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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC_Secondary_Stream_Review_Memorandum k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx Technical Memorandum To: Matt Herrera, City of Renton From: Jeff Gray, PWS Copies: File Date: January 21, 2021 Subject: Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use, LUA19-000290 Project No.: 32847.H00 Introduction The City of Renton (City) requested Otak, Inc. (Otak) to support the City with the review of the stream typing of Honey Creek on parcel #0323059093 at 4409 Northeast Sunset Boulevard, Renton, WA. The City requested Otak to review the stream and fish and wildlife habitat assessment (Soundview Consultants, LLC, dated August 7, 2020) that was included in the land use application for the Sunset Highlands Mixed Use development (LUA19- 000290). Otak’s scope of work included completing a site visit and providing a recommended stream classification per City of Renton Municipal Code (RMC) Critical Area Regulations (4-3-050). The applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to the City to support the Type Ns (non-fish seasonal) stream classification on site per RMC 4- 3-050G(7)a (Classification System). Honey Creek, also identified as Honey Dew Creek, is a tributary to May Creek in the Lake Washington basin and is classified as a Type F (fish) watercourse downstream of the project site. Reviewed project documents and application materials include: • Sunset Highlands Critical Areas Report – Parcel 0323059093 (Sewell Wetland Consulting, Inc., dated March 22, 2018) • Sunset Highlands Mixed Use Site Plan Sheet AS 100 (1 sheet) (Jon Graves Architects and Planners, dated November 1, 2019) • Technical Memorandum, Stream and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Assessment – 4409 Northeast Sunset Boulevard, Renton, WA 98059 (Soundview Consultants, LLC, dated August 7, 2020) • Email from Karen Walter, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to Matt Herrera, City of Renton (Subject: City of Renton LUA Acceptance; Sunset highlands Mixed Use, LUA19-000290; dated January 22, 2020) Stream types in the RMC 4-3-050G(7)a (Classification System) are defined as follows: 7. Streams and Lakes: a. Classification System: The following classification system is hereby adopted for the purposes of regulating Streams and Lakes in the City. This classification system is based on the State’s Permanent Water Typing System WAC 222-16- 030. Stream and lake buffer widths are based on the following rating system: i. Type S: Waters inventoried as “Shorelines of the State” under chapter 90.58 RCW. These waters are regulated under Renton’s Shoreline Master Program Regulations, RMC 4-3-090. Page 2 Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project January 21, 2021 k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx ii. Type F: Waters that are known to be used by fish or meet the physical criteria to be potentially used by fish and that have perennial (year-round) or seasonal flows. iii. Type Np: Waters that do not contain fish or fish habitat and that have perennial (year -round) flows. Perennial stream waters do not go dry any time of a year of normal rainfall. However, for the purpose of water typing, Type Np waters include the intermittent dry portions of the perennial channel below the uppermost point of perennial flow. iv. Type Ns: Waters that do not contain fish or fish habitat and have intermittent flows. These are seasonal, non- fish habitat streams in which surface flow is not present for at least some portion of a year of normal rainfall and are not located downstream from any stream reach that is a Type Np Water. Ns Wate rs must be physically connected by an above-ground channel system to Type S, F, or Np Waters. Methods Methods to complete this scope of work included reviewing published background information and completing a site visit to collect stream habitat information. The purpose of the field work was to identify potential natural fish passage barriers (e.g., waterfalls, steep grades) downstream of the project site to support the classification of Honey Creek on site as a non-fish stream. The site visit was completed on January 7, 2021 by two Otak biologists. Site photographs are included with this memorandum. Background Review The following information sources regarding stream type and potential fish presence in Honey Creek were reviewed prior to the site visit: • King County iMap (http://gismaps.kingcounty.gov/iMap/), accessed January 5, 2021. • Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Forest Practices Application Mapping Tool (FPAMT) (https://fpamt.dnr.wa.gov/default.aspx), accessed January 5, 2021. • City of Renton (COR) Maps (http://rp.rentonwa.gov/Html5Public/Index.html?viewer=CORMaps), accessed January 5, 2021. • Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Northwest Indian Fisheries (NWIFC) Statewide Washington Integrated Fish Distribution Data set (SWIFD) (https://geo.nwifc.org/swifd/), accessed January 5, 2021 • WDFW Washington State Fish Passage online mapper (https://geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov/hp/fishpassage/index.html), accessed on January 5, 2021. King County iMap: Honey Creek is incorrectly mapped along the south side of NE Sunset Boulevard on the project parcel. The classification of Honey Creek is listed as Unknown. WDNR’s FPAMT: Honey Creek is mapped as a Type F (fish) watercourse near the confluence with May Creek, and as a Type N (non-fish) watercourse near Union Avenue NE. The stream type break is mapped approximately 0.9 mile downstream and west of Union Avenue NE. COR Maps: Honey Creek is mapped as a Type Ns (non-fish seasonal) watercourse on site and downstream to Union Avenue NE. Honey Creek is mapped as a Type Np (non-fish perennial) watercourse for approximately 0.6 mile downstream of Union Avenue NE, then transitions to a Type F (fish) classification to the confluence with May Creek. Page 3 Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project January 21, 2021 k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx SWIFD and WDFW State Fish Passage: Honey Creek is mapped on site as a seasonal stream along the northern edge of the property parallel to NE Sunset Boulevard. Downstream of Union Avenue NE, several fish species are modeled as potentially occurring in Honey Creek due to the lack of a gradient barrier (i.e., gradient accessible), including: coastal cutthroat trout, winter steelhead, coho, and fall chinook. Coastal cutthroat trout are documented as occurring in Honey Creek approximately 0.6 mile downstream of Union Avenue NE. Field Review In accordance with WDFW’s Fish Passage Inventory, Assessment, and Prioritization Manual (2019), Otak biologists assessed the presence of natural fish passage barriers, including gradient barriers and waterfalls in Honey Creek. Gradient barriers are defined as a stream reach with a sustained gradient of greater than or equal to 20% for greater than or equal to 160 meters without resting areas. Waterfall barriers are defined as a single, near vertical drop greater than 3.7 meters in height. These criteria are based on identifying the upstream limits of adult salmonid migration for all species. RMC 4-11-190 defines a natural salmonid migration barrier as an instream blockage that consists of a natural drop with an uninterrupted slope greater than 100% and a height in excess of 11 vertical feet within anadromous salmon-bearing waters or a height of three vertical feet within resident trout-only bearing waters. While in the field, Otak biologists measured bankfull width (BFW) and depth in Honey Creek on site and at multiple locations downstream to document physical habitat conditions. Downstream habitat conditions were evaluated for approximately 800 linear feet downstream of Union Avenue NE, and at the non-piped portion of Honey Creek in the northeast corner of the Union Avenue NE/NE Sunset Boulevard intersection. Stream gradient was measured using a handheld Brunton clinometer and stadia rod while standing in the stream channel. Field Data Results Honey Creek is piped in multiple locations upstream and downstream of the project site as documented in the stream and fish and wildlife habitat assessment prepared by Soundview Consultants, LLC (August 7, 2020). On site, Honey Creek discharges from a culvert on the eastern property boundary, and flows in a straightened open channel to the west before entering a culvert located at the western property boundary. The channel on site has an approximately 13.7-foot BFW with a gradient of less than 1%, and at the time of the site visit had a wetted width of approximately 13.1 feet and water depth of approximately 1.9 feet (Photo 1). The open channel portion of Honey Creek between the north side of Sunset Boulevard NE to the culvert downstream underneath Union Avenue NE has a 12.4-foot BFW with a gradient of 1.25%, and at the time of the site visit had a wetted width of approximately 4.6 feet and water depth of 2.1 feet (Photo 2). Downstream of the Union Avenue NE culvert, Honey Creek flows behind a gas station and then into a steep -sided ravine with forested riparian habitat. This downstream portion of Honey Creek has an average 1 7.4-foot BFW and gradient of 2.5-3.1%, and at the time of the site visit had a wetted width of 14.5 feet and water depth of 0.5 feet (Photo 3). This section of Honey Creek had continuous rifle habitat until a pool habitat unit that had developed behind a log jam approximately 600 feet downstream of Union Avenue NE. The log jam is considered transitory and is not considered a permanent or long-term naturally occurring barrier. Naturally occurring fish passage barriers were not identified in Honey Creek within 800 feet downstream of Union Avenue NE. Findings and Recommended Stream Type Honey Creek is recommended to be classified as a Type F stream on site per RMC 4-3-050G(7)a. Naturally occurring fish passage barriers were not identified downstream of Union Avenue NE in the review area. Available Page 4 Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project January 21, 2021 k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx published mapping from WDFW and NWIFC indicates the potential presence of multiple fish species up to Union Avenue due to the lack of gradient barriers, described as gradient accessible. Per the stream and fish and wildlife habitat assessment prepared by Soundview Consultants, LLC (August 7, 2020), Larry Fisher (WDFW Area Habitat Biologist) has reported seeing resident trout just downstream of Union Avenue in Honey Creek (Page 5). RMC 4-3-050G(7)a defines Type F watercourses as “waters that are known to be used by fish or meet the physical criteria to be potentially used by fish and that have perennial (year-round) or seasonal flows.” The City’s stream classification system is based on Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 222-16-030, which defines fish habitat as “habitat which is used by any fish at any life stage at any time of the year, including potential habitat likely to be used by fish which could be recovered by restoration or management and includes off-channel habitat.” The piped portions of Honey Creek downstream of the project site likely constitute humanmade fish passage barriers, which could be removed and fish habitat potentially recovered through restoration. Per WAC 222-16-031, watercourses with specific minimum physical characteristics are presumed to have fish use. Watercourses with a defined channel of two feet or greater within the BFW and have a gradient less than 16% or less are presumed to support fish. Non-piped segments of Honey Creek on site and downstream of the project site meet these physical criteria for presumed fish use. The definition of Type F streams per RMC includes waters that meet the physical criteria to be potentially used by fish and that have either perennial or seasonal flow regimes. In addition, the recent federal court injunction for fish passage from 2018 between the State of Washington, Northwest tribes, and the United States federal government requires Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and other state agencies to remove culverts that are barriers to fish passage. Re -classifying a stream based on humanmade barriers appears inconsistent with this ruling and WAC 222-16-030/031, in which RMC 4-3- 050G(7)a is based upon. Page 5 Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project January 21, 2021 k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx Site Photographs (January 7, 2021) Photo 1. View of Honey Creek on site looking downstream. Photo 2. View of Honey Creek looking downstream of the non-piped reach in the northeast corner of the NE Sunset Boulevard and Union Avenue NE intersection. Page 6 Stream Typing Review for Sunset Boulevard Mixed Use Project January 21, 2021 k:\project\32800\32847\projectdocs\reports\sunset mixed use\review memorandum_sunset bvd mixed use.docx Photo 3. View looking upstream of Honey Creek flowing in the forested ravine downstream of Union Avenue NE.