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PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: March 20, 2019
TO: Clark Close, CED Senior Planner
FROM: Abdoul Gafour, Water Utility Manager, x 7210
SUBJECT: Code Modification Request
Kennydale Reservoir Retaining Wall Fencing
The Water Utility requests a modification of City Code RMC 4-4-040 Fences, Hedges, and
Retaining Walls related to the Kennydale water reservoir project. In accordance with RMC 4-9-
250D Modifications Procedures, this request for code modification is necessary because of
practical difficulties in carrying out the provisions of the standards.
Project General Narrative
Location
The current property for the new Kennydale reservoir and for Fire Station 15 is 1.09 acres
(47,532 sf) parcel, King County parcel no. 3342103245 and the reservoir site will be the north
0.38 acre (16,482 sf) of the property. The property is located with the Commercial
Neighborhood (CN) and Residential-6 (R-6) zoning classifications. The new fire station was
completed in January 2019 and is occupied by Renton Regional Fire Authority (RFA). The
reservoir property has a 10% slope from north to south , and the project will grade the site and
install retaining walls along the north and south property lines with perimeter landscaping and
fencing. The surrounding properties include single family homes located to the north of the
reservoir property and a mix of single family, multi-family, and commercial properties to the
west and east sides of the reservoir property.
Current use of property
The current reservoir property is vacant and the site was recently cleared for construction of
the new reservoir in accordance to the conditions of city-approved land use application LUA-17-
000633 and of the conditional use permit dated November 21 , 2017.
Proposed improvements
The improvements consist of the construction of a 1.3 million-gallon above ground steel
reservoir, 50-feet in diameter, 103-feet tall, including a 24-foot wide access tract, site utilities,
stormwater facilities, retaining walls, parking lot lighting, and landscaping. The project also
includes roadway improvements and landscaping along the property frontage on NE 30 th Street.
Clark Close
Page 2 of 2
March 20, 2019
C:\Users\cclose\Desktop\Kennydale Reservoir\Code-modification-request.docx\AGmc
Code Modification Request
Per RMC 4-4-040C2b, “Fences or hedges adjacent to retaining walls with a combined height that
exceeds the allowed height of a standalone retaining wall shall be set back by a minimum of
two feet (2'); this area shall be landscaped as if it were a terrace.”
Practical Difficulties with Current Code and Standards
Two retaining walls will be constructed for the reservoir project, a 170-foot long wall along the
north property line, and a 130-foot long wall along the south property line.
The north wall will be set back 15-feet from the property line and its height varies from one
foot to a maximum of six feet. There will be a 15-foot landscaped planter strip between the
retaining wall and the north property line.
The south retaining wall varying in height from one foot to a maximum of six feet will be
located along the proposed south property line separating th e city’s water reservoir property
from RFA’s fire station property. Due to the need for a nine-foot wide maintenance access road
around the reservoir, and accommodation of large underground stormwater facilities and
related piping along the south side of the reservoir, there is not sufficient room to place the
new fence line with a two-foot minimum setback from the south retaining wall, as required by
city code.
The Water Utility requests a code modification to allow installation of the fence right behind
the retaining wall. In order to provide screening along the front of the retaining wall, we
propose to install two rows of Columnar Arborvitae trees in the 10-foot wide planter strip
located at the bottom of the retaining wall. There will be 46 total trees along the 90-foot long
south retaining wall, and the trees will be minimum of four feet tall and will grow to eight feet.
A revised landscape plan is attached for your review.
We believe that our proposal would meet the city’s criteria for code modification per RMC 4-9-
250D since the revised landscaping will meet the objectives, function, appearance, and conform
to the intent of the Code requirements.
Please let us know if you have any questions or need additional information. Thank you for your
consideration of this matter.
Attachments