HomeMy WebLinkAboutD_Critical_Areas_Exemption_Decision_220831DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING DIVISION CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTION
FROM CRITICAL AREAS REGULATIONS
EVALUATION FORM & DECISION
DATE: August 31, 2022
PROJECT NUMBER: LUA22-000260
PROJECT NAME: Rapid Ride I-Line Critical Areas Exemption
PROJECT MANAGER: Clark H. Close, Principal Planner
APPLICANT: King County Metro / 201 S Jackson St, Rm 431 / Seattle, WA
98104
CONTACT: Jennifer Ash / King County Metro / 201 S Jackson St, Rm 431
/ Seattle, WA 98104
PROJECT LOCATION(S): Multiple locations at or near (APNs 8857670100,
8557000010, 7616800010, 6623400183, 3223059299,
3223059135, 3023059019, 1923059043, and 1923059032)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant, King County Metro, is requesting a Critical
Areas Exemption for the RapidRide I Line Project. The existing transit service pathway is currently
served by Route 160 and the RapidRide I Line would improve north-south transportation options in
south King County. More specifically, the Project includes new passenger facility and transportation
system improvements along the corridor to increase transit speed and reliability. The Project is not
limited to a single site, rather most improvements are in discrete locations along the 17-mile
corridor, comprised mostly of arterial streets between Renton, Kent, and Auburn. The RapidRide I
Line Project route would extend from the northern terminus in Renton, the Renton Transit Center,
to the southern terminus in Auburn, the Auburn Station. Zoning designations near the impacted
critical areas along the Renton corridor include Commercial Arterial (CA), Commercial Neighborhood
(CN), Commercial Office (CO), and Single-Family Residential (R-1, R-6, and R-8). Station improvement
would permanently be located within several geologic hazard areas, Wellhead Protection Area Zone
2, and one (1) flood hazard area located at S Grady Way and Shattuck Ave S. The floodplain at this
location is associated with Rolling Hills Creek and is mapped as designated zone AH (1% annual
chance of shallow flooding). Work proposed at this location consists of converting the existing
eastbound curb lane from a general-purpose lane to a business access and transit lane, adjusting
curbs at pedestrian crossings, and replacing signal poles. According to the Critical Areas Report
(attached), work would occur over 3,936 square feet of floodplain and would not significantly change
the existing grades. Furthermore, the proposed work is not expected to cause an increase in the 100-
year flood levels and is predicted to result in no net rise in elevations within the small flood hazard
area. If grading or other activity would reduce the effective storage volume, compensatory storage
would be required to be created on the site or off the site to assure that the effective compensatory
storage volume is preserved over time in flood hazard areas in accordance with RMC 4-3-050.
DocuSign Envelope ID: C490BAB3-8F05-4436-A7EC-B7231C5EAE62
City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Certificate of Exemption from Critical Areas Regulations
Rapid Ride I-Line Critical Areas Exemption LUA22-000260
DATE OF PERMIT: August 31, 2022 Page 2 of 4
Project construction would not occur in wetlands or streams. Construction activities in buffers would
temporarily clear vegetation for construction equipment access and grubbing for construction of the
new stations. For example, a total of 813 square feet of temporary impacts and 447 square feet of
permanent impacts are anticipated within stream buffers. In addition, a total of 384 square feet of
temporary impacts and 269 square feet of permanent impacts are anticipated within wetland and
stream buffers. All temporary fills would be removed, and all disturbed areas would be restored to
pre-existing or better conditions. According to the Critical Areas Report, the Project is designed to
first avoid and then minimize impacts to critical areas and their buffers in the following ways: a)
along SE Carr Rd, where a stream buffer impact occurs, the bus station would be limited to only a
concrete pad with a railing, instead of the standard-sized station area, to minimize impacts within
this buffer; b) along Benson Dr S, at the Talbot Rd S intersection, the station placed in the Rolling
Hills Creek/Wetland WRN-04-D buffer is planned as a smaller than standard station to minimize
impacts within the buffer. Grading would also be kept away from the steep slope alongside the
station location, to avoid any fill or cut in the slope itself. The applicant is proposing a 1:1 mitigation
replacement ratio to offset unavoidable stream and wetland/stream buffers by enhancing the
applicable buffer within the right-of-way in the vicinity of the impact using appropriate native plant
species, which would be equivalent to 178 square feet of mitigation for stream buffer impacts and
269 square feet of mitigation for wetland/stream impacts. According to the applicant, the Project
would have no direct impacts to species or critical habitat, would apply best management practices,
and would not degrade water quality. Avoidance and minimization measures would also be applied
to address stormwater impacts. Therefore, the Project is expected to have no effect to listed species,
designated critical habitat, or essential fish habitat.
Proposed construction activities that intersect critical areas include minor grading, existing concrete
removal, and vegetation removal. The Project’s Geotechnical Engineering Report, provides design
recommendation for retaining walls, signal poles and lighting structures, stormwater drainage
features, and pavement to withstand the effects of landslides. Proposed Project elements,
permanently located within critical areas, include new concrete bus pads (typically a 10-foot by 60-
foot area), paving, sidewalks, bus stations, and other amenities such as shelters, benches, litter
receptacles, and bicycle racks. At some locations, frontage improvements and street crossing
enhancements for pedestrian safety and access would be constructed along the 17-mile-long
corridor. Most improvements would occur in existing paved areas. The Project would include
removing some existing bus stops, which involves removing all aboveground improvements (shelter,
benches, litter receptacles, and flags) and curb paint. The applicant completed the environmental
review process with receipt of a Documented Categorical Exclusion from the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) in June 2021. The Project is scheduled to start construction in early 2024 and is
anticipated to last 12 to 14 months. King County Metro plans to begin RapidRide I Line service in fall
2025.
Construction equipment would include concrete trucks, flatbed trucks, sawcut machines, vibratory
rollers, dump trucks, cranes, lift/bucket trucks, hand tools, and other equipment. Construction debris
or spoil materials would be hauled away to approved disposal sites. Haul routes connecting the
corridor to Interstate 405 (I-405) and State Route (SR) 167 would mainly use arterials, avoiding the
use of smaller side streets as much as possible.
According to the Critical Areas Report (attached), there are many different soil types and most are
deeply mixed or modified. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service soil survey, soil
types range from gravelly sandy loam and silt loam to arents and urban land with artificial fill,
DocuSign Envelope ID: C490BAB3-8F05-4436-A7EC-B7231C5EAE62
City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Certificate of Exemption from Critical Areas Regulations
Rapid Ride I-Line Critical Areas Exemption LUA22-000260
DATE OF PERMIT: August 31, 2022 Page 3 of 4
alluvium, recessional glacial drift, and sedimentary rocks. Erosion control measures would be
implemented prior to and during construction. In addition, the Project would comply with
requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit.
The civil construction plans for this Project were submitted under permit number C21001128. This
critical areas exemption would not apply to station improvements that would permanently be
located within Wellhead Protection Area Zone 2 or flood hazard areas. Wellhead and flood hazard
regulations would be applied (if needed) via the applicable overlying permit(s).
CRITICAL AREA: Regulated slopes, moderate landslide hazard areas,
moderate seismic areas, stream and wetland buffers.
EXEMPTION JUSTIFICATION: Renton Municipal Code (RMC) 4-3-050 Critical Areas
Regulations:
RMC 4-3-050C.3.g.i. Maintenance and Construction - Existing Uses and Facilities: Remodeling,
Replacing, Removing Existing Structures, Facilities, and Improvements.
RMC 4-3-050C.3.f.i. Temporary Wetland Impacts.
FINDINGS: The proposed development is consistent with the following findings pursuant to RMC
section 4-3-050C.2.d:
i. The activity is not prohibited by this or any other provision of the Renton Municipal Code or
State or Federal law or regulation;
ii. The activity will be conducted using best management practices as specified by industry
standards or applicable Federal agencies or scientific principles;
iii. Impacts are minimized and, where applicable, disturbed areas are immediately restored;
iv. Where water body or buffer disturbance has occurred in accordance with an exemption
during construction or other activities, revegetation with native vegetation shall be required;
v. If a hazardous material, activity, and/or facility that is exempt pursuant to this Section has a
significant or substantial potential to degrade groundwater quality, then the Administrator may
require compliance with the Wellhead Protection Area requirements of this Section otherwise
relevant to that hazardous material, activity, and/or facility. Such determinations will be based
upon site and/or chemical-specific data.
DECISION: An exemption from the critical areas regulations is Approved.
DATE OF DECISION ON LAND USE ACTION:
SIGNATURE:
_______________________________________________ ____________________________
Vanessa Dolbee, Planning Director Date
DocuSign Envelope ID: C490BAB3-8F05-4436-A7EC-B7231C5EAE62
8/31/2022 | 1:39 PM PDT
City of Renton Department of Community & Economic Development Certificate of Exemption from Critical Areas Regulations
Rapid Ride I-Line Critical Areas Exemption LUA22-000260
DATE OF PERMIT: August 31, 2022 Page 4 of 4
The administrative land use decision will become final if the decision is not appealed within 14 days of the
decision date.
APPEALS: This administrative land use decision will become final if not appealed in writing to the
Hearing Examiner on or before 5:00 PM on September 14, 2022. An appeal of the decision must be filed
within the 14-day appeal period (RCW 43.21.C.075(3); WAC 197-11-680), together with the required fee
to the Hearing Examiner, City of Renton, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057. RMC 4-8-110.B
governs appeals to the Hearing Examiner and additional information regarding the appeal process may
be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office, (425) 430-6510.
RECONSIDERATION: Within 14 days of the decision date, any party may request that the decision be
reopened by the approval body. The approval body may modify his decision if material evidence not
readily discoverable prior to the original decision is found or if he finds there was misrepresentation of
fact. After review of the reconsideration request, if the approval body finds sufficient evidence to amend
the original decision, there will be no further extension of the appeal period. Any person wishing to take
further action must file a formal appeal within the 14-day appeal time frame.
EXPIRATION: Five (5) years from the date of decision (date signed).
Attachments: (1) Proposed I Line Alignment and Stations, (2) Neighborhood Detail Map, (3) Construction
Plans (1C4.06, 1C7.06, 1C1.06, 1S1.22, 1C2.16, 1C4.16, 1EC1.16, 1UT.16, 1U1.16, 1C7.16, 1S1.12, 1C2.11,
1C4.11, 1EC1.11, 1UT.11, 1U1.11, and 1C7.11), (4) Critical Areas Report, and (5) Arborist Report
DocuSign Envelope ID: C490BAB3-8F05-4436-A7EC-B7231C5EAE62