Residents have been protesting the proposed six-floor mixed-use Logan 6 development in Renton after a hearing examiner approved the project earlier this month.

Nearby residents want access for the building to be on Logan Avenue instead of the proposed accesses on N. 3rd Street and N. 4th Street.

Renton resident Matt Hanbey organized the protest, which began on March 5 and will continue indefinitely every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in front of the site of the proposed development, he said.

“We’re just trying to raise awareness. I don’t think people still know about how big it is. This is going to take up the entire block,” Hanbey said. “We feel like we’re fighting the entire Renton government when some of them should be helping us. So we’re mad and we’re expressing our First Amendment rights to protest.”

Renton Hearing Examiner Phil Olbrechts made his decision on the development on Logan Avenue on March 3, and agreed with the city staff’s recommendations that the project is compliant with the city’s development regulations and comprehensive plan if the conditions of approval are met. The examiner’s decision included all of the staff’s recommendations in his 35 listed conditions.

“The proposal has drawn more opposition from neighbors than any project the city has seen in several years. Dozens of detailed comment letters were submitted citing noncompliance with city policies and promises to protect the city’s neighborhoods. The access points to the proposal are a valid point of debate,” Olbrechts said in his final decision. “Beyond that issue, however, there is nothing more that anyone has identified that the city legally could have done to further minimize the impact of this proposal. The law is unquestionably clear that the applicant has the right to place at least 99 dwelling units on the subject property.”

Olbrechts said city staff should have been more specific about what site access standards would be violated by Logan Street access.

“Ultimately, however, it must be recognized that planning staff have taken into consideration the impacts to the community as a whole in navigating the city’s congested major arterials versus the more localized interest of project opponents,” Olbrechts said. “The staff supported access points don’t actually extend into the adjoining neighborhood, but likely will create some additional traffic into the adjoining neighborhood. Minimizing access points to the city’s primary arterials and minimizing disruption to the city’s transit facilities is the best of hard choices that have to be made. Access as proposed is found most consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan policies.”

Hanbey said the nearby neighborhood residents are disappointed with the decision.

“The hearing examiner relied on the city staff’s work, focused only on the allowed use in the specific zone where the six-story, 100 foot, block-long building would be,” Hanbey said. “There was no consideration given to conflicting requirements in the Renton Municipal Code from the Community City Center Plan, the City Administrative Code, and the City Comprehensive Plan, although the examiner recognized that conflicts exist.”

Hanbey said the council can still act and affect the elements of the project, including using authority under state law to increase parking requirements and changing municipal code to require Logan Avenue access instead of using streets into their neighborhood.

“We do want to put pressure on the city, the city council and the mayor because there is still time to do something. So we haven’t given up,” Hanbey said.

Hanbey said he would like a moratorium on developments until the city can revisit design standards next to neighborhoods.

“It applies to the whole city. It’s not just our concern and as we grow, I just know this will come up time and time again until the city figures it out,” Hanbey said.

FYI

On Feb. 24, the Renton City Council denied a proposed six-month moratorium on all development in response to community concerns on the Logan 6 development. The council voted 5 to 1 to deny the moratorium proposed by Councilmember Kim-Khánh Văn.

The proposed project along Logan Avenue would consist of 6,200 square feet of retail or commercial space on the ground floor as well as 97 apartments above. The development will have a footprint of 18,868 square feet and a max height above grade of 91.5 feet. Two separate level garages will contain 104 parking stalls for residents and guests. An additional surface parking lot will have 17 spots for the retail space.

North Renton resident Sheryl Friesz waves a sign to cars passing on Logan Avenue on Saturday, March 8. Photo by Drew Dotson/Renton Reporter