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HomeMy WebLinkAboutERC Report_Docket 20_Group A CDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ERC Report 2025-2026 Docket 20, Group A and Group C ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT ERC MEETING DATE: February 10, 2026 Project Name: PR6-000002 Land Use Non-Project 2025 Docket 20, Group A and Group C Project Number: LUA26-000024, ECF Project Manager: Angelea Weihs, Senior Planner Owner: City of Renton Applicant: City of Renton Contact: Angelea Weihs, 425-430-7312 Project Location: All docket items are citywide. Project Summary: The applicant is requesting Environmental (SEPA) Review to review for the following non-project items: D-241 Neighborhood Scale Retail – The City of Renton is evaluating potential code amendments to allow neighborhood-scale commercial uses and limited on- site services in residential areas. The analysis includes considerations such as permitted and prohibited uses, maximum size allowances, delivery restrictions, hours of operation, and related standards. D-246 Fence Permits – The City of Renton proposes amendments to RMC 4-4- 040, Fences, Hedges, and Retaining Walls, to revise permit review procedures for electric security fencing and update code language to be consistent with House Bill (HB) 1688, Electric Security Alarm Systems. The proposal would replace existing terminology related to deterrent security fencing with the terminology used in HB 1688 to reduce confusion and ensure consistency with state law. In addition, the amendment would revise the permit review framework for electric security fencing, which is currently reviewed under the Special Fence Permit process, to better align the review criteria with the nature of these installations. D-247 Indoor Recreation in IL and IM Zones – The City of Renton proposes amendments to where and how indoor recreation facilities are allowed. These facilities include gyms, laser tag, rock climbing, and basketball courts. Currently, indoor recreation facilities are divided into “existing” and “new” facilities and are allowed in commercial, residential, and industrial zones throughout the city, subject to various conditions. The proposal would treat existing facilities as nonconforming uses and simplify conditions for new indoor recreation facilities in several commercial zones. Conditions in the CO and UC zones would remain unchanged. In addition, the proposal would prohibit new indoor recreation facilities in certain zones pending future, more comprehensive amendments addressing neighborhood-scale retail and the Valley subarea. Exist. Bldg. Area SF: N/A Proposed New Bldg. Area (footprint): Proposed New Bldg. Area (gross): N/A N/A Site Area: N/A Total Building Area GSF: N/A STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff Recommends that the Environmental Review Committee issue a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS). City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report 2026 DOCKET 20, GROUP A AND GROUP C LUA26-000024, ECF Report of Monday, February 10, 2026 Page 2 of 4 ERC Report 2026 Docket 20, Group A and Group C PART ONE: PROJECT DESCRIPTION / BACKGROUND D-241 Neighborhood Scale Retail – The City of Renton is evaluating potential code amendments to allow limited neighborhood-scale commercial uses and on-site services in residential areas. The intent is to support walkable neighborhoods and local access to goods and services through incremental zoning changes that are responsive to community values, public input, and broader planning objectives. This work is occurring alongside ongoing state-level discussions related to neighborhood-scale commercial uses in residential areas, highlighting the value of developing a locally tailored framework that reflects local context while maintaining flexibility for future changes. Discussion to date has focused on how uses would be defined and limited, and how the framework would align with related use categories such as home occupations and live-work units. Several policy and implementation details remain under evaluation. Additional topics under review include development scale, hours of operation, and location criteria. Staff is assessing how neighborhood context, proximity to transit, and arterial access may inform where neighborhood-scale retail may be appropriate. The proposal is also being developed with consideration of recent state legislation affecting parking and housing, while maintaining local flexibility in implementation. D-246 Fence Permits – The City of Renton proposes amendments to RMC 4-4-040, Fences, Hedges, and Retaining Walls, to revise permit review procedures for electric security fencing and update code language to be consistent with House Bill (HB) 1688, Electric Security Alarm Systems. HB 1688 establishes statewide standards for electric security alarm systems and defines these systems as outdoor alarm systems that utilize an electric charge to detect and alert property owners of intrusion. The proposed amendments would update local terminology to align with the language used in HB 1688, replacing existing references to “electric fences” and “barbed wire fences” to reduce confusion and improve consistency with state law. The proposal also addresses permit review procedures for electric security alarm systems, which are currently reviewed under the Special Fence Permit process. As part of this effort, staff propose revising the permit review framework for electric security alarm systems, as the existing Special Fence Permit review criteria are not sufficient for this type of deterrent security fencing. The proposal may also include reorganization of permit types within RMC 4-4-040 and clarification of definitions. D-247 Indoor Recreation in IL and IM Zones – The City of Renton proposes amendments to where and how indoor recreation facilities are allowed. Broadly defined, these facilities include uses such as gyms, laser tag, basketball courts, dance studios, bowling alleys, trampoline parks, pickleball courts, and rock climbing. Indoor recreation uses provide space for residents to be healthy and to engage with one another, and staff were directed to review the City’s indoor recreation regulations to increase opportunities for these uses in appropriate areas throughout the city. The current code, last updated in 2009, separates indoor recreation into “existing” and “new” facilities. These uses are currently allowed in commercial, residential, and industrial zones throughout the city, with differing conditions applied to existing versus new facilities in some cases. To simplify code implementation, staff propose consolidating these categories into a single “Indoor Recreation Facilities” use. Any existing facilities City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report 2025-2026 DOCKET 20, GROUP A AND GROUP C LUA26-0000024, ECF Report of Monday, February 10, 2026 Page 3 of 4 ERC Report 2025-2026 Docket 20, Group A and Group C that do not comply with the updated regulations would be considered legal nonconforming uses and could continue in their current form. As part of this effort, staff propose simplifying conditions for new indoor recreation facilities in several commercial zones. This includes consideration of removing certain conditions in the CN, CD, and COR zones that are no longer aligned with the intended application of the code. In the CO, UC-1, and UC-2 zones, staff propose that conditions remain largely unchanged, including mixed-use requirements and space limitations in the CO zone, as well as existing conditions in the UC-1 and UC-2 zones. The proposal also identifies zoning districts where indoor recreation facilities are currently permitted but may not be appropriate for those uses, including the R-4 and R-14 zones. Staff are evaluating whether to prohibit indoor recreation facilities in R-4 and R-14 pending future, in-depth amendments addressing neighborhood- scale retail. Staff also propose to keep regulations unchanged within the Valley—where new facilities are currently permitted in the IL zone—until the use can be evaluated through the forthcoming subarea plan, but add the use in industrial zones outside the Valley to allow redevelopment into recreation uses. PART TWO: ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW In compliance with RCW 43.21C.240, the following environmental (SEPA) review addresses only those project impacts that are not adequately addressed under existing development standards and environmental regulations. A. Environmental Threshold Recommendation Based on analysis of probable impacts from the proposal, staff recommends that the Responsible Officials: Issue a DNS with a 14-day Appeal Period. B. Mitigation Measures 1. None C. Exhibits None D. Environmental Impacts There are no environmental impacts that are anticipated to occur in conjunction with the proposal. E. Comments of Reviewing Departments The proposal has been circulated to City Department and Division Reviewers. Where applicable, their comments have been incorporated into the text of this report and/or “Advisory Notes to Applicant.”  Copies of all Review Comments are contained in the Official File and may be attached to this report. The Environmental Determination decision will become final if the decision is not appealed within the 14- day appeal period (RCW 43.21.C.075(3); WAC 197-11-680). City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report 2025-2026 DOCKET 20, GROUP A AND GROUP C LUA26-0000024, ECF Report of Monday, February 10, 2026 Page 4 of 4 ERC Report 2025-2026 Docket 20, Group A and Group C Environmental Determination Appeal Process: Appeals of the environmental determination must be filed in writing together with the required fee to: Hearing Examiner, City of Renton, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, on or before 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2026. Appeals must be submitted electronically to the City Clerk at cityclerk@rentonwa.gov or delivered to City Hall 1st floor Lobby Hub Monday through Friday. The appeal fee, normally due at the time an appeal is submitted, will be collected at a future date if your appeal is submitted electronically. The appeal submitted in person may be paid on the first floor in our Finance Department. Appeals to the Hearing Examiner are governed by RMC 4-8-110 and additional information regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, cityclerk@rentonwa.gov.