HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_KC Renton Shop Trash Enclosure Modification Request_190426_v1Renton Shop – Trash Enclosure Modification Request 1
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
King County Parks – Renton Shop
Conditional Use Permit Modification Request –
Trash Enclosure
The Renton Shop will be the headquarters for operations and maintenance staff where parks
administration, crew dispatch, fleet vehicle and large equipment maintenance and storage,
warehouse and inventory storage will take place. The new facility will improve the function and
space for shop operations, enhance vehicle and pedestrian safety within the facility with better site
circulation and flow, and provide needed office space, meeting rooms, storage and shop space to
support planned growth.
King County Parks is requesting a modification from the City of Renton Code pertaining to fenced
trash enclosures as part of their Renton Shop Conditional Use Permit application package (PRE 18-
000552).
Code Requirement
City of Renton Municipal Code (RMC) Section 4-4-090 Refuse and Recyclables Standards require that
all new developments provide on-site refuse and recyclables deposit areas and collection. Deposit
areas, which include garbage dumpsters, refuse compactor areas, and recycling collection areas
must be fenced or screened pursuant to RMC Section 4-4.090.C.9.
Proposal
The front parking area located on the east end of the property and main lobby/visitor entrance
would be separated from the shops, storage areas, and fleet/staff parking areas by an 8-foot-tall
sliding gate and fence across the drive aisle, similar in appearance to the proposed 8-foot-tall
perimeter fence. After the parks maintenance crews have departed the site to their assigned park
location for the day, the gates are intended to revert to a secured access scenario for safety and
security purposes, unless a scheduled delivery or pickup necessitates that the gates be opened for a
brief period. When crews are returning at the end of the day the gates will be opened to allow
efficient vehicle movement. Once the crews are back, the gates will revert to a secured access
scenario. Within the back storage yard, 2 trash compactor locations are identified, one along the
north and another against the west property line (see attached site plan).
King County Parks does not propose to independently fence these trash compactor locations. The
perimeter fence enclosing the entire property boundary and the security gate/fence across the drive
aisles separating the public parking area from the storage yard meets the intent of the fencing and
screening requirement of the code. King County has identified locations within Building CA and
Renton Shop – Trash Enclosure Modification Request 2
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
Building SH which recycling will be collected. King County has large carts in the buildings that will be
brought out for collection on collection day and then returned to the building.
Modification Decision Criteria
RMC Section 4-9-250.D.2 identifies the decision criteria to be complied with in order for a
modification from standards to be approved.
a. Substantially implements the policy direction of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element and
Community Design Element and is the minimum adjustment necessary.
Response: King County understands the need for fencing and screening of trash
enclosures and intends to comply with the regulation with an 8-foot-tall perimeter
fence that encloses the entire property rather than just the trash compactors
themselves. Access to the trash compactors will be to County staff and the refuse
hauler only. Easy access for staff and hauler to the compactor is important, and the
trash compactors have been strategically sited in areas of the most use and
convenience. The recycling containers will be indoors and will be brought out on
collection day.
b. Will meet the objectives and safety, function, appearance, environmental protection and
maintainability intended by the code requirements.
Response: Both trash compactor locations are undercover, protected from the weather,
and facing inwards towards the storage yard. The 8-foot-tall perimeter fence and
landscaping will minimize the visual appearance of the trash compactors from adjacent
commercial/industrial land uses. The compactors will not be visible from any residential
properties. The recycling containers will be indoors protected from the weather. They
will not be visible from any residential properties.
c. Will not be injurious to other properties in the vicinity.
Response: The request to not independently fence the trash compactors will in no way
be injurious to other properties in the vicinity. Access to the compactors themselves
will be limited by the perimeter fence to County staff and refuse haulers only.
Landscaping as required will also visually screen the compactors from users of property
to the north and west side of the Renton Shop facility. The recycling containers will be
indoors and accessible by the hauler on the day of collection.
d. Conforms to the intent and purpose of the Code.
Response: King County intends to provide the 8-foot-tall perimeter fence and required
landscaping to enclose and visually screen the entire site, including the trash
compactors. The security and visual screening proposed meets the intent and purpose
Renton Shop – Trash Enclosure Modification Request 3
King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division
of the RMC 4-4-090.C.9. The recycling containers will be visually screened by being
indoors until the day of collection.
e. Can be shown to be justified and required for the use and situation intended.
Response: King County is proposing an 8-foot tall perimeter security fence which
exceeds the required 6-foot tall trash enclosure requirement. Access and
maneuverability for the staff and refuse haulers was taken into consideration when
locating the compactors. To provide for future flexibility of the yard for heavy
equipment parking, King County desires to have the ability to change pick up locations
within the fenced yard upon agreement with the hauler if necessary. Additional fencing
and gates to surround just the compactors would be unnecessary hassle and
maintenance for staff and haulers.
f. Will not create adverse impacts to other properties in the vicinity.
Response: The self-storage facility to the west and the proposed Renton Technical
College use to the north will experience little to no impact as a result of this
modification request. The occasional noise from the compactors would be expected of
a maintenance facility storage yard use. Visually, the adjacent properties would be
screened by the perimeter landscaping provided by both sites as well as the on-site
perimeter fencing and landscaping at the Renton Shop facility.