HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandout - Audience Comment - Langston Vacation . � �
Jason Seth
From: Matt schmidt <matt.schmidt303@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2017 6:11 PM
To: Jason Seth
<<� Council
Subject: Formal letter in response to Langston 14 LLC petition File#VAC 16-002
Attachments: Response to langston vacation of SW Langston RD.docx
Good morning Mr. Seth,
I have included my formal response in regards to the petition filed by Langston 14 LLC owned by Mr. Mark
Shark. I personally will not be at this scheduled hearing due to my military service. However, I have been
organizing a community response to this as well and do believe you should be seeing more letters against this
irresponsible petition that will not benefit anyone who uses and relies on this city road. The community
depends on this street and for a land developer to feel entitled to make it his at the taxpayer's expense is down
right shameful and puts everyone's safety at risk. I hope to have a signed petition complete and ready to send to
you before the start of business Monday, Feb 13th as well that I would greatly appreciate you might present to
the members of the city council. Feel free to contact me with any concerns.
Respectfully,
Matt Schmidt
owner of 218 SW Langston Rd
937-266-9226
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RE: Langston 14, LLC, FILE No. VAC-16-002 hearing on Monday, February 13 in regards to
Street Vacation for portion of right-of-way located in the vicinity of SW Langston Rd. &Sunset
BLVD
To whom it may concern of the Renton City Council,
Please find this letter in place of my physical appearance at the hearing set forth the evening of
the 13th of February 2017. It has come to our understanding that said Petitioner, Langston 14,
LLC is proposing that the city of Renton accommodate their intentions of taking away valuable
portions of SW Langston Rd., only to reap the personal monetary benefit upon completion of its
intended redevelopment of private residential properties at the expense of not only the other
residents of the Earlington Hill community but all the citizens. Namely the citizens of Renton,
who depend on this street for the Park-N-Ride which makes use of this street on a daily bases.
Additionally, the one lane portion of road that is to be considered is already stretched beyond
its original purpose as this street can routinely experience close to a mile long stretch of
vehicular traffic during evening rush hours on a regular bases. Furthermore, this street is a vital
thru-way for the city's first responders, namely Renton Fire and Police departments. As it is
currently stands, this street, especially the portion being petitioned, is stretched well beyond its
means.
For the city to approve any petition that seeks to lessen SW Langston Road's current size would
be of grave error in judgement and could led to the inability of the city's first responders that
we, the community, rely on to be able to respond in a timely manner. I would also ask this
committee to take into consideration the potential liabilities that would arise if said petition
was to be approved. Namely, the very likely risks associated with the huge influx of vehicle
traffic that commonly does twice that stated city speed limit both up and down this highly
graded (sloped) street. Any reduction in the streets current size is only asking for the unneeded
increase in the likelihood of fatal accidents to occur.
In close, it is my sincere hope that this committee find to strike down this needless, petition by
a single party whose only reasoning for this request is would be of a sheer monetary benefit at
the enormous, wasteful cost to not only the taxpayers of Renton but the immeasurable number
of residents that rely on this road for their daify livelihood. I would like to make the
recommendation to said petitioner instead of seeking to senseless waste our community's tax
dollars that they should instead seek a petition for an easement that would allow for them to
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expand SW Langston RD, drawing from the reduction of their own land. This as it is justly their
land and should be entitled to do as see fit while at the same time actually being held
financially accountable. This would further allow the rest of us to still enjoy the entitlements
that we have been afforded.
It has also come to my understanding that the petitioner, Langston 14, LLC, since acquiring
the four parcels situated on SW Langston and subsequently sub-dividing into 14 parcels yet to
be developed is currently in the arrears and has yet to make payment of any of the above for
mentioned parcels' property tax.
I look forward to this committee's decision. I would also at this time like to make a formal
request to purchase any and all paperwork pertaining to this matter that is either presented to
the City Council as well as the official findings and any and all land surveys that have been
conducted pertaining to this issue.
Humbly submitted on behalf of the Earlington Hill Community,
Matthew R. Schmidt
Owner of 218 SW Langston RD.
CITY �F R�NT0�6
FEB 0� 2017
RECEIVED
CI�Y Cl.ERK'S OF�ICE
February 2, 2017
To Whom it May Concern:
Please find this letter in place of our physical appearance at the hearing set forth the evening of
the 13th of February 2017. It has come to our attention that there has been a request put before the
Renton City Council to vacate a portion of right-of-way located in the vicinity of SW Langston Road and
Sunset Blvd (Langston 14, LLC, File No.VAC-16-002).We are writing to strongly object to this action.
Langston Road is the primary access route into Renton for the people living on Earlington Hill and in the
surrounding area. Access to downtown businesses as well as to shopping centers and the freeways
(e.g., I-405, I-5,and 167j would all be severely impacted by narrowing the roadway. Langston Road is a
vital thru-way for the city's first responders(Renton Fire and Police Departments). Bus routes for the
Renton School District include stops all along Langston Road and there is a park-and-ride situated in the
area as wetl.To narrow the roadway for any reason would be detrimental to all of the residents on
Earlington Hill and surrounding communities. As it is currently stands,this street, especially the
portion being petitioned, is stretched well beyond its means.
Citizens who travel down Langston to the intersection with Sunset would be forced to seek
alternate routes down side streets (e.g., Stevens and Earlington)to access Sunset. These streets
are not wide enough to accommodate increased traffic. Additionally,there is only one traffic
light (at the intersection of Stevens and Sunset/MLK)that allows safe access onto Sunset. The
possibility of serious accidents will increase dramatically. We would also like to mention the
fact that there are bus stops located on both sides of Sunset near that intersection. The safety
of people walking to those stops would be seriously compromised by the increase in
automobile traffic on the side streets.
We understand the petitioner plans to build a large number of homes on the property abutting Langston
Road at this location. Given the character of the neighborhood,that alone is a bad idea, but the increase
in the amount of traffic on Langston from the residents of this housing development will create
additional congestion and traffic problems on an already over-taxed roadway. The likelihood of serious
accidents will increase dramatically.
The overall impact of narrowing Langston Road at this location will only benefit the petitioner. it will be
incredibly detrimental to the people who live in the communities on the hill.We find it disconcerting
that only those who live on the affected area of Langston Road were advised of this petition.We have
seen no evidence of an environmental impact study or, in fact,of any study that addresses the impact
on the community that will be affected by the proposal.
Sincerely,
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Laird M and Kathryn M Thornton
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