Wall SP Technical Comment LetterCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 33325 8th Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-6325
253-835-7000
www.cityoffederalway.com
Jim Ferrell, Mayor
January 11, 2021
Nohely Moreno
ESM Consulting Engineers LLC
33400 8th Avenue South, Suite 205
Federal Way, WA 98003
nohely.moreno@esmcivil.com
Re: File #20-102775-SU; TECHNICAL COMMENT LETTER
Wall Short Plat, 30201 18th Avenue SW, Federal Way
Dear Nohely Moreno:
City of Federal Way staff has reviewed your submittal for a short plat located at 30201 18th Avenue SW. City
departments have provided the following comments that will need to be addressed prior to preliminary approval
of your application, or as otherwise noted. Questions regarding the technical review comments should be
addressed to the referenced staff representative.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – PLANNING DIVISION
Natalie Kamieniecki, 253-835-2638, natalie.kamieniecki@cityoffederalway.com
1. Federal Way Revised Code (FWRC) 18.55.070 – In addition to the sidewalks required in FWRC 19.135.010,
regarding requirements to rights-of-way and vehicular easements, pedestrian and bicycle access should be
provided for established or planned safe school routes, bikeways, trails, transit stops, and general circulation.
Please provide a school access analysis for review.
2. FWRC 18.55.070 – A maximum of two percent of buffer open space can be credited toward the open
space requirements. Please revise the open space proposal accordingly.
3. Critical area tracts shall be designated on the plat. A plat note shall include the following restriction:
“Native preservation shall be preserved for the purpose of preventing harm to property and
the environment, including but not limited to, controlling surface water runoff and erosion,
maintaining slope stability, buffering, and protecting plants, fish, and animal habitat. Removal
or disturbance of vegetation and landscaping within the tract is prohibited, except as necessary
for maintenance or replacement with approval by the City of Federal Way.”
4. FWRC 19.145.080 – Permanent survey stakes delineating the boundary between adjoining properties
and critical area tracts shall be set, using markers capable of being magnetically located, and as
established by current survey standards. Please identify on the plat the location of the fencing and
signage for the critical area.
Nohely Moreno
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January 11, 2021
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5. The critical area report states that a new culvert will not be necessary for the road widening, but this
unclear and there are no plans depicting the road expansion over the existing culvert. If a culvert is
required, the culvert must be designed and installed consistent with the requirements of the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW, 2013, Water Crossing Design Guidelines, as amended). The culvert
must be large enough to accommodate a 100-year storm. Per the FWRC, the will review and decide upon
applications under this section using use process IV in Chapter 19.70, FWRC. Responses to decisional
criteria and design requirements within this section shall be included in the critical areas report. Please
provide additional information and plans regarding the construction and widening of the road over the
stream, and confirm that a culvert will or will not be needed.
PUBLIC WORKS – DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION
Kevin Peterson, 253-835-2734, kevin.peterson@cityoffederalway.com
Short Plat (SU) Review
1) Add the city file number (20-102775-SU) in the space provided in the SP Title Block.
2) Review the signatures for the Community Development Director and Deputy Public Works Director.
3) Provide an “equipment and procedures used” statement for the property survey.
4) Provide a symbol/legend for lot corners “to be set.”
5) Notes are needed on the short plat drawings that indicate the ownership/maintenance responsibilities of
the tracts. The applicant should be aware that King County requires fairly specific language for tracts that
are owned by the plat owners, and the applicant should verify with the King County Assessor’s office
how these notes should read.
Land Use (UP)/Preliminary Engineering Review
1) In the Technical Information Report (TIR), provide a downstream drainage description table for TDA
#1 (refer to Reference Section 8B of the 2016 King County Surface Water Design Manual [KCSWDM]).
2) Provide a minimum of two cross-sections (cut at 90 degrees to each other) of the proposed pond, with
one section showing the outlet control structure.
PUBLIC WORKS – TRAFFIC DIVISION
Soma Chattopadhyay, 253-835-2731, soma.chattopadhyay@cityoffederalway.com
Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA) (FWRC 19.135)
1. Based on the submitted materials for five new single-family lots and one existing single-family lot, the
estimated total traffic impact fee is $20,635. Please note that for 2021, the city will implement a new fee
schedule. The actual fee will be assessed and collected from the applicant when the building permit is
issued, using the fee schedule then in effect (FWRC 19.100.070[3][c]). At any time prior to building permit
Nohely Moreno
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issuance, the applicant may request to defer to final building inspection the payment of a transportation
impact fee for a single-family residential dwelling unit (FWRC 19.100.075). If this option is selected, a
covenant prepared by the city to enforce payment of the deferred fees will be recorded at the applicant’s
expense. Refer to the defer payment of impact fee code for process.
Street Frontage Improvements (FWRC 19.135)
1) The applicant/owner will be expected to construct street improvements consistent with the planned
roadway cross-sections as shown in Map III-4 in Chapter III of the Federal Way Comprehensive Plan
(FWCP) and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) shown as Table III-10 (FWRC 19.135.040). Based on
the materials submitted, staff conducted a limited analysis to determine the required street improvements.
The applicant will be expected to construct improvements on the following street to the city’s planned
roadway cross-sections:
a. Twentieth Avenue SW is planned as a Type “T” street, consisting of a 28-foot street with
curb and gutter, 8-foot ditch, 5-foot sidewalks, and street lights in a 60-foot right-of-way.
Assuming a symmetrical cross section, half street improvements are required as measured
from the street centerline. It appears that the existing right-of-way is adequate to
accommodate the improvements.
2) The applicant may make a written request to the Public Works Director to modify, defer, or waive the
required street improvements (FWRC 19.135.070). Information about right-of-way modification requests
are available through the Public Works Development Services Division. These modification requests
have a nominal review fee currently at $345.00.
3) Tapers and transitions beyond the project frontage may be required as deemed necessary for safety
purposes, taper rate shall be WS^2/60, or as directed by the Public Works Director.
Intersection Sight Distance
1) Submit an intersection sight distance analysis for the design vehicle used at the plat access driveway/
intersection with 20th Avenue SW. The analysis shall be conducted in accordance to the latest AASHTO
guidelines (3.5-foot object height, 3.5-foot driver’s eye height, and 14.5 feet back from the edge of the
traveled way for passenger vehicles). The analysis must bear the seal of a licensed engineer in the state of
Washington. The sight distance triangle shall be depicted on the plan set.
2) Please provide photo documentation in the appendix of the sight distance analysis. A minimum of one
photo looking to the left and one looking to the right will show the location of the viewer in accordance
to AASHTO guidelines. The site plan with plan and profile sheets should also be incorporated into the
report to provide the site distance documentation. Indicate if there are any street trees, landscaping
requirements, or any other objects existing or proposed to be within the sight distance triangle. State if
the sight distance requirements are met or not, and provide any traffic safety mitigation measures.
Access Management (FWRC 19.135) and Design Criteria (FWRC 18.55)
1) Twentieth Place SW and the internal private street (ingress/egress easement) connection should be a
right angle. Skewed intersections should be avoided, and in no case should the angle be less than 75
degrees. A skewed angle will experience operational or safety problems.
Nohely Moreno
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2) All lots shall be accessed by a public street right-of-way (FWRC 18.55.020). In certain cases, lots may be
accessed by an ingress/egress and utilities easement or alley subject to the requirements established in the
City of Federal Way Public Works Development Standards. As no direct connection is feasible for all the
lots from the public street, the city will allow a maximum of four lots access using a private driveway
(DRG. No 3-2DD). Please show the access for Lot 3.
3) Driveways serving a single-family dwelling unit abutting two streets should be at least 25 feet from the
beginning of the street radius.
4) Please submit documentation that the existing house (Lot 6) has been granted an access easement from
18th Avenue SW.
CLOSING
When resubmitting requested information, please contact the Permit Center for instructions on digital
resubmittal, or follow this link: https://www.cityoffederalway.com/page/permit-center. Pursuant to FWRC
19.15.050, if an applicant fails to provide additional information to the city within 180 days of being notified
that such information is requested, the application shall be deemed null and void and the city shall have no
duty to process, review, or issue any decisions with respect to such an application.
If you have any questions and/or comments, please contact me at natalie.kamieniecki@cityoffederalway.com.
Sincerely,
Natalie Kamieniecki
Associate Planner
c: Kevin Peterson, Senior Development Services Engineer
Soma Chattopadhyay, Senior Transportation Engineer