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(23) Habitat Data Report – Kennydale Gateway
Vulcan Real Estate
Renton, Washington
Narrative Report
Critical habitats adjacent to the Site include May Creek, a Shoreline of the State, and
one wetland mapped within May Creek Trail Park and within the shoreline zone of May
Creek. May Creek Trail Park is mostly forested, with signs of restoration and
enhancement plantings. Vegetation associated with these critical areas includes
beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), red alder (Alnus rubra), black cottonwood (Populus
balsamifera), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), twinberry honeysuckle (Lonicera
involucrata), salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis),
prostrate knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens),
and fringed willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum).
The entire Puget Sound area is within the Pacific Flyway, which is a major north-south
flyway for migratory birds in America, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Many
migratory species use the Pacific Flyway, including feeder species such as the
American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) and Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna), as well as
numerous waterfowl species such as mallard (Anas platyrhnchos) and canvasback
(Aythya valisineria). These species could be associated with either the wetland
identified adjacent to May Creek, or May Creek itself. Fish species that directly utilize
May Creek include coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), fall chinook (Oncorhynchus
tshawytscha), winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), resident coastal cutthroat
(Oncorhynchus clarki), and sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka).
The Site is currently developed with five (5) light industrial buildings; it is nearly 82
percent impervious surface. The parcel directly to the south, which contains all critical
areas near/adjacent to the Site, is mostly forested and shows signs of restoration and
enhancement. The area through which May Creek flows is identified as Renton-owned
May Creek Trail Park. Our wetland delineation within the shoreline zone of May Creek
utilized the routine approach described in the Washington State Wetland Delineation
Manual (Washington State Department of Ecology 1997), as required by the City of
Renton’s Shoreline Management Code. Ordinary high water marks (OHWM) were
evaluated based on the methodology described by the Washington State Department of
Ecology’s (WDOE) Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline
Management Act Compliance in Washington State (Anderson et al. 2016). The wetland
within the shoreline zone of May Creek was rated as a Category III wetland, with a
score of 15 for habitat functions. Category III wetlands located within shoreline
jurisdiction, and having a Habitat Score less than 20, have a 75-foot standard buffer.
Applying this buffer to the wetland boundary as mapped by the City of Renton (not
Talasaea’s smaller wetland boundary) clearly shows that the buffer does not extend
onto the Site. A portion of the Residential Development will occur within the 200-foot
shoreline zone of May Creek. The area of impact to the shoreline zone on Site will be
approximately 55,854 sf. Outside the 200-foot shoreline management zone, only a
portion (approximately 5,347 sf) of a required 100-foot vegetation conservation buffer off
of May Creek extends onto the Site. Generally, no mitigation will be required for the
proposed development or reduction in the vegetation conservation buffer. The area of
proposed buffer reduction is currently covered with impervious surfaces and provides no
ecological function or value in protecting May Creek habitat. The proposed
development will not increase this lack of functioning buffer.
Attachments
Figure 1: Existing Conditions
Figure 2: WDFW Natural Heritage Results
Figure 3: On-Site PHS Results
References
Anderson, Paul S., Susan Meyer, Patricia Olsen, and Eric Stockdale. 2016.
“Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act
Compliance in Washington State.” # 16-06-029. Lacey, WA: Washington
Department of Ecology, Shorelines & Environmental Assistance Program.
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