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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda AGENDA Planning & Development Committee Regular Meeting 4:00 PM - Thursday, April 28, 2016 Council Conference Room, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S. Grady Way 1. EMERGING ISSUES a) The Owl Project 2. SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE & CONSTRUCTION a) AB - 1633 b) Staff Report 3. DOCKET 11 a) Business District A Public Mural Created by the Children of Renton for the City of Renton AGENDA ITEM #1. a) The Owl Project is a community building art project that will enlist the help of all elementary school children in the Renton School District to create a colorful and creative mural that will be installed on a prominent public wall within the downtown city area. The purpose of this piece is to promote inclusion, celebrate diversity and enhance the lives of the residents of Renton. According to a study by WalletHub in 2015, Renton is the 6th most diverse city in the COUNTRY! Our aim is to have this art project be a proud representation of this city’s pride in that diversity. https://wallethub.com/edu/most-‐diverse-‐cities/12690/ AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ Art is a tool that can build Inclusion, record history and beautify the city. ¡ Members of the community will break down differences as they dialogue and collaborate to create the mural. ¡  Murals define the cultural identity of a city, as well as attract more artists, visitors and media coverage. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) By creating an opportunity for every elementary school child to participate in a public art project, we are: ¡ Creating an appreciation for the arts ¡ Offering education in an artistic medium ¡ Creating an opportunity for individual expression ¡ Fostering a sense of belonging that can last a lifetime and beyond. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ The owl represents wisdom, knowledge and power. ¡ Can be depicted in a whimsical way in keeping with the light-‐heartedness of children. ¡ Brings many colors together into one. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) Here, more than one owl represents cooperation, collaboration, community, friendship and family. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) Intricate detail in the feathers gives room for many to contribute. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) Ceramic art is a great hands-‐on art activity that can be tied to curriculum at all grade levels and skill range. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) Several district schools have functioning kilns that can be used for this project. The more hands-‐on volunteers (teachers, art docents, parents), the more ownership the community will feel in this project. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ We will bring together the work of approximately 7800 children from K-‐5th grade. We will include those at H.O.M.E. homeschool program as well as Renton Academy and C.H.I.L.D. ¡ This is both a literal and symbolic coming together of the core of our community. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) This project will build strength through partnerships with: ¡ Renton School District (volunteer support, access to schools) (we have 4 elementary schools committed to participate so far!) ¡ City of Renton (monetary support, administrative support) ¡ Chamber of Commerce (networking support) ¡ Local Businesses (monetary support) ¡ 4 Culture (monetary support, administrative support) ¡ KCLS (marketing support, access to their building?) ¡ Parent & Community volunteers (administrative support, helping with human power!) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) Elementary School Student Body Benson Hill 574 Bryn Mawr 464 Campbell Hill 505 Cascade 577 Hazelwood 638 Highlands 575 Honey Dew 537 Kennydale 617 Lakeridge 414 Maplewood Heights 703 Renton Park 460 Sierra Heights 634 Talbot Hill 493 Tiffany Park 484 H.O.M.E. 50 Renton Academy 50 Total # Kids 7775 ¡ There are 16 elementary schools in the RSD, with approximately 7800 kids! ¡ Getting the support of the school principals, the PTAs and the admin staff will be key for the success of our project. AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ April/May 2016 § Beginning with a team of 5: 2 Artists, 2 PTA Leaders, 1 Social Worker Artist (all parents of elementary school kids) § Support from RMAC & Renton School District § Funds from City of Renton & Corporate Sponsors ¡ Summer 2016 § Reaching out to professionals: Artists, Contractors, Engineers, Lawyers, Landlords, City Officials § Procurement of Materials § Creation of Art Project Module for Kids AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ Fall 2016 § Recruitment of Volunteers ▪ Activate Art Docent Programs ▪ Parent Volunteers ▪ PTAs/ School Administrations ▪ Other community members § Training of Art Docents and Volunteers / Distribution of Materials ¡ January-‐March 2017 § Create Ceramic Pieces in Classes at all Elementary Schools § Bring together 12,000-‐18,000 pieces § Collaborative Event to Create Mural Design with Collected Pieces AGENDA ITEM #1. a) ¡ April-‐June 2017 § Creation and Installation of Mural § Planning of Unveiling Event ¡ July 2017 § Unveiling Event at Renton River Days 2017 AGENDA ITEM #1. a) The Owl Project Opera0ng Budget Item Descrip7on Qty. Cost per Total Materials Clay mid-‐range fire; cone-‐5 stoneware, lb.s 3100 $774.23 Glaze (gallon) 6 $72.95 $437.70 Wire mesh 55 $6.97 $383.35 Concrete screws (75ct. 3/16"x2 1/4") 8 $13.58 $108.64 Thinset (concrete adhesive-‐50lb. bag) 16 $20.00 $320.00 Grout (25lb. Bag) 15 $15.00 $225.00 Miscellaneous Supplies wire cu_ers, clay tools, other odds & ends 1 $750.00 $750.00 Labor/Services Mosaic Arast Creaaon of completed mosaic from 14,000-‐18,000 pcs. 1 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 Consulang Arasts Design/Planning of Mosaic 5 $1,000.00 $5,000.00 Engineer Consultant to design the a_achment to building 1 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 Contractor Installaaon of mosaic onto building 1 $5,000.00 $5,000.00 Lawyer Creaaon of legal non-‐profit, liability help 1 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 Accountant audit/managing of funds 1 $1,000.00 $1,000.00 Administraave Markeang creaaon of website, fliers, email blasts, etc. 1 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 Copying/Reproducaon Presentaaon packets, training materials 1 $500.00 $500.00 Supplies Office supplies, snacks for meeangs, etc. 1 $1,000.00 $1,000.00 Space Rental Rentals for meeangs, for art creaaon, storage 1 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 Admin Staff People to manage all of these tasks! 4 $2,000.00 $8,000.00 Sapend to Schools for incidentals, staff help, etc. 16 $500.00 $8,000.00 All of the stuff we haven't thought of yet! $10,000.00 SUBTOTAL $53,498.92 TAX $5,082.40 TOTAL $58,581.41 AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AGENDA ITEM #1. a) AB - 1633 City Council Regular Meeting - 11 Apr 2016 SUBJECT/TITLE: Sidewalk Maintenance and Construction RECOMMENDED ACTION: Refer to Planning & Development Committee DEPARTMENT: Community & Economic Development STAFF CONTACT: Paul Hintz, Associate Planner EXT.: 7436 FISCAL IMPACT: Expenditure Required: $ N/A Transfer Amendment: $ N/A Amount Budgeted: $ N/A Revenue Generated: $ N/A Total Project Budget: $ N/A City Share Total Project: $ N/A SUMMARY OF ACTION: Chapter 9-8 RMC, entitled Sidewalk Construction, details the processes by which a sidewalk is constructed when not done concurrently with development of the abutting lot, or when a previously constructed sidewalk needs to be reconstructed, repaired, or cleaned. The Chapter has not been substantially updated in over forty years. City personnel have adjusted their practices to conform to decisions of the Washington State Supreme Court (e.g., Rivett v. Tacoma), but the code should be updated to reflect those practices that are formally approved by City Council; for example, Public Works staff regularly repairs or constructs new sidewalks in existing residential neighborhoods. In addition to updating the RMC with respect to process, responsibility of improvements, and indemnification from injuries/damage resulting from hazardous conditions, staff would like to explore policies, such as:  Prioritizing sidewalk construction/repair based on the severity of any sidewalk defects and the location of the sidewalk (see attached Sidewalk Repair Priority Matrix); and  The City will perform construction/repair of sidewalk abutting residences in the RC through R-14 zoning districts (all other uses and zones would be financially responsible for constructing/repairing sidewalk). EXHIBITS: A. Sidewalk Priority Matrix STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Refer the Sidewalk Maintenance and Construction item to the Planning Commission and then the Planning and Development Committee for review. AGENDA ITEM #2. a) Sidewalk Priority Matrix Non-Specific Along Local Street Along Collector Street Along Arterial Street Within 1/4 mile of transit/bus stop Within 1/4 mile of parks & libraries Within 2 miles of a school 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Low Severity 1 Medium-Low Severity 2 Medium Severity 3 Medium-High Severity 4 High Severity 5 No Sidewalk 6 No Sidewalk 7 Missing sidewalk segment/slab No sidewalk constructed Low Severity Medium-Low Severity Medium Severity Medium-High Severity High Severity No Sidewalk No Sidewalk Sidewalk Location Sidewalk ConditionSidewalk impassable to average mobility-impaired pedestrian; hinders mobility of average pedestrian Sidewalk impassable to average mobility-impaired pedestrian Uneven/distressed surface may hinder movement of mobility-impaired pedestrian and may cause injury Low distress; unlikely to hinder mobility of average person Sidewalk in good condition; no maintenance needed AGENDA ITEM #2. a) \\rvfps-02\depts\pw\ced\planning\misc planning projects\sidewalk construction - chapter 9-8 rmc\staff rpt - sidewalk maintenance and construction.docx April 20, 2016 SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION General Description City personnel are seeking clarification and guidance on existing and proposed practices related to sidewalk construction, repair, and maintenance (hereinafter referred to as “sidewalk improvements”), as well as requesting the opportunity to update Renton Municipal Code (RMC) to that end. The Chapter indemnifies the City from injuries/damage resulting from hazardous sidewalk conditions regardless of how the sidewalk defect was created, directs City personnel to immediately report the need for such sidewalk improvements to City Council, and via resolution require the owner of property abutting the sidewalk to finance improvements to City standards. Assessment of Existing Code Chapter 9-8 RMC, entitled Sidewalk Construction, details the processes by which sidewalk is constructed when not done concurrently with development of the abutting lot, or when previously constructed sidewalk needs to be reconstructed, repaired, or cleaned; the Chapter has not been substantially updated in over forty years. Case law, notably Rivett v. Tacoma, has rendered some provisions of Chapter 9-8 RMC to not be in keeping the Revised Code of Washington. For example, it is unlawful to require an abutting property owner to fund the repair or reconstruction of sidewalk without any judgment as to the cause of the sidewalk defect. Sidewalk defects that are caused by the actions, or lack thereof, by city personnel are the responsibility of that jurisdiction. Additionally, current RMC provisions require complete indemnification from liability of injuries sustained as result of a defective sidewalk; this provision is also no longer valid as jurisdictions potentially have culpability if that jurisdiction had actual knowledge of the defect. City personnel have adjusted their practices in order to comply with case law. For example, residential sidewalk is regularly improved by the City without any financial responsibility required of the abutting property owner. Sidewalk Study: In 2008 a Sidewalk Study was conducted to identify and prioritize sidewalk improvements. The study concluded that “…many arterial and local streets were constructed in Renton prior to the current standards. Many streets lack sidewalks on either one or both sides. Additionally, recent annexations have incorporated new neighborhoods into the city that were developed under King County development standards. The newer neighborhoods have sidewalks per current King County Road Standards, but older neighborhoods may have been developed without sidewalks under older King County Road Standards.” The study prioritized 29 projects that totaled approximately $4 million. Although this estimate was made eight years ago and at least a portion of the total projects have presumably been constructed, the total miles of street centerline (lengths measured along the center of roadways) was 232 miles at the time of the study, compared to 440 miles of centerline that exist today. The 2016-2021 Transportation Improvement Program allocates a total of $660,000 to the Sidewalk Rehabilitation and Replacement Program, which is unlikely to fully fund desired or even necessary sidewalk improvements over the next five years. AGENDA ITEM #2. b) Page 2 of 3 April 20, 2016 Proposed Amendments to Code  Allow City Council to contribute or wholly pay for sidewalk improvements regardless of the cause of sidewalk defect(s);  Repair or reconstruction of existing sidewalk will only be the responsibility of abutting property owners if it’s determined that a current or past owner caused the defect (e.g., evidence of parking vehicles on the sidewalk/curb, planting a tree on private property that causes sidewalk heaving);  Require an annual report to City Council requesting funds to be expended for specific sidewalk improvements based upon an assessment of documented hazardous sidewalk, the severity of those hazardous conditions, the cost of making improvements, and available budgeted funds;  Requires abutting property owners to report any hazardous or defective sidewalk condition to the City; and  The City would be indemnified by the abutting property owner only if a sidewalk defect caused the injury and that property owner had knowledge of the defect at least 14 days prior to the injury for which a claim is made. Proposed Practices:  Needed sidewalk improvements in residential neighborhoods (those zoned RC through R-14) will be performed by the City when funding is available (assuming sidewalk defects are not caused by the abutting property owner). All other property owners will be financially responsible for sidewalk improvements based on the notion that their properties generate revenue, and providing pedestrian access is not only a requirement but also benefit for their enterprise.  Prioritize sidewalk improvements based on the enclosed “Sidewalk Repair Priority Matrix.” The matrix is only a draft at this point, and edits or additions are welcome.  The matrix would prioritize necessary improvements based on the Sidewalk Location (horizontal axis) coupled with the Sidewalk Condition (vertical axis).  Each column and each row would have a numerical value (i.e., weight), and when the location and condition are determined a sum of the numerical values would determine its priority (the largest sum equates to the highest priority).  The Sidewalk Conditions have been weighted differently than Sidewalk Locations because staff considers the condition of sidewalks to be of greater importance than the location, and because more heavily weighted conditions will result in sidewalk prioritization that is more geographically equitable. For example, with evenly weighted axes a sidewalk of “low distress” within two miles of a school would have equal priority as a block face that lacks up to 50% of sidewalk along a local street.  Block faces that lack sidewalk for more than 50% of the linear length have been excluded from the matrix because such capital projects will likely draw funds from a different source than would repairs or construction of sidewalk in limited lengths. Summary Like most infrastructure sidewalks require maintenance, repairs, and at times upgrades. A city the size of Renton will likely always have inadequate funding for all necessary sidewalk AGENDA ITEM #2. b) Page 3 of 3 April 20, 2016 improvements, and therefore the City must be very methodical and deliberate in deciding to expend resources for this infrastructure. Impact Analysis Effect on rate of growth, development, and conversion of land as envisioned in the Plan None Effect on the City’s capacity to provide adequate public facilities The proposed code amendments and practices are intended to provide the most critically necessary sidewalk (public facility) improvements while not detracting from the City’s ability to provide other public facilities. Effect on the rate of population and employment growth None Whether Plan objectives are being met as specified or remain valid and desirable N/A Effect on general land values or housing costs Land values of property abutting adequate sidewalks tend to be higher than those properties that lack such facilities, and therefore the proposed code amendments and practices will likely raise the value of properties where sidewalk improvements are made. The proposed code amendments and practices will not affect the cost of new housing construction. Whether capital improvements or expenditures are being made or completed as expected The proposed code amendments and practices will help ensure capital improvements or expenditures are being made or completed as expected. Consistency with GMA, the Plan, and Countywide Planning Policies The proposed code amendments and practices are consistent with the GMA, the Plan, and Countywide Planning Policies. Effect on other considerations N/A Staff Recommendation Amend Chapter 9-8 RMC as described. Implementation Requirements Adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 9-8 RMC. AGENDA ITEM #2. b) Street Classification Along Local Street Along Collector Street Along Arterial Street 5 10 15 20 25 30 Low Distress 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Medium Severity 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Medium-High Severity 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 High Severity 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 Missing Sidewalk Segment/Slab 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 No Sidewalk < 50% of Block Face 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 Sidewalk Repair Priority Matrix Sidewalk Location Within 1/4 Mile of Parks & Libraries Within 1/4 Mile of Transit Stops Within 2 miles of a school Sidewalk ConditionUneven/distressed surface may hinder movement of mobility-impaired pedestrian and may cause injury Low distress; unlikely to hinder mobility of average person Missing a half or a complete sidewalk segment/slab Low Distress: Medium Severity: Medium-High Severity: High Severity: Missing Sidewalk: No Sidewalk (50%):No sidewalk constructed for less than or equal to 50% of block face Sidewalk impassable to average mobility-impaired pedestrian; hinders mobility of average pedestrian Sidewalk impassable to average mobility-impaired pedestrian AGENDA ITEM #2. b)