , 2022 Bond in which approved 111tw money for 40 acres of land and anew High School, not expansion on the current site. The actual text of the King County bond that we voted on reads 'Construct anew high school to replace Renton High School". There were many promises to voters posted on the RSD website about anew high school facility with a modern learning environment. The RSD website now shows different information about the Nov. 2022 Bond. There have been alterations to the text which misleads voters to believe expansion and renovation was approved instead of building a brand new high school. Specifically, on February 25", 2024, the wording was changed to say the purpose of the Bond was to "Identify and purchase additional properly for the expansion of the Renton High Schoo(site". Prior to that date there was no mention of expansion. It used to say the purpose of the Bond was to "Identifyand purchase about40 acres fora future Renton High School sfre". All the information on the RSD website was very specific about needing anew facility at a completely different site, with many reasons and explanations as to why the voters should approve funds for this purpose. These changes can be seen using WaybackMachine. I don't believe you can just change the wording about a Bond and then spend the money how you like. I called OSPI for more information, and was told that it is the lawthat a school district must hold a Public Hearing if they want to use funds differentlythan approved by voters. It is the law. Per RCW 28A.530.020 subsection 2 " ff the school board subsequently determines that state or local circumstances should cause any alteration to the specific expenditures ... the board shall first conduct public hearing to consider those circumstances and to receive public testimony." If no public hearing was held, then RSD is misappropriating funds and all activities surrounding this project need to cease. Furthermore, RSD School Board resolution NO.02-23/24 Is premised with "WHEREAS, Renton School District No. 403 has... passed a bond to renovets or replace Renton High School;..." Again, wording inaccurate. It says "renovate or replace" Renton High School which is not true and was not approved by voters. This resolution cannot be considered valid because voters didn't approve that. It also follows that RSD does not have the authority to purchase by threatening eminent domain 42 properties setforth in the acquisition list included in this resolution. RSD has not followed the proper process to use the Bond funds the way they are doing. In fact, not even a year had gone by before the RHS expansion plan was underway. It is on the fast track I would not have voted for this Bond If I knew that RSD would be taking neighbors' homes and putting baseball fields and parking lots in their place. This plan was not approved by voters but is being pushed forward with contractors already hired and timelines to demolish homes already laid out. I am here to say that it is not acceptable, not legal, not ethical. RSD needs to step back and cease all activity related to this project, followthe process as required by law. Thank you for considering my comments this evening. (see reference (inks below) �kw 1iPage cm 1) Text of November 2022 Bond Measure on King County website htt s://kingcQunty.gov/—/me�d_ia/depts/elections/how-to-vote/ballots/whats-on-the- ballot/ballot-measures/202211 /renton-school-district 2) RSD Website Information about the Bond on September 28, 2023 2022 School Construction Projects - Renton School District 403 3) RSD Website with changes on February 25, 2024 2022 Bond Projects - Renton School District 403 4) RCW 28A.530.020 https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=28A.530.020 5) October 25, 2023 Resolution No. 02-23/24 Resolution 02-23/24 b arddo .com Comments to RSD School Board August 28, 2024 I spoke last week and I am going to reiterate, the most important point, per RCW 28A.530.020 "If the School Board subsequently determines that State or Local circumstances should cause any alteration to the specific expenditures, the Board shall first conduct a Public Hearing to consider those circumstances and receive public testimony". The project now is quite different than what was proposed when the Bond went through. The Bond said we would purchase 40 acres and that is being used now for Renton expansion. I am asking that you pause the project and hold a hearing per, as the law requests. At least take the time to review the project and consider other potential options with the neighbors. At our meeting there were lots of ideas thrown out of different things or different parts of the project that could change. On a personal level, I don't live there, I live near Sartori, a beautiful school, it's a really nice addition to our neighborhood. But my friend, I heard that my friend was going to lose her home, Catherine. I met Catherine at Lakeridge. I was PTSA President, or PTA President, and she came in, and she was the next year PTA President. Catherine has gone on several years, she went on to PTA Council, she was PTA Council President for the District for two years. Every school she's been in, she has served on PTA Council, and I know that she's been with you at many events, and she knows many of you personally. But now her kids are grown, and your, the Renton School District, wants to destroy her home, destroy everything she's built, and I just feel that, I mean that's one story, one person. She's given a lot to the District. Comments to RSD School Board August 28, 2024 I've talked to other neighbors there's a disabled woman, there's some elderly people, they don't know how they are going to live anywhere else. There's just stories and stories. So I just implore you. One person can make a difference. One of you can move the thinking, can ask for reconsideration, just really rethink this plan. And the neighbors have lots of ideas. They would really love to be considered seriously. After last week, the only thing that we heard, was after the meeting, Catherine suddenly just got a whole bunch more phone calls from them trying to take her home. So I would really like to have some serious consideration and to really feel for these people. 21 Comments to Renton City Council September 9, 2024 I am here to speak about the Renton High School expansion that has been going on. There are a number of people in the audience, I don't know if anybody wants to raise their hand who is here regarding that issue, we have a few. We've spoken to the Renton School Board already. I've been there twice and they don't respond. I haven't heard any response back on my concerns. There was a Bond that was passed in 2022 for rebuilding the High School which everyone thought was a wonderful idea, but they said they were going to find a different location, but then within not even half a year, they said that they couldn't find a location so they decided to expand, and they're taking homes next to the High School using eminent domain. And on their website you'll see that they are saying that they are negotiating with the neighbors and finding a good price, and whatever, but really they are telling neighbors that they HAVE to move, and it's eminent domain. Some neighbors that have sold are getting a break on taxes because it's eminent domain. So it's very frustrating that they are trying to say, "well we're not really using eminent domain", but they are. But regardless, we understand that rebuilding the High School is a good thing, but to just force these neighbors out of their homes is very, is just very terrible. I have a friend who has had a lot of hardship in her life, real, major hardship, and she rebuilt her life, she lives there, she put all of her soul into her home and her kids, and now she's gonna be kicked out of her house and have to like, rebuild her whole life again. And I've met an elderly couple, doesn't know how they're going to be able to afford somewhere else. I've met a family that sold and they couldn't find a place in Renton because it's too expensive so they are moving to Kent. There's a disabled woman. There's a man who rebuilt a house for his daughters, and that's just gonna be wiped out. And what is really frustrating is that the School District won't even talk to us about this. According to the RCW, if the Bond money is spent any different way than how it's proposed to the voters, they are supposed to hold a public hearing and talk to the votes about it, and they haven't done that. So, they could at least explore options. The area between the High School, from Tobin to Airport Way, is gonna just be baseball fields. And I mean other 11 Comments to Renton City Council September 9, 2024 inner city schools like... I forget the name of it, in Seattle, that they don't have fields, they practice elsewhere. There are alternatives. The City could help with alternatives, but it's very frustrating that these people are going to lose their homes. There's also businesses there. I don't know why people should move here? There's the Dreamliner building, they're going to have apartments and stuff. They are still in the process, they had their public hearing, the City is like, "yeah yeah yeah, go go". And then there's this beautiful restaurant. It's all gonna be wiped out. I don't know why businesses should come here if all their plans are gonna be like, destroyed. I'm just like asking for your help and to look at this and not let Renton District just use eminent domain and just wipe out all these homes. So, thank you. 21 Comments to Renton City Council September 16, 2024 Good Evening Council Members, I was very disappointed last week after commenting to Council. I was hoping to hear something other than the school district message repeated back to me. I wanted to reach out to City Council for your help and for a creative solution. It is frustrating for citizens to ask for help and have City Council turn a deaf ear. I realize that there are some things that are not in the purview of the City, but at the same time, regarding the Renton High School expansion, neighbors were told that the school district has been working very closely with the City, actually that the School District met with the City many times about the project, this before neighbors even met with the school district once. On another issue, I would like to address the traffic impact that Sartori has on the North Renton Neighborhood. When the Land Use Application was approved by the Hearing Examiner, the traffic study found that the impact on our neighborhood would be negligible. It was determined in the SEPA review that the school had enough parking and queuing to handle the additional school traffic. The hearing examiner approved this project with the stipulation that there would be "no offsite queuing and no offsite parking". As you know, the traffic for student pick up and drop off currently lines up on N. 41" street also spilling out onto side streets. Today I took a picture of the line which went three full city blocks almost to Burger King to Factory and Marion streets. In addition, parents are parking on Meadow, Garden and Petty Avenues and walking to the school to pick up students. Many residents only have street parking and find themselves unable to access their homes at all during these times of day because of Sartori parents parking on the street. The Hearing Examiner also stipulated that "The City may require additional parking and queuing mitigation". There are things that can be. There could be more incentive for students to ride the bus. Student who attend Sartori could be REQUIRED to ride the bus. There is no reason that students cannot ride the bus. In fact, we were told that most of the students would ride the bus. That seems very reasonable since there is not adequate parking/queuing. The school could have staggered start times. They could lower the enrollment to a w smaller size to fit the available parking & queuing. But if the School District Comments to Renton City Council September 16, 2024 cannot solve the problem, then the City needs to mitigate the problem as directed by the Hearing Examiner and hold the School District accountable. Neighbors in North Renton need our City Council to step it up, to protect our neighborhood and represent the interests of the neighbors, near Sartori as well as those near Renton High School. Please show some support and compassion. We are your citizens and need you to recognize our concerns and do whatever you can to help. D Z a m a o � v v D � 0 6 Q 3 d O O O 3 3 v o C -p O 0 '* <p O o O n O N m O (D (D M C O co '. O 3 CD 0 W w, U M z O. 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Cn E OR Q O = OR CD = CD W 1.10 3 mm3 lV r-F r-h OT N O :3 � V ) O O Im 0 A ^i Y.L LJ CD �t CD }3 c CD N Cr N 7 -•rc) �►rrr I..j 3 `V r-r r-+ O CD O cn n zT O O co O cn 3 N cn N 7 Email Comments to Renton School Board December 4, 2024 To: "North Renton Neighborhood Association" <north.renton@gmail.com>, "Matthew (Matt) Feldmeyer" matthew.feld_mevernrentonsc_hools.us [some emails omitted for privacy] Cc: "Justin Booker" <justin.booker@rentonschools.us>, "board.public.comment@rentonschools.us" <board.public.comment@rentonschools.us> Sent: Wed, Dec 4, 2024 at 12:00 AM Subject: Re: Renton High School Replacement - Neighborhood Meeting Hi Matt, I appreciate your willingness to answer questions and interact with concerned parties during this project. It is frustrating that although myself and others have reached out to the School Board, they have not had any meaningful conversation or interaction with anyone affected by their actions. I am sending to you another alternative to the current plan for the Renton High School Expansion. It seems to me that the current RHS Expansion plan is a pieced together map which attempts to add acreage and limited athletic fields, in order to give the appearance of creating equity in comparison to other schools. The current expansion has added an incomplete football field, no turf, no goal posts, no stands, which creates the illusion of a new football field. It seems however that Renton Stadium will still be the home site for games and events, so how is the additional makeshift football field acceptable as creating equitable facilities? And where is the pool that was promised to voters? Pool not included, although over 7 million dollars of Bond funds IS being spent on a new nutrition warehouse. Why isn't a pool being built in THAT location for the RHS students? How does a nutrition warehouse take priority over the promised pool, which was an important point made to voters about the need for equitable facilities for Renton High School students? New baseball fields will be squeezed into the location where Email Comments to Renton School Board December 4, 2024 neighbors home currently are, and parking spaces are just randomly added in, all to be able to say there is more acreage, since apparently acreage equals equity. I would like to see a broader and more creative vision put forth, which explores more options. There is a great opportunity to provide an athletic complex that the Renton High School students could really be proud of instead of the current plan. Renton Stadium could be expanded by adding property to the north. Including this area could bring all the athletic fields together in one location, with ample parking for all events too. It would make it possible to have room for a pool, ball fields, the stadium, parking, all together. Rather than the current piecemeal plan, making a Renton High School Athletic Park or Complex would create a high quality, facility for the Athletics program. In this new plan, on the block between Tobin and Airport Way long time neighbors can retain their homes, while courtyards and park areas can be added for students on the lots that have already been purchased. In this plan, there would be room for a pool. The athletic fields would be together in an intentional design. It is not too late to take a step back, and put together a plan that is comprehensive to include all the facilities promised. Renton School District can do better. Instead of plowing over homes to be able to tout how much acreage you have, put forth a well thought out, "state of the art" Athletic Park. On another note, how easy it would be to adjust the project to keep the corner southwest corner available for El Kiosko. This small restaurant is so convenient for RHS students and such a great benefit of attending an inner city school, to have access to El Kiosko practically on campus. As a parent, I would love it if my kids could eat "off campus" lunch so close to school, so I don't understand why El Kiosko isn't viewed by RSD as a valuable asset to that location. Email Comments to Renton School Board December 4, 2024 Again, thank you Matt for any advocating you can do on behalf of neighbors. I hope that the School Board members will seriously consider these options. It is true in life that one person can make a difference. Maybe that will be you, Matt, or any one of the School Board members. Any one School Board member CAN affect a change and influence adjustments to this project. Please show compassion for the neighbors and a better vision for the athletic program. I am attaching two drafts, one entitled RHSAthletic Park and another RHSAthletic Park Option 2 which utilizes a smaller amount of property to the north. CC: Renton School Board [attached RHS Athletic Park, RHS Athletic Park 2] .. Building for additional locker rooms, showers, concessions or equipment storage CM POOL Actual image of Lindbergh Pool Courtyard areas for students, in lots purchased alreadybyRSD a ,n .Shift facilities just . bit i'.« t of ow Comments to Renton City Council January6, 2024 I am commenting today to echo the concerns of my neighbors about the property at 6th and Park. It is dangerous and unsafe. As you know, there is a neighborhood between the Landing and Downtown known as the North Renton Neighborhood. Neighbors from North Renton have been asking for this property to be cleaned up for the last two years, but no action has been taken. In the last year especially it has been more destroyed with windows on all sides broken out and large graffiti tags visible from blocks away. When I drive by without of town guests, they say it looks like the apocalypse or a scene from some zombie movie. I don't understand how City Council has not addressed this problem, has not taken definitive action, when neighbors have asked so many times. It is very frustrating that so many have asked for help with this issue but there is such a lack of support to address the problem. It is a recurring theme, we are also left in the dust when neighbors time and time again have asked for the City to help with eminent domain. City Council could lead the conversation about options for saving homes, especially in the case of the Renton High School plan, but you show no interest in helping long time citizens who have invested in this City. The School Board also shows no interest in helping citizens, they have not considered any options offered by residents, and have not shown any compassion for the Renton residents they are displacing. They simply sit and wait for the residents to stop fighting. Like them, the City Council has not shown support for its citizens. Again it is frustrating, to be ignored, when coming to our elected officials for help for neighborhood issues. Comments to RSD School Board January 8, 2025 I am commenting again regarding the use of funds from the November 8th, 2022 Bond in which voters approved the purchase of 40 acres of land for a new High School, not expansion on the current site. The actual text of the King County bond that we voted on read "Construct a new high school to replace Renton High School" The Bond specified "Identify and purchase about40 acres fora future Renton High School site". All the information on the RSD website was very specific about needing a new facility at a completely different site. These are the statements that were posted that convinced voters as to why a NEW facility was needed: • Build anew high school facility for the Renton High School service area, providing a modern learning environment • Equitable athletic opportunities for all our high school students. • Recognizing the importance of land to tribal cultural preservation, construction on the Renton High School site, including the large field at the west of the property (indicated in red), is highly restricted compared to other parts of the district • Improvements at Renton High are also restricted as it is in the direct flightpath of Renton Municipal Airport. This prohibits adding height to the existing school for additional learning space and adding lighting to the large ball field for use in evenings and winter months • "Restrictions to build on the current Renton High site mean we're unable to make equitable improvements for students, families, and staff at Renton High compared to other district high schools. These restrictions leave us unable to provide the same amenities and facilities for Renton High School students that our other high schools can offer" On February 25th, 2024, the wording on the website changed to say the purpose of the Bond was snow to "Identify and purchase additional property for the expansion of the Renton High School site". Since then, I have heard that over 7 million of the funds have been spent on a District Nutrition Warehouse at a different location. Only 9.7 acres are to be added to the current site, not 40 acres as promised. No Aquatic Center has been included in the design. The district is renovating an old building rather than building an entirely new "modern learning facility". Neighbors have in good faith come to you and offered several ideas for options, most that maintain the current design plans for the school building portions: • Shift Ballfields south and consolidate area to preserve homes • Shift a small portion of the plan north to save El Kiosko on the corner • Build to the West of the property where there are dilapidated properties and no home owners • Explore options to the north of Renton Stadium and consider the small Boeing lot just north of the Stadium • Utilize City of Renton ballfields and coordinate with the Tri-Park Master plan to partner in use of those new ballfields. Comments to RSD School Board January 8, 2025 It is appalling that there has been no serious consideration or discussion with neighbors from the School Board about any of these options. I am asking again, please stop and think about these families. You have the power to stop the process and help these neighbors stay in their homes. Lasly, I would like to remind the Board that it is the law that a school district must FIRST hold a Public Hearing if they want to use funds differently than approved by voters. Per RCW 28A.530.020 subsection 2 "If the school board subsequently determines that state or local circumstances should cause any alteration to the specific expenditures ... the board shall first conduct a public hearing to consider those circumstances and to receive public testimony." Without this, RSD is misappropriating funds. Furthermore, RSD School Board resolution NO.02- 23/24 is premised with "WHEREAS, Renton School District No. 403 has ... passed a bond to renovate or replace Renton High School,..." This resolution cannot be considered valid because voters approved the purchase of 40 acres for a new high school, not to renovate or replace. RSD has not followed the proper process to use the Bond funds the way you are doing. 12 Comments to City Council February 24, 2025 We have many streets in Renton which pay homage to our local history and original residents of this land. There is a street near Renton High School called Tillicum Road. According to the Renton Historical Society, this street gets its name from the Chinook word meaning "friend" or "family". Chinook was the trade language used by Native Americans to communicate with whites, and was spoken by Erasmus Smithers' daughter. The word Tillicum was given to the street because of its significance to our City. The Renton Historical Society article, in their June 2019 newsletter, calls Tillicum Road "Renton's only remaining place name that is a reminder of the thousands of Duwamish people who called this area home before whites arrived (and I have that article here). Another Renton street, Tobin Avenue, was named after Henry Tobin, the first white settler to arrive in this area. He and Erasmus Smithers claimed land under the Donation Land Claim Act and were the first to claim land here as their own. Tobin's wife, Diana, followed him to this area, but shortly after she arrived he passed away from illness. Being a widow with a young son, she soon after married Erasmus Smithers. It is said that Smithers employed the Native Americans on his property, and allowed them to remain on the property that he had claimed rather than making them move away like the other owners did. I read that Diana Smithers even chased off Government agents who came to move the Native Americans off the property. Now, in this time, we have the Renton School District, that is taking this land from the current homeowners. This is the very location that the streets of Tobin and Tillicum are located. Is this the legacy Henry Tobin and Erasmus Smithers would have wanted? Tobin and Smithers, founders of our City, shared their land with the original residents. The City of Renton needs to preserve its place names and these streets that were designated to recognize our rich history. Renton School District plans to vacation both of these streets in order to plow over existing homes, evict long time residents and displace Comments to City Council February 24, 2025 them from their homes. The City will have to approve the vacation of these streets. Of course the streets vacations have not been requested yet, but in the pre-app process for this project, all signs point to GO. YOU have the power to oppose this and say that these streets are important. These streets should remain in their entirety in this location. Like Tobin and Smithers allowed the Native Americans to remain in their homes, the City of Renton should hold up the same values for its citizens. Tilticum Road = value of friends and family. We need help to keep this from happening. We need the City of Renton to help protect our neighborhood, and I don't mean at the time that they apply for the vacation, I mean now. We need it to be known that this is important to you. 21 Comments to RSD School Board April 23, 2025 Good evening, and first I would like to recognize, ask that you acknowledge and pay attention to the concerns of the school cafeteria and the library, because they are very important issues. The libraries are the core center of learning in all the schools, and so I am absolutely shocked that the librarians are being cut. But that is not why I am here. I am here because you know, you have heard from me many times about the Renton High School expansion and the taking of the properties around that area. Specifically the properties north of Tobin, it is really unnecessary that those are taken by RSD, and I know that there is a presentation coming tonight where you have the properties in green, yellow and red, and it says "reached agreement" or "we've purchased", whatever. But really it should say, "we've succeeded in forcing these families out! ..... these families we haven'tgot out yet." You know because these families do not want to be forced out. People do not want to be forced out. My good friend has lived there for years, immigrated from another country, this is not what she wants. And while you can paint it in green and say that it's all well and good, it's not. In addition, there's a lot of waste of funds. Around 2006, the whole Renton High School building was renovated. It was told it was like 42 million, I'm not sure you'll have to look that up. The 2019 Bond had all kinds of improvements to Renton High School: the gym was modernized for 5 million, the science rooms just were finished for 11 1/2million, and then there's a whole list of things on the website that have been spent from the Bond, the 2019 Bond, on Renton High School, and a lot of that is going to just be cut down and demolished. The science rooms that just were finished are gonna be like plowed over. Anyway, cause that brings us to the 2022 Bond where the voters were promised 40 acres, and since you couldn't find 40 acres, it's like, "oh well we'll just take this 10 acres of families and we'll just take that!" And then there's a field that you're counting as some of the acres, but that field can't be used! I don't see an Aquatic Center, I don't see a Stadium with lights and turf. Comments to RSD School Board April 23, 2025 It's not the same, you're really not providing these wonderful students that you just had here with all the things you promised in the Bond. You promised 40 acres, and it's more like 23, and the way you did that is by plowing over a whole bunch of families' homes with grass, and it's just so wasteful. And I'm so angry, and I almost didn't come tonight because dealing with the anger is difficult. I don't really want to be angry all the time, but I just can't believe we had all these ideas, we came to you, we asked you to reconfigure the plan; partner with the City, they are putting in all these fields; we said, "hey build west of the school". But you don't listen, we have never had any support, they neighbors have tried to give ideas to maintain the building but, and still have the RHS rebuilt but save the families. It is has just been so frustrating because the Renton School Board has not listened. You have not given us any support. And these families, they do not want to move, even though your presentation will show, "we've reached agreement". I'm sorry, it's just not right. 21 Comments to Renton School Board at Condemnation Hearing April 24, 2023 Just first to respond to a few things you mentioned at the beginning, the Aquatic Center was included IN the Bond and in the description on the website of what would come from the Bond, that the Renton School District, Renton High School, would get an Aquatic Center. The Stadium was built FOR Renton High School, and other schools share their stadiums with other schools, that's not unheard of. Also, since this project has started, the Board has NOT discussed with the City, or reached out to the City, about sharing ball fields. Soto throw that out, those things that we have been asking about all year, is just a little insulting, to just do that at the last minute. But anyway my plan this evening was to read the message I sent last night, just to get it on the record for this hearing. Good Evening Renton School Board Members and Matt Feldemeyer, Thank you for listening to the audience comments last evening about the Renton High School Expansion. At the conclusion of the comments, you thanked the audience and you said that you ARE listening. If that is true and you really are taking into account the comments from last evening, then it would be appropriate to pause the project and hold off on the condemnation today. It is entirely possible still for you to review the project and avoid demolishing all the homes and businesses. You could consider the options that have already been suggested several times. I'm not going to list those, but those are there. It would also be easy to carve out a corner to keep El Kiosko in place. Consider the comments from all the speakers last evening. I believe there was between 15 and 18 speakers that commented in opposition to this project. Eminent domain purchases CAN be reversed and homes returned to their owners. In the cases that residents have already moved out and cannot return, those homes can still be saved and returned to the neighborhood. If Comments to Renton School Board at Condemnation Hearing April 24, 2023 even ONE home owner wants to stay in their home, they should be allowed to stay. You can choose to move forward with the project and destroy this community, or you can stop, reconsider, and think of creative solutions to this, to give the students their High School without plowing over the neighborhood. Please have some compassion and take time to REALLY consider other options. Thankyou EMAIL Additional Comments to School Board April 23, 2025 Good Evening Renton School Board Members and Matt Feldemeyer, Thank you for listening to all the audience comments this evening about the Renton High School Expansion. At the conclusion of the comments, you thanked audience members and you said that you ARE listening. If that is true and you really are taking into account the comments from this evening, then it would be appropriate to pause the project and hold off on the condemnation hearing tomorrow. It is entirely possible still for you to review the project and avoid demolishing all the homes and businesses. You could consider the options that have already been suggested several times (build to the West of the school, revise the orientation of the fields, place the ball fields near Renton Stadium, partner with the City to use the fields they are building in the Tri-Park Master plan). It would also be easy to carve out a corner to keep El Kiosko in place. Consider the comments from all the speakers this evening please. Eminent domain purchases CAN be reversed and homes returned to their owners. In the cases that residents have already moved out and cannot return, those homes can still be saved and returned to the neighborhood. If even ONE home owner wants to stay in their home, they should be allowed to stay. You can choose to move forward with the project and destroy this community, or you can stop, reconsider, and think of creative solutions to this, to give the students their High School without plowing over the neighborhood. Please have some compassion and take time to really consider other options. Comments to Renton City Council May 12, 2025 Looking through the City's Comprehensive Plan, I was surprised to find a whole section entitled "Addressing Racially Disparate Impacts and Displacement" (p.46) which focused a lot about "long-standing racial disparities in Renton". It is stated that historically marginalized households experience potential displacement risk. And then the document goes through remedies to address housing needs and racial disparities in order to help protect community members vulnerable to displacement or housing insecurity. This relates directly to the residents whose homes are being taken by Renton School District near Renton High School. As you know, these are immigrants, low income, disabled and people of color living in this location. At a meeting with the school district Last October, when these neighbors, from this marginalized community, inquired why their homes are being targeted instead of nearby Boeing properties, they were told that RSD could not afford to fight the wealthy Boeing's lawyers. Basically, admitting that they know these neighbors cannot afford to fight, they were vulnerable, and their property would be easy prey. Here's some things from the City Comprehensive Plan: Goal HHS-E: Implement policies and practices to address and undo racial disparities and exclusion in housing and promote equitable housing ownership and rental housing opportunities. Goal HHS-G: Mitigate displacement pressure caused by market forces by fostering homeownership opportunities and encouraging investments in existing housing. (p.52) Policy ED-2: Support and develop measures to reduce displacement of existing businesses in Renton. (p.55) Policy HHS-12: Expand anti -displacement strategies in collaboration with residents and community organizations. Renton City Council has a Housing Action Plan which was funded by a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce, which was written to address six questions, the last being "How do we prevent our current residents from being displaced by future development?" The City met with RSD way back in May 2023, and approved the plan to bulldoze homes. You have taken an active role in supporting that plan, by giving approval to a plan that the voters did not approve. The City gave advice about vacationing a street where neighbors currently resided, condemning homes currently owned by neighbors, and including plans of baseball fields over existing homes. Comments to Renton City Council May 12, 2025 Even now, the School District has been submitting SEPA reviews before the public sees any Land Use application. There are no Land Use Applications on the City website, but I've just learned that several SEPA reviews have already gone through. I hadn't seen any signs posted at the site until just this week, and that sign is confusing. It is posted right next to a sign notifying about the Dreamliner project, a project which shows on the City Website as an active project and approved. Yet there is NO information about the RSD Land Use for their High School expansion, and apparently they are already going through the process without public involvement. So not only have you enabled them from the beginning, targeting a vulnerable neighborhood admittedly cheaper than other options such as approaching the neighboring Boeing lots, and now the Public is being kept out of the loop on the Land Use process. You are taking an active role to support the destruction of this neighborhood when you could have been the ones to save the homes. City actions: Approval of the plan in the Pre -application meeting in May 2023, potentially vacationing two city streets, approving changing the zoning to remove residential housing, giving all the permits to destroy useable homes, not supporting residents to help avoid displacement of businesses and residents as suggested in the Housing Action Plan, not involving Renton Citizens in the Land use process by ommission on the City Website and confusingly keeping old projects posted as active as well as leaving up signage of inactive projects in the location. Please see attached photo of confusing signage. I would request that the RHS Expansion project be put on hold Comments to Renton City Council May 19, 2025 Last week you heard from a very frustrated citizen who was having a lot of problems with his neighbor, serious issues involving drugs, firearms, vandalism, property damage, etc. that were completely ruining his quality of life. It was very kind of you to show compassion to his situation and offer to help. I heard the Mayor say, "Have the CityAttorney weigh in tomorrow. Unfortunately it sounds like a civil issue but..." that's what was said. I am thinking, drugs, firearms, vandalism? That is pretty bad! However, I think having a whole neighborhood being demolished is actually just as bad or worse! As another citizen of Renton coming to you with a dire situation, let's have the City Attorney weigh in on our issue, too. I am sharing with you a folder with printouts of all my comments to Renton School Board and to Renton City Council since last August. It is 27 pages and that includes only MY comments and suggestions, not those of all the other people who have spoken out. Surprisingly, even after so much effort to engage the School Board, not one of them has ever replied to myself or anyone else about our concerns, ideas to modify the plan or anything. It was like speaking to a wall of stone cold statues, uncaring, uncompassionate. What they are doing is wrong. It sounds like a civil matter, BUT, let's have the City Attorney weigh in. I would like to hear the thoughts of the City Attorney regarding the actions of the School District and also regarding the position the City has taken against its citizens to support this project. I would like to know: • Did City Council endorse the RHS expansion idea, either formally or informally? Or the City in some other way or by another department? 11 Comments to Renton City Council May 19, 2025 • In the City Comprehensive Plan, why are some neighborhoods given precedent over others to be protected as marginalized and at risk of displacement? Isn't it the duty of the City to protect these citizens and their homes • Is it legal to submit a land use application for a property that I do not own? • Is it legal to do a SEPA review on someone else's property? • To what extent has the city been involved in the Renton High School Expansion plan? • Did the city suggest the street vacation to Renton School district? That is what is being said • Did the city approve or endorse the street vacation at the May 2023 pre app meeting? • During a housing crisis, why did the City allow the Renton High School plan to move forward, to take 33 homes out of the equation while suggesting to other citizens that they consider dividing their property due to the housing crisis? Those are just a few questions. But please, review all my comments and if you decide that you want to have some compassion for your citizens, please help. So, again, it sounds like a civil issue, but let's have the City Attorney weigh in tomorrow. ©l