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Home My WebLink AboutBenson Hill Community Plan - 2013 (ORD 5797)' r R jjljjj� w !M, r 11 rM ti+ , ._ �O U Y `1 ' :� 4 � � -•` � � - �� r ' � �� •••To- - - 1 F-IL J _k City of 'k RENTON. AHEAD DE THE CURVE - Renton AC: Community & Economic Development A Thank you! Mayor Denis Law City Council Randy Corman, President Don Persson, President Pro-tem Terri Briere Marcie Palmer Ed Prince Greg Taylor Rich Zwicker Chief Administrative Officer Jay Covington Planning Commission Michael Drollinger, Chair Martin Regge, Vice Chair Kevin Poole, Secretary Michael Chen David Fleetwood Gwendolyn High Roxanna Johnson Michael O'Halloran Nancy Osborn Parks Commission Larry Reymann, Chair Al Dieckman, Past Chair Cynthia Burns Michael O'Donin Tim Searing Troy Wigestrand Marlene Winter Benson Hill Steering Committee Todd Anderson Micah Daniel Chad Dompier Ann Houser Yvonne Jenkins Pam Pollock Volodymyr Pyatokha Dean Zinck Community Stakeholders MB Anderson and Associates, Cascade Village Shopping Center Cascade Neighborhood Association Chinquapin Neighborhood Association Falcon Ridge Homeowners Association Huntington Heights Condo Association Ponderosa Estates Renton Park Neighborhood Association Rolling Hills Village Homes Association Shadow Hawk Homeowners Association Tiffany Park Neighborhood Association Victoria Park Homeowners Association Woodbury Lane Homeowners Association The many community members who participated in meetings, sent in comments, took online surveys, and otherwise added to the making of this Plan. Community and Economic Development Chip Vincent, Administrator Cliff Long, Economic Development Director Erika Conkling, AICP, Senior Planner Community Services Terry Higashiyama, Administrator Leslie Betlach, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Director Kelly Beymer, Parks and Golf Course Director Tim Williams, Recreation Director Kristine Stimpson, Recreation Manager Karen Bergsvik, Human Services Manager Bonnie Rerecich, Neighborhood Resource and Events Manager Todd Black, Capital Project Coordinator Norma McQuiller, Neighborhood Program Coordinator Wendy Kirchner, Neighborhood Program Assistant Police Kevin Milosevich, Chief Cindy Parks, Community Program Coordinator Terri Vickers, Community Program Coordinator Public Works Gregg Zimmerman, Administrator Jim Seitz, Transportation Planning and Program Supervisor Consultants John Owen, MAKERS architecture and urban design Rachel Miller, MAKERS architecture and urban design Rob Larsen, Norman Partners City of Renton Table of Contents Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 Purpose.......................................................................................................................................................................1 Current Conditions 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 2. Public Engagement......................................................................................................................19 Phase1 Input....................................................................................................................................................19 Phase2 Input.................................................................................................................................................._27 Phase3 Input.................................................................................................................................................._34 3. Vision ...................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Benson Hill Goals ....................................................................................................................................... 39 4. Plan Elements........................................................................................41 Community and Economic Development..................................................................41 Multi -modal Transportation.........................................................................................................48 Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas...........................................................................58 Strong, Livable, and Safe Community.........................................................................61 5. Action Strategy..................................................................................................................................67 ImplementationTable.........................................................................................................................67 Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board......................................................71 Conclusion 72 ........................................................................................................................................................... 6. Appendices (Digital files on attached CD) A. Demographics B. Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas Plan Benson Excerpts C. Walkability Audit Results: Next Steps Memo D. Community Engagement Materials: Full survey, workshop, and online interactive map results, and meeting presentations and flyers E. Existing Conditions Maps Benson Hill Community Plan City of Renton 1. Introduction Purpose The Benson Hill Community Plan guides the direction of future growth and change in Benson Hill. The City of Renton and many Benson Hill residents, businesses, and community stakeholders partnered to create this Plan. Their collaborative effort strengthened connections between neighborhoods and the City, prioritized City investments in services and infrastructure, and supplied a vision for Benson Hill vetted by participants. As Benson Hill develops and conditions change, this Plan provides a means for the City and community to address emerging issues and gives power to Benson Hill residents and businesses in shaping their community's future. Reflecting participants' priorities for Benson Hill, this plan recommends strategies to: • Create a focus in the heart of Benson Hill to foster community gathering and keep commercial destinations close to home, • Connect the neighborhoods with sidewalks, trails, bike routes, and transit access, and especially enhance the walking and biking environment on 116th Avenue SE, • Enrich the community with many small-scale improvements to parks, recreational opportunities, police -resident relationships, human services, neighborhood clean-up, and development regulations that encourage safe and quality buildings and landscapes, and • Coalesce the neighborhoods through a Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board to advocate for equitable treatment of Benson Hill as a whole and among its diverse neighborhoods. Chapter 3: Vision describes these in further detail, and Chapter 4: Plan Elements offers specific steps to achieving the vision. Planning Process and Timeframe Steps to creating this plan include: 1. Engage community members to understand values and visions, and study specific issues, such as economic development (completed). 2. Draft a plan that reflects the community's goals (completed). 3. Refine the plan and incorporate comments through an iterative process (ongoing). 4. City Council adopts the plan, and it becomes guiding policy for decision -making (expected 2013). 5. Update Zoning Map, Land Use Regulations, and Capital Improvements Plan to reflect community priorities and spur implementation of plan (expected 2014-15). 4 PHILLIP L N o ApgRK CEDAR RIVER 0 NATURALZONE na3 N ! 6 N S Puget or TIFFANY -t PARK I\ C0 CASCADE PARK Q S 164th t SE 31st St E 176th S BENSON Carr Rd SHOPPING CENTER to I w SE 168th St w CASCADE VILLAGE ¢' SHOPPING CENTER m RENTO PARK SE Petrovitsky Rd II^ , — SOOSCREEK PARK AN1D TRAI~ SE 192nd Throughout the process, there were opportunities to come to events and participate 1 Benson Hill Planning Area online to provide visions for the area and feedback on draft materials (see Chapter 2: City or Renton Public Engagement). 3OULE ARD LANE ARK Commerciajareas Parks Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 1 IN! VII�J "�_i ciir iaRr Figure 1-1. Fred Meyer, fast food and automobile services, and fire station in Benson Plaza area p,.IZR. Figure 1-2. Retail, restaurants, and large surface parking at Cascade Village Current Conditions Land Use The Benson Hill Community Plan area is over 4 square miles on the south side of Renton. Much of the area was annexed in 2007. Benson Hill's 2,960 acres of land is predominately residential with two major commercial centers. Commercial Centers Two major commercial centers serve Benson Hill. Benson Plaza (74 acres) at the southwest boundary houses a Fred Meyer and other region -serving commercial establishments (Figure 1-1). Cascade Village (26 acres), in the center of Benson Hill, is an older strip mall style development with local businesses such as restaurants, ethnic groceries, and a dollar store (Figure 1-2). Notably, Benson Plaza and Cascade Village are the only large areas zoned for commercial uses. They are zoned Commercial Arterial, along with a stretch of parcels in the northwest corner of the study area on Benson Road S and S Puget Drive. Two small Commercial Neighborhood zones exist at 108th Ave SE/SE 31st Street and southwest of the study area at SE 192"d Street/108th Avenue SE. With so few commercial centers, many residents do not live within walking distance of commercial services and amenities. Twelve recognized Neighborhood Associations exist in Benson Hill: Renton Hill (partial), Victoria Park (partial), Rolling Hills, Falcon Ridge, Shadow Hawk, Tiffany Park, Ponderosa Estates, Cascade, Renton Park, Huntington Heights, Woodbury Lane, and Chinquapin (Figure 1-3). Cascade covers the largest area and is central to the planning area. Almost half of Benson Hill homes are located in neighborhoods without City -recognized neighborhood associations. Most of the area south of Petrovitsky Road is not currently organized into a Neighborhood Association. Neighborhoods north of Petrovitsky Road are better represented by Neighborhood Associations. The recently annexed areas are relatively new to Renton's neighborhood program while others have longstanding relationships with Renton. City of Renton Introduction Sri Falcon Ridge Vantage Glens Woodbury • . Lane Shadow's Hawk Ir City of Renton Neighborhood Program This map is intended for City display purposes only. 4' This document is a graphic representation, not guaranteed to survey accuracy, and is based on the best information available as of the date shown. Produced by IT-GIS on 06/13/2013 Chinquapin Ridge Figure 1-3. City -recognized neighborhood associations Benson Hill Community Plan 3 Chapter 1 Benson Community Planning Area School Site _ — I City Limits Shopping Centers PP 9 PAA Boundary Parks Figure 1-4. Parks and schools in the Benson Hill planning area Figure 1-5. Utility corridors weave through Benson Hill Parks and Recreation Tiffany Park, Cascade Park, Renton Park, and Phillip Arnold Park provide walking trails, children's play areas, and recreational opportunities to residents of the Benson Hill. Phillip Arnold Park is just north of the planning area, but is accessible to Benson residents via an unpaved right-of-way owned by Seattle Public Utilities. The Cedar River Natural Area defines the northern boundary of the area (although it is not directly accessible from Benson Hill). To the east, the Soos Creek Corridor and Boulevard Lane Park offer large natural areas. Several major utility corridors cross the area, providing informal trails, recreation links, and views (Figure 1-5). Pan C ri Wetl 'HIV Heritagrk r Park Maplewood Maplewood its oadside Park Park Y� i SE 186th Place Properties. Mapl'ew Golf Co V Area V l CI 'AR<S,T E Ar I,ER VATI_i?AI 2,Ri A. . I RENTON,� { i *ARK + I r" SOOS [REEK PARK BgTRAII tltltl kIE192Nosr 0 Community Park - -- Regional Trail Pedestrian General Zone — Freeway Service Area - Principal Arterial - Neighborhood Park - - -- Local Trail High Density Residential Major Road 1/4 mile - Commercial: Local Street _ Pedestrian All Other Parks Roadway Barrier ® 1/2 mile Urban Center- North 1, Urban Center - North 2,-_--I _ River/Creek Renton City Limits Community Park Center Village, Commercial/Office/Retail,---� 7_--1 Potential Annexation Area Neighborhood Park Commercial Arterial, Center Downtown Undeveloped Other Jurisdiction Park Land Water Body Figure 1-6. Local park access by high density zoning (Renton Parks Plan). Note the lack of parks serving the high density zones in central Benson Hill. 4 City of Renton Introduction While, it would seem that this wide collection of parks and natural areas provide many opportunities for the community, parts of Benson Hill are currently underserved (see Figures 1-6 and 1-7). Central and south Benson Hill are particularly devoid of local parks and recreation assets. The long term Parks Plan identifies the need for a large recreational park to serve Benson Hill, especially the area south of Petrovitsky Road. See the Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan —Benson in Appendix B for full details on parks planning for Benson Hill. rlazza of Gateway on ar r e Park Maplewood Maplewood terans 169 oadside Park 'Park Trial Park Tonkin Par S In NARCO Burnett P rk Property 1 Riverview Linear Park Maple Golf G Philip Cedar Rive. Arnold Park :r aural Aroa 1 Lake Street`, _ Open Space", _ ^� Talbot Hill Reservoir Park Tiff44ar Pan, Parkwood South Crec Div #3 Park Well Th as Teasdale Park Cascade Pa rk 167 I Native \ , Trail Edlund r E I76TH ST .Property V �} soc - PARK Tiffany Park Elementary School Existing Parking Turf Mound Enhance Existing Activity Buildin / .{� Relocated Play Area Relocate Basketball Court TIFFANY pQf�K Next to Tennis Improve Existing -..,,.. Field i Natural Trail Area Seating Areas —'-\ Potential Future Park Expansioi Improve Trail Linkage, Improv( / & Provide Parking Connection trail 1.. between Tiffany &Cascade Park \ �—Pedestrian Access Off -Leash-\ cAA'SCADE PARK Dog Park\.\ I_\. Small Picnic r Planting Area With Area Y Walking Paths \ Turf Play V Pedestrian Access J- \ - Mound L nyt Group Picnic Area potential F TRenovate Play Area -� Create a Ft - Sand + Water Improve V - Composite Structure for 2-5 & 5-=2 - Play Village i `Jil Figure 1-8. Tiffany/Cascade Park concept plan (Renton Parks Plan) Multi -generational Center [2] Gyms Courtyard with Seating ± & Table Games S School Age Playy Area .. 15-=2) l Sports Court Basketball or 1 Tennis W Panther SODS REEK ek 4A PARK TRAIL Parcel I eland �. 1 SE 186th J ardso Pla a Properties operty SE 192V : TA, Regional Park - -- Regional Trail Pedestrian 0 Community Park --- Local Trail Service Area Pedestrian 1/4 mile - Neighborhood Park _ Roadway Barrier 1/2 mile Natural Area Undeveloped Community Park Sk Neighborhood Scale 0 Special Use Park - Undeveloped 7� Programmable Space 0 Renton Property Neighborhood Park - Corridor Undeveloped Special Use Figure 1-7. Indoor programmable space access (Renton Parks Plan). Note the lack of programmable space serving southern Benson Hill. Vehicular Entry Tot Play Area (2-5) Parking Lot (40-45 Spaces) T AA� _J L Z' �� '[— Restroom iOpen Turf Group Picnic Area With Skate Area Area ®i Common Grill Between 0:f & i Small Picnic Pavilions r[21 Baseball 8& 1eoccer Perimeter Walking (23 kds0') III i Paths i L II i a new community park in the Benson Hill planning area like this diagrammatic example. Automobile Service Area 1/4 mile 1/2 mile 1 mile 2 mile Community Scale Programmable Space Freeway Principal Arterial Major Road Local Street _ River/Creek -_--I Renton City Limits - - Potential ---= Annexation Area Other Jurisdiction Park Land Undeveloped Q Other Jurisdiction Park Land Water Body Benson Hill Community Plan 5 Chapter 1 I Benson Hill Planning Area 2 Foot ContoutS 105-162 369-428 City d Rant. Elevation 163-222 429-4]0 6 - 50 223 - 292 471 - 528 51-1u 293-368 'Intl....Mou —q2V Figure 1-10. Topographic contours map a Figure 1-11. Unique topography affords views to the Cascades and Lake Washington y�y Figure 1-12. Soos Creek at 116th Ave SE Schools The Renton School District operates seven facilities in the area: • Lindbergh High School • Nelsen Middle School • Cascade Elementary School • Renton Park Elementary School • Tiffany Park Elementary School • Benson Hill Elementary School • Spring Glen special programs facility Natural Environment Benson Hill's high point is near the center of the study area, and the land slopes down to the Cedar River to the north, Soos Creek to the east, and descends quickly at Benson Road and Benson Drive to the west. The southwest side is part of the Green/Duwamish Watershed, while the northeast side belongs to the Lake Washington/Cedar River Watershed. Wetlands exist northwest of the SE Petrovitsky Road/11611 Avenue SE intersection and at the Benson Drive S/ Benson Road S intersection, and are connected by an informal wildlife corridor. The Cedar River Natural Area, Soos Creek Park, and Renton Park comprise approximately 300 acres of undeveloped wooded area. Renton Comnrehensive Plan The City of Renton Comprehensive Plan (Comprehensive Plan) provides policy guidance for the growth and development of the City as a whole based on a community vision. The Comprehensive Plan is in compliance with the Growth Management Act (GMA), which requires that Comprehensive Plans include policy direction for land use, housing, capital facilities, and transportation. Renton's Comprehensive Plan is due to be updated in 2015. The Comprehensive Plan incorporates statewide planning goals, including provisions that discourage urban sprawl, support affordable housing, protect the environment, and encourage the provision of adequate urban services. The Comprehensive Plan is designed to accommodate 20 year growth forecasts determined by regional agencies and local jurisdictions. Benson Hill is outside of Renton's urban centers, so the Comprehensive Plan promotes a lower level of intensity than in Renton's more urban areas. City of Renton Introduction Commercial Districts The Commercial land use designations in Benson Hill (Commercial Corridor and Commercial Neighborhood) are intended to "Support existing businesses and provide an energetic business environment for new commercial activity providing a range of service, office, commercial, and mixed use residential uses that enhance the City's employment and tax base along arterial boulevards and in designated development areas" (Comprehensive Plan, Land Use XI: Commercial Goal, IX-49). �MD� �I. C— R D LD r.sus. F e. �x RSF RMDI s RSF 8 m , RMD :RMD _RMD RMD _ RL se„ F ....... ...... _ F bz01 — s —;RSF RMD RMD — s I GAD RM R ez.ari RLD- 1 _ as s ,e RLD \ ,e RMD RSF RLD RM c _ V` w n r� F i -I 1� 1_.._ i Benson Hill Planning Area Residential Designations ......2 City of Renton - RMF - Residential MultiFamily Land Use 0 RMD - Residential Medium Density Commercial Designations RLD - Residential Low Density CC - Commercial Corridor 0 RSF - Residential Single Family CN - Commercial Neighborhood Parks COR - Commercial -Office -Residential Figure 1-13. Comprehensive Plan land use designations map RM_U CD ea a�§s5m s, s Js,,,�J ` se ain RC �'�.,' �, S §off y4��•"--"'T „w•'' d RM-F �� ^�'� ,,.. �•'` sE ram......'; p<'ay mw �� kse,e.matg .................. — Q �Ed1 , isnn s, sssmas `� s s' R-14 s' psxmn s3sms� sF,rz.a sE,1abs k ss,mr %se,�s,n s, Oyu R-10 sssun �\sy se l�sm st`� _ ;$E P,trhnyRd ,R Ca Rd - a a g _ ss n.l _..-.I ✓� CA� L R sa,MH ni, a as R 1 ,a.usi R-4aP / m sE,em ,esnw � € �1�PB6e1 _ mw.0 xu ss,esu>i § _ � ssm s, a su P�.,es dE, — sE,eeum se,eems, °� — ss,nmri 1 £ a a ss,ss. neee�t�ma�.-�...--�.�__�•-..�....:.....- i� 11111 a. A Benson Hill Planning Area Residential Multi -Family Urban Center d City of Renton Center Village Zoning - Center Downtown - Resource Conservation Urban Center - North 1 Residential 1 du/ac Urban Center - North 2 Residential 4 du/ac - Commercial Office/Residential Residential 8 du/ac Commercial Arterial Residential Manufactured Homes _ Commercial Office Residential 10 du/ac - Commercial Neighborhood - Residential 14 du/ac Industrial - Light Residential Multi -Family i Industrial - Medium Residential Multi -Family Traditional _ Industrial - Heavy Figure 1-14. Zoning map (implements the Comprehensive Plan) Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 1 Figure 1-15. Multifamily housing Figure 1-16. Low density housing The Comprehensive Plan encourages Commercial Corridor (CC) districts (Benson Plaza and Cascade Village) to "evolve from `strip commercial' linear business district to business areas characterized by enhanced site planning incorporating efficient parking lot design, coordinated access, amenities, and boulevard treatment" (IX-49). Although anticipated to accommodate medium -intensity levels of activity now, the Comprehensive Plan recognizes that the intensity and efficiency of land use will likely rise over time as conditions change. Pedestrian amenities and linking to adjacent neighborhoods are encouraged. These land uses are implemented through the Commercial Arterial zone in Benson Hill. The Commercial Neighborhood (CN) designation advocates "small scale, low -intensity commercial areas located within neighborhoods primarily for the convenience of residents who live nearby" (Comprehensive Plan, IX-54). Residential Districts The Residential Multi -Family (RMF) and Residential Medium Density (RMD) land use designations support cost-efficient housing options, encourage infill development, and are implemented through the Residential Multi -family (RM-F), Residential 14 dwelling units per net acre (R-14), and Residential 10 dwelling units per net acre (R-10) zones in Benson Hill. The Residential Low Density (RLD) and Residential Single Family (RSF) designations support small-scale, quality homes in existing single-family neighborhoods on lands that are not appropriate for urban levels of development. The Residential Low Density districts are near Soos Creek Park, Renton Park, and Cedar River Natural Zone to limit impacts on sensitive natural areas. The Residential 8 dwelling units per net acre (R-8) and Residential 4 dwelling units per net acre (R-4) implement these districts, with the R-8 zone covering the largest land area in Benson Hill. City of Renton Introduction Environment The current Comprehensive Plan Environment Element addresses the protection of natural and sensitive areas and overall ecological functions in the City. The 2015 Comprehensive Plan update will incorporate environmental policies throughout the Plan rather than as a separate element. Because much of Benson Hill remains in a natural state or drains toward natural areas, policies relating to water quality, low -impact development, and protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat may be considered. Transportation Benson Hill's roads are primarily designed for motor vehicles. Benson Drive/Highway 515/Talbot Road and Benson Road/1081h Avenue are major north -south routes that cross Interstate 405 to connect Benson Hill with downtown Renton. Major east -west routes include Puget Drive S, 1681h Avenue SE, SE 176th Street/SE Petrovitsky Road, and SE 192"d Street. Walking, Biking, and Transit Sidewalk links are missing within some neighborhoods and along some major roads, such as on 116th Avenue SE near Petrovitsky. Bike lanes are not marked, except as shoulders on some stretches of 116th Avenue SE. Speed bumps and landscaped medians are used in some places to calm traffic, but some residents complain of automobiles travelling at unsafe speeds in their neighborhoods. The intersection of 1161h Avenue SE and Petrovitsky Road poses a particular barrier to walkability with fast traffic, a lack of visibility, and inadequate pedestrian space. See the "Walking and bicycling improvements map" on page 55 for the locations of these and other community -identified improvements. Figure 1-17. Soos Creek at 116th Ave SE Figure 1-18. Invasive plants in undeveloped area south of Phillip Arnold Park Figure 1-19. Youth walk home from school; missing sidewalk link Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 1 Figure 1-20. Cyclist using sidewalk Figure 1-21. Bus stops on 116th Ave SE near Petrovitsky Road As noted in the Commercial Centers section above, many residences are not within walking distance of commercial amenities. See the Walkability Audit Results: Next Steps Memo in Appendix C for more information on the walkability of Benson Hill. Five Metro bus routes serve Benson Hill: 155, 161, 169, 102, and 148. These connect Benson Hill to Southcenter, downtown Renton, Fairwood, Tukwila, Seattle, and Kent. People in the Cascade neighborhood area use bicycles and carpools more frequently than other neighborhoods in Renton (see commute trip mode map in Appendix E). Southeastern Benson Hill residents have to walk between five and 20 minutes to reach a bus stop. See Appendix E for a comparison of Benson Hill and Renton commute trip times and commute trip modes of people in poverty. Figure 1-22. Transit routes map (Google Maps). Note the lack of routes in the southeastern planning area. 10 City of Renton Introduction d - 1 rrkll (tl � 1 0 d pll z..:,I t. _ -_. -� .. - •• ....�.. Windsor - Hllls ParkTe[7,niCal � Renton c 1 [ I�i i - �F INS 4th Sr �nnr7r NE I I h SI y { I�j Iry7- • faI F[ Not; In 1#Flnif RUT ii n rn fir IFi r IiI Iir In gF In.larir�r�l RU - h N 4, 1 rii' rij �.. ~ Irlemorial 4 Office G�fni• i ■ Park $ * lien r1.rl:. • :;:: �'.� .= "� ty f r plt�Bt Para HGrlteg� iparik Q NE 2nd St t i1 s �entnn [Fi t �cl:n:i harry CBmBIBN G ww r ww r- �i ■I� ri p N z ! ��a 6 wSchwi cr r_.7ar P,:ra, • ,ver Park Ni = Ma rind SE 1361h 5j F hl ! Ark jrvH . • C FA INN INN INN 1 7y Maplrwmn ! Y Fred:'•. Z. {;,. _ark u 1r�__I I u- o ��_ : MByer•�� b 3 "' F �I� enlrq�,•, _ R -' �y! MaPle�voorl RoadsidF 1lrk 5Z 14 ! } sr r y P.Ivrrvy,4Pnrk klaplewoodr�7w�J _ MINEg 041,4 rF.tt� .•� .i F� I P ` r •/ N - ® I x1� Ham, radV� GiIY ' a „_.. rrWld Cedar River . Aroa MaplewoodNatural aplewaod GDK Course I � CIIIh Jw w % r 6thSt s rww� r ¢l Tdlany 'C[Ingbro°k r Parr _ 'S:.. 4 • �� Talw a{ Hill J� rvoir . `:� * ♦� Soot Cr �1 Slark ! Tlnany Par{. an,i Tr I� -� Park 41s1 for lot r , at a -' r n f'iif [itI FiI I. : 3� a � 407 : ;ab Id.s r Paldh968Ih $r r Creekur • �. f�rr w� I ww-FINS _EN �—w •••♦ No 1^rrt4irnls � y �# s8allrwd ::.P ' RBMPn Fal% 3W Vil; Sl i i f E ; Park Lihl IC �•�q �.5. Ii Eli G 7 �� ■�'�: ,C H11n 10i 1i `♦ °,let 1 lrl iFir llrlfl III Ir lot For let lot lei All In � ��*! I i1++� r r� SW4i5 5�1.._ w Valley �yi ��'`EdlunJ '00 7;� •Mad-47 r-arl]I,�� N �• Legend Clr SE C:.i'I 1 Benswi L: Sons crrsek i 1801h S! '� 1* In l�' 11 it S�. •� P�J KI �+ I �► c ' ram.♦ r+ . _ 9 • i SF 17rih c1 I■1 [y m [al I. ,� �* .� - Freeway �♦ Arterial Street Local Street �s T -M EXISTING ROUTES V7 ff "`■ Multi -use trail, Regional w� s w� N= ben an HI' Elenwniar a -� Multi -use trail, Local ag _„;, 1. Bicycle Lane "IhL • Signed shared roadway SE tsa[id sl i ni III IrI In lot I� INN m lot ql In I in, �� Pedestrian -only trail y rlavrdandr' _ -! ! PROPOSED ROUTES Rlchards°rl 'I �--. G i Sons PropCrtl• i. c:_h��k ! r�.ri �.r � i Creek Park '0*0- Multi -use trail, Re ionaI g and 7raY r Multi -use trail, Local LE '6*1jltN, Bicycle Lane ID IN, raI 1Rl IRI IrI fiL1Fl IFV IFI IFI !y v ' • "'NON Signed shared roadway �- 'rFr+►+� o+i,r,. Pedestrian -only trail Future rails -trails corridor • I " a - r!r:dTn Y:nn S-h l All Figure 1-23. Trails and bicycle improvements map (Trails and Bicycle Master Plan, 2009) Interstate Fwy 'x State Hwy Park School Amenity Opportunity Location ■ Water Trail Launch/Landing Site Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 1 QBenson Hill Planning Area Housing units per acre F3City of Renton 0 no data 0 0.6 - 1.0 0 1.1 - 2.0 2.1 - 3.0 EM 3.1 - 4.0 - 4.1 - 8.0 Figure 1-24. Housing unit density, 2000 and 2010 (Census 2000 and 2010 SF1 Table DP- 1, census tract level) Demographics and Regional Equity For detailed demographic information, see Appendix A. Population and Housing Densitx Benson Hill grew from 8,438 households in 2000 to 9,808 households in 2010, and is expected to gain another 700 units by 2015.1 It is home to almost 22,000 residents and almost 400 businesses. Benson Hill houses about 24 percent of Renton's population and 27 percent of its households (and is about 20 percent of its land area). Population Households Benson Hill 21,942 9,808 Renton 90,927 36,009 Source: U.S. Census 2010 The area is primarily composed of single-family homes, with denser clusters of residences centered on Cascade Village and Benson Plaza. The western half of Benson Hill has grown more dramatically than the eastern half in the last ten years (Figure 1-24). 2010 - Age ■ Under 18 ■ 18-24 25-44 ■ 45-64 ■ 65 & Over Figure 1-25. Age in Benson Hill O Benson Hill Planning Area Percentage of households with children under 18 years City of Renton 1 25 0 26%-32%l� - 33%- 36% - 37%- 40% - 41%-45% O no data Figure 1-26. Households with children map (Census 2010 SF1, Table DP-1, tract level) 1 ESRI forecasts for 2010 and 2015; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000 Census of Population and Housing. 12 City of Renton Introduction 89.E Benson Hill has a high proportion of households with children as compared to the region, particularly east of 116lh Avenue SE (Figure 1-26). Seniors are a very small portion of the population in central Benson Hill (Figure 1-27). Race/Ethnicity Residents are racially/ethnically diverse, with a large portion speaking languages other than English (Figure 1-29). The population of people born outside the U.S. grew from 15 percent to 23 percent in the last 10 years, which follows the trend experienced by Renton as a whole. About seven percent of the population lives in families where the adults are not proficient in speaking English. 2000 and 2010 - Race, Ethnicity, and Hispanic Origin — 2s.ao% M 10.696 8.99E 0-7% 9.9% 20.00% IIIL5.7% M 2000 2000 2M:) 2010 ■ White ■Asian or Pacific Islander ■ Black ■ American Indian ■Other Race or Multiple Races f Hispanic/Latino Origin Figure 1-28. 2000 and 2010 Race, ethnicity, and Hispanic origin Benson Hill Community Plan 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% M Benson Hill Planning Area Percent of population who are 65 years or older City of Renton �6%-8% 9% - 10% O 11%- 12% _ 13% - 140/6 - 15% - 19% Figure 1-27. Seniors in Benson Hill map (Census 2010 SF1, Table DP-1, tract level) Linguistic Isolation and Foreign Born Residents 15.95% 4.66% 0 mnn 2009 22,97% ■ Percentage of Population Linguistically Isolated - defined by the US Census if no member of the household 14 years or older speaks English ■ Percentage of Population Born Outside the United States Figure 1-29. Linguistic isolation and foreign born residents 11 ,,iiiiiiiiiiiiiiAj 13 Chapter 1 F' -s Race and Ethnicity Density, 2000 r 'tom o+. -. r�r Race and Ethnicity Density, 2010 QBenson Hill Planning Area 4 :1 City of Renton 1 Dot = 10 people White • Black/African American • American Indian and Alaska Native • Asian • Other • Two or more races • Hispanic or Latino (of any race) Figure 1-30. Race and ethnicity density map, 2000 and 2010 (Census 2000 and 2010 SF1, Table DP-1, census tract level) 77 ri Population born outside U.S, 2000 Population born outside U.S, 2010 OBenson Hill Planning Area LF:1 City of Renton Percentage of population born outside the U.S. F-1 1% - 15% — 16% - 22% - 23% - 28% — 29% - 33% - 34% - 38% Figure 1-31. Population born outside the U.S., 2000 and 2010 (Census 2000 and 2010 SF1, Table DP-1, census tract level) 14 City of Renton Introduction Regional Equity Regionally, Benson Hill has lower "opportunity" than northern Renton, Seattle, and Bellevue (see PSRC's Comprehensive Opportunity Map for Puget Sound below). This index is based on factors such as access to education, jobs, transportation alternatives, healthy food, social networks. Benson Hill's median household income, $70,089, is slightly above Renton's average of $67,639. The level of poverty is similar to all of Renton, which is slightly less than the poverty level of Seattle or Washington state.2 However, a closer look at central Benson Hill shows more people in poverty than Renton's average. Figures 1-34 Zoom -in: Comprehensive Opportunity Map M Kirwan Institute Puget Sound Urbanized Area Many Oifferemc One Deiti nT Sources: Puget S.— Regional Council, 2011', Environmental Protection Agency, 2010; Washington Dept. 01 Ecology, 2011; ESRI Business Analyst, 2010; American Community Survey, 2006-2010', U.S. Census, 2010: Tetrad, Inc. PCensus Dbx, 2010', Washington State Report Card, 2010-2011 Figure 1-32. Comprehensive opportunity map: Puget Sound urbanized area (PSRC, 2011) 2 "In poverty" used here to mean population below 150% of the poverty threshold (American Community Survey 2010). Percentage of Population Below the Poverty Level r G.36`1. 10 59% 2009 Figure 1-33. Percentage of population below the poverty level, 2000 and 2009 Benson Hill Community Plan 15 Chapter 1 L Ai Poverty (2010) Benson Hill Planning Area City of Renton Percent of population below 150% of the poverty threshold 1% - 2% 3% 5% 6% 9% _ 10% - 11% - 12% - 22% no data Figure 1-34. Portion of population below 150% of the poverty threshold map (American Community Survey 2010, 5 Year Estimate, Table B08122, census tract level) and 1-35 show that central Benson Hill, particularly east of 1161h Avenue SE north of Petrovitsky Road have lower median incomes and a higher proportion of people in poverty. It is important to note that the geographic areas associated with lower incomes are not the same as those areas associated with increased racial, ethnic, and place of origin diversity. am. Hcemaia—2010 Median Household Income by Block Group Community & Economic Development MEDHINC_CY = $0.00 - $35,000.00 0 $75,000.01 - $95,000.00 O BHCPA North Petrovisky Bdry $35,000.01 - $42,000.00 $95,000.01 - $120,000.00 BHCPA South Petrovisky Bdry $42,000.01 - $56,000.00 + $120,000.01-$150,000.00 �City Limits $56,000.01 - $75,000.00 - $150,000.01-$225,369.00 Figure 1-35. 2010 median household income by block group map 16 City of Renton Introduction Summary Benson Hill is a set of suburban neighborhoods loosely tied together because of surrounding barriers: natural (i.e., Cedar River, Soos Creek Park, Renton Park, Boulevard Lane Park) and created (i.e., Interstate 405, Highway 167, and the Renton -Kent boundary at SE 192nd Street). Although Benson Hill has many positive qualities — such as active neighborhood associations that spur community events, great schools, beautiful views, rolling topography, large natural areas, excellent driving access to downtown and the region, and the start of an extensive trail network —this analysis shows that some areas could improve. The following are some aspects of Benson Hill that should be addressed in this plan: Social equity. Average income in Benson Hill is on par with Renton, but people with lower incomes are concentrated in central and northern Benson Hill (Figure 1-35). Benson Hill as a whole may have less "opportunity" than much of Puget Sound (Figure 1-32). Thus, to work toward social equity, this plan should promote the addition or improvement of resources in those areas. Homeownership and business retention programs may also be key to ensuring that future improvements benefit current residents and businesses as opposed to merely attracting newcomers. • Benson Hill unity. Benson Hill is segmented and lacks a unified identity. Some neighborhoods have neighborhood associations and long-standing relationships with the City, but others have only been annexed to Renton for a few years, and many households are not part of any organized neighborhood. Community residents are diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, country of birth, and household income. In addition, some neighborhoods are physically disconnected from each other. Benson Hill's social and geographic diversity itself could be a unifying element if social and physical connections between neighborhoods are improved. In this way, Benson Hill could truly become a community of neighborhoods. • Community heart. The combination of commercial attractions and public space in a central location is important to creating a cohesive community. Most great communities have a central "town square" and/or "main street," usually within walking or bicycling distance, where people go to run errands, dine, shop, and recreate. The attractions may be mostly private enterprises, but an attached public gathering space, or at least public sidewalks, allows for social get-togethers, community activities, and chance meetings. The central location and concentration of attractions bring diverse neighbors together, the pleasant pedestrian environment invites people to walk between destinations, and the resulting accidental meetings Benson Hill Community Plan 17 Chapter 1 and planned community events build stronger ties among community members. For example, Kent Station attracts people for shopping and dining, while outdoor plazas allow for gathering. In Seattle's U-District, shops along The Ave bring pedestrians for food and errands, and the sidewalks become a place for many chance meetings. When additional public space is needed for events, the street is closed to traffic. However, in Benson Hill, Cascade Village and Benson Plaza are the only major commercial centers, and neither support community gathering or easy walking or bicycling. Area parks provide amenities to the households that live nearby, but recreation opportunities alone do not create comprehensive neighborhood centers. Because Benson Hill is such a large area, it is important that this plan create at least one focused area of community activity. • Park and community center. The Parks Plan states the need to strategically locate a park and community center in central or southern Benson Hill, which currently lacks access to parks (Figures 1-6 and 1-7). Non -motorized mobility. Neighborhoods are physically disconnected from each other, as well as from retail and restaurant services. People cannot easily walk or bicycle to commercial destinations, and in the southeast, public transit can be over a mile away from residences. However, the existing informal network pedestrian paths and the planned Soos Creek Trail expansion offer the opportunity to build a more comprehensive trail system. Benson Hill could become a stronger community if the above themes are addressed. These, combined with the community's input represented in the Chapter 2: Public Engagement, provide the basis and underlying assumptions for this plan. 18 City of Renton 2. Public Engagement Phase 1 Input Beyond Conventional Outreach In June 2011, Renton held a walking audit of the Cascade neighborhood. Although the City advertised the event with posters, postcard mailouts, and media releases, attendance was poor. From this experience, the planning team learned that they would need to employ additional or unconventional outreach strategies to garner ideas and feedback for this plan. So in addition to the traditional mailers, posters, and press releases, an online strategy, informal conversation at neighborhood events, and outreach to specific individuals and groups became important to this process. Notably, it was the combination of techniques, and the replication of efforts into multiple formats, that reached the broad audience used to develop the plan. Mailings, posters, workshops, interactive online tools, social media, and personal outreach all target different groups of people. These techniques were part of the public process for this plan, but also resulted in the outcome of creating additional communication between the neighborhoods and the City. Conversations Prior to the start of the project, City staff met with residents at the 2011 neighborhood picnics in Tiffany Park, Rolling Hills, Talbot Park/Victoria Park, and Cascade. People talked about what they liked and would like to see improved in Benson Hill, and these informal interviews were videotaped and later posted on the Benson Plan website. Su—t 2011 NdghLorhood Plcnt nwmmn.wearn.._.�wxi ewawnenwt ran�rrw aan.memweeu.e.. mw.r orc wry na em.nam ren. oenet n wmmr mii enn....e aw eean u. iwn.en i. >+u. vrnww. rw.e..r. w.. wv.w w�rw wr.wmwn ...w.n+w.mr..e ,— ueew�wwaae�wsr.onv ,rm ..�anr mw.vn SHAREYOUROPfNlOAiS What's your vision for you•-m>•u:nrty- o.i haw reached the Re nson IhU Cnntn—iM Plan ow! oryv •.nw mmn.xy o��+m wvv .m e.mm w n..ann dni.a. owrrs. se wr �. w.�rw .rt eM •.« ��.�..w c•v . w �.r w... rows �...,.'+¢� m, r a• ::.r.-m i rm�=.n n�aM naw.� wvr.c em.. .w*n .n...w. �M..+wn •..ww w Figure 2-1. Website screen shots, including videos from 2011 picnics Benson Hill Community Plan 19 Chapter 2 Figure 2-2. Steering Committee driving tour Figure 2-3. Steering Committee direction on major concepts I:P ConAinp 1 woad w m1.•n1.dduv crf .no. wmn,unm ynd.n., nr po.n1 Fryn"i 11 i(:unsn I wiii A 4ds Wia as lung as M alpa[an Be fL Ylin din 21AM re.s an aWIA oval1aaN iigoe. �mpraM onod Wsao 1. kaa[ d x Id no-Ic Df n711m"I Where wwdd tlw funds mnw hum on an on wnv e.xia to numWn air :n n.r �uilu lrn Riu[I nf[raa .r c.naweoepmrtf ann nd manvan.a AW.„mea Un .r nb ft. Vw A. nr., Cp — c.G p—, s ory remw W.nd rere Figure 2-4. Interactive map used to collect comments and facilitate discussion Planning staff reached out to individuals they met at the neighborhood picnics, or heard about through the Neighborhood Program, to form the Benson Hill Steering Committee (BHSC). The BHSC, comprised of residents, business owners, and community leaders, met three times during the initial phase of the project. In the first meeting, members were introduced to the planning process and discussed their priorities for Benson Hill. The second meeting focused on the best means of engaging more people in the process and helped to develop the outreach strategy for the plan. It also solidified the agenda for the February Open House, where Steering Committee members led small group discussions. In the third meeting, members responded to the open house results and provided further input to staff on the draft vision statement for the plan. Online Presence BensonPlan.org was launched in early 2012 to provide information about community planning in general and this project specifically, announce updates and events, and solicit input and feedback at various stages of the planning process. The website received almost 2,000 "hits," and 1,220 people visited the site between its inception and August 2013. Almost 500 people returned to the site multiple times. People tended to arrive at the site via the City of Renton's page, the Benson Plan Facebook page, the Renton Reporter, the Renton Patch, reddit, or by directly typing in the page address. Spikes in usage occurred when we coupled our efforts with other methods, such as when people were asked to vote on the summer 2012 Midnight Movie at Cascade Village, after updates sent by email or post, upon announcing an online survey, and around the day of the Moonlight Movie itself. Interactive Mai An interactive map on the website provided a forum for geographically specific comments and discussions (Figure 2-4). It allowed users to post unique comments and provided locations for sidewalk and intersection improvements, speeding traffic, and input on other issues, such as an off -leash dog -park, community garden, panhandlers, and preserving natural areas. One of the great features of the interactive map was that is also allowed other members of the public to respond and vote on suggestions, opening a dialogue not just with the City but within the community as well. News Bloa Also featured on the website was a blog where meeting i 20 City of Renton Public Engagement announcements and other information could be posted (Figure 2-5). Community members asked for information to be presented in this format where they could make comments and ask clarifying questions. One of the most popular blog entries was an update from the owners of the Cascade Shopping Center. Social Media The City maintained a Benson Plan Facebook page, providing updates and announcements and sparking conversation about plan topics (Figure 2-6). Most visitors reached the Facebook page through the Benson Plan website, but also from Renton Patch, Renton Reporter, and the City of Renton Facebook page. Email Updates Email updates were sent to interested people every few months throughout the process. People were able to sign up for the email list through the Benson Plan website and at the neighborhood picnics and open house. Interested parties without an email address were sent the same updates by post. Email was also used to do targeted outreach to community groups and organizations. Benson Hill is home to multiple youth organizations, businesses, churches and religious groups, sports clubs, ethnic clubs, school groups, and neighborhood organizations. Flyers, notices, and survey links sent specifically to these groups, helped to reach parts of the community who might not ordinarily participate in planning projects. Survey # 1 Staff prepared a survey to help identify priorities and assets for the Benson Hill Community. This survey was available by paper and online from February to May 2012. Paper copies were distributed at the February workshop and to interested parties. The results are summarized in the Summary of Phase 1 Input section below. February 29, 2012 Public Workshop The Public Workshop filled the gymnasium at Renton Park Elementary School. After a short presentation on background information about Benson Hill and the purpose of community planning, participants discussed their values and visions. Bicycle routes, infrastructure, speeding cars, wetlands and green space, connections across roads, a community center, crime, and the economics of planning were some of the topics raised. Participants then broke into topic groups —Cascade Village/ Business Services, Parks and Open Space, Community Well -Being (safety, security, youth, seniors, schools, health), and Streets and Benson Hill Community Plan -�n,M.r zoia ce�,a��,,,�ty ouueacb Sc.rcingNawl whare kuppenmp at Cascade Vdlape? A note liom Todd Anderson. -1 r. III 1LF.NnIa aivmu 1neenson-1 o cowKrts r,i New Summer Pimlc Video e��et,t.�n�nY,eeo....ee� ro«K•n ed th. - : d+See the preeenw L ion here. Figure 2-5. Blog announcements �r Figure 2-6. Facebook status updates Figure 2-7. February Open House AA 21 Chapter 2 Open House #1 Mapping Exercise Compilation Notes compiled from 4 groups at the February 29, 2012 open house. Colored squares at the end of each note indicate which group made the comment (see legend below). 0 Make access road bike w s, 0 Open this road is friendly at gate • & ae,�"s <°y 0 Power lines trail . ®No through . 0 Create a more safe, 5<_ ,'PHILUP pee"q "^, „ 0 Unsafe intersection ismulti-modal, & a s a4RNOL sEa° aesthetic gateway [o to PARK "s' Phillip Arnold Park . 'o CEDAR RIVER 0 Shortcut 40 mph+ K NATURALZONE o" speed• 0 Sidewalk . 0 Place to fly model electric 0 Needs sidewalks & , ,® �'" airplanes (no[ necessarily bike lane . this location) . 0 Needs pe lestdan/bike 6 ese access; work terrain . " w wP1 a rv.s, w,rsF Ti ark In 0 Needs sidewalks . E,e Elementary School O Community safely o a F q� 6 I 4) Extend Sees Creek Trail 0 concerns abouty _ s,ems se,a, a m sms'se �`+,,� along power lines & unsupervised kids/teens sc„," +s - pipelines, & conned to in these areas. % q.•'E,s E s e.. TIFF c' J Cascade&Tiffany w 's` PARK sam"n 5 Parks. Y 0Improve sidewalk. � c5E�16$ _ ,^em�,e�� ••'"'"'�:.. ®Speeding . G Needs sidewalks..ss,so,a s, se,osm s, r SE60"s' ca ade °e°•• err +ssmR sE ss•n 0 Needs sidewalks& OD Sign • SR° ' sw� - P P tary Ti s„ se sW, street lights . Nelsen Mlddla ool WSE,a a1$ CASCADE ®Kids walk here & a� School c� a s < _ r y" 0 Cascade Park it's wooded, but s L s sE,es^a s, PARK h '� Crime . private property. g� s rin oGlen _ ® ® s s aP -Add parking. s ^ ®Crime zone • Visibility -remove ems, w x� ® � fence?. ® Clean up area - sE spa s, y ^� p� ^_ ^Delinquents & graffiti isimproe ve.. exs' _ s s ❑ndbergh ® Security at C.V. • smsss,.,a s„n ' nigh Schaal ® Preserve ph Renton school district to ® Turn lane needed for sE s operate pool is post office• sv^a s, a"s eN AS C C;�Il I i I � 'ys Elementary School SHOP IG CEN - '�850 Needs street lights . 0 Create park . RENTON ss s, E Ill. s,®.PARK ® Preserve wetlands and sse -�, ,2 5E 1•°s' _ s Cascade Village wildlife corridor . • •s Existing traffic scn 3 SF;g m ss _ flow -make use of it to G Needs a lane each s $ g = ® s - _ capture people at C.VI . way. s® sE ns•, - EBB Something prominent. 0 Disconnect between - - - f 5Etskly Rd sa _ - - ©" Swap ball field & Section 8 residents & m `s shopping center . neighborhood • o a _ q - _ , 0 Fountain, tables, BENS N o - s a I greenery. SHOPPI G` SOOSCREEK- ® Community park at E Carr Rd g - 5E IS Landscapingto attract 176th & 11 sth or CENT R E e,�s,n s, - PARKAN TRAIL Cascade Village. _ _ eo,"s, I18 s se, _ ® sE people. c �, - 11 ® - Reopen access . ® Needs a stop sign . SE szros a ®` 0 - Communiycenter & ® Needs signal & ®=Skate park crosswalk or - - " pedestrian refuge is s.rn s, - ss,m s, ®"Soccer/ball park • 0 Post office is major 0116th Ave SE ss,n P e z - 6 w� a attraction (no P.O. in "Better walking s, § z Fairwood)is environment . s s - s"as'"" -. m a ® Pea patch & dog park "Needs sidewalks& E1" - P BOULEy D s,asu o, (off leash). street lighting . - h ♦ SE,aa,ns, LANE P K °' sr,a„n P� ® Old Bally's swimming Benson Hi " More & better transit . $ 5 6 sE ssm s, g Elementary S ool "" pool to bring into C.V. Improve 116th sidewalk sE,so,n s, ® § w = (?)center. to schools with ^' 5 ��°P, s = N landscaping & "green P1 s Sees Creek Trail infrastructure" . ee alignments . ®Upgrade sidewalks & s < o sop tzoo r 0 Soos Creek Trail maintain vegetation. a - sE Ill. P, \ �� alignments. = Benson Hill Planning Area r 1 *--)i New/improved connections * • General area to be • Park. and o 1 J City of Renton Potential location preserved, protected, or Pen space group OthTraer improviamnments ofimprovement fully utilized . Streetsandwalkabilitygni Commercial areas —Other imoprovemenls along # streets (often sidewalks) 'Y is Community wall being group Parks Other improvements in • General are with problem general areas (usually speeding or crime) . Cascade Village group Additional General Comments Streets and Walkability Community Well Being for40-50 people Traveling carnival • Better pedestrian and bike • Community sign! • Multiple rooms for different size • Arts & crafts connections between parks • Covenants enforced to clean up groups Use power line land • Cycling accessibility does not neighborhoods and promote pride • Affordable grocery store or Trader • Mixed -use — Live upper level, work erode accessibility that's already • Community picnics! Joe's lower level (graphic) there • Partner with local churches! • Coffee shop with wifi, baked goods, • Lighting after dark and great coffee (visible from Parks & Open Spaces • Radar speed signals Cascade Village street) Health clinic •Soccer complex, maybe at • Improving vehicular access and traffic flow • Attract people to existing • Vet Cascade Center or under power/ • Controlling density businesses • Farmers market transmission lines; or maybe use • Safety signals at crosswalks •Tax breaks for businesses moving .Fruit stand existing pool PSE sports field — partner • Planted medians — landscape strips • Traffic circles on main into Cascade Village • Nucleus for small home-grown • Swap meet • Rest -family is Add a bench area for teens — "save thoroughfares businesses, especially ethnic • Bakery the playground for kids" • Need safety flashers, lighting at businesses Make use of the space available • Fast food • Bowling alley / activity center g y Ty Build Soos Creek Trail o Maintain green space for shelters and transit stops • Within every square mile zoning •Community Center should include: .Renovate —rebuild center— stormwater to accommodate small scale • A variety of recreation activities, updated architecture p • Teen skate park to help with Cascade Park neighborhood commercial for better including yoga, indoor basketball, exercise .Keep small scale • Unique • Move Cascade Picnic to a park not pedestrian access • Library • Community garden a parking lot • Community room/event space • Electric vehicle plug in Figure 2-8. February Open House mapping exercise compilation 22 City of Renton Public Engagement n0np '$IG'fC.2.E YDUTES c�us DVm-C,iC.T �iF �� CAW VlUNt HCAt.-ry -Ct'P�� cow O J3, Figure 2-9. E,.... v, N, -jruary Open House values and visions discussion P�c[un Ytur Xelprborhord Pitture Your Xel¢hharhood PGnurc Your Nrighyprhoad P:r[ure Tour Nel¢hhorhood -- -Y' %cturc Your Xelghborhoed PGcxurc four Ne1�.gorhpW Aicrure Ypp No�ghhaAreed PiClure■ern Xelglrj,pr�,rpd I, 1 Figure 2-10. Kids `picture your neighborhood" activity Walkability—to map their ideas (Figure 2-8). Topic groups were led by members of the Benson Hill Steering Committee. Figure 2-9 shows the compilation of their comments. Many ideas centered on Cascade Village, with street, sidewalk, and trail improvements woven throughout. Finally, participants prioritized the ideas recorded during the mapping exercise by placing dots on the items they cared most about (Figure 2-10). A grocery store was the number one priority, followed by a community recreation center for a range of events and activities and improvements to 116I" Avenue SE. During the meeting, children also sketched their ideas on what was important in their neighborhood (Figure 2-10). Benson Hill Community Plan Figure 2-11. February Open House mapping exercise er rW14's . Figure 2-12. February Open House prioritization activity Chapter 2 Figure 2-13. Views from Cascade Village, Spring Glen Elementary School, Renton Park Elementary/Lindbergh High School, and local roads People like views from: • Phillip Arnold Park (and road to it) • 7-11/Little League baseball fields on 116th and 168th — view of Mt. Rainier • Cascade Village — view of Mt. Rainier • Nelsen Middle School • Falcon Ridge • Cascade Elementary playground • Above Tiffany Park — view to foothills • 108th and Petrovitsky/Carr— looking west at sunset • Vantage Glen — looking west to Olympics and sunsets • Driving south on 116th — views of Mt. Rainier • Benson Way (Talbot Rd) — looking west Some other places people like include: • CVAC baseball fields • Renton Pool at Lindbergh High School • Forest behind Benson Hill Elementary • Teasdale Park and surrounding neighborhoods Stakeholder Meetings City Departments The planning team met with the City's Interdepartmental Team (IDT) at key points. Topics discussed with the IDT included: assisting community groups in building amenities like an off -leash dog -park or community garden; improving a sense of safety at Cascade Village; opportunities for parks and recreation in the Benson Hill, and public safety improvements for streets and sidewalks. Some of the meetings included field visits to evaluate sites and conditions. One of the important outcomes of the IDT meetings was an understanding that the City already has resources and programs in place that could be used to assist the community with some of their identified issues. Neighborhood Program Grants, Block Watch, Crime Prevention training, the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas Plan, and Renton's Complete Streets Ordinance are all resources that are already in place. There are also many Human Services needs in the Benson Hill, which will be addressed in a city-wide Community Needs Analysis conducted as part of the Housing and Human Services Element update of the Comprehensive Plan in 2014-2015. . - • T- • t - The planning team met with the Cascade Village property owners several times in the process to understand their needs, plans, and what they had already tried at the shopping center. Cascade Village's owners were willing to allow temporary community uses of their property such as an off -leash dog -park or community garden. They described their attempts to attract a grocery store,' a YMCA or similar community center, and other business tenants to fill the center. Summary of Phase 1 Input How people feel about Benson Hill Overall, participants ranked Benson Hill's attributes as fairly neutral. Benson Hill scored high as a good place to live and raise a family and people enjoy its automobile access. People really like some places in Benson Hill. The Benson Plaza Shopping Center, the trails under the powerlines, parks, schools, and some particularly great views are especially liked. 1 In the second meeting, planning team members, the property owners, and a market operator interested in opening a "community marketplace" at Cascade Village, came together to discuss any ways the City could assist in catalyzing the market. All parties were on board, but the market operator later pulled out due to the "hard -to -find" location of Cascade Village. i 24 City of Renton Public Engagement M People's favorite places are: Benson Plaza Shopping Center (Fred Meyer area) Trails under the power lines Restaurant or coffee shop Tiffany Park Renton Park School Cascade Park Views Other Cascade Village Shopping Center 0 20 40 60 80 100 Figure 2-14. Benson Hill assets from Survey #1 However, people do not think it is a visually attractive place, do not like its pedestrian and bicycle environments, and do not think it does well as a "green" or environmentally -conscious place. Comments reflected an interest in more pet -friendly places, more activities for kids, a greater focus on safety and crime reduction, building a feeling of community, improving parks and recreation opportunities, and making a better environment for businesses. How Benson Hill ranks in the following areas: Parks and recreation Pedestrian environment (safe, convenient, and pleasant places to walk) Bicycle environment (safe, convenient, and pleasant places to bike) Automobile transportation Public transportation As a place to live As a place to raise a family As a welcoming/friendly community Businesses serve daily needs Convenient access to healthy food As a place to do business Safety and security As a visually attractive place As a green and environmentally responsible place Other Awful Figure 2-16. How people feel about different aspects of Benson Hill from Survey #1 Benson Hill Community Plan Figure 2-15. Valued trails and views under the power lines Poor Neutral Decent Great Chapter 2 People's priorities: co)w.4&Locu)u c:cn o E °12�o»>aQOa�'i�� c 3 o:°•a'c � 0)a 0=5= -0CU L a) � O 'X� C M L —O o)n�wo0W,a~°� �EO0 E8 CO i U) C L o U N ° )am° 0�a0L)f In m�� U) o �E o w a o �L m m9 ° -- Y w o uJ U N U O > 3 O C U O � E (6 U +� _- U O Q O O OMn L s 0 `o o 2 Figure 2-17. Priorities from Survey #1 g The ideas from the Open House, survey, Steering Committee, online CIJ interactive map, and 2011 neighborhood picnics were compressed into a few major concepts: o • Cascade Village enhancements. Geographi- r_ cally, the Cascade Village is in the center of 0- the Benson Hill and many long-time residents remember this area as the heart of the com- munity. Most of the shopping center is currently o vacant and ideas for enhancing it ran the gamut from attracting a new grocery store, to short- term improvements like walking paths or swap meet site, to building a community/ethnic market o place, to using the land as a park, to using the "' area for housing. • Parks and Recreation improvements. Consis- tent with the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Ar- eas plan adopted in 2011, Benson Hill residents identified the great need for additional parks and recreation service. A community center to sup- port families and youth programs, sports fields, safe playgrounds, community gardens, and improvements to connect informal trails into a comprehensive network are all key elements. • Street upgrades. 116th Avenue SE should be transformed into a "jewel' pathway, tying north and south Benson Hill together with nice side- walks, bike lanes, street lights, landscaping, na- tive plants and natural drainage, and improved transit. While that is an especially important corridor, many other areas were identified for pedestrian and bicycling improvements such as completing sidewalk connections, traffic calm- ing, and improving intersection safety. The Planning Team built on these priorities and concepts to set the stage for public input during Phase 2, where major concepts were vetted with the public. 26 City of Renton Public Engagement Phase 2 Input The Planning Team, in consultation with the IDT, built on the priorities identified during Phase 1 to present a set of planning concepts (Figure 2-18) to the public for input during Phase 2. • Cascade Village enhancements. Short-term opportunities included utilizing the outdoor areas for community health and enjoyment and establishing a community market in the old grocery building. Long-term alternatives included the opportunity to establish a community park on the site. • 1161' Avenue SE upgrades. Make 116th a "jewel' pathway, tying north and south Benson Hill together with nice sidewalks, bike lanes, street lights, landscaping, native plants and natural drainage, and improved transit, and • Walking and bicycling improvements. Identification of specific areas in the community that need safety improvements to connect sidewalks, reduce speeding, and improve intersection safety. Overall vision 1 Take a ballo[ and let know what you Mink! Benson Hill. ` Mra. rl A 21 E "zir, s•4 THIS WILL REQUIRE LOLL VOLUNTEERS _ 1 III. � IIIIII� momf'�c h Figure 2-18. Ideas brought to 2012 Neighborhood Picnics, Moonlight Movie and online Survey #2 THESE ARE LONG TERM AND BUILD ON THE SHORT- TERM DOG PARK, GARDEN, AND MARKET IDEAS. THEY WILL REQUIRE FUTURE FUNDING, CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY- WIDE PRIORITIES NATURAL RESOURCES,AND OPEN SPACE - (PRO PLAN). ;3 A Figure 2-19. Phase 2 participants were asked to mark specific places needing sidewalk, intersection, lighting, or traffic calming improvements. J Benson Hill Community Plan i 27 Chapter 2 Example comments from surveys 40 Community Building and Lasting Relationship with Renton Government • "More opportunities for gathering casually with neighbors." • "far more places where the community can gather in a peaceful and relaxed manner" • "Unity in diversity." • "Continue this process of community involvement in the planning process." • A community identity that people can get behind and start working together with." • "Strengthen a coalition of neighborhoods or HOAs to provide a more unified voice for the area." Cascade Village • "We so wish there was something to draw us to Cascade Center, as we live blocks from it, but unfortunately there is nothing." • "There is so much potential [at Cascade Village] but the layout there is terrible and needs to be changed." • "Let's attract businesses to Cascade Village. " • "Cascade Village needs to be revitalized with a neighborhood friendly grocery store and recreational alternatives for teens/ youth." • "Open the back entrance to the Cascade shopping center; remove the chain across the adjacent apartment driveway, also, to allow better access and minimize feelings of being second rate citizens among those affected by those closures." Parks and Recreation • "Recreation programs are needed for all ages up here." • "Community gardens, rain gardens, a community center, more parks..." • A community garden combined with a community center space." • "Off -leash areas for pets." "Pet -friendly." • "We need safe activities for the youth." • `Allow the park buildings to be rented again. " • "The Lindbergh Pool is a gem for Benson Hill and a very large surrounding community. Very few public aquatic facilities exist that provide year round recreation, swimming lessons, and a venue for swim team practices and meets. The Renton Pools Community is ready to partner with government officials in ensuring the ongoing financial viability of the Lindbergh Pool." Vetting the Major Concepts In addition to using the communication channels already established in Phase I, in Phase II the planning team used some additional outreach methods to get feedback on the major concepts above. Benson Plan Mobile Workshops Instead of holding a single planning workshop and inviting the public to attend, the Benson Plan Mobile Workshop attended community events and neighborhood picnics in the Benson Hill Community throughout the summer of 2012. Participants learned about the Benson Plan and how the major concepts evolved from community input. They were given ballots (Figure 2-16) to vote on the major concepts, provide suggestions on a draft Vision for the plan, and make general comments. Those interested in working toward community efforts for an off -leash dog -park or community garden were able to sign up for a mailing list. Neighborhood picnics were held at Renton Park Elementary (July), Tiffany Park (August), and Rolling Hills (August). Another mobile workshop stop was the Moonlight Movie event at Cascade Village in August 2012. In partnership with Community Services, this event was cross promoted with the Benson Plan, which drew people to the Benson Plan website and got community •fir .•- � - Figure 2-20. 2012 Neighborhood Picnics and Moonlight Movie i 28 City of Renton Public Engagement residents interested the in the popular City program. Special flyers promoting the movie and the Benson Plan were also distributed through summer lunch program, allowing outreach to a community of people that is traditionally underrepresented. As a companion to the mobile workshops an online survey presented the same concepts and questions in a different format. The survey was available from July to September 2012 and provided a convenient way to gather input from those who did not attend any of the summer community events. The ballots from the picnics, movie, and online survey showed • An overwhelming support for improvements to 116tn Avenue SE. • People liked the overall vision, but wanted it to be more specific. • A great majority of people liked the idea of parks and recreation at Cascade Village. The people who voted against it expressed concerns over eliminating commercial, residential, and mixed land uses from the property. • The international community market was not quite as popular as the above, but still with a vast majority voting for it. Concerns regarded a lack of demand for this type of market and the desire for a more permanent and drastic redevelopment of Cascade Village with new restaurants and shops. Most people approved of the off -leash dog -park and community garden, but some people expressed concern over proximity to homes, noise and smell, and potential issues with maintenance. At all of the events and online survey, people interested in volunteering for the off -leash dog -park or community garden joined email lists for each. Pedestrian/Bicycle/Transit Riders Accessibility • A walkable community." • "Renton should keep its commitment to complete streets. This includes roads that are bicycle friendly so that a person can go from anywhere to anywhere by bicycle." • "Walking around seems to be quite the challenge in this area; 1 would do it more often but really feel I am a target for cars!" • `It would be great to have better bus service, as 1 have to walk 2 miles from my house to catch a bus!" Environment • "Need to interact more with water ecology for our neighborhoods. " • "Greenbelts preserved for wildlife." Crime and Safety • "We need assistance with rousing neighborhoods into becoming more involved with block watch programs and what they can do to protect themselves and their property." • "Pedestrian/bike friendly neighborhoods with less crime (our quiet, crime free area has had a sudden rash of home burglaries). Neighbors knowing neighbors and watching out for each other." Neighborhood Aesthetics • `9 would like to see the community do a better job with keeping up the appearance of their homes and their neighborhood." • "We need to try and instill a sense of pride in our neighborhoods." Figure 2-21. Renton Pool at Lindbergh High School �J Benson Hill Community Plan 29 Chapter 2 Figure 2-22. The CVAC baseball fields are a recreational asset for Benson Hill. Figure 2-23. The Post Office draws many people to central Benson Hill. Figure 2-24. The view from Cascade Village is an amenity to build on. ndnmu9: ark ana mry saraen "m+s require volunteereRort. Sig. uP [o help btlaY! RenWn Utll iphas offeretl` ..d labor ana egwsmem ro me Neishdordoed m Cascade mren� Program ' Vlllage,lo [M1e garden. � ay M1ave matching da avaiid p bo^h p build Figure 2-25. An off -leash dog -park and community garden under the power lines behind Cascade Village were popular ideas in Phase 1 and 2. Phase 2 and 3 work showed that walking paths would be more feasible than an off -leash dog -park. Summary of Input through Phase 2 Cascade Village enhancement is the single -most desired improvement. At the center of Benson Hill, it has the potential to offer recreational and commercial amenities within walking and biking distance of much of the community. The existing CVAC baseball fields draw people for recreational events, the neighboring post office draws many users, and the views under the power lines are valued by community members. Cascade Village is challenged by retail vacancies and a perception of crime related to a neighboring apartment complex.2 Community heart. Participants expressed a strong desire to revitalize and/or redevelop the shopping center to re-create the "heart" of Benson Hill and foster a sense of community. A great majority of people liked the idea of parks and recreation at Cascade Village. There was also a desire for a grocery store or other neighborhood shops and restaurants and building community recreation center (especially for youth activities). More important than any specific concept, participants favored transforming the Cascade Village back into a community amenity, either as a commercial center, community facility, or some combination. They have particular interest in establishing a grocery store and community recreation center (especially for youth activities) and brought up the examples of Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park and Crossroads Mall in Bellevue. They offered many ideas, including attracting people to existing businesses, creating a nucleus for small, especially ethnic, businesses, adding a pea patch and an off -leash dog -park, and razing the entire site to make way for a large park (see Open House #1 Mapping Exercise Compilation in Appendix D for additional ideas). Create a community amenity in the short term. Developing a community amenity at Cascade Village may be done as a short term project by a community group willing to step forward and plan, build, and manage the area. Ideas such as a walking trail, picnic area, or garden could expand the use of this area by the community and were supported by the property owner, local organizations, the steering committee, the Cascade Neighborhood Association, and other Benson Plan participants. Although the off -leash dog -park is a popular idea for this area, several barriers arose during preliminary feasibility work done by the Cascade Neighborhood Association, including the proximity to homes, pet health and safety, insurance 2 Emerald Heights and Stonebrook apartment complexes have below average crime rates with only one 911 call per unit per month (Renton Police). 30 City of Renton Public Engagement requirements, and maintenance issues. However, creating a space for community gathering or recreation could make a significant difference in the feeling of safety at Cascade Village and draw users to the site, perhaps spurring additional use and investment there. Large park and community center. Community members have a strong need for park spaces and recreational activities within their neighborhood. The Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas plan shows that the top priority among the Benson Hill community is to see a large (at least 15 acres), centrally -located, multi -purpose park, that includes programmable space, such as a community recreation center. Cascade Village offers the only large piece of land currently available in Benson Hill, and at the present time, the buildings are mostly vacant. Since developing a new park and community center takes substantial City resources, this option should be considered a long term idea. It received immense support during Phase 2 outreach, with a few people expressing concerns over eliminating commercial uses from the property. Commercial services. The lack of commercially -zoned properties and retail amenities within walking distance of central Benson Hill suggests that part of Cascade Village or nearby commercial properties should continue to offer commercial spaces. Furthermore: the space at Cascade Village currently offers small business owners a valuable opportunity to establish and build their businesses. Phase 2 specifically tested the idea of a community market place in Cascade Village, and it was favorably received by the community, but not quite as popular as the other ideas for the shopping center. Concerns regarded a lack of demand for this type of market and the desire for a more permanent and drastic redevelopment of Cascade Village with new restaurants and shops or parks and recreation opportunities. 1� . Public parks, v and recreation •y 4 Approximately 14 acres cpultl po[en[iallr support: ��fffaaa 11 0 sq. R. re til n•baseball-1 soccer Re105, ' • poargrouna, - mlmu i cp ma gamen, ane placing facilities under Me power Privat rona r commercial development 65,000 sq. R. new commercial I space, 360 png arki Figure 2-26. The favored long-term option at the neighborhood picnics includes a large park and recreation area with some commercial uses. Note: Phase 3 input requires an amendment to this diagram because of the powerline's limitations on park development. Benson Hill Community Plan 31 Chapter 2 fC sC.Fae&5 inn Remove fence and landscape corner near CVAC baseball fields Stripe bicycle lanes from Puget f€tcsu,si Dr S to SE 192nd St IInstall landscaped medians where left turn lanes not needed to slow traffic I `eL Provide left turn lane if possible to access the post office Where space is available, buffer the sidewalk with I a landscaping that accommodates natural drainage L' L Construct I sidewalk on east side of 116th IBike lane Landscaping (includes natural =.I drainage where space is available) 1�_ Sidewalk Landscaped median a • 116th as the central spine. 1161h Avenue SE is the central spine of Benson Hill, connecting neighbors to Cascade Village, Cascade and Benson Hill Elementary Schools, and several informal trail networks. "Make 1161h the `jewel' pathway" was ranked a top priority in both Phases of outreach, and improving this central connection would tie the community together, especially across SE Petrovitsky Road. Participants want to see a better walking and bicycling environment with nice sidewalks, street lights, landscaping, "green infrastructure [callout]," and improved transit. The City is already seeking funds to construct a "complete street" (accommodates walkers, cyclists, and motorists) on 116'h Avenue SE. Trail network. Benson Hill also has the start of a great trail network with the existing pedestrian paths along utility corridors that traverse Tiffany and Cascade Parks, the informal mountain biking trails under the power lines near Philip Arnold Park, the planned Soos Creek Trail extension, and potential connections to the Cedar River Trail. A key missing link is below the powerlines that run behind Cascade Village. This path could connect Soos Creek Park and Trail, Cascade Village, Nelsen Middle and Spring Glen Schools, and the existing pedestrian walk along SE 1601h Street. Bus stop Overhead utility pole Figure 2-27. 116th Ave SE conceptual plan Neighborhood streets. Many streets in the Benson Hill were built to a lower standard and lack adequate and safe space for people to walk to their destinations. Throughout the planning process, participants mapped places and routes where they feel unsafe (see Walking and Bicycling Improvements map). They would like to see a complete sidewalk network with pedestrian -scale lighting on major connections to schools, parks, and commercial amenities. Along with physical space to walk and cycle, speeding traffic and unsafe intersections need to be addressed to make streets usable for all modes of travel. 32 City of Renton Public Engagement Crime and Safety Many community members perceived rising crime in the neighborhoods and expressed concern over past shoplifting at Cascade Village. Residents would like to see crime reduced in the neighborhoods and a safe environment at Cascade Village. Renton saw a drastic increase in burglaries in late 2011, and Renton Police have worked hard to reduce burglaries with the help of block watch programs.' Survey and open house participants were interested in a range of community recreational facilities. They ranked a community center for youth activities as a very high priority. Addressing this through redevelopment plans for Cascade Village is one alternative, due to the size and location of the land on which the shopping center sits. Yet, advancing the improvements and priorities for the Benson Hill identified in the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas plan is extremely important to the community, whether or not it happens on the Cascade Village site. Benson Hill's southern area does not meet adopted standards in terms of number of parks and recreation facilities, and improvements to existing parks are ranked as a high priority. Participants wanted to see a general sense of community building through activities that bring people together. Some services were suggested to ease immigrants' transitions to a new life in Benson Hill and to address the transient population near Benson Plaza. In a physical aspect, as well, community members noted that some places —residential, commercial, and public —reflect a lack of physical maintenance or high -quality design. 3 98% of burglaries take place in non -block watch neighborhoods (Renton Police). Crime in the Benson Hill According to NeighborhoodScout, Renton's violent crime (e.g., armed robbery) rate is slightly above Washington's, and its property crime (e.g., burglary) rate is higher. South of Petrovitsky Road is one of the safest neighborhoods in Renton, while central and northwest Benson Hill are seeing some higher crime rates. However, the Police noted that Emerald Heights and Stonebrook apartments have below average crime rates, with only one 911 call per unit per month. The Police encouraged raising activity levels at Cascade Village to improve the sense of safety. In addition, a meeting with the Renton Police in April 2012 confirmed that burglaries were on the rise in late 2011, but block watch programs have played an important role in reducing the number of incidents. 98 % of burglaries take place in non -block watch neighborhoods, so the Police regularly attend neighborhood events to educate residents on block watches and 911 usage. Figure 2-28. Cascade Park, Tiffany Park, and other existing parks are valued Benson Hill amenities. Benson Hill Community Plan 33 Chapter 2 Figure 2-29. May 1 public workshop opening presentation F„.& m.. Figure 2-30. Dot votes on plan policies Phase 3 Input May 1, 2013 Public Workshop Following a presentation summarizing the draft Benson Plan, participants broke into groups focused on the four Plan areas. City staff and consultants answered questions about the draft and noted comments. Suggestions included: • Emphasize the totality of the Benson Hill community so that the Plan does not overly focus on Cascade. • Educate neighbors on the City's existing graffiti clean-up and prevention program. • Increase personal interactions between neighbors and police to make officers seem more accessible and "friendly," while growing their familiarity with Benson Hill. • Add the strategy to re -open park buildings back into the plan with a focus on ongoing community use, especially after - school programs (not just one-time summer camps with outside organizations). • Encourage public -private partnerships to increase the feasibility of community amenities and commercial uses development at Cascade Village. • Consider attracting an emergent or urgent care center, a technical or vocational school, and other facilities that fill Renton and Benson Hill services gaps. • Consider Spring Glen's developable property. Participants also voted on their top priority strategies in the Plan and some volunteered to form advocacy groups to implement various Plan elements. These results are combined with Survey #3 below. Targeted Outreach City of Renton staff contacted all Benson Hill churches, schools, PTAs, neighborhoods, and community groups, including the Somali Youth and Family Club and the Ukrainian Community Center because of their strong membership in the Benson. Staff posted fliers in the business areas before Workshop #2. In addition, the Ukrainian Community Center noted that they would advertise the workshop within their community. 3� City of Renton Public Engagement Survey #3 The online Survey #3 was open throughout May 2013 to collect people's top implementation priorities and provide a way for people to organize community -led advocacy groups. The summary below shows the combined results from the survey and May 1 workshop. Participants top implementation priorities are to invest in recreational opportunities in the center of Benson Hill, encourage a healthy business environment, and continue to work with Police to prevent crime. The chart below shows the full list ordered by participants' votes. Plan policies Attract people to the heart of Benson Hill through recreational opportunities (i.e., short term — dog park and community garden, long term — large park). Encourage a healthy business environment. Continue partnering with police to decrease and prevent crime in Benson Hill. Establish 116th Ave SE as the "jewel pathway" of Benson Hill. Cultivate a sense of pride by improving the overall aesthetics (e.g., design guidelines, neighborhood cleanup program, gateway intersections beautification). Improve neighborhood streets for safe walking. Increase Parks and Recreation opportunities, especially to serve neighborhoods south of Petrovitsky Rd. Expand the trail network. Foster a sense of community through a new Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board and local activities. Encourage development types that hinder criminal activities. Rejuvenate existing parks and recreation. Build capacity of residents through social services and infrastructure improvements. Improve access to transit. Improve the driving experience. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Weighted score Figure 2-31. Top implementation priorities from workshop and survey #3 Benson Hill Community Plan 35 Chapter 2 Benson Hill residents appeared eager to organize around issues they care about. People volunteered to join advocacy groups on all plan topic areas, and to lead all but three of the groups. The most popular groups included attracting people to central Benson Hill through recreational opportunities, improving the overall aesthetics, and establishing 1161h Ave SE as the "jewel pathway." In addition, over one-third of people were interested in hearing more about the Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board, implying that participants are willing to stay involved in plan implementation. Phase 3 Summary Phase 3 demonstrated community members' general approval of the draft plan with the addition of some details to a few strategies. It appears community members are willing to advocate for topics they care about and remain engaged. In general, the priorities for implementation reflect the major issues and desires raised early in the planning process. 36 City of Renton 3. Vision Benson Hill has a strong community foundation with its neighborhoods, schools, parks, viewpoints, trails, and commercial areas, but it has the potential to grow stronger into a well-connected, dynamic community that serves diverse populations. The vision for Benson Hill fits within the larger Citywide vision: "Renton —The center of opportunity in the Puget Sound Region where families and businesses thrive." In the year 203Z Benson Hill is... socially and physically rich, with ethnically, generationally, and economically diverse residents who enjoy neighborhoods that are welcoming places to live and raise families. Beautiful views of Mount Rainier, the Cascades, the Olympics, and city skylines visually connect Benson Hill to the region and enhance the aesthetic experience. Parks, green spaces, and trails provide recreational opportunities, adding to a healthy community and ecology. Schools and public facilities serve all sectors of the community. The business environment is thriving and diverse, with daily needs served in walking distance of residents. Streets and paths are inviting for walking, biking, and riding transit and reflect pride in a well - maintained and safe community. A range of housing options meets the needs of Benson Hill's diverse households. 1 Thank you to Benson Hill residents Jason and Amy Jones for suggesting this winning entry in the May 2013 tagline contest. L.. ,r J E Carr Rd —+J Y N Benson Hill . Create focus in the heart Improve sidewalks, bike Planning Area of Benson Hill routes, existing parks, and other small-scale amenities City of Renton Connect neighborhoods, throughout the planning area especially along 116th Ave SE Commercial areas — Build on existing trail network to Parks connect neighborhoods and provide recreational opportunities Figure 3-1. Major plan goals ■ Benson Hill Community Plan 37 Chapter 3 mry saraen require volunteer e Sign u[obelpbd.y tlayl Renan Utllitles has offeretl ` TM1e NeigM1 r runowantl equipment to mrant Program ter from Cascade r ey M1avematohing vmase m me gamaa rwaa a,auadle ror * neighood a help build Figure 3-2. Off -leash dog -park and community garden under the power lines behind Cascade Village Figure 3-3. Long-term parks and recreation at Cascade Village This plan pinpoints strategies that build on existing assets and fill gaps to make Benson Hill an outstanding community. The three recommended strategies are aimed at connecting and unifying the Benson Hill community in order to serve all members equitably and create better communication between Benson Hill and the City. Create focus. Benson Hill currently lacks a "heart," a central place where the community comes together to shop, eat, play, and gather. The Benson Shopping Center in southwest Benson Hill meets many of these needs, especially with the Fred Meyer offering groceries and a wide range of merchandise. In some ways, the grocery serves as a community meeting place with frequent chance meetings between neighbors. However, it is not easily accessible from most of the neighborhoods. Because it is purely auto oriented, it is not conducive to gathering, walking, and biking. Cascade Village, at the geographic center of Benson Hill was the heart of the community in the past, but recent vacancies have limited its ability to draw people to it, and its layout does not invite patrons to stay or gather. Benson Hill can feel like a scattered set of separate neighborhoods lacking a cohesive center and space for community gathering. This plan suggests ways to create a focus in Benson Hill by strengthening the Cascade Village area, where healthy activity brings people together and helps businesses thrive. Recreational opportunities combined with some neighborhood commercial services, centered in Benson Hill, may create that heart. Improve connections. Although individual neighborhoods may be strong on their own, there is currently little interaction or reason to connect. Utility line trails, some sidewalks, and some open areas provide an informal network that partially connects part of the Benson Hill, but the network could be improved to accommodate all geographies and populations. In particular, Petrovitsky Road is a limiting barrier that separates the Benson Hill into two segments. One of the few connection points is a pedestrian -unfriendly intersection at 116th Avenue SE that lacks sidewalks and designated bike routes. 116th Avenue SE can be the "jewel pathway" of Benson Hill, tying neighborhoods together along a walkable, bikable, "bus - able," drivable, and beautiful spine. Focused improvements on important routes between schools, parks, and commercial areas may create a strong network of trails, pathways, and destinations that encourage neighborhood connections. City of Renton Vision Build community. The final piece that would connect neighbors with each other and further Benson Hill as a great place to live is the totality of: • Recreational parks and facilities to bring people together and encourage active living, • A sense of safety and lack of crime to keep Benson Hill livable and vibrant, and • A strong sense of community through improved social and civic connections. Together, these add to an environment where people can live without fear of crime, play and exercise close to home, have access to healthy, natural environments, meet neighbors, and take part in a neighborhood that attends to and has pride in itself. Addressing these dispersed, localized issues can raise the quality of life for all residents in the area and round out the vision for Benson Hill. The above three principles —creating focus, improving connections, and building community —are keys to addressing deficiencies and strengthening Benson Hill with meaningful and lasting improvements. These principles are broken down into five major goals, and the Plan Elements chapter details recommended actions for each. Benson Hill Goals 1. Create a community focus in the heart of Benson Hill. 2. Build on the existing trail system to create a functional and beautiful pedestrian and bicycle route network. 3. Improve access to and quality of parks, recreation, and natural areas in Benson Hill, especially for youth. 4. Improve the sense of safety in Benson Hill. 5. Support a strong and vibrant Benson Hill community. Benson Hill Community Plan 39 Chapter 3 40 City of Renton 4. Plan Elements The following sections describe ideas and actions to maintain and improve Benson Hill's character and vitality over the next twenty years. They are generally listed in order of importance to the community, starting with the top priority. Although not every action is unanimously supported, the following were suggested by participants in the process and adhere to the guiding principles and overall vision for Benson Hill. To accomplish these actions, public, private, and non-profit entities must partner, community members must advocate for the plan elements and engage their neighbors (through a new Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board), and business and property owners will need to take initiative. How to implement the following strategies is further described in Chapter 5: Action Strategy. Community and Economic Development 1.1. Attract additional users to Cascade Village by increasing recreational opportunities. Small, neighborhood -initiated parks (e.g., walking path and picnic area), when partnered with a healthy business environment (Policy 1.2), can help to reinvigorate Cascade Village. This Plan Elements Structure: 1.1. Policy 1.1.1. Implementation Strategy Additional details: Responsible party: Resources: $: $0420,000 $$: $20,000-$80,000 $$$: $80,000-up Public Involvement: Timeframe: Short-term: 1-4 years Mid-term: 4-10 years Long-term: 10-20 years Benson Hill Community Plan 41 Chapter 4 — A DEL i 'i �� - i art. � 7if'r• ` - o. picnic 'ter � ' tables & r kl� barbecue i pits 00 i� bench esf .' '+�j! walking -' ; A". tli path i benches =r r pv, .,..__ { fr r gi i �ca1 +, LV' CASCADE VILLAGE eet Benson Hill Community Plan 0 so 100 200 300 0 Figure 4-2. Conceptual site plan for walking path, seating, and picnic areas behind Cascade Village (short-term action) plan recommends starting with small parks, and the Parks Plan recognizes the long-term need for a large-scale Community Park in central and southern Benson Hill. Residents are already organizing to realize these small parks, and the parks are a natural extension of the recreational uses in place at the existing ball fields. 42 City of Renton Plan Elements By quickly stimulating activity at Cascade Village, these actions can accomplish many of the goals neighbors identified: improve the sense of safety, create places where neighbors can meet each other, draw additional customers to existing businesses, encourage physically active lifestyles and healthy eating, and support small, especially ethnic, businesses. The recreational and commercial uses can synergistically build on each other, cause interactions among different people, and bring life to the heart of the Benson Hill. 1.1.1. Support residents in creating recreational opportunities in the short term. Additional details: Possibilities include walking paths, a picnic area, an off -leash dog -park, and a community garden. Although the off -leash dog -park is a popular idea for this area, Cascade Neighborhood Association's early implementation efforts illuminated some barriers, inlcuding proximity to homes, pet health and safety, insurance requirements, and maintenance issues. Neighborhood groups may apply for public funding to defray the costs of construction.' Renton Public Works could provide labor and equipment to run a water line to a garden. Core groups of volunteers must be willing to construct, manage, and maintain the recreational areas. Responsible paq: Neighborhoods (Resources and Events) may be able to support through their Neighborhood Grant program, Public Works, Recreation, Planning Resources: $ Public Involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Neighborhood Association, R.U.F.F., community volunteers, Sustainable Renton, local churches Timeframe: Short-term Figure 4-4. Back of Cascade Village panorama 1 Only City -recognized neighborhood associations are eligible for Neighborhood Grant Program funding. Additionally, the grant must be submitted by the neighborhood within the area where the project is being conducted or constructed. All funding is provided as a match —neighborhoods must match or exceed their request for funding. Figure 4-3. Cascade Village is important for providing local small business space. Strategy 1.1.1 is intended to increase activity at Cascade Village, thereby supporting local businesses. Benson Hill Community Plan 43 Chapter 4 1.1.2. Create recreational opportunities in the long term. Additional details: Possibilities include a large recreational park and community center at Cascade Village. The Parks Plan recognizes that central and southern Benson Hill is underserved in terms of large recreational parks and indoor community space (see Parks Plan maps in Existing Conditions). Continue searching for an appropriate site, with an emphasis on SE 1691h St ` ; Publicly /IanOencuMbE -I� accessible •� TX XNpowerlines F= a, parks and recre ti,9 n Approximately 9 acres could i ! potentially support some 1 �: 1� combination of: !!J SE 170th Ct li . 20,000 sq. ft. recreational community center, • baseball and soccer fields, �• playground, i • tot lot, • community garden, and • other smaller uses, such as a dog park, basketball courts, or a skatepark. i I CASCADE VILLAGE Benson Hill Community Plan Figure 4-5. Long-term redevelopment option for Cascade Village includes large recreational complex r � } ' .� �. 3 0 10 Feet 0 100 300 00 44 City of Renton Plan Elements Cascade Village because of its large parcel size. Specific strategies include: • Incentivize parks and recreation development through zoning (in case acquisition of land, easement agreements, or construction of park become unfeasible). • Acquire or create agreement for use of land for recreational fields and community center. • Explore partnerships with another agency, such as YMCA or Boys and Girls Clubs, to build, operate, and maintain a recreation center. • Maintain the high priority of recreational fields and community center construction in the Parks Plan. • If possible, encourage public and private partnerships to redevelop the site with community amenities and commercial uses. Responsible party: Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Parks Maintenance, Recreation, Facilities, Economic Development, Planning Resources: $$$ Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Vista Athletic Club, Cascade Neighborhood Association Timeframe: Long-term 1.2. Encourage a healthy business environment at Cascade Village, especially by creating a welcoming atmosphere through attractive development. The health of Cascade Village's businesses is especially important for keeping neighborhood commercial services within walking and bicycling distance, offering business incubator space for diverse uses, and creating a central meeting place in Benson Hill. Visual improvements, business retention and expansion, and quality redevelopment are key strategies to making Cascade Village the heart of Benson Hill. 1.2.1. Landscape the corner of SE 1681h Street and 116th Avenue SE to create a more inviting entry to the Cascade Village area. Additional details: Place this on the City's Capital Improvement Plan. Alternatively, neighborhood volunteers could apply for local funding to complete this improvement sooner, but they would also need to have a plan for on- going maintenance. Explore inclusion of public art, natural drainage, native species, and other low -impact techniques into improvements. Figure 4-6. 116th Ave SE at CVAC baseball fields before and after landscaping (Strategy 1.2.1) and street improvements (Policy 2.1) Benson Hill Community Plan i 45 Chapter 4 Figure 4-7. Support renovations and physical improvements to help keep Cascade Village occupied. Figure 4-8. The Cascade Village Shopping Center serves an important role as a small business incubator. Responsible partx: Neighborhoods, Resources and Events could potentially supply funds for this through a Neighborhood Matching Grant. Public involvement: Cascade Vista Athletic Club, Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Neighborhood Association, community volunteers Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 1.2.2. Continue supporting renovations and physical improvements efforts at Cascade Village to ensure a high -quality environment that attracts businesses and customers. Additional details: Work with business owners in addition to the property owner to accomplish small-scale renovations. Encourage low -impact techniques in landscaping upgrades. As noted in Strategy 1.1.3, the Cascade Village property is the only obvious site that can accommodate a full-fledged park and community center as identified in the Parks Plan. Therefore, another long-term option for this site is for the City to purchase all or a portion of the site for public recreation uses. When Park acquisition funds become available (or during the planning of funding packages), the City should engage the community and evaluate the different options for various commercial and recreation uses. Until that time, however, the viability fo the Cascade Village shopping center should be a priority objective. Responsible partX: Economic Development, Planning Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Village business owners, financial institutions Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 1.2.3. Support existing businesses and attract new ones to Cascade Village, especially grocery -related businesses. Additional details: Although a typical grocery store may not be feasible, an alternative type of market may be possible. Some potential strategies include: • Support a business association. • Assist businesses with marketing. • Maintain connections with property and business owners. • Consider attracting an emergent or urgent care center, W. City of Renton Plan Elements a technical or vocational school, and other facilities that fill Renton and Benson Hill services gaps. Responsible party: Economic Development Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Village business owners, Renton Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Development Center Resources: $$ Timeframe: Short-term and on -going 1.2.4. Require some ground -floor commercial space in any redevelopment of Cascade Village and ensure a high -quality pedestrian environment through design guidelines and incentives for redevelopment. Additional details: Assuring high -quality design and a relationship to streets will help to keep the area safe, inviting, lively, and attractive to businesses and customers. Specifically, • Cascade Village is zoned to support high -density mixed -use development. Redevelopment may include housing to increase the feasibility of the project and bring more activity to the center. • Require commercial ground floors along street fronts, including internal connections. • Apply design standards. Storefronts and residential entries, where applicable, should relate to 116'h Avenue SE and internal pedestrian connections. Encourage ecologically -friendly development and landscaping. Responsible party: Planning, Economic Development Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Cascade Village businesses Resources: $ Timeframe: Set zoning and design guidelines in the short term, but redevelopment is likely long term. 1.2.5. Support existing business owners during construction and assist with relocation in Cascade Village when redevelopment occurs. Additional details: Establish a business relocation program to retain existing businesses. Require affordable business rental spaces in future development. Responsible party: Economic Development, Planning Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, business owners Resources: $$ Timeframe: Long-term, depends on redevelopment timeframe Benson Hill Community Plan 47 Chapter 4 Multi -modal Transportation 2.1. Establish 11611 Avenue SE as the central spine, or "jewel pathway," of Benson Hill. 116` Avenue SE is the central spine of Benson Hill, connecting neighbors to Cascade Village, Cascade and Benson Hill Elementary Schools, trails, and King County. Improving this central connection will tie Benson Hill together, especially across SE Petrovitsky Road. The following strategies suggest ways to make 116th Avenue SE a truly multi -modal street with nice sidewalks, street lights, landscaping, "green infrastructure," public art, and improved transit. 2.1.1. Improve 116"'Avenue SE to provide a walkable, bikable, and environmentally -friendly way to connect to destinations. Additional details: Complete 116th Avenue SE with the following: • Within existing right-of-way, explore the feasibility of establishing bike lanes and sidewalks to support walking and biking on this central spine. A central median may be used as a pedestrian refuge where a turn lane is not needed. Work with Council Transportation Committee to prioritize any proposed street improvements with other projects throughout the city. (Project is already in the adopted 6 year TIP). • Include ample space and amenities (e.g., seating, bike racks, and public art) for pedestrians and cyclists so that 116th becomes appropriate and comfortable for all users. • Install pedestrian -scaled street lighting to create a safe and welcoming environment. • Incorporate natural drainage where possible to treat rainwater in an ecologically sound way. • Choose appropriate native species to reduce the maintenance burden, reinforce local ecology, and encourage healthy plant establishment. • Continue seeking Complete Streets, Safe Routes to School, and other grants that may become available (CPPW, Livable Communities, Healthy/Active Living, Transportation Alternatives, etc). 0 %� moo r- Bike lane Landscaping (includes natural drainage where space is available) Sidewalk Landscaped median o Bus stop • Overhead utility pole Figure 4-9. 116th Ave SE key map for cross -sections in Figure 4-10 City of Renton Plan Elements side- planting bike drive lane turning lane drive lane bike planting side- walk strip lane lane strip walk Cross section looking north between 168th St and SE 172nd St (Street trees may be in grates where the planting strip is less than 4'.) 4-6' 2.5-4.5' 5' 11' 11' 11' 5' 2.5-4.5' 4-6' side- planting bike drivelane refuge median drive lane bike planting side- walk strip lane lane strip walk Cross section looking north where there are medians (Street trees may be in grates where the planting strip is less than 4'.) 466-1 U' 6' I ' 11' 6' 6-1U' 4-b' sidewalk vegetated bike lane drive lane drive lane bike lane vegetated sidewalk Swale swale Cross section looking north between Cascade Village and SE Petrovitsky Rd Figure 4-10. 116th Ave SE proposed improvements (cross -sections and visualizations) South of 168th St, looking south. Fence near CVAC baseball fields is replaced with landscaping, sidewalk is widened, bike route formalized, and street trees added. At Cascade Village, looking north. Bike lanes and street trees continue, sidewalk is widened with Cascade Village redevelopment, and landscaped medians alternate with a turning lane as needed. Near Petrovitsky, looking south. Water drains into swales on both sides of the street, landscaping buffers the sidewalks, and bike lanes continue. Benson Hill Community Plan 49 Chapter 4 Responsible party: Transportation Systems, Utility Systems, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: Land owners along 116th Avenue SE, (possible LID funded) Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Mid-term to Long—term dependent on grant funding or LID funding 2.1.2. Require a high -quality pedestrian realm along 116th Avenue SE through design guidelines with any redevelopment of Cascade Village (also see Strategy 1.2.4). Additional details: Require ample sidewalk space with amenities (e.g., awnings, seating, bike racks) and an active street edge (entries facing 1161h Avenue SE) with redevelopment. Responsible party: Planning Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term (although development would likely happen in the long term) 2.2. Expand the trail network to build on the existing wealth of trails in the area, increase recreational and active living opportunities, and provide safe connections for non -motorized travel. Benson Hill also has the start of a great trail network with the existing pedestrian paths along utility corridors and through Tiffany and Cascade Parks, the informal mountain biking trails under the power lines near Philip Arnold Park, the planned Soos Creek Trail (King County), and the Cedar River Trail (Renton). A key missing link could be provided by the power lines corridor that runs behind Cascade Village. This path connects Soos Creek Park and Trail, Cascade Village, Nelsen Middle and Spring Glen Schools, and the existing pedestrian walk along SE 160th Street. Other linkages, described below, would bolster the trail system to be one of the best in the region, increasing recreational and active living opportunities and providing safe connections for non -motorized travel. 2.2.1. Complete the Soos Creek Trail and connect to existing paths. Additional details: Coordinate with and support King County Parks' Capital Improvements Project for Soos Creek Trail Phase V and VI. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: King County Parks, Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Transportation Systems Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$$ Timeframe: On -going 5_ City of Renton Plan Elements .......... �..................__._.., =°e�ll' m pipe Gr �� li m A t., e a vn-• ` o L e` Informal tID . o mountain ti„sb, biking trails uvrsE F st .ns s. ssro`• �/e - • psA e a 9F, ..._.._.�..SE 161,11 k[[-777,,V� - - j W,aeEeaa�le�p� n,. e. s ,pNa re n��y5 ""Casca .p�e�•a1°Ae,�a r Villag f o ll,e. w sE ,.ae + _ i - sElu -.�, E1so„e1 - _ se,ncl .IIEI , sl stuns. ';;�� eE,e Plaz �mee sal,n s, I 1E 1.1111 sins, r Pn raaV plbal : N 3 • ss,s eexsox„u u.,vn111161 sE,s7m si f- - >Ei--,n siSE sE _ 1 I sE,sau s, f fffs _ "s. • .._ _ sssfnsi '-� �IxscxooE - T Bellevue - - -- - Mercer Islandwt Newcas tfe Issaq_ .E-1s - i h j g e n R a _ .nnr K t ,1 a P f f ENTO i__. ._.._ _._.-.._._._.._.. f 1— 10A s, sE, 11 n y 1E 111s1.,. PenfhsrLaNa pm 1 5P ,� oa•s, FOOkscx00� o ,,. I Kent � Nsz ti — sEz�Ip�]P a a _ sEa: It, Pi PaM:H:ICEDIPIanninglGISIGIS wjaclslco "'tY planning in,tret,v—xdslb--ps , arealaenson vacant —open and public Spero 24xa6-ApElI1011.mxd Benson Community Planning Area Renton Trails Community & Economic Development i ; Date: 04/20/2012 City Limits Oplympic Pipelines C.E. -UW 1linetr6l. Ad,.OnaGEramevien 0 1,250 2,500 f�Vacant Land ® Parcels intersect Olympic pipeline lntenm Admmistmm./p1v+•+:r.g N-1- 44 A-gyar Feet »xcc _ ,:_._� Parks s High Pressure Gas CuvN a 1:10,000 - r ~ Existing paths School Site ',' 10� Parcels intersect high pressure gas line `• "� � Proposed paths -Parcels with improved value less than $10,000 ®Public Land Figure 4-11. Existing and proposed Benson Hill trails on property ownership map Benson Hill Community Plan 51 Chapter 4 Figure 4-12. Existing paths on utility corridors Figure 4-13. Beacon Way S to Phillip Arnold Park 2.2.2. When possible, acquire property or establish agreements to extend pipelines, power lines, and other utility corridor trails as consistent with the Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas Plan and/or the Bicycles and Trails Master Plan. Additional details: Seek grant funding for acquisition or easements and construction of recreational trails and/ or safe walking/biking routes (Washington Recreation and Conservation Office Trails Grants, CPPW, Livable Communities, Healthy/Active Living, Transportation Alternatives, etc.). Require easement for trails with redevelopment. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Planning, Community and Economic Development Public involvement: Property owners on or adjacent to pipelines and power lines corridors Resources: $$$ Timeframe: On -going 2.2.3. Work with the utility companies who own Beacon Way S between Puget Drive S and Philip Arnold Park to explore the feasibility of paving and landscaping a path to the park from Benson Hill to amply accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, and motorists. Additional details: Clarify ownership of the property. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed project in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan, prioritize this project in the Capital Improvements Plan, and seek funding for multi -modal connections. Responsible party: Transportation Systems, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$ Timeframe: Short-term 2.2.4. Connect paths to the existing trails on Puget Sound Energy Property under the power lines near Phillip Arnold Park. Additional details: Sign existing trail heads in the natural zone with the local trail names. In the long-term as other trails develop (Strategies 2.2.2-3), connect formal and informal 52 City of Renton Plan Elements trails. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: Seattle Public Utilities, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: TBD Resources: $ Timeframe: Mid-term 2.2.5. Study the feasibility for a topographically level bicycle and pedestrian connection between the Grant Avenue S/S Puget Dr area to the Benson Shopping Center. Additional details: If feasible, incorporate into the next update of the City's Trails and Bicycle Master Plan and prioritize for funding. Responsible party: Transportation Systems, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: Affected property owners, bicycle groups (e.g., Cascade Bicycle Alliance) Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Long-term 2.2.6. Add and improve existing pedestrian crossings over Interstate 405 and Highway 167. Additional details: Explore ways to better connect Benson Hill with Downtown Renton for pedestrians and cyclists by providing shortcuts where possible and connecting with new trails (Strategies 2.2.2-4). Consider lighting, artwork, path width, buffers, and so on to make the crossings feel safe and inviting. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects into the City's Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: Transportation Systems, Planning, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Long-term Benson Hill Community Plan 53 Chapter 4 Figure 4-14. Prioritize missing sidewalk links on walk -to -school routes 2.3. Improve neighborhood streets to complete a network of walking routes that connect destinations and neighborhoods and are safe and inviting for all users. Although Benson Hill has the beginnings of a great trail network, many streets lack adequate and safe space for people to walk to their destinations. The following strategies recommend completing the sidewalk network and adding low-level, pedestrian -scale lighting on major connections to schools, parks, and commercial amenities. Along with the physical space to walk and cycle, speeding traffic and unsafe intersections must also be addressed to make streets usable for all modes of travel. 2.3.1. Complete missing links in sidewalks, add pedestrian -scaled street lighting, and calm traffic on routes to schools, parks, and commercial areas. Additional details: See Walking and Bicycling Improvements map (Figure 4-15) for location -specific improvements requested by community members. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: Transportation Systems Public involvement: Affected property owners, bicycle groups (e.g., Cascade Bicycle Alliance) Resources: $$ Timeframe: Mid-term 2.3.2. Identify and prioritize high accident locations for people walking and cycling, especially near bus stops. Additional details: Review Walking and Bicycling Improvements map (Figure 4-15) for location -specific improvements requested by community members. Place pertinent projects on Transportation Improvements Plan and continue or increase Police enforcement where needed. Incorporate and prioritize any proposed projects in the next update of the Trails and Bicycle Master Plan. Responsible party: Transportation Systems, Police Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$ Timeframe: Short- to Long-term dependent upon scope and funding of projects 54 City of Renton Plan Elements _I s 1 N64 , I_ m SEs`SES�P, L , - 1 S SE 8th St ' u c 1 s fp �gh'°i O0 `z S9th St� PHILLIP ' ARNOLD • se am or sE1+hP\ rc 1 PARK ' go to , SE 121h St , ®' CEDAR RIVER ' m NATURAL ZONE10 Ob P r 9ry, w 10 1 am ■ ��e 9e SE ROYeI HMIs Dr � 1 6 Vis ility 5 Unsafe ` ineersection ad ast _ take roony$ " , ae T SE 161h PI \ ,t, o W YSe Ti Park Elementary School I ✓ a SE 18th LY a ,Collisions; SE 181h pedestrian l$ (crossings not 1 Isibdi otsschool IP �E1a respected h sE 15nn st m cr p ids on street; TI110 perhaps move tPAR, zotn a flashing light to o Crosswalk `� la visible from E �` Asa e se SE 168, S needed for r 160th Ave when P , ,9s t bus users i sE22turnIngleftonto SE159thSt 116th Ave El t s ' G de Pe SE 159th PI E 159t M. ACRd EIe Mary SE 161 st $I \ SE ifiist Sl E161st i60th PI W - N I5 Nelsen Middles _ °I w v y y v, a School ' m a v g CAS PARKS E We D _ ¢' SE 162nd St _ $ rin , I SE ifi3rd St ¢ - q ^ �y5 T a _ 'P� Ng S2111St arG l'ldth St N ,� SE 1651h St- 52 SE 1660h SI 5300P\ SE 166th St h Sl ¢ , 166th s 3ah c+W SE 16]1h St f - SE 16nn st Lind gh 2 Hi h c o0 S 31st StS 3lst Ct ,,, g y S SE 168th St S� N SE 1681h Sf j _ SE 169N PI SE 1691M1 St Q Re 0 ar s azna St SE nah St CA DEVIL a q w Elem ntf School SH ING CENT _ % S 34iM1 PI a SE1➢1,tI f 6E lust 5t `- RE.NTAK LN St _q SE 171st Pl K S 35ih E SE 112nd St :SE 172nd St SE 1)2nd St PR� .Ms SE 1721d St m SE 173rd St SE 17 1 S 36th PI <- E 119M SE 17.In*+ , S 37ih Pi o E SE 1' ` SE 175M ¢' f , ^\ �� ` S 381h Ci - 'SE SE _ , _ SE 1.1,, at BENSON 5 `s E # o SHOPPING o N a enam st %SOOS CREEK E Carr Rd m CENTER ' PARK AN91 L SE 179iM1 PI SE 179in St ¢ ' �? SE 11 t 1 vwiiSE 1801h St SE 1 .Ah i ' rt SE 180th St SE 1a1si&t sects n Needs signal sE+aisl s+ _ &crosswalk sE 1Esl st SE 182nd St SE 182nd St stop sign ¢ or pedestrian d SE 182nd St SE 182nd PI refuge ¢' ' SE +azna St SE 1831tl PI • R , ¢' S 47th St SE 184tn St , c SE f 84ih PI SE 184th PI ^� Needs signal 8E 185ih PI a < & crosswalk, :186th St 5iM1 $ f ' y SE /85th S1 £ esp. for bus . SE 186iM1 St y SE 18PI ^e riders ti SE 1861h PI ' m SE 187ih St- E18"/ihLn o p 'BOULEVARD se 18> f SE 186th Pl L LANE PARK SE 18d1n 51 fn P1 S SE 181ih PI 5 5 5 Benson , 188th PI SE 1 �� sE 189m s1 _ Elementary ool • Bath P1 y s ye w SE 19 1, St S I,— St �a 5 SE 18WDP • - S 1901h R - n w Sr 1B10 91a � E s�znst MM ala �j a N _ I0 600 1,200 2,400 Feet Sc 19 PI O SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS Benson Hill Planning Area Identified by February 2012 open house, online map and surveys, and Summer 2012 neighborhood picnics participants. r'A City of Renton Add/improve sidewalks 4 M Add paths along utility Calm traffic corridors Commercial areas General areas identified for sidewalk improvements -4aa--,Add a new path Improve intersection - Parks Add/improve bike routes � Add /improve human - Existing pedestrian paths scale street lights Existing regional trail M I Planned regional trail R G NI C rI NI I-ITI I �'^'.-- G.:fi^., If`Ai:SiFr"?"fF"f 2:,TM Walking and Bicycling Improvements Figure 4-15. Walking and bicycling improvements map Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 4 Figure 4-16. Large residential area needs better pedestrian connections to Benson Plaza shopping center Figure 4-17. Walking paths through parking lots would make walking safer and more inviting 2.3.3. Continue improving the pedestrian environment around the Benson Shopping Center. Additional details: Work with property owners to provide or improve walkways through parking areas and ensure pedestrian connections between lots. For example, providing walking paths in strategic locations (e.g., along 1091h Ave SE near the Jiffy Lube and at SE 1791h Place near Arby's) would increase pedestrian access to commercial areas. When possible, buffer the sidewalks on 108th Avenue SE and SE Carr Road/SE 1761h Street from traffic with street trees and landscaping. Require buffered sidewalks with redevelopment. (Also see Strategies 5.3.1 and 1.2.4 regarding design guidelines to accomplish an urban form more conducive to walking.) Responsible party: Planning Public involvement: Property and business owners Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Ongoing -terms 2.3.4. Repair and maintain SE 164th Street sidewalks. Additional details: Prioritize SE 164th Street maintenance because of its importance as a walking route to multiple schools. Utilize a horticulturist to address the tree roots that are breaking the sidewalks. If replacing or adding street trees, choose tree species whose roots are not prone to surfacing. Responsible party: Maintenance Services Public involvement: Property owners along SE 164th Street Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Short-term City of Renton Plan Elements 2.4. Improve access to and usability of transit. A key component to attracting and keeping people in Benson Hill and reducing Benson Hill's environmental footprint is quality transit service. The transit experience, from residence to bus stop to arrival at destination, should be pleasant, as quick as possible, and easy. In turn, a dense population is needed to support transit services, so housing at Cascade Village (Strategy 1.2.4) and near the 116th Avenue SE and SE Petrovitsky Road intersection (Strategy 3.2.1) is important. 2.4.1. Work with King County Metro to identify appropriate bus shelter locations and install when feasible. Additional details: Coordinate with 116th Avenue SE improvements (Strategy 2.1.1). Responsible party: Transportation Systems, King County Metro Public involvement: Benson Hill bus riders Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 2.5. Improve the driving experience in Benson Hill to be safer and more user-friendly. The following strategies support a multi -modal transportation network and take steps toward safer streets. 2.5.1. Simplify SE Carr Road/SE 17611 Street/SE Petrovitsky Road to a single name. Additional details: Consider renaming S 178th Street, S 180th Street, SW 43rd Street, SE Carr Road, and SE 1761h Street as S and SE Petrovitsky Road. Responsible party: Community and Economic Development Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Short-term Benson Hill Community Plan 57 Chapter 4 Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas 3.1. Focus efforts on rejuvenating existing parks and recreation facilities. Both the Parks Plan and this planning process underscored the strong need for maintaining and upgrading existing parks facilities, especially to provide healthy recreational activities for youth and families. 3.1.1. Continue parks maintenance of existing facilities. Additional details: Responsible party: Facilities, Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Parks Maintenance Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$ Timeframe: Ongoing 3.1.2. Work with the community to seek solutions for providing youth and community programming. Additional details: Continue the existing community programs and the coordination with the YMCA at Teasdale and Tiffany Park facilities. Establish community partnerships and prioritize funding to re- open Tiffany, Teasdale, and Philip Arnold Park community buildings for ongoing community use and neighborhood rentals. Seek additional opportunities as needed. Responsible party: Recreation, Facilities Public involvement: Neighborhood Associations, community clubs Resources: $ Timeframe: On -going 58 City of Renton Plan Elements 3.1.3. Redesign the Cascade Park entry to allow parking adjacent to the park and to increase "eyes on the park." Additional details: In the short-term, consider relocating the southeast entrance fence farther from 12611 Ave SE to allow parking. Also, consider allowing parking near the western entry at SE 162"d Street. Open lines of sight by removing some trees where possible. Purchase houses adjacent to the entrances, consistent with the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Areas Plan, to provide more flexibility in designing inviting park entries. Provide safe and fun spaces for all ages at the Park. Responsible party: Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Parks Maintenance Public involvement: Cascade neighborhood Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 3.2. Seek opportunities to increase parks and recreational spaces in Benson Hill, especially to serve the neighborhoods south of Petrovitsky Road. As discussed in Implementation Strategy 1.1.3., the greatest recreational opportunity and need is for a large park that serves central and southern Benson Hill. The most likely location for this is at Cascade Village. Other opportunities might include northern Kent, which could be a biking distance recreational amenity for Benson Hill residents; vacant or underutilized school district properties; or acquisition of a group of private properties to create a 20 acre area for a park. Figure 4-18. Fences prevent parking and trees and fences block views, making the park feel less safe Benson Hill Community Plan 59 Chapter 4 3.2.1. Work with Kent to continue the 1161h Avenue SE improvements to Panther Lake and provide a recreational setting there. Additional details: Improve 116th Avenue SE up to the Renton boundary at 192"d Street (Strategy 2.1.1) and encourage Kent to continue the improvements to Panther Lake and Hopkins Open Space. Kent's Park and Open Space Plan (2010) calls for improved linkages to Panther Lake and public waterfront access on the lake. Kent has also received Conservation Futures funds to acquire property around Panther Lake. When public access is provided, sign the 116th Avenue SE route to Panther Lake, especially for bicycles. Work with Kent to secure funding for future improvements as Panther Lake would provide recreational opportunities to underserved areas in both Renton and Kent. Responsible party: City of Kent, King County, Parks Planning and Natural Resources Public involvement: TBD Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term Figure 4-19. 116th Ave SE connection to Panther Lake in Kent 60 City of Renton Plan Elements Strong, Livable, and Safe Community 4.1. Continue partnering with Police to decrease and prevent crime in Benson Hill. Renton saw a drastic increase in burglaries in late 2011, and Renton Police have worked hard to reduce burglaries with the help of block watch programs.2 Continuing on this path is integral to keeping Benson Hill safe from crime. 4.1.1. Support block watch efforts to reduce burglaries and improve the perception of the neighborhoods. Additional details: Continue Police representation at neighborhood picnics and other local events to provide information on block watch programs. Responsible party: Police; Neighborhood, Resources and Events Public involvement: Neighborhood Associations, new Community Council, block watch groups Resources: $ Timeframe: Short- and ongoing -terms 4.1.2. Continue forging personal connections between Renton Police and neighborhood residents to discourage crime. Additional details: Increase personal interactions between on -duty officers and neighbors to build mutual rapport. If possible, locate a small, temporary police office in Cascade Village while economic activity remains relatively low to more easily connect locals to Police and discourage crime in the area. With redevelopment, the police office will likely no longer be necessary. Manage the office in a way that fosters relationships between community members and police. Another strategy may be bicycle patrols instead of car patrols. Responsible party: Police Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner Resources: $$ Timeframe: Short-term 2 98% of burglaries take place in non -block watch neighborhoods (Renton Police). Benson Hill Community Plan 61 Chapter 4 Rwf OgCk�_. Wndow� Salty Window— r r DO TNI5 a, a ._ " . DON'T YDO THIS Figure 4-20. Example surveillance and lighting CPTED principles 4.2. Encourage development types that hinder criminal activities. Cascade Village's current layout is not ideal for preventing crime. Lack of usable connecting streets, activity, and lines of sight make it feel empty and unsafe. Any redevelopment there or in other commercial areas should include more people and design that is not conducive to crime. 4.2.1. Incorporate Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles in commercial and mixed use design guidelines, particularly for Cascade Village. Additional details: To discourage crime and create an attractive place for businesses, apply CPTED design guidelines and carefully review redevelopment proposals for Cascade Village and Benson Plaza commercial areas. Similarly, adjust zoning if necessary to increase residential "eyes" on commercial and open areas by locating decks, porches, and/or windows to provide views into those areas. Ensure that redevelopment has streets that connect through so that there is a healthy level of activity on them. Responsible paq: Planning, Police Public involvement: affected property owners, business owners Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term City of Renton Plan Elements 5.1. Foster a sense of community. Benson Hill has the start of strong neighborhoods where local activities bring people together. Creating a focus at Cascade Village (Goal 1) and improving recreational facilities (Goal 3) will help to foster a sense of community. The actions below will also create opportunities to build community. 5.1.1. Create a Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board to take ownership of this plan, advocate for its implementation, and adjust actions and priorities as needed over time. Additional details: See the Advisory Council section in the Action Strategy on page X. Responsible party: Planning Public involvement: Neighborhood Associations Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 5.1.2. Encourage removal of the fence between Cascade Village and Emerald Heights Apartments. Additional details: The fence physically and symbolically divides the community, but exists because of concerns over shop -lifting at Cascade Village. However, as Cascade Village becomes safer, it may no longer be needed for its original purpose. Coordinate with Renton Police and Cascade Village to ensure continued safety (Goal 4). See Goal 1's strategies for other opportunities to increase activity and a sense of safety at the shopping center. Responsible party: (located on private property) Public involvement: Cascade Village property owner, Emerald Heights Apartments owner Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term Figure 4-22. Schools in Benson Hill already contribute to the sense of community Figure 4-21. Fence between Cascade Village and apartments divides community; closed street also deters higher levels of street use Benson Hill Community Plan 63 Chapter 4 5.2. Build capacity of local residents. A skilled, healthy, and happy population makes a strong workforce and good neighbors. The following strategies address ways to build the capacity and access to opportunity of Benson Hill permanent and transient residents. 5.2.1. Provide skills training and support for immigrants at schools or a community center to welcome new residents and foster a sense of community across diverse neighbors. Additional details: If Cascade Village redevelops with a community center (Strategy 1.1.3), ensure that the community center is designed to support skills training. Responsible party: Human Services, Renton Schools, Economic Development, Planning, Renton Technical College Public involvement: Local immigrant services organizations (e.g., Somali Youth and Family Club) Resources: $$ Timeframe: Ongoing 5.2.2. Provide services and strategize a long-term solution for panhandlers at the SE Carr Road/SE 1761h Street and 108th Avenue SE intersection and Fred Meyer parking lot entrances. Additional details: Providing services to the transient population may increase the sense of safety in Benson Hill. Responsible party: Human Services, Police Public involvement: TBD Resources: $$ Timeframe: Short-term 5.2.3. Consider power and high-speed internet infrastructure improvements. Investigate undergrounding powerlines with Puget Sound Energy. Additional details: Undergrounding powerlines could be possible, but would require residents to create a special district to tax themselves for the cost of undergrounding. Responsible party: Utility Systems Public involvement: Affected Neighborhood Associations Resources: $$$ Timeframe: Long-term .1 I City of Renton Plan Elements 5.3. Cultivate a sense of pride in Benson Hill by improving the overall aesthetics. Some of Benson Hill's places —residential, commercial, and public —reflect a lack of physical maintenance or high - quality design. Remedying this and setting up a system for maintaining a standard of quality is important to cultivating a sense of pride in Benson Hill. This in turn keeps property values high and reinforces the sense of a vibrant community 5.3.1. Apply design guidelines to Cascade Village and Benson Plaza shopping areas. Additional details: Goal 1, especially Strategy 1.2.4, provides strategies for creating a community focus in Cascade Village, and applying design guidelines to both Cascade Village and Benson Plaza would provide a long-term aesthetic benefit. Include CPTED principles (Strategy 4.2.1). Responsible party: Planning Public involvement: Property owners Resources: $ Timeframe: Short-term 5.3.2. Expand support of neighborhood cleanup efforts to maintain property values and spur a sense of community pride. Additional details: Support community groups, businesses, and neighborhood associations in organizing work events and provide resources through department programs such as Public Works, Neighborhood Program, Police, and Code Enforcement. The work events increase community - building opportunities while the cleanup improves the perception and pride in the area. The neighborhood cleanup program should address the following: • Educate neighbors about the City's Wipe Out Graffiti program, and institute a neighborhood system for graffiti prevention and cleanup. Continue Police enforcement. • Encourage landscaping in front of large expanses of fence that are frequent targets of graffiti. • Institute a yearly spring cleanup. • Work with the owners of the storage containers at 116th Avenue SE and SE 168th Street to change the use or clean up the area and create a more visually pleasant place through enhancements such as 16. Figure 4-23. Benson Plaza Shopping Center (Fred Meyer area) is community members' favorite place in the Benson Hill (see Figure 2-14 on page 25). Design guidelines would encourage future development to be more walkable, safe -feeling, and aesthetically pleasant. Figure 4-24. Storage area on northwest corner of 116th Ave SE and SE 168th St Benson Hill Community Plan 65 Chapter 4 landscaping, public art, and design that celebrates the Cascades view. Responsible partX: Neighborhoods, Resources and Events, Police, Graffiti Abatement Program, Public Works, Code Enforcement Public involvement: neighborhood associations and community members Resources: $ Timeframe: Short and ongoing terms 5.3.3. Beautify the intersection of 10811 Ave SE and SE Carr Road/SE 176th Street Additional details: Provide landscaping and pedestrian lights to create a welcoming gateway into Benson Hill (coordinate with Strategy 2.3.3). Work with property owners and perhaps assist with funding to update business signs. Support the formation of a Business or Local Improvement District (BID/LID) to fund improvements. Explore the potential for public art. Responsible partX: Economic Development, Planning Public involvement: Property owners Resources: $$ Timeframe: Mid-term Figure 4-25. Opportunity to upgrade 108th Ave SE and SE Carr Rd/SE 176th St pedestrian environment and visual appearance to create a more inviting entry into Benson Hill City of Renton 5. Action Strategy Benson Hill has the potential to build on its strengths with a series of community improvements identified in Chapter 4: Plan Elements would improve Benson Hill. In particular, Benson Hill needs a central focus with civic facilities, greater cohesion and connectivity between neighborhoods, transportation access for all populations, and community services and improvements tailored to Benson Hill's unique residents. Implementation Table The following table lists the actions suggested in the Plan Elements section, assigns them a time -frame based on public input and a logical order of events, and identifies responsible parties and partners. Figure 5-1. View to Cascade Mountains from Cascade Village (top left); cyclist on street to Philip Arnold Park (top right); walking routes to schools (bottom left); Fred Meyer area (bottom right) Benson Hill Community Plan 67 Chapter 5 Community and Economic DevelopmentW 1.1.1. Support residents in creating recreational Neighborhoods $7Cas7adeage Short-term opportunities in the short term. (Resources and property owner, Events) may be able to Cascade Neighborhood support through their Association, R.U.F.F., Neighborhood Grant community volunteers, program, Public Works, Sustainable Renton, Recreation, Planning local churches 1.1.2. Create recreational opportunities in the Parks Planning and $$$ Cascade Village Long-term long term. Natural Resources, property owner, Parks Maintenance, Cascade Vista Athletic Recreation, Club, Cascade Facilities, Economic Neighborhood Development, Planning Association 1.2.1. Landscape the corner of SE 168th Street Neighborhoods, $ Cascade Vista Athletic Short-term and 116th Avenue SE to create a more Resources and Events Club, Cascade Village inviting entry to the Cascade Village could potentially supply property owner, area. funds for this through a Cascade Neighborhood Neighborhood Matching Association, community Grant. volunteers 1.2.2. Continue supporting renovations Economic $ Cascade Village Short-term and physical improvements efforts at Development, Planning property owner, Cascade Village to ensure a high -quality Cascade Village environment that attracts businesses and business owners, customers. financial institutions 1.2.3. Support existing businesses and attract Economic Development $$ Cascade Village Short-term and new ones to Cascade Village, especially property owner, on -going grocery -related businesses. Cascade Village business owners, Renton Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Development Center 1.2.4. Require some ground -floor commercial Planning, Economic $ Cascade Village Set zoning and space in any redevelopment of Development property owner, design guidelines Cascade Village and ensure a high- Cascade Village in the short term, quality pedestrian environment through businesses but redevelopment design guidelines and incentives for is likely long term. redevelopment. 1.2.5. Support existing business owners during Economic $$ Cascade Village Long-term, construction and assist with relocation Development, Planning property owner, depends on in Cascade Village when redevelopment business owners redevelopment occurs. timeframe ulti-Modal Transportation 2.1.1. Improve 116th Avenue SE to provide a Transportation $$$ Land owners along 1161h Mid-term to Long — walkable, bikable, and environmentally- Systems, Utility Avenue SE, (possible term dependent on friendly way to connect to destinations. Systems, Parks LID funded) grant funding or Planning and Natural LID funding Resources 2.1.2. Require a high -quality pedestrian realm Planning $ Cascade Village Short-term along 116th Avenue SE through design property owner (although guidelines with any redevelopment of development Cascade Village (also see Strategy would likely 1.2.4). happen in the long term) City of Renton Action Strategy Who $ Key StakeholdersStrategy 2.2.1. Complete the Soos Creek Trail and King County Parks, $$$ TBD On -going connect to existing paths. Parks Planning and Natural Resources, Transportation Systems 2.2.2. When possible, acquire property or Parks Planning and $$$ Property owners on or On -going establish agreements to extend pipelines, Natural Resources, adjacent to pipelines power lines, and other utility corridor Planning, Community and power lines trails as consistent with the Parks, and Economic corridors Recreation and Natural Areas Plan and/ Development or the Bicycles and Trails Master Plan. 2.2.3. Work with the utility companies who own Transportation $$ TBD Short-term Beacon Way S between Puget Drive S Systems, Parks and Philip Arnold Park to explore the Planning and Natural feasibility of paving and landscaping Resources a path to the park from Benson Hill to amply accommodate bicycles, pedestrians, and motorists. 2.2.4. Connect paths to the existing trails on Seattle Public Utilities, $ TBD Mid-term Puget Sound Energy Property under the Parks Planning and power lines near Phillip Arnold Park. Natural Resources 2.2.5. Study the feasibility for a topographically Transportation $$$ Affected property Long-term level bicycle and pedestrian connection Systems, Parks owners, bicycle groups between the Grant Avenue S/S Puget Dr Planning and Natural (e.g., Cascade Bicycle area to the Benson Shopping Center. Resources Alliance) 2.2.6. Add and improve existing pedestrian Transportation $$$ TBD Long-term crossings over Interstate 405 and Systems, Planning, Highway 167. Parks Planning and Natural Resources 2.3.1. Complete missing links in sidewalks and Transportation Systems $$ Affected property Mid-term add pedestrian -scaled street lighting and owners, bicycle groups calm traffic on routes to schools, parks, (e.g., Cascade Bicycle and commercial areas. Alliance) 2.3.2. Identify and prioritize high accident Transportation $$ TBD Short- to Long - locations for people walking and cycling, Systems, Police term dependent especially near bus stops. upon scope and funding of projects 2.3.3. Continue improving the pedestrian Planning $$$ Property and business Ongoing -terms environment around the Benson owners Shopping Center. 2.3.4. Repair and maintain SE 164th Street Maintenance Services, $$$ Property owners along Short-term sidewalks. Parks SE 164th Street 2.4.1. Work with King County Metro to identify Transportation $ Benson Hill bus riders Short-term appropriate bus shelter locations and Systems, King County install when feasible. Metro 2.4.2. Improve transit time for bus routes to King County Metro, $$ Benson Hill bus riders Long-term Seattle from Benson Hill. Transportation Systems 2.5.1. Simplify SE Carr Road/SE 176th Street/ Community and $$$ TBD Short-term SE Petrovitsky Road to a single name. Economic Development Benson Hill Community Plan Chapter 5 Parks, Recreation, and Natural Spaces 3.1.1. Continue parks maintenance of existing Facilities, Parks $$ TBD Ongoing facilities. Planning and Natural Resources, Parks Maintenance 3.1.2. Work with the community to seek Recreation, Facilities $ Neighborhood On -going solutions for providing youth and Associations, community programming. community clubs 3.1.3. Redesign the Cascade Park entry to Parks Planning and $ Cascade neighborhood Short-term allow parking adjacent to the park and to Natural Resources, increase "eyes on the park." Parks Maintenance 3.2.1. Work with Kent to continue the 116th City of Kent, King $ TBD Short-term Avenue SE improvements to Panther County, Parks Planning Lake and provide a recreational setting and Natural Resources there. Strong, Livable, and Safe Neighborhoods 4.1.1. Support block watch efforts to reduce Police; Neighborhoods, $ Neighborhood Short- and burglaries and improve the perception of Resources and Events Associations, new ongoing -terms the neighborhoods. Community Council, block watch groups 4.1.2. Continue forging personal connections Police $$ Cascade Village Short-term between Renton Police and property owner neighborhood residents to discourage crime. 4.2.1. Incorporate Crime Prevention through Planning, Police $ affected property Short-term Environmental Design (CPTED) owners, business principles in commercial and mixed owners use design guidelines, particularly for Cascade Village. 5.1.1. Create a Benson Hill Community Plan Planning $ Neighborhood Short-term Advisory Board to take ownership of this Associations plan, advocate for its implementation, and adjust actions and priorities as needed overtime. 5.1.2. Encourage removal of the fence between (located on private $ Cascade Village Short-term Cascade Village and Emerald Heights property) property owner, Apartments. Emerald Heights Apartments owner 5.2.1. Provide skills training and support for Human Services, $$ Local immigrant Ongoing immigrants at schools or a community Renton Schools, services organizations center to welcome new residents and Economic (e.g., Somali Youth and foster a sense of community across Development, Planning, Family Club) diverse neighbors. Renton Technical College 5.2.2. Provide services and strategize a long- Human Services, Police $$ TBD Short-term term solution for panhandlers at the SE Carr Road/SE 176th Street and 108th Avenue SE intersection and Fred Meyer parking lot entrances. 5.2.3. Consider power and high-speed internet Utility Systems $$$ Affected Neighborhood Long-term infrastructure improvements. Investigate Associations undergrounding powerlines with Puget Sound Energy. 70 City of Renton Action Strategy Strategy W StakeholdersKey 5.3.1. Apply design guidelines to Cascade Planning $ Property owners Short-term Village and Benson Plaza shopping areas. 5.3.2. Expand support of neighborhood cleanup Neighborhoods, $ neighborhood Short and ongoing efforts to maintain property values and Resources and Events, associations and terms spur a sense of community pride. Graffiti Abatement community members Program, Public Works, Code Enforcement 5.3.3. Beautify the intersection of 108th Ave SE Economic $$ Property owners Mid-term and SE Carr Road/SE 176th Street Development, Planning Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board As the City adopts this plan and begins implementation, it will be important for Benson Hill community members to remain involved and advocate for strategic items. Ownership of the plan will be placed with a new Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board (Advisory Board) to represent the interests of Benson Hill's diverse residents and businesses. The Advisory Board can track and advocate for individual projects using the Implementation Table above. The Advisory Board establishes a formal conduit for communication between Benson Hill neighbors and the City. Although individual Neighborhood Associations have a connection to the City through the Neighborhood Program, there is not currently one group who can speak for the entire Benson Hill area and directly connect with City decision -makers. With the creation of an Advisory Board, existing Neighborhood Associations and non -associated neighborhoods can bring their concerns and endorsements to the Advisory Board to be represented at the City. As with other City boards and commissions, members will be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Benson Hill Community Plan 71 Chapter 5 O Benson Hill ithe heart .Create focus n Improve sidewalks, bike Planning Area MBenson Hill ❑routes, existing perks, entl r_lCity of Renan , Conned neighborhoods, thh—g-t-planinger esea Commercial areas pecially along 111h Ave SE Beild on existing Vail ne * to Parks nned neighborhoods and provide recreational opportunities Figure 5-2. Major improvements recommended in this plan (see Chapter 3: Vision for a full description) Conclusion The implementation table above provides a condensed list of actions for the City and community members to track over time. While many of the strategies laid out in this plan may take 20 years or longer to implement, and require resources that do not currently exist, the plan lays the framework for City and community actions to create a vibrant, safe, livable, and healthy Benson Hill. This plan calls for a number of improvements, and a clear and prioritized action strategy with the backing of community members will make them doable. Key components to realizing Benson Hill's vision are: • Formally recognize a Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board to harbor and advocate for plan elements, • Enhance Cascade Village with small actions (including a review of its zoning), • Seek funding for design of the 1161h Avenue SE improvements, and • Develop a program to expand the trail and sidewalk network. These should be prioritized in the City's funding strategies. Other smaller improvements may be done over time as funding is available. In the long term, maintaining Benson Hill as a great neighborhood for families is highly dependent on obtaining a community center and a large recreational facility in the area. This is included in the long- term approach for Cascade Village as it requires more funds than the City can currently offer. As soon as this becomes feasible, it should become a top priority for Renton to match the level of service in Benson Hill with that in other neighborhoods. With a new Benson Hill Community Plan Advisory Board acting as a unifying and representative body for the various neighborhoods, Benson Hill residents and businesses can expect a clearer communication channel with government decision -making. This coalition of neighborhoods can address inequities in resources available to Benson Hill as a whole and within its geographic regions by advocating for this plan. Over time, the Advisory Board may need to update the plan to address changing conditions and neighborhood goals. In the meantime, the collaborative effort that created this plan will continue through the Advisory Council -City connection, and as Benson Hill grows and changes, this plan clarifies a community - supported route forward. 72 City of Renton