HomeMy WebLinkAboutPN Project Narrative 181126 v4.pdf
SPT Binding Site Plan Narrative – Revised 11-26-18
RPLA ▪ 8218 210TH Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 ▪ Email: RUBENKONIGPLA@MSN.COM/ ▪ Cell Phone: 206-491-9621
November 26, 2018
Previous versions were submitted on March 10, June 30, and October 16, 2018
To: Jill Ding, Senior Planner
City of Renton
1055 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057
RE: Seattle Pipe Trades Binding Site Plan – Project Narrative
The Seattle Pipe Trades property is proposing to divide their approximately 6 (six)-acre site at
595 Monster Road in Renton into two parcels and two tracts via the Binding Site Plan Process.
These four units of land would contain the following areas:
Lot 1: 2.24 acres Lot 2: .80 acres
Wetland Tract A: (adjacent to Lot 2) 8,945 SF ; Wetland Tract B: (adjacent to Lot 1)
121,948 SF)
Together these tracts total about 3.01 acres. All will be owned either by the “Trust” or the
“Union”.
The “Trust” is the Seattle Area Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry Journeyman and
Apprenticeship Training. The “Union” is Local 32 of Journeymen and Apprentices of the
Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada.
The smaller parcel or lot (Lot 2) to be owned by the Union, would contain about 35,008 square
feet (0.82 acres) while the larger, owned by the Trust, would contain about 97,575 SF. The
remainder of the site, about 3 acres, consists of wetlands and their buffers. These will be placed
in separate tracts (A and B) per city code. The minimum lot size for this zone is 35,000 SF.
The zoning for the site is Medium Industrial or IM. There are few dimensional requirements for
this zone. There are no minimum lot widths or side or rear yard requirements. Because the site is
accessed via an easement, front yard setbacks do not apply. The maximum height limit of 50 feet
have been met by the current building plans. The expansion of the existing building, parking and
infrastructure is complete. No new Additions or improvements are proposed, and no new
impervious areas or land disturbance are created by this BSP. The Binding Site Plan (BSP) is
needed because of a desire by the union whose members receive training at the facility, to own
the building expansion and the property beneath the building, on the site where this training
occurs. A covenant has been provided between the two lot owners, the Trust and the Union, for
maintenance of common facilities and utilities. The ‘Trust’ is the Seattle Area Plumbing and
Pipefitting Industry Journeyman and Apprenticeship Training. The ‘Union’ is Local 32 of
SPT Binding Site Plan Narrative – Revised 11-26-18
RPLA ▪ 8218 210TH Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 ▪ Email: RUBENKONIGPLA@MSN.COM/ ▪ Cell Phone: 206-491-9621
Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and
Canada.
Environmentally sensitive areas exist on site and adjacent to it. These consist of steep slopes and
wetlands. These have been previously identified in the earlier development proposal and sit well
away from the (now) existing buildings. In previous reviews, the city had not raised many issues
with the development plans and these sensitive areas. Please refer to LUA 15-000344, ECF, SA-
A, Administrative Report & Decision issued March 10, 2016.
However, a new sensitive areas code was adopted in 2017. The Binding Site Plan, formally
submitted to the city in April 2018, is subject to this updated code. Questions have been raised
about two on-site and adjacent wetlands areas. The first, is offsite to the southwest. The second,
located north and west of the existing building, is part of the site. Scott Luchessa of Ecological
Solutions, Inc. a wetland scientist retained by the development team, believes that these wetlands
are man-made, and has prepared and submitted a report with that conclusion.
The City of Renton has disagreed and directed their consultant OTAK, to do field work and
prepare a report of their findings. This report, dated May 26, 2018, finds that both wetland areas
are, in their opinion, naturally occurring but have likely been modified to serve in some capacity
as storm water facilities as this part of the city developed years ago. Therefore, these two
wetlands should be regulated by city code. Current code would require a seventy-five-foot
buffer. The current re-development of the site, approved by the city several years ago and now
complete, has both existing and newly constructed parking areas within this new buffer. OTAK
and the City have agreed the buffer should stop at the edge of pavement (back of curb) in places
where there is insufficient room to obtain the full seventy-five feet.
The revised site plan dated November 2018 shows Lot One with the original building containing
97,575 square feet (SF). Adjacent to Lot One is Tract B, the north-westerly wetlands. This tract
contains 121,948 SF. Lot Two contains the recently constructed building and supporting parking
and contains 35,008 SF. The off-site wetlands Tract A is adjacent to Lot Two along the south-
westerly edge of the site. This Tract A, buffer only to the off-site wetlands, contains 8,945 SF.
There is a city requirement that the site is limited to a maximum of 65% covered by impervious
surfaces. These generally would consist of roof, sidewalks and pavement and might otherwise
make the impervious area of the lot larger than allowed. The proposed new pavement now
installed, is pervious asphalt. The city has provided a 50% credit for the pervious pavement. The
proposed lots created by this project will not exceed that limit. No new and/or replaced
impervious surface is created with the binding site plan.
The Binding Site Plan as submitted, prepared by Bush, Roed and Hitchings, shows the proposed
area for Lot 2 contains much of the area gained through the Lot Line Adjustment process (refer
to LUA 16-000265, LLA) plus the new building and expanded parking area. Generally speaking,
this comprises much of the south and south-west quadrant of the overall site.
The site contains a few easements: Railroad, sanitary sewer interceptor, sanitary sewer pump
station, waterline, telecommunications, non-buildable area and an access and utility easement.
SPT Binding Site Plan Narrative – Revised 11-26-18
RPLA ▪ 8218 210TH Place SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 ▪ Email: RUBENKONIGPLA@MSN.COM/ ▪ Cell Phone: 206-491-9621
Additional easements have been created to provide access to both lots for access, parking and
utilities (PSE, vehicular and pedestrian access, etc.). These easements are shown on sheet 3 of
the Binding Site Plan set of drawings provided by the surveyors Bush, Roed and Hitchings. No
off-site improvements are proposed. On-site improvements will consist of the expanded building,
relocated parking using pervious asphalt, concrete sidewalks, expanded utilities, lighting and
landscape.
Please refer to the geotechnical report for specific soil information. Generally speaking, soils are
glacial till.
The Union will be the new owner / occupant of the building addition located on Lot 2. The
Union and the Trust (owner of Lot 1), have entered into an agreement (Covenant) for the purpose
of clearly defining shared costs, maintenance and access issues. This Covenant declares that the
maintenance of utilities, pavement, sidewalks etc. will be equally and jointly shared. By City
requirements, the Wetlands mentioned above (Tracts A and B) will also be jointly owned and
maintained. The off-site wetlands of Tract A of Lot 2— was delineated in 2009 and 2014. At
the City’s request, the edge of Tract A wetland has been re-delineated, flagged and surveyed.
This has resulted in a very minor change in the wetland edge closest to Lot 2. This is most
clearly seen on sheet 5 of the Binding Site Plan and in the revised Wetlands Report by Scott
Luchessa of Ecological Solutions.
Some trees needed to be removed to allow for the building expansion and parking relocation.
Dozens of trees remain on site undisturbed. Further, 28 trees (native and non-native, evergreen or
deciduous) have been planted as part of the installation of the planting plan.
There is no land proposed to be dedicated to the city although some existing or new utility
easements will be created or modified. There are no residential units proposed for this project.
To the best of our knowledge, there are no residential units within a minimum of one quarter
mile.
We request that Ms. Ding continue as the planner for this meeting and ensuing BSP since she is
familiar with both the site and previous submittals and land-use actions. We thank you in
advance for this courtesy.
John Rubenkonig, ASLA
Project Planner