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Home My WebLink AboutCAE Vuecrest IIDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING DIVISION CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTION FROM CRITICAL AREAS REGULATIONS EVALUATION FORM & DECISION DATE OF PERMIT ISSUANCE: July 25, 2016 LAND USE ACTION FILE NO.: LUA15-000026 PROJECT NAME: Vuecrest II Short Plat Critical Areas Exemption PROJECT MANAGER: Clark H. Close, Senior Planner APPLICANT: Harbour Homes, LLC Attn: Jamie Waltier 1441 N 34th St #200 Seattle WA 98103 PROJECT LOCATION: 4909 Main Ave S (Parcel No. 322305-9097) and Smithers Ave S/S47th St (Parcel No. 312305-9048) CRITICAL AREA: Category II Wetland PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION: The applicant is requesting a Critical Areas Exemption in order to install permanent public utility activities that will intrude through adjacent wetlands and required wetland buffers between Vuecrest II Short Plat and Vuecrest Estates Preliminary Plat (LUA13-000642). The project development is proposing to utilize and extend public utilities between the two sites, including storm drainage, sewer, water and dry utilities under the Smithers Ave S and SE 186th St (Exhibit 1). A combined stormwater drainage facility within Vuecrest Estates (Tract A - 15,748 sf) would serve 28 lots (8-lot short plat and the 20-lot subdivision). Early clearing and grading, in addition to utility and construction work is anticipated to begin in the Summer of 2016. Each project plat would be completed under separate utility construction permits (U15007217 and U15007232). On March 19, 2015 the City of Renton and Harbour Homes, LLC entered into a settlement agreement to provide a second means of access from Main Ave S (102nd Ave SE) to Vuecrest Estates (Exhibit 2). The alignment of the road included crossing the Category II Wetland and connecting Smithers Ave S to SE 186th St. Temporary distrubances to the wetland and wetland buffer are anticipated due to construction activities, such as management of essential tree removal, placement of public roads and utilities, or the construction of footings necessary for a multi-plate single radius arch culvert needed to span the wetland edge. No wetlands would be filled in order to install plat utilities or road improvements (Exhibits 1 and 3). Disturbed areas outside the access alignment would be reasonably restored to pre-construction condition. CRITICAL AREA: Category II Wetland and Associated Buffer PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION: The applicant is requesting a Critical Areas Exemption in order to install permanent public utility activities that will intrude through adjacent wetlands and required wetland buffers between Vuecrest II Short Plat and Vuecrest Estates Preliminary Plat (LUA13-000642). The project development is proposing to utilize and extend public utilities between the two sites, including storm drainage, sewer, water and dry utilities under the Smithers Ave S and SE 186th St (Exhibit 1). A combined stormwater drainage facility within Vuecrest Estates (Tract A - 15,748 sf) would serve 28 lots (8-lot short plat and the 20-lot subdivision). Early clearing and grading, in addition to utility and construction work is anticipated to begin in the Summer of 2016. Each project plat would be completed under separate utility construction permits (U15007217 and U15007232). On March 19, 2015 the City of Renton and Harbour Homes, LLC entered into a settlement agreement to provide a second means of access from Main Ave S (102nd Ave SE) to Vuecrest Estates (Exhibit 2). The alignment of the road included crossing the Category II Wetland and connecting Smithers Ave S to SE 186th St. Temporary distrubances to the wetland and wetland buffer are anticipated due to construction activities, such as management of essential tree removal, placement of public roads and utilities, or the construction of footings necessary for a multi-plate single radius arch culvert needed to span the wetland edge. No wetlands would be filled in order to install plat utilities or road improvements (Exhibits 1 and 3). Disturbed areas outside the access alignment would be reasonably restored to pre-construction condition. CRITICAL AREA: Category II Wetland and Associated Buffer EXEMPTION JUSTIFICATION: Renton Municipal Code, Section 4-3-050C.3 Exemptions – Critical Areas and Buffers. The activities approved under the settlement agreement and utility construction permit for Vuecrest Estates include mitigation sufficient to achieve no net loss of wetland function through buffer width averaging and acceptance of a final mitigation plan. The mitigation plan includes a five year mitigation plan that includes maintenance and monitoring for any impacts created by the permanent public utility activities within the category wetlands or wetland buffers within Tracts B-D (Exhibit 4). FINDINGS: The proposed development is consistent with the following findings pursuant to RMC section 4-3-050C.3: The activity is not prohibited by this or any other chapter of the RMC or state or federal law or regulation. The activity will be conducted using best management practices as specified by industry standards or applicable Federal agencies or scientific principles if submitted plans are followed and the conditions of the utility construction permits are met. Impacts will be minimized and disturbed areas will be immediately restored, if submitted plans are followed and conditions of the utility construction permits are met. Where wetland or buffer disturbance has occurred in accordance with an exemption during construction or other activities, revegetation with native vegetation was mitigated for. DECISION: An exemption from the critical areas regulations is approved for Vuecrest II Short Plat. SIGNATURE: Jennifer Henning, Planning Director Date Department of Community & Economic Development APPEALS: An appeal of this administrative land use decision must be filed in writing together with the required fee to the City of Renton Hearing Examiner, City of Renton, 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, on or before 5:00 p.m., on August 8, 2016. RMC 4-8-110 governs appeals to the Hearing Examiner and additional information regarding the appeal process may be obtained from the Renton City Clerk’s Office, (425) 430-6510. RECONSIDERATION: Within 14 days of the decision date, any party may request that the decision be reopened by the approval body. The approval body may modify his decision if material evidence not readily discoverable prior to the original decision is found or if he finds there was misrepresentation of fact. After review of the reconsideration request, if the approval body finds sufficient evidence to amend the original decision, there will be no further extension of the appeal period. Any person wishing to take further action must file a formal appeal within the 14-day appeal time frame. EXPIRATION: One (1) year from the date of decision (date signed).