HomeMy WebLinkAboutC_DNR SEPA_Public_Comment_20250918Land Use Public Comment Form
Party of Record/Public Comments
Anyone who would like to become a party of record or provide public comment on a specified project application
may do so by completing the form below. The public may provide written comments on a project during the public
comment period. The comment period deadline can be found on the notice received in the mail, the notice board
posted on-site, in our Digital Records Library, or Land Use Public Notice page. Your comments must be received
before the public comment deadline for the Decision Maker to consider them when deciding on the project. Please
include the Land Use file number (LUA) or project address in your comment letter.
If you choose to submit a comment on a project, you will automatically become a party of record for that project and
will receive copies of project decisions and correspondence throughout the review process. In addition, we upload
all public comments to the project and they become a part of the public record. If you have any questions or issues
please email por@rentonwa.gov. Tips for commenting on a development proposal can be found here.
Land Use Case Number*
LUA25-000284
Format: LUAXX-XXXXXX
First Name *
DNR
Last Name*
SEPA Center
Company Name (if applicable)
E-mail*
SEPACenter@dnr.wa.gov
Phone Number
(360) 902-1709
Format: (XXX) - XXX-XXXX
Do you want to receive project information and documents in hard copy via US mail?
No
Yes
Hard copies are an additional charge of $0.15, 8½ x 11 per page. (i.e. estimated cost for the Hearing Examiner Report is $8.55, plus a handling
and postage cost of $2.00)
Do you want to provide comments?
If you do not provide comments, you will ONLY be added as a Party of Record and receive copies of project decisions and correspondence
throughout the review process.
No
Yes
Submit a Comment
Comment
In keeping with the interagency correspondence principles, I am providing you with comments on Renton’s Critical Areas Ordinance
Amendments (2025-S-9806).
For this proposal submitted via Planview, I looked at the proposal and focused on areas related to WGS work. Of note, but not limited to, I
look for language around the geologically hazardous areas, mineral resource lands, mining, climate change, and natural hazards mitigation
plans.
Specifically in this proposal, I reviewed Staff Report Group 19B D-235 Critical Areas Ordinance.PDF.
The Staff Report Group 19B D-235 Critical Areas Ordinance attached to Planview is only two pages long. There is a link in the PDF, where it
says, “Staff is proposing changes to the following code section: • RMC 4-3-050 CRITICAL AREAS REGULATION” so you click on it and it takes
you to the Renton Municipal Code as it currently exists. There is nothing attached in Planview or in a provided link, that shows the proposed
changes.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) received an email from Renton on 9/4/25 for the SEPA review, “Project Name:
PR25-000002 Land Use Non-Project Docket Group 19B, D-235: 2025 Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) Update Project Number: LUA25-000284,
ECF” from MARGARETTE BRAVO, Planning Technician, Renton.” That email was similar in that no attachments or links to code information
show the proposed changes. When you follow the link in that email for the notice of application, this is what you see:
CITY OF RENTON
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
RENTON, WASHINGTON
Notice is hereby given that the City of Renton has accepted the following proposal for review: 2024 Docket Group 19B, D-235: Crirical (note
the spelling error) Areas Ordinance (CAO) Update, LUA25-000284, ECF Environmental (SEPA) Review for the above non-project item. The
CAO is a set of development regulations that cities and counties must adopt and enforce to protect specific environmentally sensitive areas
and to safeguard the public from natural hazards. The CAO is mandated by the state’s GMA. The purpose of the proposed code amendment
is to align the City’s regulations with current state law and “best available science” (BAS) by the end of the year deadline. Comments on the
above application must be submitted in writing by 5:00 PM on September 18, 2025. Please submit comments online at https://rb.gy/vaqabf.
Alternatively, you may physically mail your comments to: City of Renton, CED, Attn: Planning Division, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA
98057. Please include the Land Use file number (LUA) or project address in your comments. Anyone who submits written comments will
automatically become a party of record and will be notified of any decision on this project. (Publication Date: September 4, 2025)
Normally jurisdictions include the proposed language for changes to the critical areas ordinance, just like they do for comprehensive plans
and other development regulations when they submit it in Planview and for SEPA review. It’s a bit of a time sinkhole to check through the
links and whatnot, and still not find a document with the proposed changes shown. Please keep us in the loop for your project, and provide
documents that show the proposed changes.
Below, I include our usual language for this and future endeavors.
Recognizing the limitations of the current proposals, I want to mention that it would be great for you to consider these in current or future
work, be it in your comprehensive plan, development code, and SMP updates, and in your work in general:
•Consider adding a reference to the definition of geologically hazardous areas, WAC 365-190-120, in other areas besides the CAO. In
addition, consider adding a reference to WAC 365-196-480 for natural resource lands.
•Consider adding in other areas besides the CAO. If you have not checked our interactive database, the WGS Geologic Information
Portal, lately, you may wish to do so. Geologic Information Portal | WA - DNR
•If you have not checked out our Geologic Planning page, you may wish to do so. Geologic Planning | WA - DNR
Thank you for considering our comments. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me. For your
convenience, if there are no concerns or follow-up discussion, you may consider these comments to be final as of the 60-day comment
deadline of 10/28/25.
Have a great day!
Cheerio,
Tricia
Tricia R. Sears (she/her/hers)
Geologic Planning Liaison
Washington Geological Survey (WGS)
Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Cell:360-628-2867 |Email:tricia sears@dnr wa gov