The public now has a chance to comment on a draft plan that could change forever the Highlands area centered around the public housing on Northeast Sunset Boulevard.
The city’s planning staff presented an overview of the draft Sunset Area Planned Action and EIS to the Renton City Council Monday night.
City staff and community members have worked on the draft for months and it builds upon policies developed in the ongoing discussion about how to redevelop the Highlands area on Sunset near such cross avenues as Harrington and Edmonds and the Greater Hi-lands Shopping Center.
The public can comment Dec. 17-Jan. 31. Send comments to senior planner Erika Conkling at econkling@rentonwa.gov or by mail to Erika Conkling,
City of Renton Department of Community and Economic Development, 1055 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057.
The Renton Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the draft document at 6 p.m. Jan. 5 at Renton City Hall. Citizen comments will be incorporated into the final document.
Key public players in the future vision are the City of Renton, the Renton Housing Authority and the Renton School District.
The document spells out three options:
1. Do nothing, with no improvements to Sunset Boulevard and no master drainage plan. The Renton Housing Authority’s 100-unit Sunset Terrace wouldn’t redevelop.
2. Redevelop Sunset Terrace with 250 to 300 units, with some community amenities. Some effort is made to make the area more walkable; additional parks and recreation opportunities are coordinated with the Renton School District. New stormwater infrastructure is added, where possible.
3. In the “full vision” Sunset Terrace is redeveloped with 500-plus, mixed-income units. Investment is made in new community facilities, such as parks and recreation, social services and education. Stormwater detention is enhanced.
The last two options implement the “planned action” part of the document. Under that concept, future development proposals are studied in advance and they would not need additional state environmental review if they meet the overall redevelopment vision.
The full draft document is available online. Hard copies also will be available for review starting Dec. 17 at the downtown Renton and Highlands libraries and the sixth floor of City Hall at the customer service desk. A hard copy is $35; a CD is free.
