05.20.2015-Letter from City re Access and easement.docx
CITY OF EDMONDS
DAVE EARLING
MAYOR
TH
121 5 AVENUE NORTH EDMONDS, WA 98020425-771-0220FAX 425-672-5750
· · ·
Website: www.edmondswa.gov
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Engineering Division
May 20, 2015
Rob Michel
PO Box 1215
Lynnwood, WA 98046
SUBJECT: PLN20130038, Kisan Short Plat – 22810 Edmonds Way
Rob,
The following is provided in response to the ongoing communications between you and the City
regarding the access/easement serving the subject property. As you know, the physical access
improvements serving the adjoining property, 9504 Edmonds Way, fall outside the legally
described access easement area owned by the subject development. In January, 2014, during
preliminary plat review, the City had requested you provide something in writing from the
adjacent property owner in regards to the access and parking issues. At that time you said you
had spoken with the owner of 9504 Edmonds Way and he was willing to provide additional
easement area. However, you asked the City to make the request a condition of subdivision
approval instead of requesting something in writing. As discussions continued, staff made a
decision not to restrict you to only the option of widening the easement and therefore, did not
require documentation regarding the easement prior to preliminary approval.
The project is currently in the civil construction plan review process. The easement/access
issues need to be ironed out at this time. We have had several discussions with you on this topic,
with the City suggesting a couple of options to address the situation:
1)Widen the easement area to encompass the physical access improvements or
2)Have the ingress/egress access points and intersection analyzed by a traffic consultant
to determine whether or not it’s feasible to rearrange the access to fall within the
easement area.
Instead of obtaining additional easement area to conform the easement to the width of the
existing improvements, you chose to have a traffic consultant analyze the sufficiency of the
width of the easement area. The memorandum from Gibson Traffic Consultants, Inc. includes a
proposal to reduce the ingress access to 16-feet by extending the curb ramp on the west side of
the access to physically direct vehicles to enter property within the access easement. The Gibson
Traffic Consultant memorandum and proposal has been reviewed by City staff and, as noted in
th
my email of May 7, we find the reduced width to 16-feet to be acceptable; provided the
adjoining property owner provides its concurrence with the proposal. On May 8, 2015 you
responded stating a letter from the adjacent property owner was not necessary.
ECDC 20.75.085.D.2 states “The person or body approving a subdivision shall determine the
improvements necessary to meet the purposes and requirements of this chapter, and the
requirements of: a) ECDC Title 18. Public Works Requirements.
ECDC 18.00.010.B provides a list with required information the applicant shall provide.
ECDC 18.00.010.B.7 states “Further information required by general rules adopted by the public
works director and information required by the public works director to properly review an
individual application.
In addition, in accordance with ECDC 20.75.140.H, the following statement of approval is to be
provided on the face of the final plat and signed by the Public Works Director: “The survey date,
the layout of streets, alleys and other rights-of-way, design of bridges, sewage and water system
and other structures”.
During review of the proposal, it was determined that the requested information
(acknowledgement and concurrence from the adjacent property owner) is required in order to
properly complete review of the civil construction plan submittal as well as provide the
documentation necessary for the Public Works Director to make certain findings at final plat.
Please provide the requested information so review of the subdivision civil construction plans
can continue.
Sincerely,
Jeanie McConnell
Engineering Program Manager
c: Phil Williams, Public Works Director
Rob English, City Engineer
Jeff Taraday, City Attorney