HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2008-08-18 Item 2 - Presentation - Sounder Commuter Rail Station _VILA, 11 e %,"5-
City I Jim Haggerton, Mayor
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Department of Community Development Jack Pace, Director
1908 PRESENTATION ITEM
MEMORANDUM
TO: Tukwila City Council
mbers
FROM: Jack Pace, DCD Direct
DATE: 13 August, 2008
SUBJECT: Update on the Sounder Commuter Rail Station by Sound Transit
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B gr ound
Sound Transit is required to provide City Council with updates on the condition of the
temporary Sounder Commuter Rail Station twice a year for the next five years as part of
the conditions of approval for the most recent unclassified use permit (UUP) for the
temporary commuter rail station.
Paul Cornish, Sound Transit Capital Facilities Project Manager, will be providing a
summary of improvements that were required as part of the UUP at the temporary station,
ridership and service changes, and parking lot utilization counts. Ensuring that there is
sufficient parking capacity for the temporary station is a significant concern. The
conditions of the UUP approval state that "For the next five years until the permanent
station is open and operational... if at any time during this period the number of parked
vehicles is equal to or exceeds 95% of existing capacity, Sound Transit shall identify and
implement, as soon as practically possible, and at its sole cost, effective mitigation
measures." Please see the attached Notice of Decision for the UUP issued in December,
2007, outlining the conditions of approval.
The presentation will also include an update on the status of planning, construction and
funding for the permanent station.
Next Steps
There are a number of outstanding issues regarding the design of the peituanent station
that still need to be resolved between the City and Sound Transit, including providing
public restrooms on -site, improving pedestrian access to the station from the TUC,
identifying stormwater detention solutions that preserve area on -site for future transit
oriented development opportunities, off -site road improvements, and ensuring adequate
parking capacity over the long term.
6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite #100 e Tukwila, Washington 98188 Phone: 206 431 -3670 Fax: 206- 431 -3665
NOLA, 1,17
City 1 Jim Haggerton, Mayor
Q v O Department of Community Development Jack Pace, Director
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December 12, 2007
NOTICE OF DECISION
TO: Paul Cornish, Applicant
King County Assessor, Accounting Division
Washington State Department of Ecology
Agencies with Jurisdiction
This letter serves as a notice of decision and is issued pursuant to TMC 18.104.170 on the following
project and permit approval.
I. PROJECT INFORMATION
Proiect File Number: L07 -065
Applicant: Sound Transit
Type of Permit Applied for: Unclassified Use Permit.
Proiect Description: Unclassified Use Permit for the continued operation of the temporary
commuter rail station.
Location: 7301 S. Longacres Way
Comprehensive Plan
Desisnation/Zonina Tukwila Urban Center (TUC)
District:
II. DECISION
SEPA Determination: Sound Transit Tacoma -to Seattle Commuter Rail Environmental
Assessment (FTA and Sound Transit, June 1998).
Decision on Substantive Permit: The City Council has determined, following an open record hearing,
that the application for an unclassified use permit does comply with applicable City and state code
requirements and has approved the extension of the application, subject to the following three
conditions, until December 31, 2012, based on the findings and conclusions contained in the staff
report.
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6300 Southcenter Boulevard, Suite #100 Tukwila, Washington 98188 Phone: 206 431 -3670 Fax: 206 431 -3665
1. For the next five years until the permanent station is open and
operational:
a. Sound Transit shall provide the DCD Director with parking utilization
counts for the Tukwila Station parking lot on a bi- annual basis. The schedule and
methods for these counts shall be subject to approval by the DCD Director. If at
any time during this period the number of parked vehicles is equal to or exceeds
95% of existing capacity, Sound Transit shall identify and implement, as soon as
practically possible, and at its sole cost, effective mitigation measures.
b. In the event that the City of Tukwila or Sound Transit receive complaints
from property owners or tenants regarding spillover parking by station patrons in
nearby parking areas, Sound Transit shall identify and implement, as soon as
practically possible, and at its sole cost, effective mitigation measures.
c. Any mitigation measure implemented pursuant to these conditions must
be acceptable to the DCD Director, and may include those measures identified by
Sound Transit through its comprehensive analysis of system wide parking
strategies in the System Access and Parking Committee process anticipated to
occur in 2008, including reducing parking demand through such methods as
coordinating transit service improvements and vanshares; providing additional
bicycle parking; increasing parking supply by using the adjacent vacant lot
owned by Sound Transit as temporary parking; or obtaining temporary shared
parking agreements for overflow parking with nearby property owners.
d. Sound Transit shall provide City Council updates twice a year on the
status of planning, construction and funding for the permanent station. The
updates will be scheduled to coincide with design, engineering, and construction
milestones for the permanent station project, and will also include a summary of
maintenance that has occurred at the station and updates on ridership and service
changes.
2a. Within 90 days of approval of the UUP, the following list of
improvements and coordination must be completed by Sound Transit:
Install slip resistant surfaces on ramps and stairs, to reduce slippery
surfaces.
Install a handrail on each side of each access ramp.
Install an emergency call -box in a location to be determined by
Sound Transit.
Install signage that provides the station address and contact
information for emergencies.
Provide two benches for southbound passengers on the western
track.
Upgrade or replace the guard shelter to provide more windows that
allow for better surveillance of the site.
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2b. Within 180 days of approval of the UUP, the following list of
improvements and coordination must be completed by Sound Transit:
Replace and install station identification signage in a manner not
requiring the sign posts to be installed in buckets of concrete.
Install two signs that inform the public as to the temporary nature of
the station, provides an update on the status of the permanent station,
invites them to participate in the design process, and provides project
contact information. Each sign shall be installed in a visible and
highly trafficked location; one in the parking lot and one on the
station platform.
Meet with Metro transit planners and Tukwila Public Works and
Department of Community Development staff to discuss short-term
and long -term coordination of transit to and from the
temporary commuter rail station. (Any change to Metro service
requires King County approval.)
Provide an additional ten bicycle storage units in order to
accommodate the current wait list for bicycle parking.
2c. All actions implemented pursuant to the above conditions must
be acceptable to the DCD Director. Time frames may be modified by the
DCD Director upon showing good cause.
3. Sound Transit shall replace the existing temporary artwork by September 30,
2008. Sound Transit and the City shall define the artist selection and review process.
Sound Transit shall explore using the installation as both an art piece and a shelter from
wind and rain.
The Decision on this Application is a Type 5 decision pursuant to Tukwila Municipal Code
18.104.010. Other land use applications related to this project may still be pending.
III. YOUR APPEAL RIGHTS
No administrative appeal of the City Council Decision is permitted.
Any party wishing to challenge the City Council Decision must file an appeal in King County
Superior Court pursuant to the procedures and time limitations set forth in RCW 36.70C. If no appeal
of the City Council decision is properly filed in Superior Court within such time limit, the Decision
on this permit will be final.
IV. INSPECTION OF INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION
Project materials including the application, any staff reports, and other studies related to the permits
are available for inspection at the Tukwila Department of Community Development, 6300
Southcenter Blvd., Suite 100, Tukwila, Washington 98188 from Monday through Friday between
8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The project planner is Lynn Miranda, who may be contacted at 206 -433-
7162 for further information.
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