HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2024-10-21 Item 5 / 6A - Public Comments Received and Distributed at Meeting - Rezone 6250 S 151st St (Schneider Homes)From: Bonnie Wong
To: Breyden Jager; CityCouncil
Subject: Questions forthe amendment to the Comprehensive Plan from LDR to MDR
Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024 9:21:09 PM
The questions and comments below pertain to Permit L19-0123 Rezone E19-0013-SEPA
Greetings: I am a 33 year resident of the Mapletree Development opposite the land use permit
in question Parcel number 3597000400 ,as noted above owned by Schneider Homes. My
concern along with the four households that I have contacted is about not knowing the scope
of the project and to voice concern about realistic,daily and long lasting impacts to the greater
community on this hill.
Tukwila is growing and has the convenience of accessing major freeways and surface roads
that serve other communities and commuters . We are a busy place. Because there is a need
for more affordable housing, King Co. has adopted rezoning empty spaces to MDL so more
families can reside here. No problem !
However I do have some questions.
1.The number of units proposed before the Covid epidemic seemed to have changed at the
hearing held last year in November? What is the current proposal indicating the number of
units to be constructed?
Numbers matter!
The immediate concern to me is the impact of traffic on the existing roads (65thAVe S,
Southcenter Blvd, Grady Way access) added to present school and work hour traffic.School
buses in the morning and afternoon provide safe transportation for students in Middle and
High school. If there are 45 units(the number of units has not been revealed),the average
owners of a unit may have two cars which adds 90 cars to the traffic issues at the intersection
of 65th Ave S and Southcenter Blvd. Have you ever tried to enter Southcenter Blvd at
rush hour?If the number of units increases...do the math for the traffic needs.
The second impact of car traffic is PARKING. Will all cars fit in the complex?Will our
street have to absorb the overflow?
Is there a traffic light other than the present monitor light proposed and installed before
the complex is completed?
What will the impacts be when trucks and large vehicles are obstructing access to roads
during construction? What is the plan for residents' interruptions of services like
water,gas and electric during construction?
More explanation of the real project is needed before blessing the project.
Schneider as well as the owners of Mapletree and the homes and apartments
surrounding us all have a stake in our city.
Respectfully,
Bonnie Wong
6341 S 151 st Place
206-683-5513
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the City of Tukwila network. Please DO
From: Hans Korve
To: Breyden Jager; "Zach Schneider"
Cc: "David Toyer"
Subject: L19-0123_ Schneider Homes rezone application_Public Comment_Reply_No Eagle Nest Found
Date: Monday, October 14, 2024 11:40:19 AM
Attachments: 19199 Addendum Eagle review.odf
Importance: High
Breyden
I would like to offer this additional public comment in response the information provided
last week. Ms. Sheryl Havens made claims that the project site was used as an eagle
nesting area. This is contrary to the findings of the previous sensitive area report (2020).
In the interest of good environmental stewardship, we had the biologist revisit the site
and conduct a specific search for indications of Eagle use. The attached report found no
indication of Eagle use on the site or the surrounding parcels.
Please feel free to share our findings with Ms. Havens.
Thank you for your time.
Hans Korve
DMP Eng.
From: Hans Korve <hans@dmp-inc.us>
Sent: Wednesday, October 9, 2024 12:48 PM
To: Breyden Jager <Breyden.Jager( TukwilaWA.gov>; 'Zach Schneider'
<zachc schneiderhomes.com>
Cc: 'David Toyer' <david@toyerstrategic.com>
Subject: RE: Schneider Homes rezone application_Public Comment_Reply
Breyden
Thanks for the public comment.
We have contacted the Biologist who did the original report. He does not recall finding any nest on
site and he does not recall any nest listed with the WDFW Priority Habitats mapping website.(See Pg.
3 and 6 of his report dated April 20, 2020)
We have asked him to make a site survey and confirm his original findings.
We will forward his report when it is ready. Given that we were just informed of the issue, we are
not confident of having the report before the 11th. Please include this email as our reply until the
report can be issued.
Thanks
Hans
Hans A. Korve
Planning Manager
DMP Engineering - Auburn
Tel 253-333-2200 CeII 425-444-3240
Website: www.dmp-inc.us
Original Message
From: Sheryl Havens <sherylhavens3(Etgmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 5:16 PM
To: Breyden Jager <Breyden.Jager@TukwilaWA.gov>
Subject: Schneider Homes rezone application
Hello Brayden,
I will be unable to attend the meeting regarding the rezoning application submitted by
Schneider Homes at 6250 S 151 st St. Tukwila, WA 98188. Please consider this email in
lieu of my presence at the meeting. As a 23-year resident in that neighborhood, I
regularly walk by 6250 S 151 st St. and I can tell you that it is
a nesting area for bald
eagles and an ecosystem that supports wildlife. Therefore, I want to voice my
disapproval. I do not think any development should happen on that property because it
will destroy the wildlife habitat, especially that of our endangered bald eagles. As a
Tukwila citizen, I say no to Medium Density Residential there and I say no to any kind of
development on that property.
Thank you,
S. Havens
Sunwood Condominium community
Sent from my iPad
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October 14, 2024
Zach Schneider
Schneider Family Homes
6510 Southcenter Blvd, Suite 1
Tukwila, Washington 98188
Sewall Wetland Consulting, Inc.
1'1) Box 880 Phone: 253-859-0515
Fall City, WA 98024
RE: Bald Eagle Review - Hopper Townhomes (Parcel #3597000400)
City of Tukwila, Washington
City of Tukwila File #E19-0013, L19-0123
SWC Job #19-199
Zach,
This report describes our observations regarding any use of the site
(Parcel #3597000400) by Bald Eagles as requested by the City of Tukwila
as a result of a neighbor comment on the Hopper Townhomes project.
S '149111 P1 .k
Above: Vicinity Map of the site.
Schneider Hopper/#19-199
Sewall Wetland Consulting, Inc.
October 14, 2024
Page 2
METHODOLOGY
Ed Sewall of Sewall Wetland Consulting, Inc. inspected the site and areas
surrounding the site where public access was available in December and
March of 2020 as well as October of 2024. As noted in the Critical Areas
report for the project, a review of WDFW Priority Habitats and species
maps for the area of the site shows no known eagle nests or notations of
any protected habitat or use by the site by any state or federally listed
species.
The site was walked and all trees on the site and in the surrounding area
were observed with a spotting scope to determine if there was any eagle
nests or any other listed species.
Bald Eagles are no longer an endangered species being federally delisted
in 2007 and removed from sensitive status by thee State in 2016. The
only special protection for the bald eagle currently is under the Federal
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Observations
The site has numerous large cottonwoods and scattered douglas fir and
big leaf maple trees that could potentially have a nest. Our review of the
site revealed neither nests on the site nor any observed on any of the
surrounding properties. No eagles were observed or have been observed
on the site during our other site visits at different times of the year
including the nesting season. No raptor nests of any sort were observed
on the site or surrounding areas. The only observation of any raptor was
on October 11, 2024 a red-tailed hawk that was being harassed by a
small flock of crows over Parcel #3597000360. This parcel is over 350'
away from the site and the hawk was not in a nest or landing on that
parcel, only flying overhead in the vicinity of that parcel.
A review of abutting Parcels #3597000360 & #3597000422 from public
access areas also revealed no evidence of any bald eagles or nests of bald
eagles.
Schneider Hopper/#19-199
Sewall Wetland Consulting, Inc.
October 14, 2024
Page 3
Conclusion
The site has no evidence of a bald eagle nest nor have we observed any
use of the site by Bald Eagles during our numerous site visits. While
human tolerant bald eagles are undoubtedly present in region along the
Duwamish to the north and east of the site, there is no evidence they use
the site for any special habitat purpose such as nesting or have a regular
used perch tree.
If you have any questions in regards to this report or need additional
information, please feel free to contact me at (253) 859-0515 or at
esewalWsewallwc.com .
Sincerely,
Sewall Wetland Consulting, Inc.
Ed Sewall
Senior Wetlands Ecologist PWS #212
14920 62nd Ave. S.
Tukwila, WA 98163
October 21, 2024
Tukwila City Council
Tukwila City Hall
Tukwila, WA
Dear Council Members:
My husband, William James, and I recently received a postcard informing us of a
meeting to be held this evening regarding the Superior Court's decision for the
Council to re -visit a decision made by the Council several months ago. This
decision was regarding a proposed change in zoning for the area to the immediate
south of our property, on which we have resided for twenty-six years. The change
proposed multi -family dwelling units — specifically 65 town homes — instead of
what was then in place — single family homes. The Council ruled against the
proposed change.
My husband and I attended that particular meeting along with several other
concerned citizens in our neighborhood. All of us were very concerned about
what adding 65 town homes could mean for our neighborhood for the following
reasons that I had articulated in a letter to the Mayor in 2020. The following is an
excerpt from that letter:
"First of all, is the issue of increased vehicular traffic. 62nd Avenue South currently
has as much traffic as it can bear, especially during school days when parents
drop-off and pick up their children from school. There are also a multitude of cars
using our street to come from our nearby freeways, South Center, Costco, and
other shopping and restaurant areas to their homes in our surrounding
neighborhoods. in addition, we have a fire station close by that uses this street to
respond to calls. Adding 65 more housing units would add considerably more
traffic to this immediate neighborhood and would pose a risk to the number of
children and parents walking to/from school, residents walking to/from the bus
stop on Southcenter Parkway, recreational and dog walkers, as well as, bike
riders. This neighborhood was not designed nor can it tolerate this kind of increase
in traffic.
Secondly, we have heard nothing about an environmental impact statement. My
initial questions include: 1) how will 65 more housing units impact the amount of
water usage — water run-off, sewer, etc. ? 2) what will the impact of approximately
250 more people and automobiles have on our air quality? 3) how can our very
small, lovely little Tukwila Park tolerate the level of ensuing over use anticipated?
4) Assuming that at least some/most households will have a pet, how will the
increase of pet waste and pet dander impact our land areas as well as our wild life
— cats kill an enormous number of birds every single day and careless,
inconsiderate dog owners leave piles of dog poop on our yard as well as on our
neighbors' yards, let alone the amount of dog and cat urine that will naturally go
into ground water.
Finally, this neighborhood has been a relatively peaceful, quiet neighborhood with
relatively low crime. I am very concerned that with the influx of so many more
people, the quality of our neighborhood will forever be changed. I ask that this
proposal be denied and that, instead, Schneider Homes stick to building a small
number of single-family homes."
Four years later, these issues have not changed. If anything, some things are
worse, e.g., traffic has increased during this period of time and, although the fire
station has moved down the street, we still see a number of trips by fire trucks on
our street on a regular basis. And, as I understood from the postcard, Schneider
Homes is proposing an even larger number of town homes to be built on that
property.
Let me be clear: we are not opposed to the use of that property for housing. We
just ask that Schneider Homes stick to the original plan of building single family
homes. The lower number of buildings and families in that space would maintain
the character and safety that is currently the reality in our neighborhood.
14920 62"d Avenue South
Tukwila, WA 98168
October 21, 2024 i
Mayor Thomas McLeod and City Council members
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, Washington 98188 (206)-433-1800
Dear Mayor McLeod and City Council members:
Recently, we received a notice regarding a proposed change in zoning for the area to the immediate south
of our propert?, on which we have resided for more than twenty-five years. This change proposes multi-
family dwelling units — specifically 65 town homes — instead of what is currently in place — single family
homes. I am very concerned about what this change could mean for our neighborhood and am opposed
to this proposal. Public safety is at risk over this housing plroposal.
First of all, is the issuei of increased vehicular traffic. 62"d Avenue South currently has as much traffic as it
can bear, especially during school days when parents drop-off and pick up their children from Tukwila
Elementary school. There are also a multitude of cars using our street to come from nearby freeways,
South Center, Costco, and other shopping and restaurant areas to their homes in our surrounding
neighborhoods. In addition, we have a new fire station close by that uses this street to respond to calls.
Adding 65 more housing units would add considerably mere traffic to this immediate neighborhood and
would pose a risk to the number of children and parents walking to and from school, residents walking to
and from the bus stgp on Southcenter Parkway, recreational runners and dog walkers, as well as bike
riders, and increased karbage and recycling traffic. This neighborhood was not designed nor can it tolerate
this kind of increase in traffic.
Secondly, there are serious impacts to the environment. Initial questions include: (1) how will 65 more
housing units ii-npact the amount of water usage — water run-off, sewer lines, (2) what is the impact of
approximately 250 more people and automobiles have on our air quality (3) how can our very small, lovely
little Tukwila Park tolerate the level of use anticipated (4) Some households will have a pet, so how will
the increase of pet waste and pet dander impact our land areas as well as our wild life —(5) cats kill a lot
of birds every 4ingle day and careless, inconsiderate dog owners leave dog poop in our area as well as in
our neighbors'. yards, in addition to the amount of dog and cat urine that will naturally go into ground
water. Finally, this neighborhood has been a relatively peaceful, quiet neighborhood with relatively low
crime. I am very concerned that with the influx of so mansk more people, the quality of our neighborhood
will forever be changed.
We ask that this rezoning proposal be denied and that, instead, Schneider Homes stick to building a
smaller number of single family homes and increasing their financial position.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cleo Molina
Dr. William James
14920 62"d Avenue South -Tukwila, Washington 98168