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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNOA_Neighborhood_Meeting_210714_v1 June 15, 2021 NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Master Site Plan Process - Department of Community and Economic Development – City of Renton Project Name: Kennydale Gateway Applicant: Port Quendall Company Project Manager: Alicia Stedman Address: P.O. Box 3005, Seattle, WA 98114 City Planner: Clark Close Date of Mailing: June 15, 2021 Meeting Information Date of Meeting: July 14, 2021 Zoom Meeting: Meeting URL: https://vulcan.zoom.us/j/94463470846 Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Project Location: 4350 Lake Washington Blvd. N, Renton, WA 98056 Parcel No. 322405-9049 Project Information: The property is currently occupied by industrial uses. There are 2 existing one-story warehouse-type structures and surface paving. The Master Site Plan proposal is to develop a mixed-use project made up of THREE MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTAIL APARTMENT buildings. BUILDING 1 WILL HAVE APPROXIMATLY 99 UNITS and 1,500 square feet of retail. Building 2 will be comprised of the leasing office, extensive amenity space for the residents, and approximately 122 units of apartments. Building 3 will have approximately 154 units of apartments. The City of Renton requires notification of property owners within at least 300 feet of the project proposed above, so they can attend the public meeting and obtain additional information about the proposal and comment if they wish. The intent of this meeting is to facilitate an informal discussion between the project developer and the neighbors regarding the project. While required by the City of Renton, this meeting is not conducted by the City of Renton and is in addition to any future public hearing or public comment opportunities available under City of Renton development review processes. CHARLES TAYLOR 1252 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 FRED WARNOCK 1246 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 CRIS DERR 1240 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 LAURA MULLINS 1234 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 RHONDA BROWN 1201 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 KEVIN ARATANI 1207 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 GARY MOSS 1213 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 VICKI ORRICO 1219 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 LAURA ZARRO 1225 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 STEVEN HOGLUND 1231 N 41ST PL RENTON WA 98056 MICHAEL O'CONNELL 1241 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 HARRY HARDEN 1235 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 ERIC BRUSHABER 1229 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 KATHY SMITH 1223 N 42ND PL RENTON WA 98056 TERMINALS QUENDALL PO BOX 477 RENTON WA 98055 KING COUNTY-PARKS 201 S JACKSON ST #700 SEATTLE WA 98104 RENTON CITY OF 1055 S GRADY WAY RENTON WA 98057 Kennydale Community Outreach Meeting Notes – 7/14/2021 6:00pm Online Zoom meeting Attendees: • Vulcan (developer): Brandon Morgan, Karinda Harris, Jacqueline Gruber • HLR (architect): Jeancarlo Saenz, Lori Obeyesekere • City of Renton: Clark Close (planner), Matt Herrera • Sound Transit: Paul Cornish, Blake Jones, Ivonne Rivera • For a list of attendees from the public, see attached sign-in list Intro • Brandon Morgan with Vulcan introduced Vulcan and HLR project team members, City of Renton representatives, and Sound Transit representatives. • Project overview – the last neighborhood presentation in 2019 had shown a Sound Transit park and ride facility of 200 stalls on the northern third of the site and a large residential building wrapping a structural residential parking garage on the remainder. However, the park and ride use is not allowed per the zoning on this site, and the City would have to reject the land use application. The current proposal has reconfigured the site to remove the park and ride facility, and is reconfigured as a residential project organized in three buildings, with podium “tuck under” parking on the ground floors, some surface parking, and a small neighborhood retail space. Points of entry into the site remain as presented previously, with a privately constructed traffic circle at 43rd/Lake Washington Blvd., and an emergency access only entrance at the southern corner of the site. No application for the project has been made yet, but would be made soon, then the City would move through the required review process. • City of Renton and Sound Transit are discussing potential alternative sites for the park and ride facility in the vicinity. Questions and Responses • How many units? Other project details: o 375 units  About 125 per building o All apartments no condos o 800 sq ft average o Each building is 4 stories o Elevators in every building • Amenities? o Fitness center, resident lounges, leasing office, etc. • Parks and playgrounds? o Currently planning courtyard amenities which could include some play areas – we are next to May Creek Park and there is a planned connection point to the park on the south property line. • Park and ride - the initial park and ride is going away and is supposed to be relocated, now it sounds like there's no plan for it. Another one up the street (38th & 6th) is also going away o City and Sound Transit are working with the City on other sites to potentially locate it, as close as we can get to platform. Zoning on this site does not allow a park and ride facility. o Park and ride facility was a Sound Transit proposal, not a private-developer-initiated proposal. Funding and construction for park and ride facilities are within Sound Transit’s purview. • Average monthly rent? o If it were open today, around $2,200-2,400/month • Expected turnover? o 40-50% anticipated annual turnover or less is typical for apartments in the area. • Has a traffic study been done? (w/ regard to Lake Washington Blvd). Residents expressed concern that the project adds more cars in the area, and could have cumulative impacts with other projects and existing congestion from I-405 cut-through traffic. o Traffic studies done previously by WSDOT for the I-405/Lake Washington Blvd improvements planned, as well as our own traffic study for this project which will be part of the forthcoming land use application and environmental analysis. Traffic studies account for usual, pre-COVID traffic volumes and cumulative impacts of other planned projects like Quendall Terminals. o WSDOT is planning street improvements that will use traffic circles as a way to manage traffic and reduce congestion without needing signals. These improvements are anticipated to be delivered prior to the project opening. o The level of service (i.e. overall traffic congestion) should be better than it is today after WSDOT improvements are completed. • How many retail parking spots? o About 8 spaces on the drive lane in front of the retail bay. This is informed by development code and by market analysis. • Amenities for the public? o The amenities discussed are only for residents at the project • What kind of retail? o We're thinking convenience type use, like a coffee shop. No tenants yet as it is very early in the planning process. • Is there anything on this side with regard to a sound barrier? 405 is noisy o WSDOT is planning on building up to a 20ft wall (not a sound wall, and not a consistent height) that tapers down as you get further south. We have not seen the design for this planned wall yet but are expecting to see it in a month or so when available. • Wildlife impact? o The site is already developed/filled with hardscape.  We will include an analysis for this per city SEPA requirements. • How to stay up to date with information on the project? o Give your info to Clark Close (planner at City of Renton) and once the land use application is in he will make you a party of record so you can get notifications of future meetings, etc. o There are also notices on the City website, you can sign up there as well once the project application is in. • Why not condos? Apartments would create a more "transient" community, residents are looking for people/community who would be staying long term, renters would have a negative impact on the community o We are not condo developers o That's not how we see apartment dwellers. We build Class A product, typically for top of market, market rate renters. o There are no other rentals in the immediate area, so this may suggest there is room for some • Is the proposed 44th street bridge going to be widened? o It will be a 4-lane bridge • Wouldn't it make sense to make LW Blvd 4 lanes as well? Has that been proposed? o According to WSDOT’s plans we viewed at the meeting, there would be 4 lanes near the project entrance and across to the other side of I-405. • How can we keep up with the future of the park and rides? o Sound transit has a project listserv that the City mails updates to • Is there a web site address to download this and future presentations? o Once it is submitted, it will be publicly accessible on the digital download library in pdf form o People wishing to be parties of record can email the Clark Close at the City • What will the boundary of your property to the May Creek Trail? Would there be a fence? o May Creek Trail Park is on the southern boundary. We do plan one connection point near the mid-point of the property line to allow access through the site. However, since the majority of May Creek Park contains a critical areas buffer, we are planning a fence along the southern boundary except at the connection point to the existing trail.