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Home My WebLink About06-07-2021 LUTC MinutesCommenter Name Subject Read by Admin at LUTC Text from Email/Submission Form (if any) 1 Sandy Kon Steel Lake Rezoning No Steel Lake Viewpoint. I oppose rezoning amendment 2 Mark and Susan Sabol Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Hello, I'm writing on behalf of my wife and myself to voice our opposition to the amendment that would change the zoning for parcel #s 092104-9199 and 092104- 9012 at the NW end of Steel Lake to multi-family residential. That wooded area is the last bit of wilderness-like habitat on the lake. It is a DESTINATION for so many people - not only we who live on the lake, but people who visit Steel Lake Park. They boat, paddle-board, and kayak over to that little area all the time. It's a place you will almost always see turtles, and quite often eagles and ospreys that use the trees for their hunting perches. These past weeks, a great blue heron has graced the lake on and off, and I've seen it land in those trees. We are also concerned about added traffic, of course, and the loss of the trees themselves, but the whole vibe of that little area is part of the magic of Steel Lake. That and the park, which I've gone to since I was a kid in the 60s, sort of bookend the lake and combine to make it the special place it is. Thank you for considering this perspective. Sincerely, Mark and Susan Sabol 3 John Pearson Steel Lake Rezoning No 4 Margaret Reyhner Rezoning of Property at S. 304th St No 5 M. Colleen Sembar Bally’s Fitness Rezoning Yes To the Members of the Federal Way City Council and Land Use Committee, I am a resident at 226 S 328th Lane. I am right behind the Bally’s Fitness Center Property. I have some concerns regarding the request to rezone that property for Multi-Family Dwelling and Business. I see on the application it says one unit per 1800 sq ft. I do not know what that equates into and exact number of units. I also was not able to find the actual application on the city of Federal Way’s Web site, so I am concerned about how many actual units are planned for the site. Does the application also request a change to the height limitation on that property? My concerns deal with safety. There will be multiple families living on this site, if rezoning approved. These multiple families will all have cars. Most of them will have two cars. These cars will be travelling on S 320th St, if coming from north of the property. S 320th St already has more cars on it than it should. These cars will need to turn left from S 320th St. at 1st Avenue S. That intersection has way too many cars travelling through it now. These cars cannot access this property directly from 1st Ave S when travelling south. They will therefore need to access the property via S 328th St. That will add many more cars to this two lane road. An even bigger concern is that to avoid the 320th at 1st Ave intersection, many of these cars will exit S. 320th St at 5th Ave S and travel to the property via that two lane road. This road runs through multi-unit apartments and condos, on one story or two story buildings. Children play on those properties, and many people walk, stroll with babies in strollers, walk their dogs or jog along 5th Ave S, myself included. The number of cars travelling on 5th Ave will increase. As someone who walks and jogs this road frequently I have to tell you that though the speed limit is 25, very few drive that speed. 50% of the traffic goes 30 – 40 mph, and regularly cars drive along this road at 50 mph. I can verify that from the many times on the of city’s speed signs have been put out on this road. We do not need more cars speeding thorough this residential area where children play along this road. I have yet to hear of a multi-family complex that offers enough parking spots for all residents cars. Usually the unit has one spot and if they need a second they have to pay. I can also see many many cars parked along S 328th St which runs along the property. When there are cars parked on the street, on either side of the entrance to the Heritage Court development, it is very dangerous trying to pull out onto 328th St/5th Ave S. I know there will be cars parked down that far depending on how many units are planned for this property, not to mention the people who are trying to utilize the businesses. And speaking of the businesses, what type of businesses are planned? Some businesses attract unsavory types of people. (con't) Commenter Name Subject Read by Admin at LUTC Text from Email/Submission Form (if any) M. Colleen Sembar (con't) I also have a concern with privacy. How tall is this multi-family structure going to be? Depending on where the buildings are placed on the property, if the structure is four floors or more, I am not looking forward to people being able to look down into my backyard, living room and bedroom. Additionally the reason we all seek home ownership is based on our experience with apartments. Those who live there do not own their “homes” and many are younger people. I am very concerned that there will be noise late at night, especially on weekends as partying goes on. Heritage Court has restrictions on noise after a certain time. As my home is directly behind the Bally’s property, I am concerned there will be no noise restriction hours for that property. Finally will this be low income housing? I have a concern if that is the plan for this property. We already have trouble with crime in our neighborhood. Not to say all people who dwell in low income housing but I do know that many people have stopped shopping at the Safeway on S 320th St since that huge housing complex opened as there have been more people loitering and intimidating and harassing people attempting to use that Safeway. I do not want to have to deal with that in the neighborhood as I take my walks and jogs, and I do not want the other elderly people walking and children out playing along 5th Ave S / S 328th St. I appreciate your consideration of my remarks. M. Colleen Sembar 6 Jenny Bemis Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Opposition to the Steel Lake rezoning amendment 7 Jeanette Droppert Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Opposition to the Steel Lake rezoning amendment 8 Jayne Lewis Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I oppose the Steel lake viewpoint rezoning amendment 9 Kathy Townsend Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Hello, As a resident of Federal Way, and Steel Lake specifically, I would like to voice my concerns about the rezoning amendment that is being considered for the southwest corner of Steel Lake on 304th Street, from single family dwellings to multi-family dwellings. Some of my concerns are for increased traffic, congestion, and noise on 304th St., especially with the houses currently being built across the street. In addition, I am concerned about reduced habitat for wildlife, degrading the wetlands which impacts cover for animal habitats, and the cutting down of more trees near the lake that provide landings for eagles, hawks, and other birds in the area. The lake and its beauty and wildlife are a treasure to the citizens of our great city and should be protected as much as possible. Sincerely, Kathy Townsend 10 Cheryl Smith Payseno Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I implore you to deny the amendment to the comprehensive plan and to vote NO to rezone of this property. The property is covered with beautiful native trees and a hidden cove that provide shelter to birds, including Bald Eagles, osprey, hawks, small fish, Western Pond turtles and small animals. Eagles keep watch over the lake from the tallest trees and turtles warm themselves on logs each morning, their shells shining in the sun. The foundation of a sawmill remains, a bit of history reminding us of Weyerhaeuser timber in the early days of Federal Way. Steel Lake is #1 of the Best 10 Lakes in Federal Way. Happy park visitors tour the lake in kayaks, on paddle boards, in peddle boats and on colorful floaties – many head directly to the tall trees at the far end of the lake (parcels listed above) to see the birds, fish and turtles and to explore the cove beyond. If you are even considering voting yes, I urge you to hop into a kayak and experience the area for yourself. This area is unique, unspoiled and must be preserved. Thank you. Cheryl Smith Payseno 11 Phyllis Massey Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning amendment. Due to the effect on wildlife. Commenter Name Subject Read by Admin at LUTC Text from Email/Submission Form (if any) 12 Fairrel and Phyllis Tackett Steel Lake Rezoning Yes We oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning. Steel Lake is a single family neighborhood and rezoning would cause severe traffic congestion on S 304th St and would also destroy wildlife habitat that we need to preserve. We need more, not less trees in Federal Way. Rezoning to multi-family dwellings will lead to severe clear cutting of that property such as we've seen in recent weeks just north of S 304 St in that area. Please consider preserving what little natural habitat we have left and curtailing our already congested traffic situation in this area when making your decision. Thank you Fairrel and Phyllis Tackett 13 Jeremy Benson Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Dear Council Member, I am proud to say that my wife and I are currently raising our families 4th generation on Steel Lake. My family originally moved to Steel Lake in the mid 1950's. Over the past 70 years our once small town of Federal Way has rapidly become one of the largest and most diverse cities in the state. With this expansion the city has had to make several difficult decisions to accommodate the growth and plan for future expansions. Throughout the city's development there has always been a critical and deliberate focus on conservation so that we can preserve beauty and uniqueness that only the Pacific NW has to offer. When I learned about the proposed rezoning of the protected habitat at the NW end of Steel Lake it saddened me to think that in an effort to chase future tax revenue the Council would throw out generations of deliberate environmental preservation. No amount of potential tax revenue will offset the irreparable loss of a protected ecosystem in the heart of our community. The nearly 6 acres of habitat at the NW corner provides a home, hunting, and breeding ground for Eagles, Hawks, Herons, Mallards, Turtles, and numerous other native wildlife. In addition to the potentially devastating impact to the native inhabitants, there is also the very real and immediate traffic and storm water pollution problem. The current streets are already nearing their critical capacity levels. With added vehicles comes added pollution to the overburdened storm drains which subsequently results in runoff road pollution working its way into Steel Lake and eventually Redondo Creek causing yet even more environmental damage. If the Council is set on developing the land at the NW end of Steel Lake, I propose that it be purchased by the city and turned over to the Parks Department to be developed into Steel Lake Wetlands Park. The nearly 6 acres could become a popular City Park destination for locals and tourists alike. The Steel Lake Wetlands Park would provide an opportunity to educate future generations about the importance of preservation while providing a vitally needed safe outdoor experience for the community's youth. I humbly and respectfully urge you to oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning amendment and protect the values of our community. Respectfully, Jeremy Benson Steel Lake resident and homeowner 14 Eric LaBrie Bally’s Comp Plan No 15 Dave Avenell - Developer Bally’s Comp Plan No Commenter Name Subject Read by Admin at LUTC Text from Email/Submission Form (if any) 16 Rachel Collier Steel Lake Rezoning Yes Good afternoon, I would like to comment about the potential rezoning of the Steel Lake Viewpoint (File #20-103849-UP). To be clear, I oppose the rezoning efforts. My property is significantly impacted by the rezoning effort as it directly touches two sides of my property. Within the past month or so we have lost a significant amount of trees on the north side of 304th street. The parcels under consideration on the south side of 304th street provide a natural habitat to wildlife and offer beautification of this area. With the upcoming rezoning of the parcels on the south side of 304th, we will lose 5.8 acres of trees which serve as a habitat for Bald Eagles, turles, hawks, osprey, cormorants, blue heron and shade for small fish. This rezoning would impact the wetlands and likely cause pollution of Duwamish waterways. Thoughtfulness regarding the impact on Indigenous people and lands should be seriously considered. Federal Way has always had distinct woodlands which sets it apart from neighboring communities. It was certainly one of the reasons my family decided to move to the area. As Federal Way continues efforts to attract local businesses and increase infrastructure, it is important to maintain balance with protecting our limited forested areas and wetlands. Without these areas, the allure of wildlife that enrich our community and the trees which beautify our area will be gone. Other significant issues also lead me to oppose this issue. Traffic on 304th is considerable, especially when there are constant struggles with cars racing down the street at all hours of the day and night. I'm already concerned about the significant uptick in traffic due to the new housing development which has already begun construction on the northside of 304th. Additional development of these parcels will cause even more issues with traffic and safety. There is very little space for additional lanes which could mitigate these traffic concerns. Additionally, the speeding on this road has not been sufficiently handled by the city, even before adding a hundred or more housing units (between the development on the north side and south side of 304th st). What reason do citizens have to believe that this will be addressed after these developments? Again, I oppose this rezoning effort. If it is decided for the area to be rezoned, there should be significant efforts to protect wildlife, wetlands, streams and address safety issues surrounding traffic (especially at the top of the hill when going east on 304th from Pac Hwy). Thank you for your consideration, Rachel Collier 17 Jerome F. and Kathleen A. Koch Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I definitely oppose your plan to rezone the 2 parcels at 1931 South 304th street. This would add additional traffic on to 304th street which is already backing up at the light on Pacific Highway. With Federal Way's approval of 69 homes on the North side of 304th which when completed will add approximately 140 additional cars daily to 304th Street. Before anything is approved I recommend you widen 304th Street at the entrance to Pacific Hwy so to allow for cars to make a right hand turn. 18 Masahiro Egawa Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning amendment 19 Terhi Johnson Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint re-zoning amendment! I have lived on this lake over 45 years and seen many changes. Most concerning : After clearing the freeway and airplanes flying over the lake, the air quality and clean lake water quality should be considered. The best way to clean air, is to save the trees! Thank you, Terhi Johnson 20 Ken Egawa Steel Lake Rezoning Yes I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning amendment 21 David Henry Steel Lake Rezoning No 22 Marv Osterhout Steel Lake Rezoning Yes The turtles and the ducks need a place to live. Build the apartments next to the light rail. Commenter Name Subject Read by Admin at LUTC Text from Email/Submission Form (if any) 23 Debbie and John O'Neal Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC Good evening - my husband and I have just been on the ZOOM meeting re: Steel Lake rezoning - first of all, thank you for offering the meeting option. Secondly, I am frustrated and disappointed that, although we had submitted our comments regarding this rezoning, and received confirmation that our comments were received and would be counted, they were not included in the meeting. So what happened? We are strongly opposed to this rezoning, as are most everyone who lives on Steel Lake. Why would this parcel, on a lake and sensitive wildlife area, even be considered for multi-family dwellings? For even a single-family dwelling to be remodeled or built on waterfront in this area is a crazy city process -- yet it would be as easy as changing the zoning to build a multi-family dwelling? This makes little to no sense. The wildlife, wetlands and green space that are offered here on Steel Lake are a sanctuary in the midst of urban sprawl, concrete and traffic. This is one of the cleanest lakes in King County, and is used by residents and visitors alike who feel blessed to have this lake within the city limits of Federal Way. I must say that I am shocked that this is even being considered, especially with the emphasis we are hearing about from every side regarding climate change and preservation of what the Northwest is known for - amazing trees and native plants, clean water, and recreational opportunities for all citizens. I have just completed Bill Gates' new book on climate change -- a book that details many ways that we, both as a society and individually, need to be aware of and take ownership of the ways we can help to preserve and even heal our environment. Cutting down trees and destroying natural habitats, to build more concrete and steel buildings, is most definitely not the way to do this. I would hope that the City of Federal Way, and it's Council members, would be leaders in making sure that we work for the good of all people and the city we live in, not building more housing in an area that is a rare sanctuary in our community, but in an area that is more conducive to the apartment dwellers life -- near shopping and transit. Respectfully, Debbie and John O'Neal 24 Raquel Hivera Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC Myself and Rodrigo Jacinto are residents of this address. We would like to express our opposition to the Steel Lake rezoning. 25 Tom Dezutter Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC I oppose steel lake view point rezoning 26 Dino Gonzales Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning 27 Devin and Jennifer Lawton Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC We strongly oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning amendment! Why lose the ONLY substantial wildlife habitat and left on the lake? 28 Patricia Sartison Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC Steel Lake Re-Zone: Opposed 29 Bruce Myers Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC I oppose Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning 30 Meschell Miloscia Steel Lake Rezoning Rec'd after LUTC Unfortunately we were out of town for the recent June 7th meeting regarding the Multi-Family Rezone from Single Family at the wetlands at the West end of Steel Lake. I oppose this for multiple reasons, including the impact to the environment, increased traffic in that area, etc. We don’t need more bad decisions for Federal Way. 31 Roger vonDoenhoff Comprehensive Plan Amendments Rec'd after LUTC Item #5a "Eliminate the 376th Street/19th Avenue Connection “Minor Collector” Classification in Chapter 3, Map 3 of the Comprehensive Plan" 32 Martese Mason Steel Lake Rezoning For 7-12-21 LUTC - Agenda not yet set I oppose the Steel Lake Viewpoint rezoning. 33 Kelley Gonzales Steel Lake Rezoning For 7-12-21 LUTC - Agenda not yet set I oppose the Steel Lake rezoning amendment