Open Space Fee in Lieu Request-04-23-2020-V2
April 23, 2020 Job No. 1352-023-019
Mr. John Hutton, Parks Director
City of Federal Way
Dept. of Parks and Recreation Division
33325 8th Avenue S
Federal Way, WA 98003
RE: Fee-in-Lieu of Open Space Request
The Woodlands at Redondo Creek Preliminary Plat
Dear Mr. Hutton:
On behalf of RMJ Holdings LLC, ESM Consulting Engineers is submitting this letter as a
request to pay a fee-in-lieu of providing usable open space for The Woodlands at Redondo
Creek subdivision. As you know, we previously requested an “administrative alteration of
open space category percentages” in a letter dated October 23, 2019. Although the project
provides 32.2% open space across the site, the alteration request was denied.
The subject property comprises King County tax parcels 042104-9012 and 042104-9221,
a total of approximately 21.85 acres, located in the northern portion of Federal Way
adjacent to S 304th Street and Pacific Hwy S. The proposed preliminary plat includes 67
single-family residences, right-of-way dedications and associated infrastructure.
According to FWRC 18.55.060(2), 15% of the gross land area of the subdivision site is
required to provide open space, or 142,753 SF. A minimum of 10% (95,168 SF) of usable
open space is required therein, with the option of having the remaining 5% be provided as
conservation or buffer open space.
A wetland and stream associated with Steel Lake run through the site and are contained
in a critical area tract (Tract A) that includes their required buffers. The total area within
this tract is approximately 206,766 SF, or 22%, of the gross site area as conservation open
space. Additional conservation open space is included in Tract D, and a landscape buffer
along SR 99 is contained in Tract H.
Proposed usable open spaces are located in Tracts E, F, and I of the project, totaling
27,072 SF, or 2.8% of the gross site. Tract E contains a larger play field and equipment,
Tract F provides a picnic table and play area, and Tract I offers landscaping as a visual
amenity. Please refer to sheet L1.0 of the preliminary plat plan set for visual
representations of the proposed usable open space.
Mr. John Hutton
April 23, 2020
Page 2
Open space for this project is proposed with the following categorical percentages:
Open Space Category Tracts % of Gross Land
Area
Square Footage
Usable E, F, I 2.8% 27,072 SF / 0.62 AC
Conservation A, D 25.1% 238,433 SF / 5.47 AC
Buffer H 0.7% 6,590 SF / 0.15 AC
Constrained B, G 3.6% 34,170 SF / 0.78 AC
Total 32.2% 306,625 SF / 7.04 AC
Please refer to the Preliminary Plat Plan Set, PP-03 for a depiction of these areas.
The applicant would like to request to pay a fee-in-lieu of the remaining 68,096 SF usable
open space required, or 7.16% of the property’s market value. In the absence of an
accurate assessed value through King County, an appraisal prepared by a state-certified
real estate appraiser concludes a market value of $2,400,000 for the subject property.
This will result in fee-in-lieu dedicated to the City of Federal Way Parks Department that
equates to $171,840.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Should you have any questions or require any
additional information, please contact me immediately.
Best Regards,
ESM CONSULTING ENGINEERS, L.L.C.
SAVANNA NAGORSKI, MS
Planner/GIS Analyst
Enc: PP-03 Preliminary Site Plan
L1.0 Overall Landscape Plan
Land Appraisal
cc: Dmitriy Mayzlin
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