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HomeMy WebLinkAboutERC Report_Master Site Plans-PUD Open Space-Waived Fees_FinalDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ERC Report Title IV Docket 20 & 21 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT ERC MEETING DATE: May 4, 2026 Project Name: Docket 20: D-248 Large Site Master Plans and Development Agreements, D-249 Planned Urban Development Open Space; Docket 21: D-250 Affordable Housing Waived Fees Project Number: LUA26-000117 Project Manager: Maya Simon, Associate Planner Owner: City of Renton Applicant: City of Renton Contact: Maya Simon, 425-430-7263, msimon@rentonwa.gov Project Location: Citywide Project Summary: The applicant is requesting Environmental (SEPA) Review for the following non-project items: D-248 Large Site Master Plans and Development Agreements: The City of Renton proposes Title IV text amendments to codify a development agreement option that would run concurrently with a master site plan application for certain projects located within the Valley Community Planning Area while also allowing flexibility in modifying development standards and providing a longer vested time horizon for the application. D-249 Planned Urban Development Open Space: The City of Renton proposes Title IV amendments to Planned Urban Development (PUD) Open Space regulations to adjust the size of required private open space and to add multiple alternatives to replace private open space with common open space. The proposed alternatives are 1) replacement with creative common amenity space or 2) provision of, or payment for, public parks. D-250 Affordable Housing Waived Fees: The City of Renton proposes amendments to lower the minimum unit counts for eligibility for the Waived Fees affordable housing incentive. Additionally, code needs to be amended to be consistent with changes the Legislature has made to the Growth Management Act addressing some affordable housing incentives. 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 DOCKET 20 & 21 LUA26-000117, ECF Report of Monday, May 4, 2026 ERC Report Title IV Docket 20 & 21 PART ONE: PROJECT DESCRIPTION / BACKGROUND D-248 Large Site Master Plans and Development Agreements: Proposed amendments are to incorporate regulations that provide opportunities for large, campus sized development projects that span a decade or more to fully construct. Current development regulations anticipate projects to complete construction typically within a two to five (2-5) year time period following the initial entitlement application. Master plan approvals have five (5) years (or up to 10 years with multiple phased projects) to obtain building and construction permits for each of the phases. A Development Agreement provides certainty for developers that the development regulations will not change and it provides certainty for the city that the construction timeline and benchmarks in the agreement are made over the course of the contract’s term. A DA also provides an opportunity for the city to negotiate public benefits that otherwise could not be required by the development regulations. The proposal would provide flexibility for phased master plans that allow for more than the current 10-year time limitation if accompanied by a Development Agreement and located in the Valley Community Planning Area. It would also authorize those Development Agreements to allow modifications to development regulations, specify that they contain a land area of 40 acres or greater, and provide a menu of public benefits that may be considered by the city in exchange for the Development Agreement. D-249 Planned Urban Development (PUD) Open Space: PUDs are a type of land use application that allow development in Renton to modify development standards in exchange for public benefits such as protecting natural features and being innovative in the proposed development. RMC 4-9-150 requires different amounts of common open space for projects that are residential-only and for residential units in mixed-use projects. PUDs also require at least some private open space for every unit, while projects permitted under other code sections can replace private open space with common open space. Some larger buildings are designed as curtain wall construction, which does not lend itself to installing private open space, such as balconies, on upper-story units. Proposed amendments would add a minimum dimension of four feet by eight feet (4’x8’) for private open space of upper-story units and add options to replace private open space with common open space. The proposed alternatives are: 1) replacement with creative common amenity space, or 2) provision of, or payment for, public parks. D-250 Affordable Housing Waived Fees: The Waived Fees provisions allow the Council to approve the waiver of some land use and development fees for affordable housing projects. The provisions have been in place since 2001 and have recently helped Renton Housing Authority and Homestead Community Land Trust to develop affordable rental homes as well as affordable ownership homes. Currently, a home ownership project must have a minimum of ten (10) units to be eligible. For rental projects to be eligible in residential zones it must have eight (8) units and in mixed use zones projects must have a minimum of 30 units. City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report DOCKET 20 & 21 LUA26-000117, ECF Report of Monday, May 4, 2026 Page 3 of 4 ERC Report Title IV Docket 20 & 21 Staff recommend lowering the minimum number of home ownership units for eligibility from ten (10) to four (4). For affordable rental housing, staff recommend lowering the minimum number of units in residential zones from ten (10) to six (6) and in mixed use zones from 30 to 25. Current code requires 30 years of maintenance as affordable housing and it should be amended to reflect the State changes to 50 years. Staff would also like to revise the code section to consolidate redundancies and some other non-substantive amendments. 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). 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 May 18, 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, City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Environmental Review Committee Report DOCKET 20 & 21 LUA26-000117, ECF Report of Monday, May 4, 2026 Page 4 of 4 ERC Report Title IV Docket 20 & 21 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.