HomeMy WebLinkAbout7. Street Modification Request Justification 230222 55 South Atlantic Street, Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • (206) 682.7525
February 22nd, 2023
City of Renton
Department of Community & Economic Development
Planning Division
1055 South Grady Way, 6th Floor
Renton, WA 98057
RE: Modification Request to Street Frontage Improvements Justification
Address: 720 Rainier Avenue S
Project Name: ARB Flagship Store – Tenant Improvement & Change of Use
MODIFICATION REQUEST JUSTIFICATION:
The project site is adjacent to (1) Principal Arterial Road: Rainier Ave S and classified as a 7-lane Principal
Arterial. Per RMC 4-6- 060, Rainier Ave S should have a minimum paved width of 83’. This letter is to justify
the modification to this code to allow the street paved widths to remain as is as part of the proposed project.
The current paved width of Rainier Ave S varies from 83’ minimum to approximately 92’, from the
intersection with S Grady Way moving Northeast towards the project site. Please note that the existing paved
width meets said code standard at the point of highest traffic congestion: the signaled intersection south of
the project site. At the intersection, S Grady Way provides 6 lanes and Rainier Ave S provides 7 lanes,
meeting the Code standard. Also both S Grady Way and Rainier Ave S meet comprehensive land use and
community plan design for vehicular and pedestrian circulation. As mentioned before, the current Rainier
Ave S adjacent to the project site provide for ample vehicular access through the area. Furthermore, the site
frontages along Rainier Ave S provides a continuous stretch of sidewalk, dotted with plenty of trees and
other landscape features, for convenient pedestrian travel.
Per City of Renton Development Engineering requirements: The street section in this area for Rainier Ave S
will be based on the existing curb line and the existing driveway width and relocation will need to be
maintained. There will be no new additional cuts into the curb line concrete or pavement on Rainier/167.
Behind the existing curb will be a 5’ landscaping strip (matching the existing improvements north and south
of the property), 8’ sidewalk and 1’ clear space behind the sidewalk. This will result in a Right-of-Way
dedication of varying width along the frontage but appears to average approximately 5’ +/-. The sidewalks
and planter strips will align with the north and south properties (which utilized this same cross section).
Additionally, new pedestrian scale light will be installed between the two (2) existing pedestrian lights per
Michael Sippo’s recommendation. Existing three (3) private lights along west property line to be removed
as part of ROW frontage improvements. Existing vaults on the north side will need to be modified to be
ADA compliant and non-slip. Michael Sippo is aware & confirm we are relocating our curb entrance to the
property.
55 South Atlantic Street, Suite 301 • Seattle, WA 98134 • (206) 682.7525
Expanding the street width per City code would also have adverse effects on the project site. Expanding
would impact existing improvements including stormwater structures, power poles, parking area, and
mature trees. Meeting an expanded Rainier Ave S would also require the expanding into a FEMA 100 year
floodplain, located just South of the project site and S Grady Way.
For these reasons, it is our belief that Rainier Ave S does not require expansion and that modification to City
code is rightfully justified.