Russell SP Findings
Findings of Facts Page 1
Russell Short Plat 16-105594-SU/Doc. I.D. 80226
EXHIBIT A
Findings of Facts
Russell Short Plat, File # 16-105594-00-SU
The Planning Division hereby makes the following Findings of Facts pursuant to content requirements of the
short subdivision decision as set forth in Federal Way Revised Code (FWRC) 18.30.110. These facts are in
reference to King County tax parcel number 614360-0617, located at 3826 South 333rd Place, Federal Way.
Prior to recording of the Russell Short Plat, the associated Russell & Jon Boundary Line Adjustment (BLA),
approved June 29, 2018, will need to be recorded with the King County Recorder’s Office. The BLA will
adjust the existing lot lines boundaries to the north of the above-mentioned parcel and consolidate parcels
associated with the adjacent Jon Short Plat (file 16-105598-SU). The proposed short plat is based on the
proposed Parcel A of the approved BLA drawings.
1. Proposal – The applicant proposes to subdivide one existing 103,246 square-foot (2.37 acres) single-family
lot into six single-family residential lots, one stormwater tract, and access and utility tract. As shown on
the short plat, the following are the net square footage for each lot/tract:
Lot 1 9,695 sq. ft. Lot 5 13,303 sq. ft.
Lot 2 9,702 sq. ft. Lot 6 9,736 sq. ft.
Lot 3 9,686 sq. ft. Tract A 22,393 sq. ft.
Lot 4 9,747 sq. ft. Tract B 401 sq. ft.
2. Review Process – Pursuant to FWRC Chapter 18.30 “Short Subdivision Plats,” the proposed short plat is
subject to administrative review and decision rendered by the Director of Community Development. The
proposal has been reviewed by staff from the departments of Community Development and Public
Works, Lakehaven Water & Sewer, and South King Fire & Rescue. City staff used the following FWRC
development regulations when reviewing the short subdivision application: Title 16 “Surface Water
Management”; Title 18 “Subdivisions”; and Title 19, “Zoning and Development Code.”
3. Site Profile – The subject property is located at 3826 South 333rd Place, tax parcel 614360-0617. The 2.37-
acre parcel has one existing single-family house that will remain on Lot 5. The site is generally flat, with a
slight slope from northwest to southeast with an approximate slope of one percent across the property.
The site contains sporadic groups of trees: cottonwood, alders, maple, and cedar.
4. Comprehensive Plan – The subject property’s comprehensive plan designation is Single-Family – High-
Density Residential. The proposal provides an urban density consistent with the Federal Way Comprehensive
Plan (FWCP) designation. The proposal meets relevant goals and policies of the FWCP.
5. Density and Dimensions – The subject property is located within a Single-Family Residential (RS 9.6) zone,
with a minimum lot size requirement of 9,600 square feet. The proposal meets the density requirement as
noted above. FWRC 19.200.010, “Detached Dwelling Unit,” prescribes setbacks, height, parking, and lot
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Russell Short Plat 16-105594-SU/Doc. I.D. 80226
coverage requirements. The proposed site plan depicts meeting the 20-foot front, 5-foot side, and 5-foot
rear setbacks required by code. Future building permit applications will be reviewed for compliance with
these provisions.
6. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) – The six-lot short plat is exempt from environmental review
pursuant to Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 197-11-800(6)(d).
7. Public Notice & Comment – A Notice of Land Use Application for the short subdivision was published in
the Federal Way Mirror and posted at the subject property and city designated notice boards on September
14, 2018. Two comment letters were received during the public comment period, which ended on
September 28, 2018.
Major concerns were over road-width reduction of the new public roadway. Traffic calming should be
incorporated into the street design and will be evaluated by city staff at the time of engineering (EN) review.
8. Open Space – As the city continues to grow with each new development and increase in residents, the
demand for additional recreational areas will follow. Providing open space with the new development is
necessary to address the recreation needs of the growing community. As part of the city’s 2013 Parks,
Recreation, and Open Space Plan (“the Plan”), the city has adopted the following core values, goals, and
policies regarding recreation and open space:
Core Value #3: Retain and Improve Our Open Space.
Open spaces and natural areas in the city provide an array of benefits to people and wildlife, and
can contribute to enhancing water quality in the community.
Core Value #5: Provide a Balance of Services for a Diverse Population.
Understanding the population being served and providing programs and opportunities that reflect
residents’ needs and interests is a major goal of the Plan. Federal Way’s park system should provide
a variety of options for active and passive recreation opportunities.
Goal B.1: Improve and maintain all neighborhood parks to maximize safety, visibility, usability, appeal,
and identity.
Policy B.2: Plan for improvements to neighborhood parks based on their unique potential
and designated role in the city-wide system.
Policy B.3: Explore ways to allow for informal play opportunities by incorporating
unprogrammed spaces such as fields and forested areas.
Goal C.1: Maintain city parks and open spaces so that they are inviting to users and offer facilities and activities
based on the potential of each property and community need.
Policy C.1: Develop a more recognizable and inviting park and open space system.
Goal L.1: Manage environmentally sensitive lands for long-term ecosystem health and biodiversity of natural
systems, while making them accessible to the community.
Policy L.1: Maintain open spaces so that they are accessible to residents.
Goal N.1: Preserve privately-owned open spaces with environmental constraints through incentive-based programs
to provide ‘breathing-room’ open space.
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Policy N.3: To gain maximum effect on overall parks and recreation system, audit and
revise city code requirements for on-site open space, and revise to require contribution to
larger parks system rather than small, on-site parcels.
As proposed, the added residents in the six-lot short plat will increase the demand for recreation activities
and usable open space. Pursuant to FWRC 18.55.060, in order to reasonably mitigate the impact of
development, the applicant is required to provide open space in the amount of 15 percent of the gross
land area of the property.
As proposed, there is limited space to provide on-site open space and the applicant has requested that a
fee-in-lieu of open space be provided. Prior to plat recording, the applicant will be required to pay 15
percent of the most recent assessed land value of the subject property pursuant to limitations set forth in
FWRC 19.100.070(1)(a). Pursuant to FWRC 18.55.060(2), any fees collected shall be utilized within the
park comprehensive plan planning area that the subject property falls within, unless the applicant by
voluntary agreement directs the expenditures of such fees in a different planning area. At the time of
payment, the city recommends the applicant provide a voluntary letter authorizing the city to use the
open space fee-in-lieu in any of the parks planning areas the city wishes.
9. Tree and Vegetation Retention/Replacement – Per FWRC 19.120.130(2), single-family residential zones are
required to maintain a minimum of 25 tree units per acre. The total amount of tree units required for the
short subdivision is calculated by multiplying gross site acreage, minus any proposed public/private street
by the required tree density per FWRC 19.120.130(3). Per the short plat drawing, the gross acreage of the
site is 2.37 acres and the right-of-way dedication is 0.43 acres, for a net total of 1.94 acres. The subject
property requires 49 tree units (1.94 acres multiplied by 25 tree units per acre). The applicant proposes to
retain 44 tree units on site and proposes replacement of 12.5 tree units, for a total of 56.5 tree units on site.
The location of the existing and replacement tree units is depicted on Sheet L1, Preliminary Planting Plan,
revised July 22, 2019, prepared by Glenn Takagi, Landscape Architect. Please note the applicant is
required to retain, replace, or augment tree coverage as part of the building permit approval for each lot.
A note must be added to the short plat stating that at the time of the building permit application, the site
plan for Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 must depict where the retained and/or replacement trees will be located per
the approved Sheet L1, Preliminary Planting Plan.
10. Concurrency – The city’s Traffic Division reviewed the applicant’s concurrency application and concludes
the proposed short subdivision will generate eight new PM peak hour trips. Traffic Division staff have
determined that all intersections impacted by one or more weekday evening peak hour trips from the
proposed development would meet the level of service (LOS) standards with programmed improvements;
therefore, a Capacity Reserve Certificate (CRC) was issued on February 7, 2017.
11. Transportation Impact Fee – In order to mitigate the impacts of new development on the city’s street
infrastructure, the applicant will be subject to the transportation impact fee (TIF). The fee will be
assessed and collected from the applicant when the building permits are issued, using the fee schedule
then in effect.
12. Street Frontage Improvements – The applicant is required to construct and dedicate a local street roadway,
corresponding to a Type ‘U’ design standard (which has been modified), consisting of a 20-food wide
paved roadway, with a 4-foot planter strip, and a 5-foot sidewalk along the north edge of the street with a
29.5-foot right-of-way. As part of the modified street section, the applicant must provide a taper/
transition section where the new street connects to South 333rd Place; provide city standard street lighting
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behind the new sidewalk; provide a utility/street light easement behind the new sidewalk to allow for
installation of street lights, OR, provide additional right of way (three-foot minimum) behind the
sidewalk; and install No Parking signs along this roadway section.
13. Access – Lots 1-6 will access directly off the newly created roadway detailed above, which will connect to
South 333rd Place to the east and connect to the west by a proposed right-of-way connection to 38th
Avenue South from the adjacent Jon Short Plat, file 16-105598-SU.
14. Stormwater – The project is required to meet all stormwater requirements of the 2016 King County Surface
Water Design Manual (KCSWDM) and the City of Federal Way Addendum to the KCSWDM. The project
is located within a conservation flow control area and enhanced basic water quality treatment area. The
applicant’s engineer is proposing a combined detention and water quality treatment pond that has been
designed and sized to accommodate both this (Russell) short plat, as well as the adjacent Jon Short Plat
(city file 16-105598-SU), and as allowed by the city. Review of final engineering plans and the TIR will
continue under a separate engineering (EN) application.
15. Water and Sewer – The applicant proposes to serve the short subdivision with a public water supply and
distribution system managed by Lakehaven Water & Sewer. The May 31, 2018, Certificate of Water Availability
indicates Lakehaven’s capacity to serve the proposed development by an improvement of an eight-inch
diameter water main that is approximately five (plus or minus) feet to reach the site. A Lakehaven
Developer Extension Agreement is required.
The applicant proposes to serve the short subdivision by a public sewer system managed by Lakehaven
Water & Sewer. A May 31, 2018, Certificate of Sewer Availability indicates the district’s capacity to serve the
proposed development and will require improvement of an eight-inch diameter sewer main or trunk that
is approximately five (plus or minus) feet to reach the site. A Lakehaven Developer Extension Agreement
is required.
Since the short plat will be served by public sewer system, King County Public Health does not need to
sign the short plat drawing. Remove the King County Public Health signature block from sheet 1 of the
short plat drawing.
16. Fire Requirements – South King Fire & Rescue has indicated that a Certificate of Water Availability, which
includes a hydraulic fire flow model, shall be requested from Lakehaven, and provided at the time of the
building permit application for each lot. This project will require two fire hydrants, one existing on the
street and a new hydrant in an approved location on the right-of-way. Depending on structure placement
and access, an NFPA 13D fire sprinkler system may be required; this will be determined at the time of
the building permit submittal.
17. Lot Addresses – Prior to recording, addresses for each lot must be put on the short plat drawing. The city
will assign address numbers and provide them under a separate cover.
18. Conditions of Approval – Staff recommends the Director of Community Development include the following
conditions of approval in the short subdivision decision. Unless otherwise permitted in FWRC 18.30.280,
all conditions shall be met prior to plat recording:
1) The applicant must obtain engineering (EN) approval and authorization to proceed from the
Public Works Department prior to construction of plat infrastructure.
2) The Russell and Jon (file 16-105598-SU) short plats are mutually dependent in regard to access
(roadway) and storm drainage infrastructure improvements. Prior to plat recording, improvements
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for each short plat shall be constructed, with final acceptance of the improvements given by the
City of Federal Way.
3) Prior to recording, the applicant shall provide the city’s Parks Department a fee-in-lieu
payment for open space in the amount of 15 percent of the most recent assessed land value of
the subject property.
4) Prior to recording, the city file number in the title block on sheets 2 and 3 must be revised to
16-105594-00-SU on the short plat document.
5) Prior to recording, remove the King County Health Department signature block from sheet 1
on the short plat document.
6) Prior to recording, addresses for each lot must be depicted on the short plat document.
7) Prior to recording, a note must be added to the short plat stating that at the time of the
building permit application, the site plan for Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 must depict where the
retained and/or replacement trees will be located per the approved Preliminary Planting Plan.
8) The applicant is required to pay a transportation impact fee (TIF) for each lot. The fee will be
assessed and collected from the applicant when the building permit is issued, using the fee
schedule then in effect.
9) The applicant is required to pay a school impact fee for each lot. The school impact fee is due
at the time of the building permit issuance for new dwelling units. This fee amount is subject
to change as determined annually by the Federal Way School District.
19. Design Criteria – The proposed short subdivision satisfies applicable design standards pursuant to FWRC
Chapter 18.55, “Design Criteria,” including, but not limited to, land division design, lot design, density,
and open space, subject to conditions being met.
These findings shall not waive compliance with future City of Federal Way codes, policies, and standards
relating to this development.
Prepared by: Senior Planner Becky Chapin Date: April 10, 2020