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Home My WebLink AboutCity's response - Req � Denis Law Mayor � Community&Economic Development C.E."Chip"Vincent,Administrator September 26,2016 Mr. Phil Olbrechts ClTY OF RENT0�0 Hearing Examiner � City of Renton SEP 2�2p1� 1055 South Grady Way Renton,WA 98057 RECEIVED CITY CLERK'S OFFICE RE: Request for Reconsideration for Elliott Farms Preliminary Plat LUA15-000242 Dear Mr.Olbrechts, I have reviewed the re-submitted request for reconsideration of HEX Final Decision submitted by Leland and Joanne Gregory for the Elliott Farms Preliminary Plat at 14207 Maple Valley Hwy (APNs 2223059004) and provide the following comments which expand upon the State Route 169 Access Spacing Deviation Determination, written on May 12, 2016, included in the official public record, and describes in detail all of the criteria used to evaluate the development and the creation of new roads as it relates to City of Renton Code and State requirements. Renton-Maple Valley Highway (SR-169) is classified by the City of Renton as a Principal Arterial Road. Site access to/from a principal arterial road is determined on a case-by-case basis. The added complexity of it being a state highway provides additional requirements which were considered when evaluating the proposed site access. The City and State requirements below, listed in order of priority, were reviewed when approving the location of the new access point to the proposed Elliott Farms development. 1. Life Safety 1.1. Fire and Emergency vehicle access to the development is required. Per RMC 4-6-060H.5,secondary access is required when a development of three (3) or more buildings is located more than two hundred feet (200') from a public street. Two access points are provided through the development. One access point provides a direct connection to SR-169 while the second access point proposed is available through the existing private lane through the Molasses Creek Condominiums to the west. 1.1.1. If the through access point to SR-169 were to be located at Alley 3 or Alley 2, the remaining length of Road A(approximately 650 feet and 475 feet, respectively, to the furthest end of Lot 18) would then have been considered a dead-end road. 1.1.2. Per RMC 4-6-060H, cul-de-sac and dead end streets are limited in application and may only be permitted where, due to demonstrable physical constraints, no future connection to a larger street pattern is physically possible. 1.1.3. If allowed,the maximum length of dead-end streets is 700 feet and over 300 feet requires a cul-de- sac. Locating the through access at Alley 3 would have created a dead-end road greater than 700 feet and would not be approved. Locating the through access at Alley 2 would create a dead-end road greater than 500 feet and would require a cul-de-sac, if it was to be approved. 1.1.4. The proposed through access point to SR-169 is located so as to create the longest length of a through public street and to minimize the length of dead-end alleys servicing the homes. Since an 1055 South Grady Way,Renton,WA 98057• rentonwa.gov Elliott Farms Preliminary Plat—LUA15-000242 Page 2 of 2 alternative to creating dead-end streets and cul-de-sacs is feasible to the site, the need for such a request would not be approved. 1.2. Accident history of the impacted intersection is reviewed and considered when approving new intersections and/or access points on a roadway. It was determined that the new peak hour trips into and out of the proposed development via SR-169 would not cause a decrease in the level of service with the conditioned right-in/right-out turning movements and the proposed location of the new access point to be acceptable. In this case the three-year collision rate (1/1/2012—12/31/2014) for the entrance to the Molasses Creek Condominiums revealed that the added entrance to the highway did not result in any reported accidents over the three-year study period. Therefore, the added incoming and outgoing trips from the proposed Elliott Farms development are expected to have minimal impact to the existing traffic flows and accident history. Additionally, the three-year collision rate for the intersection at SR-169 and 140th Way SE to the west of the development was 24 total col�isions(8 annual average).Therefore, it was determined that the entrance should be placed as far from the intersection as possibie. 2. State Requirement- Intersection spacing of less than %:-mile may be allowed, but only when no reasonable aiternative access exists(WAC 468-52-040(3)). 2.1. The required minimum spacing from the intersection of 140`h Way SE and SR-169 is%: mile or 2,640 feet. The intent is to provide maximum spacing from the major intersection while providing adequate distance between neighboring driveways. 2.1.1. The proposed distance from the 140`h Way SE and SR-169 to the proposed access point to the Elliott Farms Road B intersection is approximately 2,093 feet, roughly 547 feet short of ineeting the minimum required spacing. 2.1.2. Based on proposed elevations at the neighboring property lines it could not be located any further to the east. 3. State Requirement-The minimum distance to another(public or private)access point is 330 feet on the same side of the highway. 3.1. Based on the requirements of Items#1 and#2(above),the distance between the proposed access and the private driveway to the east (approximately 90 feet as shown on the approved WSDOT Channelization Plan) was reviewed. The proposed elevation grades on the Elliott Farms project were reviewed to determine if a shared access point could be made with the neighboring property to the east. The grade difference between the two properties at the east property line would not allow a safe access connection between the two properties.Therefore,the access spacing was found to be an acceptable distance based on the minimal number of trips which would be generated from the single family residence and the proposed Elliott Farms development. It was determined through the review that the intersection to SR-169 from the Elliott Farms development could not be located at any other location while still providing reasonable and safe access to public and private properties, maintaining a maximum distance from the major intersection,and meeting the development and design standards for the site. S' rely, � Ann Fowler Civil Engineer II,EIT City of Renton,Plan Reviewer cc: Jennifer Henning,Planning Director Brianne Bannwarth,Development Engineering Manager Vanessa Dol6ee,Current Planning Manager Cynthia Moya,Records Management Specialist Clark Close,Senior Planner File LUA15-000242,ECF,PP,SA-H,MOD