HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_KC Renton Shop Criteria Justification for CUP_190426_v1Renton Shop 1
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
King County Parks – Renton Shop
Conditional Use Permit Justification
General Project Background
King County Parks consists of more than 200 parks, 175 miles of regional trails, and 215 miles of
backcountry trails–totaling more than 28,000 acres of property to operate and maintain. Their
headquarters for operations and maintenance (O&M) is located at the Central Maintenance Facility, at
3005 NE 4th Street in Renton (see attached vicinity map). The King County Department of Natural
Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division is proposing to replace the existing Central
Maintenance Facility. The replacement facility, developed on the same site, will be called the King
County Parks - Renton Shop. It is identified in the King County Capital Improvement Plan under the title
Central Maintenance Facility. The existing post-World War II-era facility is aging, is not connected to the
City’s sanitary sewer system, and cannot accommodate the planned expansion of staff, equipment, and
vehicles. The Renton Shop will address currently unmet service needs, be built to current building and
environmental standards, and will accommodate projected future staff growth. The Renton Shop will
provide improved function and space for shop operations, enhanced vehicle and pedestrian safety,
better site circulation and flow, and needed office space, meeting rooms, storage, and support spaces to
support planned growth. The facility is also being designed to meet the goals of Net Zero Energy
pursuant to the certification program offered by the International Living Future Institute.
The project site was subdivided into an approximately 5.7 acre (248,672 sq. ft.) parcel from a larger
County-owned property in 2016 (REC #20160303900006), and is zoned light industrial by the City of
Renton. The new facility will consist of 3 new buildings, staff and visitor parking, fleet and equipment
parking, and both covered and uncovered storage. The Crew/Administration Building CA (2-story,
approximately 27,000 sq. ft.) is oriented to take advantage of the southern exposure and southerly
winds to act as natural ventilation and cooling. The Shop Building SH (2-story, approximately 20,900 sq.
ft.) is more centrally located on the site. Along the north and west boundaries, a variety of storage areas
will include ecology block material storage bins, utility trailers and other equipment parking,
approximately 7,700 sq. ft. of which is covered, but not fully enclosed. Along the north boundary of the
site, enclosed and covered storage is planned in Building ST (1--story, approximately 4,500 sq. ft.).
The site utilities will be upgraded to include constructing approximately 2,000 linear feet of 12-inch-
diameter water main extension for fire and domestic water use to serve the site. The water system will
be installed from the intersection of Jefferson Avenue NE and NE 2nd Street going north on Jefferson
Avenue toward NE 4th Street where it will be capped and terminated for future expansion/connection.
A sewer main will be constructed partially within City of Renton right-of-way, new utility easement from
NE 3rd Street south between the self-storage development and the Renton Technical College property,
and on-site. The sewer improvement is comprised of approximately 600 feet of 12-inch-diameter sewer
main and 300 feet of 8-inch-diameter sewer main. The project will include other dry utility construction
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
to underground approximately 600 feet of electrical power lines and extend fiber optic and
communication systems into the site.
Description of Current Project Site and Adjacent Properties
The project site was subdivided into an approximately 5.7 acre (248,672 sq. ft.) parcel from a larger
County-owned property in 2016 (REC #20160303900006), and is zoned light industrial. Adjacent land
uses include:
• North: former King County Public Health office building recently purchased for
redevelopment by Renton Technical College
• South: owned by King County Roads Division, vehicle and equipment storage
• East: beyond the access road is a vacant private parcel that historically was mined for sand
and gravel and is now being used to accept fill dirt under a City of Renton Grading Permit
• West: Self-Storage business
The site is generally flat with a slight slope downward from east to west. Along the western property
line is a short section of steeper slope westward to the self-storage business. City of Renton critical
areas mapping (City of Renton Maps, accessed June 2018) shows this steeper section as a Regulated
Slope, between 15 and 25 percent slope. The property is also within the City’s Wellhead Protection
Area, Zone 2. Borings performed by King County found fill consisting of silty sand and mixtures of sand
and gravel. Below the fill, outwash deposits (Qpa) consisted of interbedded mixtures of medium dense,
poorly-graded mixtures of sand and gravel including some cobbles and boulders. There are no other
mapped or known special site features.
The site has three primary buildings: the first houses crews, administrative and supervisory staff; and
the second building contains shops and additional crew areas. These are located towards the western
half of the site. The third building, located centrally on the site, provides covered and enclosed storage.
There are additional areas for covered storage, maintenance and laydown yard, fleet vehicle parking,
and employee parking. The site is surfaced with gravel and some areas of pavement. There are few
trees or landscaping with the exception of a small pocket adjacent to the administration building and
along the west boundary line. The facility is accessed via a single driveway off of the King County-owned
private street along the east property line.
Description of Proposal
The Renton Shop will modernize the site and provide additional capacity to meet current and future
demand for staff space and equipment/fleet vehicle storage. Overall project budget is roughly $41
million dollars for property purchase (completed) planning, design, permitting, construction, zero energy
certification, and project close-out. Construction is planned for the 2020-2022 timeframe. The project
includes the following major features:
• Demolition of all existing buildings.
• Utility work to connect the site to the City sanitary sewer system, and relocate and extend
the water main serving the site.
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
• Relocation/extension of dry service utilities such as power, fiber optic, telecom etc.
throughout the site.
• Provision of fire flow water service loop.
• Installation of underground stormwater facilities.
• Site preparation for paving, building, construction, and landscaping.
• Construction of 3 buildings:
o Crew/Administration Building CA = approximately 27,000 square feet (2 stories)
Crew/Administration building contains conference room spaces, offices,
crew workstations, kitchen, break room, locker rooms, and multiple
restrooms.
o Shop Building SH = approximately 20,900 square feet (2 stories)
o Covered Storage Building ST = approximately 4,500 square feet
• Miscellaneous self-contained hazardous materials storage buildings for chemical storage,
such as fuel containers, fertilizers, pesticides, equipment maintenance fluids etc.
• 138 parking spaces for visitors and staff, including five electric vehicle charging spaces and
seven accessible spaces meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 Standards for
Accessible Design for public facilities subject to Title II requirements.
• Perimeter fencing and security fencing to cordon off the shops, storage, and fleet vehicle,
heavy machinery and equipment storage area.
• Improved site circulation for large delivery trucks with the addition of a second driveway off
of the County’s private access road.
• Sustainable building design features, such as Net Zero Energy, with an aspirational goal to
implement portions of Living Building Challenge, improving energy efficiency and resulting in
lower life cycle costs than a conventional building design.
• Space designated on-site for future Crew/Administration Building A expansion area.
The Crew/Administration Building CA is oriented to take advantage of the southern exposure and
southerly winds to act as natural ventilation and cooling. The Shop Building SH is more centrally
located on the site. Along the north and west boundaries, a variety of storage areas will include
ecology block material storage bins, utility trailers and other equipment parking, and Building ST.
No frontage improvement are proposed because the access road along the east property line is
privately owned by King County. The site does not physically border any City of Renton public right-
of-way. The utility extensions for sewer will require connection to City of Renton main lines in NE
3rd Street via an existing utility easement on the property to the north, and water from the existing
main line in NE 2nd and Jefferson. There will be some tree removal, primarily along the west
property line for the utility corridor. An arborist analysis and report will be provided as part of the
conditional use permit application package.
The construction would require the majority of the almost 6 acre site to experience earthwork
activities at some point. Common excavation would be performed to remove the existing surface
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
material to create appropriate subgrade for foundations as well as grading to install the stormwater
and other utilities infrastructure. Approximately 13,000 CY of excavation is anticipated.
Fill material would be used for leveling between the existing grade and sub-grade, rock used for the
stormwater infiltration galleries, base material and fill material used under slabs, and pavement
totaling approximately 19,500 CY. The fill material would be expected to come from a local,
approved, commercial source arranged by the contractor.
Renton Shop Conditional Use Permit, Renton Municipal Code Section
4-9-030D. Decision Criteria
Except for wireless communication facilities, the Administrator or the Hearing Examiner shall
consider, as applicable, the following factors for applications:
1. Consistency with Plans and Regulations – The proposed use shall be compatible with the
general goals, objectives, policies and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning
regulations and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton.
Applicant Response:
The new King County Parks facility, to be located on the site of the existing County Renton Shop,
is situated in an area designated as an Employment Area (EA) in the Comprehensive Plan and is
zoned for light industrial land uses. Comprehensive Plan Policy L-18 identifies the EA to be
primarily used for “… industrial development or a mix of commercial and industrial uses such as
office, industrial, warehousing, and manufacturing, with access to transportation networks and
transit, in the EA land use designation.” The light industrial (IL) zoning implements the EA land
use designation and is intended for land uses to be fully contained within their buildings. The
Renton Shop will be a substantial upgrade in quality of administrative office and crew space,
spacious indoor and outdoor storage capabilities, and convenient vehicular travel flow through
the site. The frontage road is privately owned by King County and the signalized intersection at
NE 3rd Street and Jefferson Avenue NE makes for a safe and convenient entry onto the public
right-of-way for parks staff.
There are numerous goals and policies within the City of Renton Comprehensive Plan that are
applicable to the Renton Shop such as:
Goal L-M – Strengthen Renton’s employment base and economic growth by achieving a mix of
industrial, high technology, office, and commercial activities in Employment Areas.
Goal L-N – Sustain industrial areas that function as integrated employment activity areas and
include a core of industrial uses and other related businesses and services, transit, and
amenities.
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
Policy L-32 – Emphasize the use of…vegetated swales, rain gardens, clean roof run-off, right-of-
way landscape strips, opens space, and stormwater management techniques that mimic natural
systems, maximize water quality and infiltration where appropriate, and which will not
endanger groundwater quality.
Policy L-42 – Encourage environmentally friendly construction practices, such as Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design, Built Green, Salmon Safe, and Living Building Challenge.
Goal L-BB – Maintain a high quality of life as Renton grows by ensuring that new development is
designed to be functional and attractive.
Policy L-50 – Respond to specific site conditions such as topography, natural features, and solar
access to encourage energy savings and recognize the unique features of the site through the
design of subdivisions and new buildings.
Policy L-56 – Complement the built environment with landscaping using native, naturalized, and
ornamental plantings that are appropriate for the situation and circumstance and provide for
respite, recreation, and sun/shade.
Policy L-61 – Promote environmentally friendly, energy efficient development, including building
and infrastructure.
Policy U-21 – All new development should be required to connect to the sanitary sewer system.
King County intends this facility to promote sustainability, equity, and social justice through
design of an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable project. This will be
accomplished through architectural design features, civil site design, and landscape treatment.
The main administration building will be sited on the property to benefit from the south
prevailing winds for cooling in the summer and south facing exposure for heating and sunlight.
This layout also allows for a park-like outdoor space along the south side of the building to take
full advantage of the spectacular Mount Rainier views visible from the site.
On-site infrastructure improvements include the use of low-impact development stormwater
features such as bio-engineered swales, rain gardens, infiltration galleries, and detention
facilities. Landscaping will feature low maintenance, low-water tolerant plants as well as shade
trees as appropriate and parking lot landscaping as required per Renton code. The current
facility is not connected to sanitary sewer service by the City of Renton. The new facility will
extend mainline sewer to service this facility and decommission the existing outdated septic
system.
The Renton Shop will be designed and permitted in accordance with the City’s Comprehensive
Plan, Land Use and Development codes, and zoning regulations. The current use of the site as a
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
maintenance facility has been ongoing for several decades, and the proposed facility will not
change that use. The current use and proposed use are compatible with the immediate area
and the IL zoning.
2. Appropriate Location – The proposed location shall not result in the detrimental
overconcentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area of the
proposed use. The propose location shall be suited for the proposed use.
Applicant Response:
The current use of the site as the maintenance and operations for King County has been ongoing
since the 1940s. The current and proposed use are compatible with the light industrial (IL)
zoning district as well as the employment area (EA) comprehensive plan designation. The
Renton Highlands EA appears to be ideally suited for this type of land use. Due to this zoning
and historical use of the site, neighboring properties have been developed over time with uses
that are compatible as well, including the King County Road Division Maintenance Facility, King
County Solid Waste Transfer Station, and a large storage unit complex. There are currently no
sensitive receptors such as residential homes, churches, schools, or recreational areas located
immediately adjacent to the site. Recent development inquires with City staff on adjacent
properties include redevelopment of the parcel to the north by Renton Technical College, an
expansion by the storage unit facility to the west, and a single-family residential development
on the large parcel to the east. Property to the north is zoned Commercial Arterial (CA) and to
the east is Residential – 10 (R-10) so in the future, the area will potentially see a variety of land
uses and no one land use will dominate the landscape.
3. Effect on Adjacent Properties – The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in
substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property.
Applicant Response:
King County Parks makes every effort to not cause disruption to adjoining properties. Because
the new development is an improved version of the current use, no adverse impacts on adjacent
properties are anticipated. The County is fortunate at this location that the parcels are large
and the current land uses are not outdoor dependent or sensitive to noise, odors, light and
glare. As such, the design team is working to ensure the site layout is thoughtful to the
neighbors.
King County held an open house/neighborhood meeting as required by the City of Renton RMC
4-8-090 on December 18, 2018. The meeting was held at the Renton Highlands Library.
Individual invitations were mailed to owners within 1,000 feet of the Renton Shop site
(approximately 180 notices) who also received the County-issued SEPA determination of non-
significance for the project at the same time. The intent of the meeting was to encourage
discussion and dialogue between King County and the neighboring owners. Turnout at the
meeting was very low. The few folks that wandered in were at the library for other reasons.
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
Three specific comments or questions were received and the County provided written responses
which are attached to the Affidavit of Neighborhood Meeting Posting.
The project will also be seeking certification from the Living Building Challenge (LBC), Energy
Petal Certification, Zero Energy Certification or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) programs. The goals of these programs is to encourage design and construction of
developments that aim to improve performance in energy savings, water savings, greenhouse
gas emission reduction, indoor environmental quality, civil site design sensitivity, and protection
of environmentally sensitive areas through forward-thinking site design. Results of these design
achievements would have a long-term benefit to the surrounding area as a whole and hopefully
encourage others to implement some of the features to be used in other developments over
time.
The Renton Shop will feature design elements to help make the facility compatible with the
surrounding properties such as:
• Visual screening and landscaping.
• Three new buildings designed to complement each other. Materials will be a
combination of glass, insulated metal panels, and metal roof systems. Colors have not
been finalized; however, a natural pallet of colors are envisioned.
• Reduced air, noise, and odor emissions with the enclosure of operations within the new
expanded shops building and new HVAC equipment.
• Pole-mounted light fixtures with shields to prevent light spilling onto adjacent
properties.
• Fleet vehicle and large equipment storage will be contained behind the primary
buildings or undercover and surrounded by security fencing.
• Providing sufficient visitor and staff parking for current and future needs.
• Adding a second driveway to allow for large delivery trucks and trucks with trailers ease
of ingress and egress through the site.
For these reasons, we feel the site development will have minimal effects on adjacent
properties and the propose design responds to the existing and future character envisioned for
the area.
4. Compatibility – The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and character of the
neighborhood.
Applicant Response:
The immediate neighborhood surrounding the Renton Shop site is rather industrial in nature
with large trucks, garbage haulers, construction equipment, maintenance facilities, outdoor
storage, administrative offices, and a large self-storage complex dominating the adjacent land
use. The Renton Shop will feature a 2-story administrative office building and a 2-story
shop/storage building. The adjacent self-storage business is primarily single story structures,
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
but is currently undergoing a renovation which is 2-3 stories in height based upon visual
observation of work in progress. The nearby King County Renton Transfer Station features a
large, tall, covered structure but it is not readily visible from the Renton Shop site. The
architecturally designed Renton Shop facility will add a professional-office aesthetic currently
absent from the immediate area.
5. Parking – Adequate parking is, or will be made, available.
Applicant Response:
The gravel parking area currently used by staff and visitors will be transformed into a formal
paved, stripped, and landscaped parking lot with 84 stalls (including 4 ADA and 7 electric vehicle
charging spots) located off of the access road. A security fence with access gate between
Building A and Building C will divide the front parking lot from the storage yard beyond where an
additional 42 staff designated parking stalls are located, for a total of 138 spaces. There is also
space dedicated to parking for all of the fleet vehicles, dump trucks, trailers, and large
maintenance equipment. In determining the appropriate number of staff/visitor spaces, the
design team used current staffing, seasonal workers, as well as projected staff growth to ensure
sufficient spaces would be available.
6. Traffic – The use shall ensure safe movement for vehicles and pedestrians and shall mitigate
potential effects on the surrounding area.
Applicant Response:
King County commissioned a Traffic Impact Analysis to study the projected traffic impacts
resulting from the project. It was developed using City of Renton guidelines for methodology
and documentation standards for these reports. The new Renton Shop facility would generate
222 net new daily trips and 111 net new hourly trips for AM and PM pear hours. A worst-case
scenario was modeled to include seasonal staff in the daily trip counts. The results revealed
minimal change in traffic operations at the NE 3rd Street and Jefferson Avenue NE intersection
and that it would continue to operate in an acceptable Level of Service.
7. Noise, Light and Glare – Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the proposed use shall be
evaluated and mitigated.
Applicant Response:
Because the current use of the property is not changing as a result of this proposal, the effects
from noise, light and glare is anticipated to be little to none. With the larger shop space, more
maintenance activities are expected to occur within the confines of the enclosed structure. The
existing wood shop operation will continue, but will be housed within an insulated space within
the Building B. Exterior lighting for security purposes around the perimeter, parking lot,
pedestrian walkways, and on the buildings will be similar to lighting found at nearby businesses.
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
Fixtures will be fitted with shields to direct light to the ground or focused at a particular location
to prevent spillage onto an adjacent parcel or toward a neighboring building.
8. Landscaping – Landscaping shall be provided in all areas not occupied by buildings, paving, or
critical areas. Additional landscaping may be required to buffer adjacent properties from
potentially adverse effects of the proposed use.
Applicant Response:
Landscape architecture design criteria are based on general best practices within the landscape
design industry as well as informed by the design guidelines and principles developed in
coordination with King County for the Renton Shop and included as applicable to this project.
These criteria include the following:
1. Create a facility that is functional, environmentally and socially sustainable through
conservation, efficiency and stewardship.
2. Enhance the understanding of Parks Department and green infrastructure through
education.
3. Balance the public and private spaces to meet the needs of Parks Department and the
visitors.
4. Use landscape materials that do not require intensive, long-term maintenance or that
have excessive irrigation needs.
5. On-site opportunities for cleansing and delay of site stormwater are being evaluated in
coordination with civil engineers based on the site- specific opportunities presented
with respect to the different design alternatives.
6. Plantings will provide required buffers, support stormwater mitigation functions, and
incorporate crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles.
7. Street trees and right-of-way landscaping will be used to create an improved right-of-
way experience on roadways adjacent to the site.
Site specific opportunities and constraints have influenced the planting criteria and the
following general design criteria reflect the foundational guidelines for planting selections for
the project:
1. Drought-tolerant plant species that are native and/or adapted to the Pacific Northwest
that will reduce maintenance and irrigation needs.
2. Plant species that will improve air and water quality through high surface area, plant
mass, and hardiness.
3. Plant species that will maintain site lines into and out of the facility where desired.
4. Landscape restoration within Right-Of-Way areas will be coordinated with City of
Renton as required.
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King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
Several landscape components are being utilized for GSI (Green Stormwater Infrastructure)
related BMPs. As the landscape design for the preferred design is developed in greater detail,
the feasibility will be evaluated in coordination with the overall design team to determine the
appropriate systems for the project. Potential landscape components for GSI include the
following:
1. Bioretention Planting Areas
Roof or impermeable ground surface run-off may be directed into bioretention planting areas in
a manner that slows and treats the stormwater before it is conveyed offsite. Typical design
components of these facilities include the following:
• A minimum of 18 inches of imported bioretention topsoil mix will be incorporated
into these planting areas to help slow and treat storm water
• Plant species that will serve to slow and cleanse surface water
• Plant species that highlight the flow of water on the site and demonstrate the role
of natural systems in functioning landscapes
• Pop-up spray or high-efficiency drip irrigation tied into the on-site irrigation system.
Local building code requires irrigation be maintained in perpetuity for life safety.
2. Cisterns
The extent and configuration are still being optimized for preferred design, but considerations
for reducing potable water use and reducing impact of peak storm events, cisterns continue to
be analyzed in subsequent design phases to meet GSI and sustainability goals.
3. Vegetated Roof
Vegetated roofs systems may be used over proposed structures in order to slow surface runoff
and provide reduction of the heat island effect. Typical design components of these facilities
include the following:
• Extensive vegetated roof system: +/- 4 inch light weight soil profile. Plant materials
include pre-vegetated mats with species (primarily Sedum) that are selected for this
site and climate.
• Pop-up spray or high-efficiency drip irrigation tied into the on-site irrigation system.
Local building code requires irrigation be maintained in perpetuity for life safety.
• Rock ballast and maintenance pathways to roof facilities