HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_Street Modification Request_NE 8th St_Shared Driveway_241022_v14648 Shantel St, Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Cell Phone: 206 714-7161
email: cliff@sitedme.com
Development Management Engineers, LLC
The Developer’s Engineering Advocate
October 22, 2024
Nathan Janders, Civil Engineer II
Community and Economic Development Department/Planning Division
City of Renton
1055 S Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
SUBJECT: POPPY COURT SHORT PLAT – NE 8th ST (PRIVATE) –
SHARED DRIVEWAY – STREET MODIFICATION
REQUEST
Dear Nathan:
As part of the Poppy Court Preliminary Short Plat application, we are requesting a
modification from standards for the Private Street, NE 8th St. The Poppy Court Short Plat
proposes road access for the two lots on to NE 8th St with a joint use driveway.
BACKGROUND
The Private portion of NE 8th St is contained in two contiguous 30-foot-wide tax parcels,
1023059405 and 1023059126 that provide residential access to Hoquiam Ave NE and
emergency vehicle connection between Hoquiam Ave NE and Field Ave NE.
The two parcels appear to have been formed around 1983 and were shown on the City of
Renton Park Terrace Annexation in 2005. The parcels were developed in 2012 and 2013
as part of the Highland Estates and Highland Estates Division 2 Short Plat improvements
and are classified as Private Streets, see attached recorded short plats. The portion, tax
parcel #1023059405 presently provides 3 SFR lots with vehicle access to Hoquiam Ave
NE.
During the Poppy Court Short Plat screening process, the City Planner advised the
City’s Street Standards classify a private access, such as NE 8th Street, as a shared
driveway. Although, as noted above, it is a thru street giving emergency vehicle
access between Field Ave and Hoquiam Ave.
The Shared Driveway Standards, RMC 4-06-060 J. include the limitation of 4
residential lots having access to the street. We are proposing a revision to this limitation
by increasing the number to 5 residential lots to have access by adding lots 1 and 2 of
the proposed Poppy Court Short Plat to the existing 3 residential lots.
4648 Shantel St, Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Cell Phone: 206 714-7161
email: cliff@sitedme.com
Regarding the other conditions of the Share Driveway Standards:
a. At least one lot abuts a public right-of-way and the street frontage of the lot is
equal to or greater than the lot width requirement of the zone;
Proposed Poppy Court Lot 1 has street frontage on Hoquiam Ave wider than
required.
b. The subject lots are not created by a subdivision of ten (10) or more lots;
The existing Highland Estates Short Plat was a 4 Lot subdivision and with
Poppy Court a 2 Lot Short Plat, the total is 6 lots, therefore, less than 10.
c. A public street is not anticipated by the City of Renton to be necessary for existing or
future traffic and/or pedestrian circulation through the short subdivision or to serve
adjacent property;
With the establishment of the Private Street, NE 8th Street and the existence of
the LDS church property adjoining to the north, we assume the City has
determined a future public street will not be necessary.
d. The shared driveway would not adversely affect future circulation to neighboring
properties;
Neighboring properties will not be affected by this modification.
e. The shared driveway is no more than three hundred feet (300') in length; and
The tax parcel # 1023059405 is 200’ long.
f. The shared driveway poses no safety risk and provides sufficient access for
emergency vehicles and personnel.
The share driveway (Private Street) in conjunction with the adjoining west
portion, tax parcel #1023059126 provides access for emergency vehicles between
Hoquiam Ave NE and Field Ave NE.
Decision Criteria in granting modifications such as this requires the modification to meet
the following justification points:
Substantially implements the policy direction of the policies and objectives of the
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element and the Community Design Element of the
proposed modification is the minimum adjustment necessary to implement these policies
and objectives; Increasing the allowable number of lots accessing the Private Street
NE 8th St from 4 to 5 is a minimal adjustment.
Will meet the objectives and safety, functions, appearance, environmental protection and
maintainability intended by the Code requirements, based upon sound engineering
judgement; The allowance of increasing access to 5 lots addresses a public safety
issue. If the short plat access were to enter Hoquiam Ave NE directly, as is presently
done for the existing house, the driveway would be within 25’ of the existing Private
Street. Also, the fact that the Public Street portion of NE 8th St on the east side of
4648 Shantel St, Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Cell Phone: 206 714-7161
email: cliff@sitedme.com
Hoquiam Ave NE is offset from both the Private portion of NE 8th St on the west
side of the street and the existing driveway, drivers entering Hoquiam Ave NE from
the east on the Public street could be confused when facing 2 vehicles both offset
trying to enter Hoquiam Ave NE.
Will not be injurious to other property(is) in the vicinity; This will be helpful to other
properties in the vicinity since it helps prevent confusion for drivers approaching
Hoquiam Ave NE from the east.
Conforms to the intent and purpose of the Code; As noted above, all other Share
Driveway Standards are met with this configuration.
Can be shown to be justified and required for the use and situation intended; We believe
the fact that this modification addresses a potential driver safety issue justifies
approval.
Will not create adverse impacts to other property(ices) in the vicinity. As the design
modifications retains the existing traffic flow pattern, we trust that this will not
create any adverse impacts to other properties in the vicinity.
If you have questions, comments, or need additional information, please contact me, as
needed.
Yours respectfully,
Cliff Williams
Cliff Williams, PE
Cc: Robert Wenzl, Tuscany Construction, LLC
Enclosures: Highland Estates and Highland Estates Division 2 recorded Short Plats
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