HomeMy WebLinkAbout1344RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City
of Kent, washington, relating to transporta-
tion; acknowledging the issuance and contents
of the Addendum to the 272nd/277th Street
North Corridor Project EIS; ratifying the
September 1, 1992, action of the City Council;
, and directing further action on the Project.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT AS
FOLLOWS:
section 1. Recitals and Pindings.
1.1 Since 1981, the City of Kent (11 City11 ) has been working with
surrounding cities, King County (11 County"), and regional and state
officials to address the existing and projected transportation
needs in the South County area. A chronology of this prior
planning is summarized in the illustrative chart attached to this
Resolution as Exhibit "A". This planning helped identify
congestion in certain areas throughout the City that has become
intolerable. This congestion illustrates the need for additional
east-west capacity in the City and County's transportation system
in light of the continuing and projected increases in population
and employment in the City and surrounding areas.
1.2 The result of this prior planning was a series of
recommendations starting in 1981 at the state, regional, county and
local levels to proceed with the preliminary environmental and
feasibility analysis of the 272nd/277th Street North Corridor
Project ("Project").
1.3 Project planning began in 1984, when the City's Comprehensive
Transportation Plan proposed several major transportation
improvements, including the Project and two other east-west
arterials, the 192nd/196th Street Corridor and the 224th/228th
Street Corridor. Of the capital improvements identified in this
and subsequent City Transportation Plans, the east-west corridors
remain to be implemented.
1.4 In January 1987, the Green River Valley Transportation Action
Plan ("GRVTAP"), a multijurisdictional study, was completed by the
Puget Sound Council of Governments (now known as the Puget sound
Regional Council) and called for construction of the Project as one
of the "Highest Priority Projects" of GRVTAP. In November 1988, by
Ordinance No. 2818, the City adopted GRVTAP.
1.5 More recently, the Soos Creek Community Plan and associated
Environmental Impact Statement, adopted by the King County Council
in December 1991, identified the 277th Corridor as one of the
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measures which should be implemented in order to mitigate the
effects of growth in the area.
1.6 The implementation of the three east-west corridors identified
in the City's Transportation Plans will increase the number of
east-west routes between the Kent Valley and East Hill. Currently,
there is only one such street between Canyon Road (Kent KangleyjSR
516) and Highway 18 (SR 18) in Auburn. The Project will provide
a new east-west alignment which bypasses the city's central
business district, provides a more direct and free-flowing
connecti6n to SR-167 and I-5, and reduces congestion on certain
arterials throughout the City that will otherwise operate at less
than tolerable traffic conditions if no action is taken to add
east-west routes across the City. One of the arterials, for
example, which will experience some reduction in traffic, is canyon
Drive.
1. 7 In 1989, the City formed a Technical Advisory Committee
("TAC") made up of representatives of Kent, Auburn, King County,
Washington State Department of Transportation ("WSDOT") and METRO.
The City, in conjunction with the TAC, continued the analysis of
earlier planning studies by evaluating over 90 possible east-west
roadway alignments between the valley floor and the Soos Creek
Plateau. Eventually, the potential routes were narrowed to three
on the basis of environmental, socio-economic, and property
impacts, and engineering and cost considerations. The TAC provided
further preliminary review and identified the range of reasonable
alternatives under consideration as four, including a no-action
alternative.
1.8 In the·summer of 1989, the City commenced preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement on the Project. A scoping meeting
was conducted in October 1989, the draft EIS ("DEIS") was issued in
December 1991, and a final EIS ("EIS") was issued in June 1992.
The EIS characterized Alternative A (described in the EIS) as the
Preferred Alternative roadway alignment for the 272nd/277th
Corridor ("Project Route").
1. 9 The location of the Project Route was determined after a
traffic study of the entire region and a reconnaisance study of the
vicinity. The portion of the Project Route between the East Valley
Highway {Central Avenue/Auburn Way North) and the Green River was
chosen as it lies along the northern edge of the Auburn City limits
and a planned major development and along the south edge of an
agricultural preserve area in unincorporated King County. A
portion of the right-of-way required in this section of the Project
Route already exists. After considerable review of alternative
hillside routes, the hillside portion of the Project Route was
chosen to take advantage of existing terrain with the least amount
of effect on nearby parks, wetlands, and residences. The section
of the Project Route along the top of the Soos Creek Plateau was
chosen because it lies in an area that disturbs the least number of
homes of all the alternative routes studied. The Project Route in
this area is physically screened from adjoining residential areas
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as far east as 108th Avenue. From 108th Avenue to 116th Avenue the
Project Route affects the least number of residences of any of the
alternatives studied. Finally, the Project Route connection to
Kent Kangley Road takes advantage of a newly platted street (116th
Avenue) authorized by the county where plat improvements are in the
beginning stages of construction. The Project Route and road
required for the plat developments will thus be developed in the
same general time period. The Project includes a trail connecting
the Kent valley area with the Soos Creek Plateau which will provide
a safe (separated from vehicles) pedestrian/bike route connecting
these two areas with an alternate form of transportation.
1.10 The EIS refers to and draws upon the prior planning, which
had taken place at the local, county, regional and state levels.
The EIS also states that additional environmental review will be
conducted by the various agencies whose approvals and permits are
required before construction can begin on the Project.
1.11 On September 1, 1992, after considering the information and
analysis in the EIS and other relevant data, the City Council
authorized the Public Works Department to proceed with the road
establishment process with the County. City staff has conducted
preliminary meetings with County officials related to securing
County approval for establishing the Project Route right-of-way.
1.12 Since the final EIS was completed, the City has conducted
additional site-specific environmental review. This review was
conducted in response to, and as part of, recent activities in the
vicinity of the proposed Project, including a property owner's
Forest Practices Act logging application to allow clear-cutting of
up to 75 acres of timber in the area and the stated intention of
another property owner to sell property in the Project area. The
additional environmental review, including a topographic survey and
site-specific detailed wetlands delineations, was included as part
of an Addendum issued by the SEPA Responsible Official on
February 1, 1993.
1.13 The planning and environmental review on the Project takes
into consideration both existing and projected growth. Given the
adoption of the Growth Management Act ("GMA"), the County-wide
planning policies, and County and local comprehensive plans and
development regulations under consideration, it is unlikely that
the unregulated pre-GMA growth patterns resulting from construction
of a new arterial will occur. To the extent any such new growth
occurs, it will proceed in the context of both existing and future
County and local comprehensive plans as well as project-specific
proposals, all of which will be subject to the GMA's concurrency
requirement and additional environmental review.
1.14 The City has worked closely with WSDOT, County and Auburn
officials in defining the transportation needs for the City and
surrounding area. See Exhibit A. Thus, while County officials
have given some preliminary consideration to a Southeast 277th
Street Corridor Project, this has taken place in the context of
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planning for the North Corridor Project and its construction is
speculative and unfunded at this time. Proceeding with Kent's
Project at this time is consistent with inter-jurisdictional plans
and conducted in coordination with County and Auburn officials.
1.15 The Project Route involves the least impacts on wetlands and
surrounding residential properties compared to the other
alternatives evaluated in the EIS.
1.16 Prior evaluation and planning with local, county and regional
officials, including METRO, establishes that transportation
management strategies alone (i.e., carpooling, HOV lanes, improved
bus service) will not solve or effectively mitigate the existing or
projected congestion problems in and around the City.
Notwithstanding this, the City is taking steps to encourage
commuters to leave their single-occupancy vehicles and use the bus
transit system and carpools in order to mitigate existing and
projected congestion. Previous studies have shown, however, that
only 2% of commuters travelling through Kent use transit or
carpools, nor would they choose to use these alternative modes of
transportation if they were more accessible.
1.17 It is not feasible or practical to expect the proposed high-
capacity regional rail system (Regional Transit Plan), which best
serves high-density communities, to remedy the traffic congestion
problems identified in the relatively low-density Project area.
However, the Project will facilitate access to the rail system.
1. 18 The Addendum and its accompanying documents identify in
greater detail the extensive prior planning and environmental
review conducted before the City's EIS process commenced, as well
as the subsequent environmental review that may be associated with
the specific permits issued by various agencies.
1.19 The Public Works Committee met on February 3, 1993, to
consider the information in the Addendum. Following review and
discussion, the Public Works Committee authorized staff to forward
for Council consideration findings which: 1) ratify the Council's
September 1, 1992 decision; and 2) find that proceeding with the
Project and additional appropriate phases of environmental review
is in the public interest and consistent with the multi-
jurisdictional planning and the conclusions reached in prior
studies.
1.20 Having considered the information set forth in the Addendum,
the information in the prior planning documents incorporated into
the Addendum, and having reconsidered the information contained in
the EIS, the City Council adopts the following legislative findings
and conclusions.
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Section 2. Project Direction.
2.1 The City Council ratifies and confirms the decision taken on
September 1, 1992.
2.2 City staff, having conducted preliminary meetings with the
County related to road establishment approval for the Project, is
directed to make formal application for such approval. The County
is urged to give due consideration to the application. Staff is
also directed to commence the application process for other permits
and approvals which may be required for construction of the Project
from the County and other agencies and conduct any additional
further detailed environmental review as may be required as part of
the permit and approval process.
2.3 The Project will carry out existing and approved
transportation plans. It will alleviate a long-standing constraint
in the City's transportation system by adding an east-west route
for commuters and the delivery of goods and services. The Project
will also reduce congestion on major arterials within the City and
provide a safe, high-capacity, east-west connection between the
valley floor and the Soos Creek Plateau at the south end of the
City's roadway network.
2.4 The Project Route has the least impact to wetlands, wildlife
habitat, housing and right-of-way requirements; additional studies
since the issuance of the EIS provide additional support for the
feasibility of this roadway alignment.
2.5 Nothing in this resolution is intended to or shall preclude
further environmental review as provided by law or consideration of
the Project by the City, County or other permitting authority.
Passed at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of
Kent, Washington, this /h day of February, 1993.
Concurred in by t e Mayor of the City of Kent, this /7
day of February, 1993.
Kelleher, Mayor
ATTEST:
, CITY CLERK
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
~~:::::2~-~~~
ROGER LUBiViift:: ~
I hereby certify_ that this is a true and correct copy of
Resolutic;m No.. !3W , passed by the City Council of the City
of Kent, Washl.ngton, the (_ftz. day of February, 1993.
~~ (Seal)
BRENDA JACOB
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Green River Valley South County
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Lists Partici)Jata high priority Shoreline Pennlt, SAO Compliance
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Soos Crtek Platuu Planolng Process & EIS
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*Pugel Sound Councal ol Governments (now known as Puget Sound Regional Council), Washington State Department ol Transportation(WSDOT), Cities of Kent, Renton, Auburn, Tukwila and King County.
"King County, WSDOT, Auburn, Renlon, Tukwila, Kenl, Melro, PSCOG and Valley Area Transportalion Alliance.
Fu!ure Environmental Review and Decisions of 272fl.771h lmpacts/Mitagation which may apply.
tKenl, Auburn, King County, WSOOT and Melro.
1Transportation Improvement Plan
EXHIBIT A