Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPre-App Meeting SummaryDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Planning Division | 1055 South Grady Way, 6th Floor | Renton, WA 98057 | 425-430-7200 |www.rentonwa.gov PREAPPLICATION MEETING FOR South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot 1200 Monster Rd SW, Renton, WA 98057 PRE 26-000041 March 12, 2026 Contact Information: Planner: Jill Ding, 425-430-6598, jding@rentonwa.gov Public Works Plan Reviewer: Yong Qi, 425-430-7439, yqi@rentonwa.gov Fire Prevention Reviewer: Hugo Sotelo, 425.276.9587, hsotelo@RentonRFA.org Building Department Reviewer: Rob Shuey, 206.550.8523, rshuey@rentonwa.gov Please retain this packet throughout the course of your project as a reference. Consider giving copies to engineers, architects, and contractors who will work on the project. You will need to submit an PDF copy of this packet when you apply for land use and/or environmental permits. When the project application is ready for submittal, you may email the project planner to start the prescreen process. Similarly, you may contact the assigned planner if there are any questions regarding submittal requirements. The pre-application meeting is informal and non-binding. The comments provided on the proposal are based on the codes and policies in effect at the time of review. The applicant is cautioned that the development regulations are regularly amended and the pr oposal will be formally reviewed under the regulations in effect at the time of project submittal. The information contained in this summary is subject to modification and/or concurrence by official decision-makers (e.g., Hearing Examiner, Planning Director, Development Services Director, Development Engineering Director, Department of Community & Economic Development Administrator, Public Works Administrator and City Council). DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT M E M O R A N D U M DATE: March 12, 2026 TO: Jill Ding, Senior Planner FROM: Yong Qi, Civil Engineer III SUBJECT: South Plant Loop Biosolids Composting Project 1200 Monster Rd SW PRE26-000041 NOTE: The applicant is cautioned that information contained in this summary is preliminary and non-binding and may be subject to modification and/or concurrence by official City decision- makers. Review comments may also need to be revised based on site planning and other design changes required by City staff or made by the applicant. I have completed a preliminary review for the above-referenced proposal located at parcel(s) 2423049006. The following comments are based on the pre-application submittal made to the City of Renton by the applicant. Water, Sewer, Surface Water 1. Based on the submittal items and project description, there are no anticipated water, sewer, or surface water requirements associated with the extension of the temporary use permit to allow the pilot program to continue operation. Transportation 1. Based on the submittal items and project description, there are no anticipated transportation comments associated with the extension of the temporary use permit to allow the pilot program to continue operation. DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT M E M O R A N D U M DATE: March 12, 2026 TO: Pre-Application File No. PRE26-000041 FROM: Jill Ding, 425-430-6598, jding@rentonwa.gov SUBJECT: South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot 1200 Monster Rd SW, Renton, WA 98057 APN 2423049006 General: We have completed a preliminary review of the pre -application for the above-referenced development proposal. The following comments on development and permitting issues are based on the pre-application submittals made to the City of Renton by the applicant and the codes in effect on the date of review. The applicant is cautioned that information contained in this summary may be subject to modification and/or concurrence by official decision -makers (e.g., Hearing Examiner, Community & Economic Development Administrator, Public Works Administrator, Planning Director, Development Services Director, Development Engineering Director, and City Council). Review comments may also need to be revised based on site planning and other design changes required by City staff or made by the applicant. The applicant is encouraged to review all applicable sections of the Renton Municipal Code. The Development Regulations are available online at https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Renton. Project Proposal: The proposed project site is located at King County’s South Wastewater Treatment Plat (South Plat) in Renton at 1200 Monster Rd SW (Parcel No. 2423049006). The King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) has an ongoing pilot program at the South Treatment Plant (1200 Monster Rd SW) for a Loop Biosolid Composting project. A Tier II Temporary Use Permit (TUP) (LUA21-000141) was previously issued in May 2021. Due to unforeseen delays including budgeting, additional permitting, and contractor obtainment, the construction of the site was not completed until November 2024 at which point composting began. WTD is applying for another TUP to allow the pilot program to continue. The objective of the proposal is to allow the existing pilot system to continue which would further process Class B Loop® biosolids into a Class A Loop compost. Approximately 0.91 acres of the 72.34-acre parcel would be used for the loop compost pilot project. Information from the loop composting pilot project would be used to demonstrate proof of concept and develop a business case for composting, develop reliable sources of feedstocks and bulking agents, conduct product and process optimization, develop markets and distribution channels, build community support and collect data to inform the capital project process for a larger, permanent facility to be located off-site. Because this is a temporary pilot project with no permanent above ground structures, it would only operate up to five years for ongoing testing so that sufficient data can be collected for proof of concept. The parcel has been mapped, by City of Renton (COR) Maps, with moderate coalmine hazards, regulated shoreline – shoreline high intensity, high seismic hazards, regulated slopes, moderate/high landslide South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot Page 2 of 5 March 12, 2026 hazards, special flood hazard area (100 year flood) – FEMA Zone AE, and wetlands. The proposed project would be located outside of the 200-foot shoreline jurisdiction of Springbrook Creek. Current Use: Currently the site is occupied by King County’s South Treatment Plat (South Plat). 1. Zoning /Land Use Designation, and Overlays: The property is located within the Employment Area (EA) land use designation and the Heavy Industrial (IH) zoning designation. A Tier II Temporary Use permit would be required to allow King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) for a temporary Loop® Compost Pilot Project in the IH zone to continue. Alternatively, the use may require a Hearing Examiner Conditional Use Permit in the IH zone and be subject to site plan review as the development is located in the Employment Area (EA) designation. 2. Development Standards: The project would be subject to RMC 4-2-130A, “Development Standards for Industrial Zoning Designations” effective at the time of complete application (noted as “IH standards” herein). Minimum Lot Size, Width and Depth – The minimum lot size in the IH zone is 35,000 square feet. There are no minimum lot width or depth requirements. The existing lot totals 3,151,155 square feet (72.34 acres) in area and would exceed the minimum lot size requirements of the IH zone. Setbacks – Setbacks are the distance between the building and the property line or any private access easement. The required setbacks in the IH zone are as follows: 15 feet for a front yard or secondary front yard (20 feet from a principal arterial street); zero for the rear yard or side yards, except 50 feet if the lot abuts a lot zoned residential. Building Height and Impervious Surface Coverage – The maximum building height in the IH zone is 50 feet, except for public facilities. Heights may exceed maximum with a Conditional Use Permit. Building height shall not exceed the maximum allowed by the subject zoning district or the maximum allowed pursuant to RMC 4-3-020, Airport Related Height and Use Restrictions, whichever is less. There are no minimum lot coverage or impervious surface coverage requirements within the IH zone. 3. Screening: Screening must be provided for all surface-mounted and roof top utility and mechanical equipment. The site plan application will need to include elevations and details for the proposed methods of screening (see RMC 4-4-095). 4. Fences/Walls: If the applicant intends to install any fences or retaining walls as part of this project, the location must be designated on the landscape plan or grading plan. A fence and/or wall detail should also be included on the plan. A fence taller than 6 feet sh all require a building permit or an explicit exemption from the Building Official. A retaining wall that is 4 feet or taller, as measured by the vertical distance from the bottom of the footing to the finish grade at the top of the wall requir es a building permit. A fence shall not be constructed on top of a retaining wall unless the total combined height of the retaining wall and the fence does not exceed the allowed height of a standalone fence. For more information about fences and retaining walls refer to RMC 4-4-040. The existing facility is fenced, no new fencing is proposed to continue the existing temporary use. 5. Landscaping: Except for critical areas, all portions of the development area not covered by structures, required parking, access, circulation or service areas, must be landscaped with native, drought - resistant vegetative cover. The minimum on-site landscape width required along street frontages is 10 feet and shall contain trees, shrubs, and landscaping. Street trees in the ROW planter will also be required. Please refer to landscape regulations (RMC 4-4-070) for additional general and specific South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot Page 3 of 5 March 12, 2026 landscape requirements. The proposal would be exempt from compliance with the landscaping requirements as no new buildings are proposed. 6. Significant Tree Retention: When significant trees (greater than 6-inch caliper or 8-caliper inches for alders and cottonwoods) are proposed to be removed, a tree inventory and a tree retention plan along with an arborist report, tree retention plan and tree retention worksheet shall be provided with the formal land use application as defined in RMC 4-8-120. The tree retention plan must show preservation of at least 30% of significant trees. Please refer to RMC 4-4-130, Tree Retention and Land Clearing Regulations for further general and specific tree retention and land clearing requirements. In addition to retaining a minimum of 30% of existing significant trees, properties subject to an active land development permit shall comply with minimum tree credit retention requirements of a minimum of 30 credits per net acre. Tree credits encourage retention of existing significant trees with larger trees being worth more tree credits. TREE SIZE TREE CREDITS New small species tree 0.25 New medium species tree 1 New large species tree 2 Preserved tree 6 – 9 caliper inches 4 Preserved tree 10 – 12 caliper inches 5 Preserved tree 12 – 15 caliper inches 6 Preserved tree 16 – 18 caliper inches 7 Preserved tree 19 – 21 caliper inches 8 Preserved tree 22 – 24 caliper inches 9 Preserved tree 25 – 28 caliper inches 10 Preserved tree 29 – 32 caliper inches 11 Preserved tree 33 – 36 caliper inches 12 Preserved tree 37 caliper inches and greater 13 Significant trees shall be retained in the following priority order: Priority One: Landmark trees; significant trees that form a continuous canopy; significant trees on slopes greater than twenty percent (20%); significant trees adjacent to critical areas and their associated buffers; significant trees over sixty feet (60') in height or greater than eighteen inches (18") caliper; and trees that shelter interior trees or trees on abutting properties from strong winds, which could otherwise allow such sheltered trees to be blown down if removed. South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot Page 4 of 5 March 12, 2026 Priority Two: Healthy tree groupings whose associated undergrowth can be preserved; other significant native evergreen or deciduous trees; and other significant non-native trees. Priority Three: Alders and cottonwoods shall be retained when all other trees have been evaluated for retention and are not able to be retained unless the alders and/ or cottonwoods are used as part of an approved enhancement project within a critical area or its buffer. The Administrator may require independent review of any land use application that involves tree removal and land clearing at the City's discretion. The Administrator may authorize the planting of replacement trees on the site if it can be demonstrated to the Administrator's satisfaction that replacement requirements in RMC 4 -4-130H.1.e can be met. Tree retention standards shall be applied to the developable area, as defined in RMC 4-11-040, Definitions D, of a property. 7. Parking: The following ratios would be applicable to the site: USE NUMBER OF REQUIRED SPACES Uses not specifically identified in this Section Department of Community and Economic Development staff shall determine which of the below uses is most similar based upon staff experience with various uses and information provided by the applicant. The amount of required parking for uses not listed above shall be the same as for the most similar use listed below. It should be noted that the parking regulations specify standard stall dimensions. Surface parking stalls must be a minimum of 8 feet x 20 feet, and compact dimensions of 8 feet x 16 feet; compact surface parking spaces shall not account for more than 30 percent of the spaces in the surface parking lots. ADA accessible stalls must be a minimum of 8 feet in width by 20 feet in length, with an adjacent access aisle of 8 feet in width for van accessible spaces. The appropriate amount of ADA accessible stalls b ased on the total number of spaces must be provided. Compliance with the parking regulations would not be required, as no new buildings are proposed. 8. Access/Driveways: The primary access to the northern portion of the Treatment Plant is via SW 7 th St. However, there are additional driveways located off Monster Road SW, Longacres Dr SW, and SW Grady Way. No changes in access are proposed. 9. Critical Areas: The project site has been mapped with moderate coalmine hazards and high seismic hazards. The applicant shall contract with a geotechnical engineer in order to verify that the earthwork, foundation and other recommendations have been properly interpreted and implemented in the design and engineering plan documents. If any new development is proposed, the applicant shall complete an analysis on Coal Mine Hazards in the area pursuant to RMC 4-8-120D.7 Geotechnical Report, Coalmine-Medium. Springbrook Creek is located offsite to the east. Springbrook Creek is a Shoreline of the State and is subject to the provisions of the Shoreline Management Act. If any work is proposed within 200 feet of Springbrook Creek, the proposal would be required to comply with the City’s Shoreline Master Program. In addition, a floodplain is mapped on the project site. If any development is proposed within the floodplain, a flood hazard study and Biological Assessment would be required at the time of formal South Plant Loop Biosolids Compost Pilot Page 5 of 5 March 12, 2026 land use application. The study would need to demonstrate that the proposed development would be constructed one (1) foot above base floor elevation for the 1995 Flood Insurance Rate Map (1995 FIRM Map) and provide an analysis as to whether the proposal would require compensato ry storage. Finally, the City’s COR mapping system has identified a wetland within 200-feet of the site. This wetland could be associated with Springbrook Creek. If this wetland is associated with Springbrook Creek it would be regulated by the Shoreline Master Program (RMC 4-3-090). All reasonable efforts should be taken to ensure that the proposed activities do not result in net loss of ecological functions. If the wetland is found to be separated from Springbrook Creek, then the wetland would be regulated by the Critical Areas Regulations. As the project is separated from the wetland via an access road, the Critical Area Regulations may not apply to development per RMC 4-3-050B.1.g, as determined by the Administrator. Beyond the established critical area buffer, all structures would be required to provide a minimum 15-foot building setback. 10. Environmental Review: In accordance with WAC 197-11-800, the repair, remodeling, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing private or public structures, facilities or equipment, including utilities, recreation, and transportation facilities involving no material expansions o r changes in use beyond that previously existing would be exempt from Environmental (SEPA) Review. 11. Permit Requirements: The proposal would require a Tier II Temporary Use Permit. The application would be processed in an estimated timeframe of 6-8 weeks. The application fee for a Teir II Temporary Use Permit is $244. The fee for any Code Modifications are $308 each. A 5% technology fee would also be assessed at the time of land use application. All fees are subject to change. Detailed information regarding the land use application submittal can be found on the City’s Permit Center website (www.Rentonwa.gov). The City now requires electronic plan submittal for all applications. In addition to the required land use permits, separate construction and building permits may be required. 12. Impact Fees: As the proposal would not include the construction of new buildings Impact Fees would not be required. A handout listing all of the City’s Development related fees is available for your review at https://edocs.rentonwa.gov/Documents/Browse.aspx?id=8217302&dbid=0&repo=CityofRenton 13. Next Steps: When the formal application materials are complete, the applicant shall have the materials pre-screened prior to submitting the complete application package. Please contact Planner: Jill Ding, 425-430-6598, jding@rentonwa.gov to submit prescreen materials and subsequent land use application. 14. Expiration: A temporary use permit is valid for up to one year from the effective date of the permit, unless the Administrator establishes a shorter time frame. An applicant can request that a temporary use permit be valid beyond one year and for up to five (5) years at time of application or prior to permit expiration. Extension requests do not require additional fees and shall be requested in writing to the Community and Economic Development Administrator. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor the expiration dates.