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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6840 (3) ORDINANCE NO. 6 8 4 0 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, RELATING TO PLANNING; ADOPTING THE 2021 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MAP AND TEXT AMENDMENTS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF RCW CHAPTER 36.70A AND ADOPTING CORRESPONDING REZONES RELATED TO CERTAIN MAP AMENDMENTS WHEREAS, since 1986 the City of Auburn has maintained a Comprehensive Plan, periodically updated and reaffirmed by the City Council, that includes a Map establishing the location of the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designations throughout the City; and WHEREAS, on December 14, 2015, the Auburn City Council adopted an updated Comprehensive Plan by Ordinance No. 6584; and WHEREAS, the City of Auburn initiated one map amendment and ten policy/text amendments (File No. CPA21-0001); and WHEREAS, to maintain consistency between the city's zoning map and its Comprehensive Plan, both the private initiated map amendments have an associated rezone (zoning map amendment) to maintain consistency with the Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan text/policy amendments and map amendments were processed by the Community Development Department as proposed Year 2021 annual amendments to the City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, the Growth Management Act, RCW 36.70A, requires the City to maintain a current Capital Facilities Plan; and WHEREAS, the environmental impacts of the proposed Year 2021 Comprehensive Plan amendments and rezones were considered in accordance with Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 1 procedures of the State Environmental Policy Act File No. SEP21-0023 (city-initiated amendments) were determined to have no environmental significance; and WHEREAS, the proposed amendments were transmitted to the Washington State Department of Commerce, Growth Management Services Division, and other State agencies for the 60-day review period in accordance with RCW 36.70A.106; and WHEREAS, after proper notice published in the City's official newspaper at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the hearings, the Auburn Planning Commission on October 19, 2021 conducted public hearings on the proposed amendments, heard and considered public testimony, viewed the evidence and exhibits presented to it, and made recommendations to the City Council on the proposed Year 2021 annual Comprehensive Plan map and text amendments; and WHEREAS, on November 8, 2021, the Auburn City Council reviewed the Planning Commission's recommendations. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The 2021 annual Comprehensive Plan city-initiated Text Amendments (CPA21-0001), as set forth in Exhibit "B," are approved. The full text of the Capital Facilities Plan of the City and the four school district's Capital Facilities Plans are adopted, copies of which shall be on file with the Office of the City Clerk, and the Findings and Conclusions outlined in the November 8, 2021 staff report to City Council, as set forth in Exhibit "A", are adopted. Section 2. The 2021 Comprehensive Plan city-initiated Map Amendments (CPA21-0001) are approved, as set forth in Exhibit "B," and the findings and conclusions Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 2 contained in the November 8, 2021 staff report to City Council, as set forth in Exhibit "A", are adopted. Section 3. The adopted Comprehensive Plan as amended is designated as a basis for the exercise of substantive authority under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act by the City's responsible environmental official in accordance with RCW 43.21 C.060. Section 4. The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry out the directions of this legislation to include incorporating into one document the adopted Comprehensive Plan map and text amendments, attached as Exhibit A and Exhibit B, when preparing and publishing the amended Comprehensive Plan. Section 8. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances. Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 3 Section 9. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force five days from and after its passage, approval and publication as provided by law. INTRODUCED: DEC 0 6 2021 PASSED: DEC 0 6 2021 APPROVED: OEC 0 6 2021 CITY OF AUBURN Incy.‘Ba s, Mayor ATTEST: c ` Shawn Campbell, MMC, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Kendra Comeau, City Attorney Published: VIVAV 11 i '7D71 OV/5 Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 4 Exhibit A November 8, 2021 staff report to the City Council for all 2021 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments for the City Council Study Session on November 8, 2021. (See EXHIBIT A provided in packet) Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 5 Exhibit B Annual Comprehensive Plan Policy/Text(P/T) Amendments (CPA21-0001 — City Initiated) P/T#1 — Incorporate Auburn School District Capital Facilities Plan P/T#2— Incorporate Dieringer School District Capital Facilities Plan P/T#3— Incorporate Federal Way School District Capital Facilities Plan P/T#4— Incorporate Kent School District Capital Facilities Plan P/T#5— Incorporate City of Auburn Capital Facilities Plan P/T#6— Capital Facilities Element (Plan) Volume 3, (incorporated by reference) Water is in the process of applying for an extension of their Comprehensive Water Plan (separate document incorporated by reference) effective to 2026 through the Washington State Department of Health, at which time a full update will be completed. Water believes this request is valid because the capital projects, water demands, and population growth projections presented in the current Water System Plan are still accurate projections of the City's current planning efforts. • No text changes to the Capital Facilities Element are needed, although the referenced Comprehensive Water Plan in Policy CF-13 is expected to be updated by 2024 with current data as part of the Periodic Update. P/T#7— Transportation Element (Plan) Volume 5, (incorporated by reference) As part of the 2021 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments, the city seeks to change the Comprehensive Plan to update the Transportation Element. The main changes to the Comprehensive Plan document include: • Update Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) information/project list; • Re-designate one project from Comprehensive Plan list to the (TIP) list to maintain continuity in the future transportation network conditions; • Additional minor changes will relate to grammar, punctuation, choice of words, references, etc. P/T#8— Housing Element (Plan) Volume 2 The City adopted a Housing Action Plan (HAP) in July 2021, which was also presented to the Planning Commission in February and June 2021 by City staff. The HAP provides recommendations on policies and code changes to implement HAP strategies. The proposed policy revision allows for better alignment with PSRC Vision 2050 policy MPP-H-11 which addresses supporting identification of potential physical, economic, and cultural displacement, and mitigating to the extent feasible. • Include reference and brief description of Housing Action Plan in Conditions and Trends section beginning on page H-1 of the Housing Element. • Revise Policy H-24(f) to include text regarding minimizing displacement impacts. The revision of this policy will better align with PSRC Vision 2050's recognition of displacement risk. Revising this policy allows for alignment with PSRC requirements in advance of the 2024 Periodic Update. • Address text formatting for Policy H-24 sub-policies P/T# 9 — Land Use Element (Plan) Volume 1 The City adopted a Housing Action Plan (HAP) in July 2021, which was also presented to the Planning Commission in February and June 2021 by City staff. The HAP provides recommendations on policies and code changes to Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 6 implement HAP strategies. One such policy is located in the Land Use Element (additional detail below). • Revise Policy LU-39 to include affordable housing and mixed-income development. In addition to allowing additional height or density in exchange for supplemental amenities identified in this policy, this revision would include affordable housing development as eligible uses for deviations in height, density, or intensity. (See "Comp. Plan Policy/Text Amendments" tab in the working binder and EXHIBIT B in packet) Annual Comprehensive Plan Map (CPM) Amendments (CPA21-0001 — City Initiated) CPM#1 — Volume 5: Transportation Element, map updates (See "Comp. Plan Map Amendments" tab in the working binder and EXHIBIT B in packet) Ordinance No. 6840 December 6, 2021 Page 7 1 i I 1I ,, ..... , 2021 ,i .. , , ., .. , „ ‘••• . ,. .. . • . . ., __• • _:...,.._,•,, . ,, . 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CITY OF ^ . p AUBURN ., ' WASHINGTON Adopted by Ordinance No. 6840 City of Auburn December 6, 2021 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1— INTRODUCTION 2 1.1 PURPOSE 2 1.2 HOW THE CITY USES THE PLAN 4 1.3 REGIONAL COORDINATION 7 1.4 ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE THE LAST PLAN (2015) 11 1.5 PLAN ORGANIZATION 12 1.6 STAFF RESOURCES 12 CHAPTER 2—THE STREET SYSTEM 14 2.1 EXISTING STREET SYSTEM 14 2.2 STREET STANDARDS AND LEVELS-OF-SERVICE 21 2.3 FUTURE STREET SYSTEM 27 CHAPTER 3 - NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION 45 3.1 PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL 46 3.2 BICYCLE TRAVEL 53 3.3 FUTURE NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM 58 CHAPTER 4—TRANSIT 62 4.1 NEEDS ASSESSMENT 62 4.2 TRANSIT USER NEEDS 66 4.3 TRANSIT SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS 72 CHAPTER 5—POLICIES 74 5.1 COORDINATION, PLANNING, AND IMPLEMENTATION 74 5.2 STREET SYSTEM 82 5.3 NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM 86 5.4 TRANSIT SYSTEM 89 5.5 AIR TRANSPORTATION 90 CHAPTER 6— FUNDING 91 6.1 FINANCIAL PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING 91 6.2 FUNDING SOURCES 91 6.3 REVENUE SHORTFALL CONTINGENCY 97 6.4 FUNDING STRATEGIES, PROJECT PRIORITIZATION 97 CHAPTER 7— MONITORING AND EVALUATION 98 7.1 ANNUAL UPDATES 98 7.2 MULTI-YEAR UPDATES 99 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 1 Maps 2.1 Functional Roadway Classification 2.2 Average Daily Traffic Volumes(2019) 2.3 Truck Routes 2.4 Freight Routes Classification Map 2.5 Auburn LOS Corridors 2.7 Intelligent Transportation Systems 2.8 Comprehensive Plan Projects 3.1 Priority Sidewalk Corridors 3.2 Existing and Future Bicycle Facilities and Multi-Use Trails 3.3 Bicycle Corridors and Connectors 4.2 Auburn Transit Routes and MIT Shuttle Route CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION de aY Y Auburn Station The transportation system is a vital component of Auburn's social, economic, and physical structure. The primary purpose of the transportation system is to support the movement of people and goods within the City and connect the City to the broader region. Secondarily, it influences patterns of growth, development, and economic activity by providing access to adjacent land uses. Planning for the development and maintenance of the transportation system is a critical activity promoting the efficient movement of people and goods, ensuring emergency access, and optimizing the role transportation plays in attaining other community objectives. 1.1 PURPOSE The Comprehensive Transportation Plan is the framework for transportation planning in Auburn. It functions as the overarching guide for changes to the transportation system. The Plan evaluates the existing system by identifying key assets and improvement needs. These findings are then incorporated into a needs assessment, which guides the future of the transportation system. This Plan is multi-modal, addressing multiple forms of transportation in Auburn including the street network, non-motorized travel, and transit. Evaluating all modes enables the City to address its future transportation needs in a comprehensive and balanced manner. VISION The Comprehensive Transportation Plan reflects the current and future needs of the Auburn community and, in doing so, seeks to: • Enhance the quality of life for all Auburn residents; 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 2 • Encourage healthy community principles through non-motorized travel; • Promote a transportation system that supports local businesses and enhances economic development opportunities; • Create a transportation system that is efficient, uncomplicated, and welcoming to visitors; and • Provide a balanced, multi-modal transportation system that addresses both local and regional needs. GMA REQUIREMENTS Washington State's 1990 Growth Management Act (GMA) requires that transportation planning be directly tied to the City's land use decisions and fiscal planning. This is traditionally accomplished through the adoption of the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Auburn fulfills this mandate by adopting the Comprehensive Transportation Plan as the Transportation Element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. In order to be GMA compliant, the Comprehensive Transportation Plan must: • Inventory the existing transportation system in order to identify existing capital facilities and travel levels as a basis for future planning; • Identify level-of-service (LOS) standards for all arterials, transit routes, and state-owned facilities as a gauge for evaluating system performance; • Specify actions and requirements for bringing into compliance locally owned transportation facilities or services that are below an established level-of-service standard; • Determine existing deficiencies of the system; • Use land use assumptions to estimate future travel, including impacts to state-owned facilities; • Identify future improvement needs from at least ten years of traffic forecasts based on the adopted land use plan; • Include a multiyear financing plan based on the identified needs; • Address intergovernmental coordination; and • Include transportation demand management strategies. DISCLOSURES In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the City of Auburn will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disability in its services, programs, or activities. Modifications to Policies and Procedures: City of Auburn will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in City of Auburn offices, even where pets are generally prohibited. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 3 1.2 HOW THE CITY USES THE PLAN The Comprehensive Transportation Plan provides policy and technical direction for development of the City's transportation system through the year 2035. It updates and expands the 2015 Comprehensive Transportation Plan by recognizing network changes since the last plan, evaluating current needs, and identifying standards for future development, and various infrastructure improvement scenarios. Major updates are required every 8 years. The next major update is required to be adopted by June 2024. NEEDS ASSESSMENT A system-wide, multi-modal needs assessment was conducted throughout plan development to ascertain which aspects of Auburn's existing transportation system work well and which ones need improvement. An evaluation of potential solutions and investment priorities was also conducted as part of this process. The end result is that Auburn has a more thorough understanding of system deficiencies, how best to address these deficiencies, and direction for expanding the system in a sustainable manner. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT Public outreach is an important component of the ongoing needs assessment process. Throughout the year 2014, the City held a number of community meetings through the Imagine Auburn visioning. Process, for the major update adopted in 2015. The meetings included discussions of capital investments in transportation infrastructure and other transportation related issues which have been incorporated into this document. As part of the adoption process, the Plan is also reviewed by the City of Auburn Planning Commission, including a hearing where members of the public are provided the opportunity to provide input on the plan, which is then reviewed and adopted by the City Council. POLICY DEVELOPMENT The City creates policies to state preferences for preservation of the existing system and development of the future transportation system. Policies can be qualitative in nature, but often they are quantitative and prescribe a specific standard. Policies are also important for communicating the City's values and needs to neighboring jurisdictions and regional and state agencies. Having established policies in place enables the City to more effectively influence change in keeping with its needs and objectives. LOS AND CONCURRENCY The concurrency provisions of the 1990 Growth Management Act (GMA) require that local governments permit development only if adequate public facilities exist, or can be guaranteed to be available within six years, to support new development. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 4 The GMA requires each local jurisdiction to identify facility and service needs based on level-of- service (LOS) standards. Auburn ensures that future development will not cause the system's performance to fall below the adopted LOS standard by doing one or a combination of the following: limiting development, requiring appropriate mitigation, or changing the adopted standard. CAPITAL FACILITIES PLAN AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM The City uses the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) to develop a financial plan for capital improvements in Auburn, thus enabling the City to fulfill the GMA requirement of having a multiyear financing plan based on the identified transportation needs. The TIP, is a financial planning tool used to implement the list of transportation improvement projects identified in the Transportation Plan. It is a six-year plan which is reviewed and updated annually by the City Council to reflect changes to project priorities and funding circumstances. Generally, the projects included in the TIP are financially constrained such that the estimated projects costs do not exceed the anticipated funding available in the 6-yeaar period. An exception are capacity projects funded by Transportation Impact Fees (also referred to as Traffic Impact Fees). The first three years of traffic impact fee funded projects included in the plan are fiscally constrained based on conservative growth projections. The last three years of traffic impact fee funded projects in the plan include additional projects that provide for growth beyond those accounted for by conservative growth projections. This results in a plan to implement projects to accommodate additional growth should it occur. The traffic impact fee funded projects included in the TIP are utilized to prepare annual updates to the traffic impact fee schedule. The Capital Facilities Plan is also an annually adopted six-year financing plan. However, it is not fiscally constrained for all six years. Unlike the TIP,the CFP is an adopted element of the City's Comprehensive Plan. ADA COMPLIANCE The City is committed to providing public infrastructure without barriers to those with disabilities and achieving compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to ADA local governments must develop a transition plan describing how it will ensure its facilities, services, programs and activities are accessible. The transition plan: • Identifies physical barriers that limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals with disabilities. • Describes the methods that will be used to remove the barriers. • Provides an estimated schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve compliance. • Identifies the city official responsible for implementation and provides information on how to file a grievance or complaint. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 5 In 2020,The City completed an ADA Transition Plan for the Public Right-of-way that summarizes the City's policies and standards guiding right-of-way maintenance and improvements to pursue full compliance with ADA. The ADA Transition Plan documents internal design standards and specifications, development of a schedule and budget, and a step to monitor the process outlined in the plan. The ADA Transition Plan for the Public Right of Way addresses the public right of way (ROW) of the City of Auburn, which typically includes vehicular and bicycle roadway lanes, sidewalks, roadside trails, street landscape areas, crosswalks, and traffic signals. TITLE VI COMPLIANCE Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Federal-aid Highway Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or sex in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance. Programs that receive Federal funds cannot distinguish among individuals on the basis of race, color national origin, or sex either directly or indirectly, in the types, quantity, quality or timeliness of program services, aids or benefits that they provide or the manner in which they provide them. This prohibition applies to intentional discrimination as well as to procedures, criteria or methods of administration that appear neutral but have a discriminatory effect on individuals because of their race, color, national origin, or sex. Policies and practices that have such an effect must be eliminated unless a recipient can show that they were necessary to achieve a legitimate nondiscriminatory objective. Even if there is such a reason the practice cannot continue if there are alternatives that would achieve the same objectives but that would exclude fewer minorities. Persons with limited English proficiency must be afforded a meaningful opportunity to participate in programs that receive Federal funds. Policies and practices may not deny or have the effect of denying persons with limited English proficiency equal access to Federally- funded programs for which such persons qualify. The City of Auburn, Washington, assures that no person shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity. The City further assures every effort will be made to ensure non- discrimination in all of its programs and activities, whether those programs and activities are federally funded or not. The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 broadened the scope of Title VI coverage by expanding the definition of the term "program or activity" to include all of the operations of Federal Aid recipients, sub-recipients, and contractors/consultants, whether such programs and activities are federally assisted or not (Public Law 100259 [S.557] March 22, 1988.). The City will include Title VI language in all written agreements and will monitor for compliance. The City's Director of Human Resources is responsible for initiating and monitoring Title VI activities, preparing reports and other responsibilities as required by 23 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 200 and 49 Code of Federal Regulation 21. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 6 The Title VI Non-Discrimination Agreement between the City and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) requires the City to prepare a yearly report of Title VI accomplishments for the last year and goals for the upcoming year. The agreement and annual report are published on the City's website. 1.3 REGIONAL COORDINATION In addition to being influenced by factors within the City, Auburn's transportation system is influenced by what happens beyond its City limits: growth in neighboring communities, infrastructure maintenance by regional agencies,the lack of funding for road maintenance, new capacity projects, and competing demands for transit services. This Plan calls for effective inter- jurisdictional actions to address cross-border issues and to mitigate the impact of new development. The Plan also recognizes that other jurisdictions, particularly state agencies and transit providers, are responsible for a major share of the transportation facilities serving Auburn. WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has jurisdiction over three major routes connecting Auburn to the region: SR-167,SR-18, and SR-164 (Auburn Way South). Auburn coordinates with WSDOT to study these corridors and implement roadway improvements. WSDOT also serves an important role as administrator of federal and state transportation funds. SOUND TRANSIT Sound Transit provides a variety of regional transit services for King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties. In Auburn, Sound Transit provides commuter rail and express bus service. The Auburn Station also serves as a hub and transfer station for local transit service provided by King County Metro Transit and Pierce Transit. The transit chapter provides more detail on current Sound Transit services, remaining needs for regional transit service, and the role Auburn plays in coordinating with the agency. KING COUNTY King County Metro Transit, formerly a division of the King County Department of Transportation, is now the King County Transit Department. The King County Transit Department provides local bus service for the Auburn area. Planned service for the City of Auburn is described in the Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021, and in Metro Connects Long Range Public Transportation Plan, which was adopted by the King County Council in 2017. The City has developed an employee Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program in cooperation with King County Transit. Details of the CTR program are summarized in the Non-motorized and Transit chapters of this plan. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 7 Auburn partners with King County Transit on the 497 bus route, which provides peak hour service from Lakeland Hills to the Auburn Station. Auburn and King County Transit hope to continue this relationship and develop future partnerships to expand transit service in Auburn. King County Road Services Division is responsible for maintaining and regulating the roadway network in King County, including the Totem and Klump portions of King County located inside the City limits. King County Road Services has a number of programs and plans in place that regulate development and other activities affecting their roadway network. PIERCE COUNTY Auburn partners with Pierce Transit on the 497 bus route, which provides peak hour service from Lakeland Hills to the Auburn Station. Auburn and Pierce Transit hope to continue this relationship and develop future partnerships to expand transit service in Auburn. COUNTYWIDE PLANNING POLICIES Under the Growth Management Act, King and Pierce Counties have adopted Countywide Planning Policies to guide development in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of their jurisdictions. The policies support county and regional goals to provide a variety of mobility options and establish LOS standards that emphasize the efficient movement of people and not just vehicles. The Countywide Planning Policies are also important because they provide direction for planning and development of potential annexation areas. PUGET SOUND REGIONAL COUNCIL The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) sets policy for King, Pierce, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties through its long-range planning document, Vision 2040, and its regional transportation plan, Transportation 2040. Both documents encourage future growth to be concentrated in regional growth centers. They also seek to provide a multi-modal transportation system that serves all travel modes, actively encouraging the use of alternatives to single occupant vehicles. Another important policy theme is a focus on maximizing the efficiency of the transportation system through transportation demand management (TDM) and transportation system management (TSM) strategies, as well as completing critical links in the network. Currently, PSRC is working on a Draft document for Vision 2050, which is an update of Vision 2040. Vision 2050 is expected to be adopted by their Executive Board in 2020. Auburn's Transportation Plan is required to be consistent with PSRC's regional planning efforts. ADJACENT CITIES The City recognizes the importance of coordinated and strong inter-jurisdictional action because transportation impacts do not stop at local boundaries. The City works closely with 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 8 neighboring cities and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to address transportation issues. These neighbors adopt goals and policies that directly impact Auburn. In developing this plan, analysis was undertaken to ensure that all transportation system improvements are compatible with neighboring jurisdictions. CITY OF KENT The City of Kent shares Auburn's northern border and several regional transportation corridors including S 277th Street, SR 167, and the West Valley Highway. Most recently, Auburn has completed coordination with Kent on the annexation of the S 277th Street from Auburn Way North to the Green River into the City of Auburn to allow the widening of S 277th Street between Auburn Way N and L Street NE. CITY OF FEDERAL WAY The City of Federal Way is located west of Auburn. Several roadways, most notably SR 18, connect Auburn and Federal Way. Auburn and Federal Way regularly coordinate on both motorized and non-motorized roadway improvements affecting both jurisdictions. CITES OF SUMNER/ALGONA/ PACIFIC/BONNEY LAKE The City partners with its southern neighbors in many respects, including street system planning, transit planning, and regional trail planning. Auburn is also working with Sumner, Pacific and Algona on roadway improvement projects, including the recent preservation of Boundary Boulevard in partnership with Algona, and financial support of Pacific's project to widen Stewart Road to the west of the White River. The City coordinates primarily with Bonney Lake for provision of water service in the Pierce County portion of the City. However, efforts to coordinate transportation systems and services will likely occur in the future. Partnerships with neighboring cities will continue to be an important factor in successful transportation planning. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 9 r 1 1' —I OP In I , 1 r I�1 I '—, I r tr I If -41 I ! /t C 1 ', I 1 I 1 1 ,` •- KENT Q - -I I 1 I I -s 1 I • r a r t L. - . - -,_'a a4 r- rI• I�` 1,4.I. . . . .-,s__ _ _ 'r.. 1 '` I ri ;, . %. i'.g\ ,., „r'v.. r::: I I I 11 1 f I FEDERAL WAY ' f. I • r_ ' 1 - � tl - KING ) - .• COUNTY 1 . ,/ _ 1 1 1 r t I I ,.1 - - _ AUBURN 11/100.131400T 1♦ 1 GONAI i mi.~ I b - - OMAN I t + - ' I t 1$s r•- a , - .....1 .1 I I ' _,h+ PACF K iwMc I 1 i I 1 I PIERCE 1 1 I+ ` -1 r' COUNTY 1 - I - 1( - - i 4- I RESEAviTioN - 1, t r-E --`._r - - ��.. t 1 I 1 I SUMNER 1 I 1 1 - -i I t 1 1 1 P ♦ 1 I.-+ /t _ 1 1 + Auxittx ., ,..H.4-,... . �"i -/` `I 1 ( ; LAKE ♦"I Map 1-1 Adjacent Jurisdictions 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 10 MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (MIT) is situated in the southeastern portion of the City and in unincorporated King County, generally to the east of Auburn Way South (SR-164) and south of SR-18. The Muckleshoot Tribe operates two major attractions in or near Auburn: the Muckleshoot Casino and the White River Amphitheatre. Both of these activity centers generate a large number of vehicle trips. Commercial development on tribal lands is expected to increase in the future and must be evaluated during transportation planning efforts. The City and tribe coordinate on a variety of transportation planning issues, both to accommodate the capacity needs derived from traffic generated by tribal land uses and to ensure the tribe has a functioning transportation system for its members. The City and the Tribe are currently working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to partner on pedestrian improvement projects along the Auburn Way South corridor. The Muckleshoot Tribe has developed their own Comprehensive Land Use Plan. In addition, a Transportation Plan and a Tribal Transportation Improvement Program have been created to identify transportation needs and plan for the next seven generations. One theme that is emerging from this effort is the need to build a well-connected internal roadway system on the reservation. Currently, Auburn Way South is the primary route for drivers and pedestrians traveling within the reservation. This extensive internal network will increase transportation efficiency and most importantly improve safety along the Auburn Way South corridor. The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the City of Auburn have created a partnership to provide safety improvements along Auburn Way South. These improvements are complete and the City continues to pursue grant and partnership opportunities to complete additional improvements along the corridor. During July 2015,the State Legislature passed a transportation package which included $15 million for the SR 164 East Auburn Access project, which will create and develop an affordable, long-term improvement to congestion and safety issues, while also planning to accommodate future growth in the area. The City is involved in the development of the preferred alternative for this project. The Muckleshoot Tribe runs two publicly available Transit routes along SR-164. The Reservation Route runs through the Tribe community, and stops southeast of Les Gove Park. It runs every 30 minutes starting at 7:00am. The Auburn Route Express runs from the Tribe through the City of Auburn, making stops along the way. It runs every hour starting at 7:00am. 1.4 ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE THE LAST PLAN (2015) Since 2015, the City has completed numerous transportation improvements, with an emphasis on providing new road capacity, improving pedestrian and bicycle safety, preservation of existing infrastructure, and providing better access to regional transit services including commuter rail. Planned and completed capacity projects are shown on Tables 2-2, 2-4 and Appendix A. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 11 In addition to the completed planned capacity projects, additional projects were completed, such as, for example, the I street roundabout at 22' St NE, the Auburn Way South sidewalk additions from Dogwood to Hemlock and from 17th St SE to Muckleshoot Plaza,the 277th multimodal path from Auburn Way N to L St, and the F street SE non-motorized improvements, all of which increase road users safety and accessibility. 1.5 PLAN ORGANIZATION The following three chapters are organized according to the three primary transportation modes in Auburn: the Street System (Chapter 2), the Non-motorized System (Chapter 3), and the Transit System (Chapter 4). Each chapter contains a needs assessment and discussion of the future system, including proposed projects or improvements. The remaining chapters cover subjects pertaining to all three system types. Chapter 5 details the City's transportation objectives and policies. Chapter 6 discusses funding sources that can be used to finance future network improvements. Chapter 7 identifies a monitoring and evaluation strategy to ensure the document remains relevant and that progress is made towards implementation of the Plan. 1.6 STAFF RESOURCES Implementation of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan requires numerous resources, including staff time. All departments play a role in executing the Plan, but the Public Works Department is the implementation lead. The Public Works Department employs engineers, planners, technical and support staff, and maintenance and operations personnel to maintain and improve the City's transportation system. Nonetheless, staff performs many functions, and dedicating sufficient resources to carry out the goals of this plan continues to present challenges. Figure 1-1 identifies the basic organization of the Public Works Department, Transportation Program. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 12 Figure 1-1 Transportation Program Staff Resources(2020) DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE& CITY OPERATIONS GENERA ENGINEER/ASSISTANT MANAGER DIRECTOR STREET/VEGETATION TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SENIOR TRAFFIC SENIOR MANAGER ENGINEER ENGINEER TRANSPORTATION PLANNER I I TRANSPORTATION VEGETATION TRAFFIC OPERATIONS _ ASSISTANT TRAFFIC PLANNER SUPERVISOR STREET SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR ENGINEER (VACANT) MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE TRAFFIC SIGNAL ASSISTANT TRAFFIC WORKER II CDL - WORKER II CDL - TECHNICIAN .- ENGINEER - ROW SPECIALIST (6 POSITIONS) (6 POSITIONS) (2 POSITIONS) (VACANT) MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE WORKER i CDL .- WORKER I CDL (2 POSITIONS) (4 POSITIONS) 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 13 CHAPTER 2 - THE STREET SYSTEM The City is served by an extensive street network, which includes highways, arterials, collectors, and local streets. The Auburn transportation system is designed to accommodate all modes of travel. This chapter describes the network and how well it serves the City both existing and future. 2.1 EXISTING STREET SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION The street system functions as a network. Functional classification is the hierarchy by which streets and highways are defined according to the character of service they provide. There are three main classes of streets in Auburn: arterials, collectors, and local streets. Existing street classifications are shown in Map 2-1. All streets have been classified using the Federal Functional Classification system guidelines. No significant changes have been made to the classification of City streets from the previous Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The Auburn Engineering Design Standards identifies design standards for each type of City street, in conformance with WSDOT and AASHTO standards. From a planning perspective, acknowledgment and proper designation of functional classifications allows for the preservation of right-of-way for future transportation corridors, whether the corridor provides access to car, HOV, transit, bike, or pedestrian use. Functional classification helps establish corridors that will provide for the future movement of people and goods, as well as emergency vehicle access. Proper designation is crucial to the planning effort; as development occurs, accommodation for the appropriate transportation corridors should be incorporated into development plans. STATE HIGHWAYS SR 18—connects 15 to 190 through Auburn. Within the City limits, SR 18 has interchanges with SR 167, West Valley Highway, C Street, SR 164/Auburn Way S, Auburn Black Diamond Road, and SE 304th Street providing access to downtown Auburn and Lea Hill. It is classified as both a Highway of Statewide Significance (HSS) and a National Highway System (NHS) route for the entire corridor segment. SR 18 is a full control limited access highway, allowing access only at interchanges within the City limits. SR 167- also known as the Valley Freeway, serves as an alternative to 15, connecting South King and north Pierce counties to the 1405 corridor to the north. SR 167 is designated as both HSS and NHS. Within the City limits, SR 167 has interchanges with SR 18, 5 277th Street, 15th Street NW, and 15th Street SW. SR 167 is a full control limited access highway, allowing access only at interchanges within the City limits. SR 164- is a 15-mile roadway corridor beginning at the SR 18 interchange with Auburn Way S. The corridor is aligned southeast through the City, connecting with the Muckleshoot Tribal 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 14 Reservation and White River Amphitheater, and unincorporated King County before terminating in the City of Enumclaw at its junction with SR 410. SR 164 is a City street which is part of a State Highway. It is classified as an urban minor arterial by WSDOT, and also a HSS. The City of Auburn classifies it as a principal arterial. SR 164 does not have the same access restrictions as found on SR 18 andSR 167. ARTERIALS Arterials are the highest level of City street classification. There are two types of arterials in Auburn. Principal Arterials are designed to move traffic between locations within the region and connect with the freeway system. Design emphasis is placed on providing movement for both inter- and intra-city traffic. As such, these facilities typically carry the highest traffic volumes, experience the longest vehicle trips, and have the highest speed limits of all City streets. Direct access to adjacent land uses is permitted, although these streets are most likely to have limited access, in an effort to enhance safety along these corridors, and increase capacity for through vehicles. These arterials are the framework street system for the City and usually extend beyond the City limits, connecting with neighboring jurisdictions.They are typically constructed to accommodate five-lanes of traffic with speed limits of 30 to 45 mph. The design year average daily traffic (ADT) is greater than 15,000 vehicles per day. Principal arterials are heavily utilized as bus routes, carrying both local and regional service. Typically, on-street bicycle facilities are not appropriate for Principal Arterials and bicyclists are accommodated on adjacent separated trails or on parallel bicycle routes. Pedestrians are accommodated on sidewalks. Minor Arterials interconnect and augment the principal arterial system by providing access to and from the principal arterials and freeways. They serve moderate length trips with slightly less mobility than principal arterials and distribute traffic to smaller geographic areas. Minor arterials may serve secondary traffic generators such as business centers, neighborhood shopping centers, major parks, multifamily residential areas, medical centers, larger religious institutions, and community activity centers. While minor arterials should not enter neighborhoods,they do provide access between neighborhoods. They are typically constructed to accommodate four to five lanes of traffic with speed limits of 30 to 35 mph and a design year ADT of 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day. Minor arterials are frequently utilized as bus routes, have sidewalks to comfortably accommodate pedestrians and may include bicycle lanes, as appropriate. COLLECTORS Collectors are a step below arterials in the City classification system. There are three types of collectors in Auburn. Urban Residential Collectors are used to connect local streets and residential neighborhoods to community activity centers and minor and principal arterials. Urban Residential Collectors are typically constructed to accommodate two travel lanes with medians and turn pockets at intersections or two travel lanes with bicycle lanes. The posted speed limit is generally 30 mph 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 15 and the design year ADT is 2,500 to 10,000 vehicles per day. Urban Residential Collectors have sidewalks and may be utilized for some transit service, including dial-a-ride transit and paratransit services. Rustic Residential Collectors are routes located in areas with less intensive land uses associated with the Residential Conservancy land-use designation. They carry traffic between local and arterial streets. Rustic Residential Collectors provide access to all levels of arterials, are typically constructed to accommodate two lanes with gravel shoulders on both sides, and have a speed limit of 30 to 40 mph. The gravel shoulder may be reduced on one side to provide a wider shoulder on the other for bicycle travel. Rustic Residential Collectors do not have sidewalks and generally do not carry transit services except for paratransit and possibly dial-a-ride-transit. The design year ADT is 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day. Non-Residential Collectors provide intra-community access by connecting non-residential areas such as industrial and commercial areas to minor and principal arterials. They may serve neighborhood traffic generators such as stores, elementary schools, religious institutions, clubhouses, small hospitals or clinics, areas of small multifamily developments, as well as other commercial and industrial uses. Non-Residential Collectors are typically constructed to accommodate two lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane, with a speed limit of 30 mph and may include bicycle lanes. The design year ADT is 2,500 to 5,000 vehicles per day. Non- Residential Collectors have sidewalks and may be utilized for some transit service, including dial-a-ride transit and paratransit services. LOCAL STREETS Local Streets are the most common street type in the City. Local streets comprise all facilities not part of one of the higher classification systems. Local streets primarily provide direct access to abutting land and to the higher order streets. Service to through traffic is discouraged. There are four categories of local streets. Local Residential Streets provide access to abutting residential parcels. They offer the lowest level of mobility among all street classifications.The street is designed to conduct traffic between dwelling units and higher order streets. As the lowest order street in the hierarchy, the street usually carries minimal through traffic and includes short streets, cul-de-sacs, and courts. The speed limit is generally 25 mph and the design year ADT is 200 to 1,200 vehicles per day. Urban Local Residential Streets have sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians. Bicyclists may travel either on the sidewalk or within the travel lane depending on their level of comfort. Transit service is generally limited to dial-a- ride transit and paratransit. Rustic Local Residential Streets serve areas associated with the Residential Conservancy zoning designation. They provide access to adjacent land and distributing traffic to and from the arterials, residential collectors, rustic, and local streets. Rustic Local Residential Streets are two- lane roadways with gravel shoulders and a speed limit of 25 mph. The design year ADT is 100 to 1,000 vehicles per day. Because these streets have low traffic volumes, bicyclists can comfortably share the travel lane with motorized vehicles. Since Rustic Local Residential Streets do not have sidewalks, pedestrians walk along the shoulder of the road. Transit service is very infrequent and most likely limited to paratransit and possibly dial-a-ride-transit. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 16 Local Non-Residential Streets provide direct access to higher order classification streets and serve primarily industrial and manufacturing land uses. They offer a lower level of mobility and accommodate heavy vehicle traffic. Typically they have two travel lanes with a speed limit of 25 mph and the design year ADT is 400 to 1,200 vehicles per day. Local Non-Residential Streets have sidewalks to accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists may travel on the shoulder of the road (Class IV bicycle facility), although bicycle travel may not be as comfortable as on Local Residential Streets due to a greater frequency of trucks and other heavy vehicles. Transit service is generally limited to dial-a- ride transit and paratransit. Private Streets can be appropriate for local access in very limited usage. They provide direct access to City streets and should be limited to those streets accessing properties within a planned area and immediately adjacent properties. Private streets at a minimum are built to the same design and construction standards as a local residential street. ALLEYS Alleys provide vehicular access to abutting properties, generally through the rear or side of the property. Alleys can be public or private and serve several purposes including access management and the alleviation of traffic problems on city streets. Alleys should provide through access to city streets or adequate turnaround space if through access is not feasible. Alleys shall be constructed to allow for general-purpose and emergency access at all times. ACCESS TRACTS Access Tracts, sometimes referred to as shared driveways, provide vehicular access for lots that do not front a street or alley. They are most common in panhandle lots or rear lots that do not have street or alley access. Access tracts are privately owned and maintained. They must provide for sufficient vehicular movement and turnaround space, be free of temporary and permanent obstructions, and provide for emergency access. TRAFFIC VOLUMES Average daily traffic counts were obtained from data collected during 2019 Map 2-2 shows the existing average weekday daily traffic volumes on City arterials. A major contributor to the high traffic volumes on City arterials is traffic passing through the City. This pass-through traffic originates in surrounding jurisdictions and uses City streets to access the major regional highways, such as SR-18 and SR-167. Based on the City's travel demand model from 2014, between 25 and 30 percent of all vehicle trips on the Auburn street system begin and end outside the City. The City is committed to working with WSDOT to improve the state highway system, thereby reducing the demand on the City street system. SPEED LIMITS The City designates speed limits as a means of alerting drivers to safe and appropriate travel speeds for a particular corridor segment. Typically, the higher the classification of roadway, the higher the posted speed limit. Except for school zones which are posted at 20 mph when 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 17 children are present, speed limits in the City range from 25 mph (typically for local roads) to 45 mph on some principal arterials. The City routinely monitors corridors to ensure appropriate speed limits are in place. Unless otherwise posted the statutory legal speed limit in the City is 25 mph. TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SIGNS Traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings are used to inform road users, thereby increasing the effective use of the roadway by moving traffic more efficiently and safely. The City uses the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) as guidance for design, construction, and placement of these design elements in the right of way. FREIGHT Auburn is an important freight hub in the Puget Sound region, and the efficient movement of freight, through and within the City, is critical to Auburn's economic stability. Both rail and truck freight, originating largely in the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle, pass through Auburn regularly. RAIL The Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) have rail lines running through Auburn. The UP line runs north-south, to the east of the Interurban Trail. BNSF has a double-track, federally designated, high-speed railroad line running north-south. BNSF and Sound Transit added a third track to this north-south line in 2016. This third track was installed to handle increased commuter rail traffic and freight traffic. The BNSF Stampede Pass line runs east-west through downtown Auburn, entering Auburn at the east end of town near Auburn-Black Diamond Road, and merges with the north-south line just south of the Auburn Station. In addition, BNSF operates a rail yard between A Street SE and C Street SW, south of SR-18. In the future,this area may develop as a multi-modal rail yard, prompting the need to mitigate increased truck traffic through capacity improvements. BNSF also has plans to increase traffic on the Stampede Pass line, the east-west rail line running through Auburn. To accommodate this increase, the City completed the grade separation of M Street SE. Both the BNSF north- south line and the Stampede Pass line are handling an increase in rail freight traffic. BNSF handles a number of unit (solid) coal trains traveling to terminals in northwest Washington state, as well as unit oil trains carrying crude oil to northwest Washington state refineries. While loaded coal and oil trains are usually handled on the north-south line, some of these empty trains return east to Wyoming or North Dakota via the Stampede Pass line. TRUCK The City has designated truck routes for through freight movement in an effort to maximize the efficiency of, and protect the roadway infrastructure. Current City of Auburn truck routes are 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 18 shown in Map 2-3. Truck routes, established by City ordinance, are designated for roadways that incorporate special design considerations such as street grades, continuity, turning radii, street and lane widths, pavement strength, and overhead obstruction heights. In addition, the Washington State Freight and Goods Transportation System (FGTS) is used to classify roadways, freight railroads, and waterways according to the annual freight tonnage they carry as directed by RCW 47.05.021. Map 2-4 shows the 2019 classifications of City streets. The FGTS is primarily used to establish funding eligibility for Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB) grants, fulfill federal reporting requirements, support transportation planning process, and plan for pavement needs and upgrades. The FGTS classifies roadways using the following categories: • T1: more than 10 million tons per year • T2: 4 million to 10 million tons per year • T3: 300,000 to 4 million tons per year • T4: 100,000 to 300,000 tons per year • T5: at least 20,000 tons in 60 days and less than 100,000 tons per year Truck freight tonnage values are derived from actual or estimated truck traffic counts and converted into average weights by truck type. The City expects that the majority of regional truck trips will take place on state highways. However, recognizing that trips through the City are sometimes necessary, Auburn has designated a network of north-south and east-west corridors as truck routes, which are built to truck standards. In addition,the City has designated future truck routes, which will be designed and constructed to accommodate truck traffic, as opportunities arise. FMSIB has expressed an interest in these first and last mile connectors which provide access between these classified freight facilities and port, rail yard, distribution centers and truck terminals. Auburn has significant industrial and commercial development throughout the City. The City encourages local delivery trucks to use the designated truck network as much as possible, but recognizes that trips on non-truck routes are necessary. The City is committed to supporting local industry, business, and residential needs and recognizes that the ability to ship and receive freight is essential to the success of many businesses. To implement this policy,the City will collaborate with local businesses to improve freight access, while maintaining the roadway infrastructure, whenever possible. This may include adopting City Code and updating the Auburn Engineering Design and Construction Standards in a manner that favors these priorities. However, in a limited number of key locations, trucks may be prohibited due to existing design elements which do not support trucks, protecting sensitive areas such as downtown and residential neighborhoods, and to extend pavement life. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 19 _., _ „. . . _. .„. 4,,,,,,, , ;41,,,47::::..i.iet: .10:44:1: A 44, ._.... it ie' ‘70,11 .: Alit -- ,,7 , ..v., [11' I -A - a .. ... . 2 M Truck Traffic Using S. 277th Street SAFETY The City places the highest priority on providing a safe transportation system for all travel modes. Continual efforts are made to make changes to the street system in a manner that improves safety and decreases the likelihood and severity of collisions. Pedestrian crossings and other non-motorized safety issues are discussed in the following chapters. At grade railroad crossings, emergency response needs and collisions related to the street system are discussed below. At grade railroad crossings create conflict points between vehicles and non-motorized road users and rail traffic. Auburn has several at grade railroad crossings: the Union Pacific tracks cross 44th St NW, 37th Street NW, 29th Street NW, West Main Street, and 15th Street SW. The BNSF tracks cross 37th Street NW, 29th Street NW, 3rd Street NW, W Main Street, and Auburn- Black Diamond Road. With as many as 75 trains passing through the City each day, the City has many at- grade crossings, each with unique safety implications.The City coordinates with railroad operators and the State to upgrade the crossings whenever possible. For instance,the project to grade separate M Street SE at the BNSF Stampede Pass tracks by lowering M Street SE under the railroad overpass was completed during 2013. Recent upgrades include the construction of a pre-signal where 37th Street NW crosses the BNSF tracks, to stop westbound vehicles on 37th Street NW to the west of the grade crossing in advance of the traffic signal at B Street NE. The pre-signal will prevent vehicles from stopping on the crossing. BNSF recently constructed a third rail mainline between Seattle and Auburn to improve service and reliability for passenger rail. The new mainline is located on the west-side of the existing tracks. The third mainline reduces vehicle storage for westbound vehicles on W Main Street and 3rd Street NW between the tracks and traffic signals with C Street NW 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 20 Impacts at the remaining grade crossings are anticipated to worsen in the future due to increased vehicle demands at the crossings, combined with increased rail traffic, resulting in more frequent, and longer duration, closures. EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND MANAGEMENT Providing residents with quick responses in emergency situations is a high priority for the City. The City maintains a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and supporting plans which identify critical facilities that should be maintained as a first priority during catastrophic events. Critical transportation facilities, generally include Principal Arterials, bridges and major evacuation routes. In addition, the City works to provide a street network that will ensure multiple alternate routes for emergency vehicles. Fire and police response vehicles are equipped with traffic signal controls that enable emergency vehicles to secure safe and rapid passage along signalized corridors. In addition, the City has mutual-aid agreements with nearby emergency response operators to ensure adequate coverage in case of road closures or other obstacles that would otherwise prevent timely emergency response. CRASHES The City collects and reviews crash data to identify intersection and roadway locations where potential hazards exist. Potential safety problems are identified using the Safety Priority Index System (SPIS) methodology, an effective problem identification tool for evaluating locations with higher crash histories. The SPIS score for a location considers three years of data and considers frequency, crash rate, and severity. If a hazard is identified, corrective measures can then be identified and implemented as appropriate. While the City relies primarily on its own data, crash data from other sources, including neighboring jurisdictions and the State, is utilized whenever available. 2.2 STREET STANDARDS AND LEVELS-OF-SERVICE The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires the City to establish service levels for the street network and to provide a means for correcting deficiencies and meeting future needs. Transportation professionals use the term level-of-service' (LOS) to measure the operational performance of a transportation facility, such as a street corridor or intersection. This measure considers perception by motorists and passengers in terms of speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver,traffic interruptions and delays, comfort, and convenience. The City currently uses a single-mode LOS system based upon vehicular travel. In the future, a multi- modal system which includes transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists should be developed and adopted. The currently adopted LOS methodology gives letter designations from 'A' through 'F', with LOS A representing the best operating conditions, and LOS F representing the worst. LOS can be 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 21 quantified in different terms, depending on the transportation facility. Definitions for each level-of-service and the methodologies for calculating the level-of-service for various facilities are contained in the Highway Capacity Manual(Transportation Research Board, 2000). The City most commonly uses corridor level-of- service for accessing facilities. Generally, this is considered the most comprehensive way to determine vehicular traffic impacts. The following descriptions provide some guidance for interpreting the meaning of each LOS letter for corridor LOS on city streets. • LOS A describes primarily free-flow operations at average travel speeds, usually about 90 percent of the free-flow speed (FFS) for the given street class. Vehicles are completely unimpeded in their ability to maneuver within the traffic stream. Control delay at signalized intersections is minimal. FFS is the average speed of vehicles on a given facility, measured under low-volume conditions, when drivers tend to drive at their desired speed and are not constrained by control delay. Control delay is the total elapse time from a vehicle joining the queue until its departure from the stopped position at the head of the queue. This includes the time required to decelerate into the queue and accelerate back to free-flow speed. • LOS B describes reasonably unimpeded operations at average travel speeds, usually about 70 percent of the FFS for the street class. The ability to maneuver within the traffic stream is only slightly restricted, and control delays at signalized intersections are not significant. • LOS C describes stable operations; however, ability to maneuver and change lanes in midblock locations may be more restricted than at LOS B, and longer queues, adverse signal coordination, or both may contribute to lower average travel speeds of about 50 percent of the FFS for the street class. • LOS D borders on the range in which small increases in the number of vehicles may cause substantial increases in delay and decreases in travel speed. LOS D may be due to poor progression through the signalized intersections along a corridor, inappropriate signal timing, high traffic volumes, or a combination of these factors. Average travel speeds are about 40 percent of FFS. • LOS E is characterized by significant delays and average travel speeds of 33 percent or less or the FFS. Such operations are caused by a combination of adverse signal progression, close signal spacing, high volumes, extensive delays at critical intersections, and inappropriate signal timing. • LOS F is characterized by urban street flow at extremely low speeds,typically one-third to one-fourth of the FFS. Intersection congestion is likely critical at signalized locations, with high delays, high volumes, and extensive queuing. CITY LOS STANDARDS AND CURRENT LOS It is necessary to define LOS standards for transportation facilities to enforce the concurrency requirements of the GMA. If development causes a facility to degrade below a defined LOS standard, concurrency requires that the development make improvement to restore operations to the LOS standard or better, or the permit for that development be denied. Additionally, if development degrades a facility that is already operating below LOS standards, concurrency 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 22 requires that the development make improvements to restore operations to the pre- development conditions. Auburn defines unsatisfactory LOS as: an unacceptable increase in hazard or unacceptable decrease in safety on a roadway; an accelerated deterioration of the street pavement condition or the proposed regular use of a street not designated as a truck route for truck movements that can reasonably result in accelerated deterioration of the street pavement (typically addressed through the payment of the truck impact fee); an unacceptable impact on geometric design conditions at an intersection where two truck routes meet on the City arterial and collector network; an increase in congestion which constitutes an unacceptable adverse environmental impact under the State Environmental Policy Act; or the inability of a facility to meet the adopted LOS standards. The City uses corridor LOS as its primary measurement to evaluate the City's transportation system and to identify needed improvements. The City corridors typically used for analyzing LOS are shown in Map 2-5, although the City may require analysis of a different segment in order to assess the full LOS impacts. All arterials and collectors in Auburn have designated LOS standards. The LOS standard for these corridors is primarily LOS D with the exception of some corridors that may operate as LOS E or F. While the City uses a weekday PM peak hour based LOS system, weekday AM peak hour LOS impacts may be required to be analyzed in situations where unique conditions are likely to result in a LOS deficiency during the weekday AM peak hour. Table 2-1 identifies Auburn's LOS Standards, as well as the 2014 corridor LOS. As indicated in the table, LOS was calculated for many of Auburn's street corridors using traffic count data collected during 2014. When evaluating the impact of a proposed development, intersection and queuing LOS are analyzed and evaluated, in addition to these corridor LOS. Typically, a traffic impact analysis is submitted by the developer and evaluated by the City, to establish which mitigation is required, if any. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 23 Table 2-1 Corridor Level of Service—Existing 2014 Weekday PM Peak Hour LOS 2014 LOS ID Corridor From To Standard* NB/EB SB/WB 1 Auburn Way N 15th St NE S 277th St E C C 2 Auburn Way N E Main St 15th St NE E D D 3 Auburn Way S E Main St M St SE F C D 4 Auburn Way S M St SE Academy Dr.SE D B C 5 M St/Harvey Auburn Way N E Main St E D D 6 M St/Harvey E Main St Auburn Way S E D C 8 37th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N E C C 9 15th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N F** D D 10 Auburn Ave/A St 6th St SE E Valley Access Rd D B C 11 Main St West Valley Hwy R St D D D 12 15th St SW West Valley Hwy C St SW E D D 13 C St SW Ellingson Rd SR-18 D B C 14 West Valley Hwy 37th St NE 15th St NE E B C 15 S 277th St Frontage Rd L St NE E C C 16 R St SE/Kersey Way Howard Rd Lake Tapps Pkwy D B B 17 Lake Tapps Pkwy East Valley Hwy Kersey Way SE D C C 18 A St NW/B St NW 3rd St NW 5 277th St D C B 19 8th St NE/Lea Hill Rd Harvey Rd 124th Ave SE E C B 22 SE 312th St/132nd Ave SE 124th Ave SE SR-18 D B B 25 105th PI SE/SE 320th St Lea Hill Rd 124th Ave SE 0 A C 26 Lakeland Hills Way SE Lake Tapps Pkwy A St SE E D C 27 29th St SE/Riverwalk Dr. A St SE Auburn Way S D D C 31 3rd St SW/Cross St C St Auburn Way S F F E 33 41st St SE/Ellingson Rd A St SE C St SE F F F _ 35 West Valley Hwy 15th St NW 15th St SW E D E •Corridor segments within Downtown Auburn may operate at LOS E in accordance with the Auburn Downtown Plan.All other arterial and collector corridors must operate at LOS D or better,unless otherwise indicated. **Total travel time in the eastbound direction cannot exceed 1,000 seconds for this corridor to meet LOS standards. As shown in the table, each of the corridor segments currently meets LOS standards adopted by the City as part of this plan. The LOS standards for several corridors have been revised downwards in recognition that a number of corridors are considered to be built out by the City due to Right-of-Way constraints, impact to existing development, and project costs. For example, eastbound Cross Street and both eastbound and westbound 41st Street SE, all of which currently operate at LOS F. The poor operations on these segments can be attributed to their short length, closely spaced signalized intersections, and limited storage lengths, combined with high volumes of turning traffic. In the majority of cases it is the traffic operations at the intersections along a corridor which limit the capacity of the corridor, rather than the capacity of the roadway segments between intersections. This is especially true along corridors with closely spaced intersections, such as Cross Street and 41st Street SE, and corridors where two principal arterial roads intersect, such as Auburn Way S and M Street SE. Along other corridors where the number of intersections is limited and the distances between them are greater, the corridor LOS may not identify a bottleneck at one or more of the intersections along the overall corridor. An example of this is along the Kersey Way corridor, where the overall corridor operates at LOS B, but the 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 24 intersection with 29th Street SE operates at LOS D, with the highest delays and longest vehicle queue associated with southbound traffic on Kersey Way. STATE HIGHWAY LOS Amendments to the GMA in 1998 added new requirements for local jurisdictions to address state- owned transportation facilities, as well as local transportation system needs in their comprehensive plans (RCW 47.06.140). House Bill 1487, adopted by the Washington State Legislature in 1998, requires that the transportation element of local comprehensive plans include the LOS standards for Highways of Statewide Significance (HSS). HB 1487 clarified that the concurrency requirement of the GMA does not apply to HSS or other transportation facilities and services of statewide significance. HB 1487 also requires local jurisdictions to estimate traffic impacts to state-owned facilities resulting from land use assumptions in the Comprehensive Plan. THE WSDOT STANDARD WSDOT has identified a LOS D standard for all urban Highways of Statewide Significance (HSS) according to the State Highway System Plan (HSP). All state highways within the City of Auburn, including SR-18, SR-167, and SR-164 are classified as urban Highways of Statewide Significance, and therefore have a LOS D standard. LAND USE/TRANSPORTATION RELATIONSHIP Land use and the transportation system are intertwined, each influencing the development of the other. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate how the future transportation system can be improved to best support both existing and proposed land-uses. In 2003 Auburn was designated as a Regional Growth Center by the Puget Sound Regional Council as part of the Vision 2040 plan. Designated regional growth centers are identified for housing and employment growth, as well as being eligible for regional transportation funding. A broad overview of Auburn's Comprehensive Plan land use map's more intensive land use designations shows industrial (light and heavy) designations in the west side of the valley floor portion of the City, extensive commercial development (light and heavy) located along Auburn Way N, Auburn Way S, and A Street SE, and sizable heavy commercial designated areas near the SR-18 and 15th Street SW interchange (The Outlet Collection) and between 15th Street NW and 37th Street NW (Emerald Downs). Downtown Auburn is near the geographic center of the City, located generally east of the Interurban Trail, north of SR-18, west of F Street SE/NE, and south of 3rd Street NW/NE and 4th Street NE. Residential development generally exists along the east side of the valley floor and the surrounding hillsides of West Hill, Lea Hill, and Lakeland Hills. A major land use activity in Lea Hill to the east includes the Green River College located on SE 320th Street. As with many cities in South King and North Pierce counties, especially those along the SR-167 corridor,the local land use plan is characterized by a predominance of industrial land use designations. The land use element identifies "Industrial" as the City's second most 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 25 predominant zoning designation (residential being first). Consequently, the City's land use plan establishes a development pattern that has traffic generated by these industrial uses directed towards the State Highway System. Another key feature in the Comprehensive Plan land use element is a "Heavy Commercial" designation at 15th Street SW, adjacent to SR-167 and SR-18. This commercial designation is the site of The Outlet Collection. The Outlet Collection attracts customers on a regional basis and impacts use of the State Highway System, even more than the downtown, or the commercial development along Auburn Way and A Street SE. The same can also be said for Auburn Way N to the north of downtown which serves as an auto mall, which attracts both local and regional traffic. Downtown Auburn contains a mix of land-uses including residential, commercial and industrial uses. Commercial uses in the Downtown are focused along Main Street, Auburn Way and A Street SE, and tend to serve more local needs. Historically, this commercial development has served predominantly local needs. However, the presence of the Auburn Station, Multi Care, City Hall, and new development projects, combined with regulations and policies that encourage transit oriented developments, downtown commercial development will serve a broader range of needs in the future. Downtown Auburn also has the City's most robust non- motorized infrastructure, including both extensive pedestrian and bicycle facilities. This provides the opportunity for both residents and employees to rely on proximate transit services at the Auburn Station, combined with a robust non- motorized transportation system for a portion of their transportation needs. The goal of this plan is to continue to grow and expand the non-motorized transportation system to provide the same transportation choices throughout the City. The City's Comprehensive Plan land use map focuses residential development in the eastern portion of the valley and in the West Hill, Lea Hill, and the Lakeland Hills area. Access to the State Highway System in Lea Hill is limited to SR-18 at SE 304th Street. Future impacts on the State Highway System in the Lea Hill area will primarily be commuter traffic due to the predominance of residential comprehensive plan designations in that area, and continued growth of Green River College. The development of Lakeland Hills will also principally result in increased commuter traffic. Future impacts to the State Highway System can generally be gauged by projected arterial link ADT volumes at or near state highway ramps. This is, at best, only a general estimate since not all traffic passing through these street segments is utilizing the State Highway System. Further, traffic using the arterial segment may be originating from outside Auburn, and may therefore not result from assumptions in Auburn's land use plan. Several city arterials connect directly to SR-167 and SR-18. Some examples include C Street SW, West Valley Highway, and Auburn Way South connections with SR-18, and 15th Street NW and 15th Street SW connections with SR-167. These streets are among the most heavily used in the City, a function of their relationship to the State Highway System. SR-164 is also within the city limits. Year 2019 average daily traffic (ADT) volumes along SR-164 range from a low of 19,000 near the eastern city boundary up to 38,000 along Auburn Way South near SR-18. These volumes are forecast to continue to increase over the next 20 years. However, the growth is 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 26 limited by the capacity of the roadway. The State Highway System also impacts the City's local street system. A "pass-through" traffic pattern results in significant traffic volume increases on the local arterial street system. For example, many of Auburn's weekday PM peak hour trips are work to home trips originating outside of the Auburn area and destined for residential areas outside of Auburn, including Pierce County and the Enumclaw Plateau. This traffic exits state routes and travels through Auburn to avoid congestion on the State Highway System. This is evidenced by increases in traffic counts within the City that clearly exceed that which might be expected through anticipated growth and development patterns outlined in the City's land use plan, such as at SR-164 at the eastern City limit. The City may implement measures that encourage local traffic movements and discourage pass-through trips. 2.3 FUTURE STREET SYSTEM METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING FUTURE SYSTEM TRAVEL FORECASTS HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH Auburn has grown rapidly during the past decade, and housing and employment are expected to continue to increase significantly by 2035, with the population reaching approximately 95,000 residents, as shown in Figure 2-1. Much of the housing growth will come from higher density re- development in the downtown area and the rapidly growing Lakeland Hills and Lea Hill areas. Figure 2-1. Population, Housing, and Job Growth For City Of Auburn 2000—2035 100,000 ; 90,000 80,000 70.000 60,000 + - 50,000 40,000 — - 30,000 i 20,000 10,000 - --- 0 2000 2010 2025 2035 OPopulation ■Housing Units OJobs 1 —Population and housing data for 2000 and 2010 taken from US Census. 2—Population and housing projection for 2025 and 2035 from City of Auburn. 3—Covered employment data and estimates derived from PSRC. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 27 TRAFFIC GROWTH The City of Auburn relies on traffic forecasts using the VISUM travel demand model, which is based upon the land use plan and assumptions found in the land use element of the Comprehensive Plan. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) household and employment forecasts are also used. The model is calibrated to include existing land uses and local knowledge, including large traffic generators such as Boeing, the Outlet Collection, Emerald Downs, Muckleshoot Casino, and White River Amphitheater. Areas outside of the current city limits that are expected to significantly impact the City transportation system are included in the model. The model enables the City to conduct traffic forecasts for all arterial and collector streets based upon a number of if-then development and land use scenarios. The more dramatic traffic increases are often caused by development outside the City, especially along the roadways serving the Enumclaw Plateau. Other areas of major traffic increase include A Street SE, M Street SE, and the West Valley Highway. In order to address the growing traffic volumes and congestion levels on city streets, traffic operations were evaluated for a near term horizon year of 2022 and a long term horizon year of 2035. This approach was taken to help identify which improvement projects need to be included in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to accommodate short term growth, vs. those longer term projects which are needed to accommodate additional growth forecast to occur between 2022 and 2035. FUTURE 2022 CONDITIONS City Projects The 2015 TIP, adopted in 2015, identified programmed projects for the years 2016 to 2021. Therefore, the analysis of 2022 traffic operations includes City projects that would increase capacity along both roadway segments and at intersections that are anticipated to be constructed by 2022. The included projects are listed in Table 2-2 and illustrated on Map 2-6. This includes a project programmed in the TIP that was not included in the travel demand model: a new crossing of the BNSF Rail yard between SR-18 and 41st Street SE (2015 TIP #12). This is discussed in more detail in the Future System Recommendations section of this chapter and may be included in future updates to this plan. The 2015 TIP also included non-capacity projects such as non-motorized and preservation projects. The City's ADA transition plan also identifies non-motorized improvements. In addition, non-motorized improvement projects are discussed in Chapter 3, Non-Motorized Transportation. Regional Transportation Projects In addition to the City of Auburn projects identified above, a number of regional transportation projects are planned to be completed, predominantly WSDOT projects planned for the freeway system. However, none of these projects are anticipated to be completed by 2022. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 28 Additional Projects In addition to the projects identified in Map 2-6, four intersections along the City boundaries were identified as potential level-of-service concerns during the plan development. While the following intersections have not been analyzed in detail because they are partially situated outside of Auburn's jurisdiction, they should be evaluated by the appropriate jurisdiction and programmed for improvements as needed: ■ 51st Avenue S/S 316th Street (King County) ■ S 321st Street/46th Place (City of Auburn/King County) ■ S 321st Street/Peasley Canyon Road (King County) ■ West Valley Hwy/Peasley Canyon Rd (WSDOT) As mitigation for an adjacent development project located within the City of Auburn, the eastbound stop-controlled S 316th Street approach to 51St Ave S was widened to provide separate left and right-turn lanes. This improvement was required to mitigate a development related impact to LOS at this intersection. The same development project also identified a traffic operations impact at the S. 321st Street intersection with 46th Place S. As a mitigation for this impact, the development dedicated ROW to the city to allow the 46th Place S. approach to S. 321th Street to be realigned to the east to create two offset "T" intersections. This project is included in the current TIP, and included in Table 2-2 below. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 29 Table 2-2 Future Capacity Projects and Cost Estimate—2022 Projects shaded green =completed Location Total Map No. Cost(2015 (corridor and segment) Description dollars) City Projects Included in the 2022 Analysis Auburn Way S U-Turns, pedestrian improvements, and 1 Dogwood St SE to Fir St SE access control $1.75M I Street NE Corridor 2 45th St NE to S 277th St Construct 5 lane arterial $6.75M S 277th Street Widen to 5 lanes total and install a Class 1 3 AWN to Green River Bridge trail $8.3M 4 A Street NW Phase 2 Construct multi-lane arterial $3.15M W. Main St to 3rd St NW F Street SE Pedestrian, Bicycle and Vehicular Access 5 4th St SE to Auburn Way S Improvements $2.5M M Street NE 6 E Main St to 4th St NE Widen to 4 lanes $1.5M 8th Street NE Add EB lane to south side of 8th Street NE 7 Pike St NE to R St NE $1.45M 49th Street NE Construct multi-lane arterial connection 8 Auburn Way N to I St NE $3.35M 46th Place S Realignment Realign 46th Place S to the east to create two new T intersections 9 S 321st St and 46th PI S $825K 124th Ave SE Corridor 10 SE 318th St to SE 312th St Widen to 4 lanes and bike lanes $4M SE 320th Street 11 116th Ave SE to 122nd Ave SE Roundabout, Bike lanes, and safety improvements $4.64M 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 30 City Projects Included in the 2022 Analysis(Continued) Auburn Way S Additional turn lanes and vehicle storage, access control, and non-motorized 12 Muckleshoot Plaza to Dogwood improvements. $2.9M St SE W Valley Highway Roadway widening, re-channelization, Improvements non-motorized improvements and ITS 13 15th St NW to W Main St upgrades $3.7M W Main Street Re-channelization, non-motorized 14 W Valley Hwy to Interurban Trail improvements, ITS upgrades $4.45M 15 Auburn Way S Widen to 5-lanes,signalize Hemlock St SE $4.6M Fir St SE to Hemlock St SE 16 M Street SE Corridor Construct multi-lane corridor $6.7M 8th St SE to Auburn Way S. 17 Lea Hill Road Segment 1 Widen to 2 lanes each direction including widening of the Green River Bridge. Includes bike lanes and sidewalks. $13M R St NE to 105th PI SE 18 Lea Hill Road Segment 2 Widen corridor to include 2 eastbound $12M lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. 105th PI SE to 112th Ave SE 19 Lea Hill Road Segment 3 Widen corridor to include 2 eastbound $4M lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. 112th Ave SE to 124th Ave SE 20 W Valley Highway Re-channelization, non-motorized $3M improvements,ITS upgrades SR 18 to 15th St SW 21 R Street SE Construct a new roadway connection $10M 17th St SE to M St SE 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 31 City Projects Included in the 2022 Analysis(Continued) 22 M Street SE at 12th Street SE Install a new traffic signal $625K 23 M Street SE at 29th Street SE Install a new traffic signal $450K 124th Avenue SE at SE 284th 24 Safety and capacity improvements $700K Street Lake Tapps Parkway 25 Lakeland Hills Way to E Valley Add ITS system $1M Hwy 26 29th Street SE at R street SE Increase intersection capacity $1.8M 27 A Street SE at 37th Street SE Install a traffic signal and southbound u- $935K turn for future access management 28 I Street NE at 22nd Street NE Construct a new roundabout $1.4M Subtotal for City Projects $109M Non-City Projects included in the 2022 Analysis 51st Avenue S 288th Street Add signal 2022 LEVELS OF SERVICE Weekday PM peak hour levels of service were calculated for 2022 conditions using the same methodology used to calculate the 2014 levels of service shown previously. The same corridors were analyzed in both cases. The 2022 levels of service account for the growth forecast to occur between 2014 and 2022 and the capacity improvement projects identified above. The 2022 levels of service are shown in Table 2-3. Is should be noted that without the projects shown in Table 2-2, the traffic operations presented in Table 2-3 would be significantly worse, with a number of corridors operating below adopted LOS standards. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 32 Table 2-3 Corridor LOS—Future 2022 Weekday PM Peak Hour 2022 LOS LOS ID Corridor From To Standard* EB/NB SB/WB 1 Auburn Way N 15th St NE S 277th St E C D 2 Auburn Way N E Main St 15th St NE E D D 3 Auburn Way S E Main St M St SE F C E 4 Auburn Way S M St SE Academy Dr.SE D C C 5 M St/Harvey Rd Auburn Way N E Main St E D D 6 M St/Harvey Rd E Main St Auburn Way S E D D 8 37th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N E C C 9 15th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N F** D D 10 Auburn Ave/A St 6th St SE E Valley Access Rd D C C 11 Main St West Valley Hwy R St D C D 12 15th St SW West Valley Hwy C St SW E D D 13 C St SW Ellingson Rd SR-18 D B D 14 West Valley Hwy 37th St NE 15th St NE E B C 15 S 277th St Frontage Rd 1 St NE E C C 16 R St SE/Kersey Way Howard Rd Lake Tapps Pkwy D B C 17 Lake Tapps Pkwy East Valley Hwy Kersey Way SE D C C 18 A St NW/B St NW 3rd St NW S 277th St D C B 19 8th St NE/Lea Hill Rd Harvey Rd 124th Ave SE E C B 22 SE 312th St/132nd Ave SE 124th Ave SE SR-18 D B B 25 105th PI SE/SE 320th St Lea Hill Rd 124th Ave SE D B B 26 Lakeland Hills Way SE Lake Tapps Pkwy A St SE E D D 27 29th St SE/Riverwalk Dr. A St SE Auburn Way S D C C 31 3rd St SW/Cross St C St Auburn Way S F E E 33 41st St SE/Ellingson Rd A St SE C St SE F F F 35 West Valley Hwy 15th St NW 15th St SW E D C *Corridor segments within Downtown Auburn may operate at LOS E in accordance with the Auburn Downtown Plan.All other arterial and collector corridors must operate at LOS D or better,unless otherwise indicated. **Total travel time in the eastbound direction cannot exceed 1,000 seconds for this corridor to meet LOS standards. As shown in the table, all of the evaluated corridors would meet the revised LOS standards in 2022 with the inclusion of the improvements identified above. However, the following segments are forecast to operate at LOS F in 2022: • Southbound Auburn Way S between E Main St and M St SE; • Eastbound 41st Street SE between A St SE and C St SW;and • Westbound 41st Street SE between A St SE and C St SW. In order to improve traffic operations along these corridor segments additional improvements beyond those already included in this analysis are required. A review of the segment of Auburn Way S between E Main St and M St SE shows that traffic operations through the SR-18 interchange and at the intersection with M St SE cause the overall corridor segment to degrade to LOS E. The interchange area is constrained by the existing SR-18 overpass, the configuration of the SR-18 on- and off-ramps, and the close spacing of the ramp intersections which provide limited vehicle storage. As a result the ability to increase capacity along this section of the corridor is limited. It is possible that the construction of the new eastbound off-ramp from SR- 18 to SR-164 in the vicinity of the Muckleshoot Casino could draw traffic away from this area; however the scope of this project has not yet been determined so it was not accounted for in this analysis. It may also be appropriate, as with certain other corridor sections, for the City to 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 33 consider changing the LOS standard for this corridor to reflect that the existing corridor is built- out and further improvements are neither desirable nor costeffective. Similar circumstances exist for Corridor#33, 41st Street SE/Ellingson Road. This corridor is forecast to operate at LOS F in both the eastbound and westbound directions in 2022. This corridor is constrained by the BNSF bridge, the close spacing of the C Street SW and A Street SE signalized intersections, and the limited storage space between the two intersections. Providing additional capacity would likely require the BNSF bridge to be reconstructed, an expensive proposition, with a limited increase in capacity. It is possible that other capacity projects may reduce traffic volumes on this by constructing additional capacity on alternate routes. These include the crossing of the BNSF rail yard to the north which would provide another east-west connection across southern Auburn, and the completion of the improvements to Stewart Road to the south, including the replacement of the White River bridge, which would provide additional capacity between SR-167 and the Lakeland Hills area. The BNSF rail yard crossing project was project#12 in the 2015 TIP, however construction was shown beyond 2021, so this project was not included in the analysis of 2022 conditions. As of 2020,this project was removed from the TIP and included in the comprehensive plan project list in Appendix A, as funding for this project has not been identified. Completion of the Stewart Road capacity improvements are being planned by the Cities of Sumner and Pacific. The City of Auburn supports these improvements, and programmed a project in the 2015 TIP as project#73, which will provide the City of Pacific with some funds to support construction of their portion of the project. As of 2020, the City has programmed two projects in the current TIP, one to provide funding to the City of Pacific, and one to provide funding to the City of Sumner for the Steward Road capacity improvements. Construction of these improvements is not anticipated until beyond 2022, so this was not accounted for in this analysis. Another potential option could be to revise the LOS standard for this corridor to reflect that the existing corridor is built-out and further improvements may not be cost effective. The transportation system can be compared to a three legged stool in terms of the improvement strategies which are available to reduce congestion. The three options are to construct improvements to add capacity, make better use of the existing infrastructure which is available, and to manage demand. The analysis presented above accounts for the construction of additional capacity, and making better use of the available capacity through expansion of ITS infrastructure and the optimization of signal timing. The analysis does not account for demand management strategies which could result in improvements to traffic operations through the use of the following: • Parking Management and Parking Pricing • Car Sharing • Pay-as-You-Drive Insurance • Ridesharing and HOV Lanes • Transit Incentives • Transit and non-motorized Improvements • Telework, compressed work week, off-peak schedule Many of these solutions have been implemented at the state level, with additional 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 34 consideration being given to expanding the options which are currently in use. Decisions need to be made regarding how these three potential congestion management tools are balanced to provide the most cost effective solutions. It is unlikely that the City will be able to implement all of the capacity projects documented above by 2022 due to the cost of the project portfolio being in excess of available funding. Therefore,the focus should be on the most cost effective projects which reduce congestion at locations where it is a recurrent problem, and improving the efficiency of the existing system. Transportation system management and transportation demand management are included in the future system recommendations section at the end of this chapter. FUTURE 2035 CONDITIONS City Projects In addition to the projects identified above which were included in the 2022 analysis, a number of additional projects were included in the analysis of 2035 conditions. These additional projects include those which are included in the TIP but which are not anticipated to be constructed until beyond 2022, and the longer term projects included in the previous Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The included projects are listed in Table 2-4 and illustrated on Map 2-6. This includes a project programmed in the TIP that is not included in the model: the crossing of the BNSF Rail yard. This is discussed in more detail in the Future System Recommendations section of this chapter and will likely be included in future model runs and updates to this plan. Regional Transportation Projects In addition to the City of Auburn projects identified above, a number of regional transportation projects were included in the development of the forecast volumes. These are predominantly WSDOT projects planned for the freeway system. Table 2-4 summarizes the included projects, along with planning level cost estimates. Additional Projects Another future project with significant area-wide impacts is the addition of the Auburn Bypass connecting SR-18 to SR-164. A draft Bypass Feasibility Report (September 2009) was prepared in partnership with WSDOT, the City of Auburn, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and other regional partners. While a preferred alternative for the bypass has not yet been developed, the Washington State Legislature included funding in the 2015 transportation budget for the design and construction of this new connection. It is anticipated that the new roadway will include an eastbound off-ramp from SR-18 to SR-164 in the vicinity of the Muckleshoot Casino, no additional details regarding the project have been determined. Therefore, this was not accounted for in the traffic forecasts. The impacts of this project will be identified and mitigated as part of the process to determine the ultimate alignment. The project will be included in future updates of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 35 Table 2-4 Future Capacity Projects and Cost Estimates-2035 .location Total Cost Map No. 2015 corridor and segment) Description Ilars) Additional City Projects Included in the 2035 Analysis Widen road to two lanes each direction plus a center two-way left turn lane. Upgrade the intersection of 29 SR 164* Auburn Way South and Dogwood $61M Street to accommodate Bypass traffic. Hemlock St SE to Academy Dr SE R Street Bypass 30 M St SE to SR 18 Construct a new bypass road $6.2M SE 304th Street Add signal and NB left turn lane. Include sidewalks and bike lanes both 31 112th Avenue SE sides. $1.3M 124th Ave SE&SE 320th St Intersection Improvements Construct intersection improvements at the entrance to Green River College. 32 SE 318th St to SE 320th St $1.85M Add one-way(EB)road with unsignalized free right turn at A Street 33 A Street Loop SE. Include sidewalks both sides of $1.7M new road. A St SW to A St SE Construct new collector linking 284th Street at 124th Ave.to 288th Street at 132nd Ave. Road will be one lane SE 284th/SE 288th St each direction with bike lanes and 34 124th Ave SE to 132nd Ave sidewalks. $7.7M SE Provide protected SB left turn phase and signal and SB left turn lane; 51st Avenue Include bike lanes and sidewalks on 35 S 296th S all legs $1.4M 36 D Street NW Construct 4 lane arterial $6M 37th Street NW to 44th Street NW Subtotal for Projects $87M 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 36 *A portion of this project is under design in 2020,from Hemlock St SE to Poplar St SE,which includes road widening,center turn lane,and sidewalks on each side.This project in included in the current TIP and the City is actively seeking funding for the construction. From 1-405 to SR-18,add one NB and one SB general purpose lane; From SR- 18 to SR-161,add one NB HOT lane and one SB HOT lane;Add direct NB/SB SR-167 HOV/HOT lane connection ramps between SR-167&I-405;Add NB and SB auxiliary lanes between 1-405 and S 180th Street;Add NB and SB auxiliary 1-405 to SR 509 lanes between SR-516 and S 277th Street; Extend SR-167 from SR-161 to SR- 509. Complete ramp from EB SR-18 to SB SR-167 and eliminate SR-18 access from SR-18 at SR-167 West Valley Highway near Peasley Canyon. SR-167 Add HOV lane each direction 15th Street NW to 8th Street E Stewart Road Widen to 2 lanes each direction and center turn lane in the Cities of Sumner and Pacific. Includes widening of the White River bridge. SR-167 to East Valley Highway 2035 LEVELS OF SERVICE Weekday PM peak hour levels of service were calculated for 2035 conditions using the same methodology used to calculate both the 2014 and 2022 levels of service. The 2035 levels of service account for the growth forecast to occur by 2035 and the capacity improvement projects identified above. The 2035 levels of service are shown in Table 2-5. As shown in the table, all of the evaluated corridors would meet the revised LOS standards in 2035 with the inclusion of the improvements identified above. However, the following additional corridor segments would operate at LOS E or F in 2035: • Southbound Auburn Way N between S 277th St and 15th St NE; • Southbound Auburn Way S between E Main St and M St SE; • Northbound M St between E Main St and Auburn Way S; • Eastbound 37th St between W Valley Hwy and Auburn Way N; • Westbound 15th St SW between W Valley Hwy and C St SW; • Southbound Lakeland Hill Way SE between Lake Tapps Pkwy and A St SE; • Eastbound 3rd St SW/Cross St between C St and Auburn Way S; • Westbound 3rd St SW/Cross St between C St and Auburn Way S; and • Westbound 41st Street SE between A St SE and C St SE. In addition,there are two locations where corridors would operate at improvement levels of 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 37 service in 2035 relative to 2022 conditions: • Eastbound 41st Street SE between A St SE and C St SE, which would improve from LOS F to LOS E, the result of the improvements identified above, combined with the planned improvements to the Stewart Road corridor and SR-167 which would attract traffic currently using the 41st Street SE/Ellingson Road corridor to access A Street/East Valley Highway to the south. • Southbound West Valley Highway between 15th Street NW and 15th Street SW, which would improve from LOS D to LOS C. This is also likely to improvements to SR-167, which would reduce the use of West Valley Highway as a parallel bypass route. Table 2-5. Corridor Levels of Service-Future 2035 Weekday PM Peak Hour 2035 LOS LOS ID Corridor From To Standard* NB/EB SB/WB 1 Auburn Way N 15th St NE S 277th St E D E 2 Auburn Way N E Main St 15th St NE E D D 3 Auburn Way S E Main St M St SE F C F 4 Auburn Way S M St SE Academy Dr.SE D D C 5 M St/Harvey Rd Auburn Way N E Main St E D E 6 M St E Main St Auburn Way S E E D 8 37th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N E E C 9 15th St NE/NW West Valley Hwy Auburn Way N F** E E 10 Auburn Ave/A St 6th St SE E Valley Access Rd D C C 11 Main St West Valley Hwy R St D D D 12 15th St SW West Valley Hwy C St SW E D E 13 C St SW Ellingson Rd SR-18 D C D 14 West Valley Hwy 37th St NE 15th St NE E B C 15 S 277th St Frontage Rd L St NE E E C 16 R St SE/Kersey Way Howard Rd Lake Tapps Pkwy D B C 17 Lake Tapps Pkwy East Valley Hwy Kersey Way SE D C C 18 A St NW/B St NW 3rd St NW S 277th St D C C 19 8th St NE/Lea Hill Rd Harvey Rd 124th Ave SE E C B 22 SE 312th St/132nd Ave SE 124th Ave SE SR-18 D B B 25 105th PI SE/SE 320th St Lea Hill Rd 124th Ave SE D C C 26 Lakeland Hills Way SE Lake Tapps Pkwy A St SE E D E 27 29th St SE/Riverwalk Dr. A St SE Auburn Way S D C C 31 3rd St SW/Cross St C St Auburn Way S F F F 33 41st St SE/Ellingson Rd A St SE C St SE F E F 35 West Valley Hwy 15th St NW 15th St SW E C C *Corridor segments within Downtown Auburn may operate at LOS E in accordance with the Auburn Downtown Plan.All other arterial and collector corridors must operate at LOS D or better,unless otherwise indicated. **Total travel time in the eastbound direction cannot exceed 1,000 seconds for this corridor to meet LOS standards. To improve traffic operations along the corridor segments which are forecast to operate at LOS E and F in 2035, additional improvements beyond those already included in this analysis are required. However, it may not be cost effective to construct the additional capacity needed along all of these corridor segments. It may, however, be possible to improve traffic operations at key intersections along these corridors to reduce congestions. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 38 The City, and the broader region, will need to identify strategies and adopt policies, including transportation demand management, transportation system management, and public-private partnerships, to be able to manage congestion while reaching projected growth targets. FUTURE SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS 14 r, - \ '04 MO 4.S West Main Street, Downtown Auburn FUTURE STREET IMPROVEMENTS The proposed future street plan consists of a combination of city street and regional transportation improvements, described in Table 2-2 and shown in Map 2-6. The City cannot adequately solve traffic congestion by making City street improvements alone. Partnerships with WSDOT, King and Pierce Counties, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and other agencies are essential to implementing the future street system in Auburn. The following actions are proposed: 1. Implement street projects prioritized in the City's TIP and CFP; 2. Program and seek additional funding for street capacity projects not currently identified in the TIP and CFP; 3. Work collaboratively with WSDOT and other partner agencies to implement roadway improvements to the regional highway network; and 4. Work to implement TSM, TDM and non-motorized improvements. 41ST STREET SE/ELLINGSON ROAD BETWEEN A ST SE AND C ST SW The area around 41st Street SE/Ellingson Road between A Street SE and C Street SW continues to be a bottleneck for Auburn drivers, especially with additional development in the Lakeland Hills PUD and the Pierce County cities to the south. The close spacing of these two intersections, coupled with the numerous business and residential accesses in the area warrant a more in depth study of the area. This area is included within the scope of the A Street SE 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 39 Corridor Study being completed in 2020. The purpose of the study is to identify potential safety, capacity, and operational improvements along the corridor, including intersection control, and access management. BNSF RAIL YARD CROSSING The City has identified the need for a new east/west grade separated crossing of the BNSF rail yard between C Street SW and A Street NE. There are a variety of criteria that the City will consider to determine the alignment of the crossing, including potential development of the BNSF property as a multi-modal rail yard, commercial development on Auburn Way S and A Street SE, re-development of the GSA property, funding feasibility, neighborhood impacts, transportation impacts, and engineering feasibility. The crossing project was not accounted for in the 2035 traffic model. Therefore, it is difficult to access the specific impacts of the crossing project. However, it is anticipated that the project could significantly improve east-west mobility in southern Auburn, relieving the existing bottlenecks at 3rd Street SE and 41st Street SE, by providing an additional alternative for the residential neighborhoods to the east of the rail yard to connect with the commercial and retail land-uses and SR-167 to the west of the yard. One potential impact of the crossing project, depending on the alignment selected, could be an increase in traffic through the Terminal Park neighborhood. AUBURN BYPASS Another future project with significant area-wide impacts is the addition of the Auburn Bypass connecting SR-18 to SR-164. A draft Bypass Feasibility Report (September 2009) was prepared in partnership with WSDOT, the City of Auburn, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and other regional partners. The Washington State Legislature included funding in the 2015 transportation budget for the design and construction of this new connection. The project is currently referred to as the East Auburn Access project and is being led by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. The 2015 legislation defined the project as providing an east bound off-ramp from SR-18 that would connect to SR-164. The currently defined purpose of the project is to develop an affordable, long-term solution that: • Improves congestion, reduces corridor travel time, decreases queuing that blocks driveways and intersections, and improves reliability for emergency response for SR-164 • Accommodates current and future land use in the urban growth areas of King County, Auburn, Enumclaw, and the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation. This project has not yet been accounted for in the City's traffic models and forecasts as the project has not yet established the preferred alternative. The project will be included in future updates of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 40 TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT Transportation system management (TSM) techniques, which make more efficient use of the existing transportation facilities, can reduce the need for costly system capacity expansion projects. These techniques can also be used to improve LOS when travel corridors reach adopted LOS standards. TSM techniques used by the City include: • Re-channelization/restriping, adding turn lanes, adding/increasing number of through lanes; • Signal interconnect and optimization; • Turn movement restrictions; • Access Management; and • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The City will continue to use these TSM techniques to maximize the efficiency of the existing street network. Of the various TSM strategies available,the City continues to invest in and expand its ITS infrastructure as a cost effective means of increasing system capacity. The ITS system enables the City to change traffic signals in real-time, thereby accommodating unexpected increases in traffic or traffic obstacles such as event related traffic and collisions. For example, ITS has proven to be a useful tool in helping to manage the impact of event traffic traveling south on Auburn Way South, often during the PM peak, to the White River Amphitheatre. The City will continue to roll out ITS capabilities on corridors around the City, as referenced in Map 2-7 and detailed in the ITS policies included in Chapter 5. In addition to TSM strategies, the City strives to provide viable alternatives for travelers, to ensure freedom of choice among several transportation modes, including transit, biking and walking as alternatives to the automobile. The City will prioritize the development of pedestrian-friendly environments such as bicycle routes and pedestrian paths as the non- motorized system expands. TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT Reducing congestion includes strategies to reduce demands on the transportation system. The State of Washington emphasized the importance of transportation demand management (TDM) by adopting a Commute Trip Reduction law. That law requires all major employers, with over 100 employees arriving between the hours of 6:00 and 9:00 AM, to develop programs and strategies to reduce the number of commuter automobile trips made by their employees. Transportation demand management reduces demand on the street system. While TDM and TSM employ a different suite of strategies, they share many of the same benefits. Both increase the efficiency of the transportation system, reduce the need for costly capacity expansions, help improve LOS, and contribute to an enhanced quality of life for those who use and benefit from the transportation system. TDM strategies include: • ride-sharing through vanpools and carpools; • preferential parking for high-occupancy vehicles; • car sharing programs; 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 41 • transit use incentives; • parking management to discourage single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel; • telecommuting; • alternative work schedules to compress the work week or shift the commute outside the typical commute hours; and • urban design encouraging non-motorized travel through design features. The City of Auburn will continue to encourage drivers of single occupancy vehicles to consider alternate modes of travel such as carpools, vanpools, transit, non-motorized travel, and alternative work schedules, and has identified mode split goals for the Regional Growth Center. The goals were developed in consideration of the current mode splits for the Auburn Regional Growth Center, the current mode splits for all of the designated Regional Growth Centers, and the 2040 mode split targets identified by PSRC for all of the designated Regional Growth Centers. The existing and 2035 mode split goals for the Auburn Regional Growth Center are summarized in Table 2-6. Table 2.6 Regional Center Mode Split Goals Mode 2010 Existing 2035 SOV 81% 56% HOV ! 8% 8% Transit 6% 27% Bike 2% 4% Walk 3% 5% The mode split goals for the Regional.Growth Center reflect the desire to significantly reduce automobile travel as a share of work trips, with the most significant increase in the share of trips by transit.The reduction in the vehicle mode split will be the result of the right mix of land-use changes,transportation investments, and roadway pricing tools. Additionally, factors such as shifting demographic trends, preferences, and technology may contribute to mode shifts above and beyond the identified goals. STREET MAINTENANCE&REHABILITATION The City is responsible for maintaining the physical structure of the roadway system. However, pavement maintenance is expensive, and adequate funding is generally not available. An annual report is published to document the pavement rating throughout the City. In 2004, the citizens of Auburn voted to establish a funding program for local streets called the Save Our Streets (SOS) program. The original SOS funding measure allowed the City's property tax levy to generate revenue solely used to fund the preservation and re-construction of local streets. At the end of 2012,the practice of funding the SOS Program from property taxes ended. In 2013, the city council allocated the sales tax from construction projects within the City to be dedicated to the SOS Program. Since 2013, funding for the local streets preservation program has averaged about $2.3 million due to the significant amount of construction activity 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 42 within the City during this period. For 2019 and 2020, the funding approach was once again modified to fund the local streets preservation program with real estate excise tax, or REET, in place of the sales tax from construction. Unfortunately, REET funds are a limited source of revenue and funding of the local street preservation program at $1.65 Million per year is not sustainable from this source. The City has created a similar program to fund the repair and maintenance of arterials and collector streets. The program is funded through a one percent utility tax. While the available funding through this program is limited, which makes prioritizing projects challenging,the City has been able to maximize the value of the available funds by using them to leverage grant funds, enabling significantly more arterial and collector street repair and maintenance to be completed. r • I r Local Residential Street Before SOS Rebuild Local Residential Street After SOS Rebuild NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS Transportation systems and facilities can impact adjacent neighborhoods. Potential impacts result from increased traffic resulting from drivers seeking alternate routes to congested arterials, in an effort to save time. These impacts can include higher vehicle speeds resulting in potential safety concerns, and associated air and noise pollution. Neighborhoods throughout the City are concerned with these traffic impacts and want to discourage cut-through traffic. City policies discourage through traffic in neighborhoods. The City also has a traffic calming program that addresses the pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile traffic safety concerns that impact neighborhoods. The traffic calming program is a community-based program with the goal of identifying potential problems and development of solutions to help mitigate these impacts. The program raises public awareness of traffic safety issues and ways that people can help minimize traffic problems in their own neighborhoods. As part of its adopted Traffic Calming Program,the City conducted approximately 50 multi -day radar studies of streets in local neighborhoods annually. These studies helped target increased 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 43 Police enforcement efforts, and resulted in signage changes such as permanent "Your Speed Is" radar feedback signs. In other locations where they were recommended by the traffic engineer, physical traffic calming such as speed cushions were installed. The Traffic Calming program is currently on hold due to the limited resources available, and is being revaluated. At this time it is unknown when and how it will be re-established. Transportation staff work closely with the Police to address speeding concerns received from residents. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION The Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.070) provides that comprehensive plans should include a discussion of intergovernmental coordination efforts, including "an assessment of the impacts of the transportation plan and land use assumptions on the transportation systems of adjacent jurisdictions." Auburn works closely with neighboring cities, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and state and regional agencies to ensure coordinated efforts are made in developing all modes of the transportation system. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 44 CHAPTER 3 - NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION 4 It *10 Riding on the Interurban Trail Non-motorized transportation is an integral component of Auburn's transportation system. Non-motorized travel includes walking and bicycling. The City seeks to enhance the non- motorized travel environment both for recreational travel and trips that might otherwise be taken via a car or bus in order to improve mobility and environmental health. The City recognizes that the evolution of the transportation system has prioritized the automobile as the primary travel mode. A side effect of this process has been the erosion of conditions favorable to non-motorized travel. This chapter seeks to redress the balance by enhancing conditions in which non-motorized modes are a realistic and attractive travel option. Planning and developing a strong non-motorized network supports several state and national acts including Washington's Growth Management Act, Commute Trip Reduction Act, the federal Clean Air Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), MAP 21 (Federal Surface Transportation Bill) and its successors. Supporting the non-motorized system helps ensure compliance with these initiatives and the healthy community principles espoused by PSRC through Vision 2040. It also increases funding opportunities for City projects. Improving the non-motorized system also helps address the findings of the citywide Health Impact Assessment process, which recommended that the City improve sidewalk connectivity, improve the pedestrian environment, eliminate natural and man-made mobility barriers for pedestrian and bicyclists, improve transit access, improve traffic safety, pedestrian safety and personal security. This chapter is divided into two subsections: pedestrian travel and bicycle travel. Each subsection contains an assessment of existing conditions and needs, followed by guidelines for development of the future system. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 45 3.1 PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL 4 -44111 • • 046 Pedestrian Crossing at Green River College on S.320th Street As a Regional Growth Center,the City encourages transportation planning that emerges from a clear land-use plan based on a community vision and the values expressed in Imagine Auburn. In this vision, Auburn supports higher density housing in the downtown; neighborhood commercial districts; and landscaped, pedestrian-oriented street and sidewalk design. This pattern of development reinforces a positive pedestrian environment. NEEDS ASSESSMENT Auburn has many assets, which contribute to a welcoming pedestrian environment, most notably a pedestrian-scaled downtown and an extensive network of trails. The needs assessment highlights these existing assets and identifies improvement needs. EXISTING PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT As a whole, Auburn's urban fabric in the downtown has remained intact and supports a positive pedestrian environment. Businesses, shops, and single-family homes front streets with sidewalks and street trees. However, some of the older sections of sidewalks need repair or replacement. Since adoption of the 2009 Transportation Plan, there have been sidewalk, ADA and lighting improvements to Main Street, S Division Street Promenade, City Hall Plaza and Plaza Park and behind the shops on East Main Street. New growth in the downtown core has or will result in the development of multi - story residential and office buildings and senior housing, helping 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 46 renew the pedestrian infrastructure and creating a need for continued effort to maintain and improve the sidewalk system. In addition, the Sounder commuter rail station and transit hub at West MainStreet and C Street SW provide pedestrians more options for connecting to regional destinations. These improvements contribute to a more hospitable environment for pedestrians. The city has an annual sidewalk repair program which focuses on ADA improvements, responding to complaints, repairing identified hazards, and improving areas with high pedestrian use. Commercial development outside the downtown exists primarily along arterials and is dominated by strip development and auto-oriented businesses. Although sidewalks are provided on most arterials, pedestrians may feel exposed to the traffic. Surface parking lots border the sidewalks, and driveways interrupt the continuity of the sidewalk system. The heavy volumes of vehicular traffic and wide streets along arterials, such as Auburn Way, pose a barrier for pedestrians walking along or crossing the roadway. Sidewalk Inventory The City's GIS base map shows the approximate locations of sidewalks throughout the City. Most of this information was generated as part of the Plan update in 2005 using aerial photography and other GIS data. The base map was updated in 2008 to show sidewalks on the West Hill and Lea Hill where a large scale annexation into the City took place in 2007. The GIS base map is continuously updated based on updated aerial photography and as-built plans as improvements are completed. The City is currently developing a plan to create a comprehensive sidewalk inventory that would support the City's ADA Transition Plan, help identify needed improvements, and assist in overall asset management and maintenance of the City's sidewalk infrastructure. The older residential neighborhoods tend to have sidewalks on both sides of the street, but they vary widely in condition and construction standards. Some residential areas, such as southwest Lea Hill, were built under King County's jurisdiction and sidewalk construction was not required. Breaks in the sidewalk network require pedestrians to maneuver around parked cars, into private yards, or into the street. In newer neighborhoods such as Lakeland Hills, sidewalks built to the city standards applicable at the time of their construction are provided on both sides of the street. The sidewalk survey of the Lea Hill and West Hill annexation areas revealed a sporadic and often disconnected sidewalk system. Several of the newer residential developments have sidewalks, but many of the older residential areas and arterial streets are missing large segments of sidewalk, resulting in an inconsistent pedestrian environment. Trail Network Auburn's developing trail network provides local and regional connections for both recreational use and commuting. The regional trails that have been developed include the Interurban Trail and portions of the Green River and White River Trails. The Lakeland Hills Trail network provides connections to neighborhood parks, community center, and to the City of Sumner via 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 47 a tunnel under the BNSF railway. Map 3-2 illustrates the existing and proposed trail network within the City. SCHOOL ACCESSIBILITY School safety is a major concern for parents, students,the school districts, and the City alike. The Auburn School District, working with an advisory committee, has established a safe walking area for each elementary and middle school based on the presence of sidewalks, walking paths, and safe neighborhood streets, as well as the availability of safe street crossings and the traffic conditions in the surrounding neighborhoods. All routes within the safe walking areas are designated as 'Safe Routes to School'. Occasionally, individual schools will notify parents and students of preferred walking routes within each area. Since the last major update of the comprehensive plan the following Safe Walking Routes improvements have been made throughout Auburn; Some of these improvements were made possible by a Safe Routes to School grant. The flashing beacons have been funded through a combination of grant programs and City resources. Despite the progress that has been made over the past several years, there are still areas of need. The following needs were identified to enhance and improve the safety for school children in and around the school safe walking areas. The City will continue to work with the School District to identify gaps in the walking boundaries around each schools. Lakeland Hills Elementary Encouraging increased walking and biking to this school would provide the greatest benefit for easing traffic congestion and safety concerns. Additionally an onsite parking and access redesign would further reduce school pick up and drop off related congestion. Chinook Elementary Sidewalks along Auburn Way South between Hemlock St SE and Academy Dr SE. Additionally intersection improvements have been identified to reduce conflicts and improve circulation for buses. Accessible Routes of Travel The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that all new public, commercial, and institutional developments meet ADA standards. Furthermore, existing public buildings, public outdoor facilities, and public rights-of-way shall be retrofitted to achieve accessibility. An accessible route of travel is designated to accommodate the needs of many different people, including those who are blind, using wheelchairs, pushing a stroller or cart, or injured. The law requires that municipalities have a transition plan in place to address ADA issues. The City of Auburn completed an ADA Transition Plan for facilities in the Public Right-of-Way in 2020, with associated new policies that is published on the City's website. The City's Engineering Design 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 48 and Construction standards are also published on the City's website and include design and construction specifications that support ADA compliance. Site Design Pedestrian conditions should be evaluated at the earliest stage of new development. The zone between the development and the public right-of-way needs to contribute to pedestrian network connectivity and continuity. In addition to the public right-of-way, the interior of the site ought to be examined for suitable pedestrian circulation, and how the two are connected. Wherever possible, walkways should be placed along the most direct routes to connect buildings, parking, bus stops, and other attractions. In some cases, walking trails that link residential streets to collectors or arterials can provide a more direct pedestrian connection than travel along the sidewalk network, particularly in neighborhoods without a street grid system, specifically those with cul-de-sacs. FUTURE SYSTEM This section describes the City's vision for the future pedestrian system, and identifies programs and initiatives that will enable it to achieve this vision. Downtown The downtown is historically the social heart of the community, a place for people to interact. It is considered one of the primary pedestrian-oriented areas in the City. Important existing pedestrian downtown linkages include connections from W Main Street to the transit hub and commuter rail station, and between W Main Street and the Multicare Auburn Medical Center. The Downtown Plan, a special area plan adopted in 2001 as part of the City's Comprehensive Plan, anticipates high pedestrian oriented developments in this area, particularly around the Auburn Station. The Downtown Plan also identifies W Main Street, A Street SW, Division Street, and the alley south of Main Street as high priority pedestrian corridors. In addition, several recently completed projects have helped improve non-motorized access to the downtown and transit station, including the City Hall Plaza and Plaza Park project completed in 2010, the Division Street Promenade Project completed in 2012 and the A Street NW Extension project, opened in June 2013. Auburn Station has created demand for new mixed-use development, including commercial and residential elements. The City is committed to focusing new commercial and residential development adjacent to the Auburn Station and has been working on partnerships to bring several mixed-use developments to Downtown. These developments include pedestrian friendly design and streetscape improvements. A vital pedestrian network that extends beyond downtown is a key element in the revitalization of the downtown core. Commercial Corridors 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 49 The City encourages major employers to locate near transit routes and stops. Furthermore, pedestrian connections from residential areas to commercial corridors can be enhanced through site design policies that encourage more direct non-motorized connections to major retail locations. Future planning along commercial corridors should also include amenities such as landscaping adjacent to the sidewalk, improved pedestrian crossings, and enhanced bus stops at high use locations. Auburn has several commercial corridors, most notably Auburn Way North and South,that are frequently traveled by pedestrians. While most of these areas have sidewalks, there is the opportunity to enhance the pedestrian environment by providing additional protected crossings, making improvements to lighting, completing remaining sidewalk gaps and eliminating ADA accessibility barriers. For instance, pedestrian crossing issues arise because pedestrians often cross at uncontrolled or mid-block locations rather than walking to the nearest signalized crossing. This dynamic is partially attributable to the location of bus stops in relation to employment centers. Hence, efforts should be made to locate bus stops so commuters crossing to the opposite side of the road are dropped off and picked up near a signalized intersection. Residential Neighborhoods Investment in Auburn's neighborhoods is an essential component of providing a comprehensive and functional pedestrian network. As noted in the needs assessment, sidewalk conditions vary throughout the City. This plan acknowledges the need to retrofit the pedestrian network in many areas of the City and incorporate pedestrian facilities into new development. Financial mechanisms to help accomplish this goal are described later in this chapter. High Priority Pedestrian Corridors and Locations Map 3-1 identifies High Priority Pedestrian Corridors and locations such as schools, parks, and the Downtown Urban Center where providing pedestrian facilities is vital to safety, mobility, economic development, and accessibility in the City. The map distinguishes between corridor segments with complete existing pedestrian facilities and corridor segments that are not yet complete (lacking sidewalks on one or both sides of the corridor). While some corridors need sidewalk on both sides of the roadway, some will meet the needs of pedestrians with sidewalk on one side only. The map identifies where sidewalk exists and where sidewalk is needed. The map does not distinguish where sidewalks meet the City's current standards, and where the City expects to have sidewalk on both sides in the future. The High Priority Pedestrian Corridors were selected based on the following criteria: pedestrian volumes; proximity to schools, parks, transit routes, downtown center, commercial areas, and connections between pedestrian facilities to provide a network throughout the city. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 50 The City's current half street policy requires sidewalk to be constructed by developers whenever significant improvements are made to a property. This has proven to be an effective means of building out the sidewalk network. However, it is a slow process because it relies on new development or redevelopment to occur, making it difficult to complete whole corridors. By programming specific pedestrian corridors for investment, the City can leverage grant dollars and other resources to more strategically complete gaps in key pedestrian corridors. NON-MOTORIZED TRAILS ,iA r. iii .� '! i' tF+l• F c A '. ' - r.4 inti�. ' • )... Auburn Multi-Use Trail The Auburn Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan was updated in 2015 and identifies specific projects for the development of local and regional trails. The long term list includes: The Auburn-Pacific Trail provides a multi-use path that improves access from the White River to the Interurban Trail. A planned pedestrian crossing, under the BNSF railroad tracks just north of the BNSF Stuck River Bridge (over the White River), will improve the regional trail system by providing a connection between the City of Pacific and Auburn's White River Trail connection to A Street SE. Funding is still needed for the Auburn section of the Green River Trail. King County, which is the lead agency for this trail, published a new alignment study for the Green River Trail in December 2019. Planning efforts are also focused on the Auburn Environmental Park and connecting the park to the Interurban Trail. This unique park project shows residents the diversity of the ecosystem along the Mill Creek corridor. Additional trail planning is underway for connecting the Fenster Natural Park to the Green Valley Road area. An important component of Auburn's trail system includes trailheads. Trailheads should be inviting to users and provide amenities such as parking, bicycle racks, information kiosks, restroom facilities, water fountains, trash receptacles, and seating facilities. Trailheads should be constructed and improved as Auburn's trail system further develops. See Map 3-2 for existing and proposed trails and traiihead locations. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 51 FUNDING MECHANISMS Sidewalk Improvement Program The City of Auburn has an Annual Citywide Sidewalk Repair and Improvement Program to repair damaged sidewalks,tripping hazards, and to complete small missing links in the sidewalk network. These funds are essential for promoting non-motorized travel and can be used to leverage other funding sources, such as state and federal grants or other city capital projects. Auburn has identified three principal areas in which sidewalk improvements should be prioritized: corridors that provide access to and within the downtown, school zones, and parks with a focus on addressing potential hazards and areas of known complaints. Additional criteria for priority access improvement could include, but are not limited to, areas with high concentrations of senior citizens or disabled citizens, areas with high volumes of pedestrian- transit interaction, areas where private improvements such as trees have damaged the public infrastructure, and areas where property owners are willing to financially participate in the construction of sidewalk improvements through a local improvement district (LID). In considering projects, staff also review existing street deferral agreements to determine if the improvements previously allowed to be deferred are now needed and should be completed by the private party. "Save Our Streets" Program In November 2004, Auburn residents approved Proposition 1, "Save Our Street" Program, which created a dedicated local street fund. This money was set aside for repair and maintenance of local roadways which can sometimes also include sidewalk repair and rebuild. In 2013, the city council modified the funding source for this program to be from Construction Sales Tax revenues and no longer from property taxes. In 2018, City Council modified the funds for this program, which are currently provided by Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) for 2019 and 2020. • Sidewalks will be prioritized: • Where hazardous conditions are present; • On school walk routes; • Where extensive improvements are needed in a single neighborhood; • Along streets with curb and gutter; • Along Downtown pedestrian corridors; • Where curb ramps are missing; and • Where they will complete a missing link in a pedestrian network. • Where property owners are willing to financially participate in the construction of sidewalk improvements through an LID. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 52 "Arterial Preservation" Program The City also currently implements the annual arterial street preservation program funded by a 1% utility tax. Pedestrian, ADA, and safety improvements are included in many of the arterial improvement projects funded by this program. Arterial Bicycle and Safety Improvement Program The City implements this bi-annual program to fund bicycle and pedestrian improvements on classified roadways. Local Improvement Districts Local Improvement Districts (LID) enable city investment in a specified area by leveraging city funds with contributions from property owners in the district. LID's use limited city resources to improve neighborhood quality and can be used to finance new sidewalks. Safety Education and Enforcement Awareness of pedestrian safety issues should be promoted through educational programs and enforcement efforts. This combination helps reinforce key safety issues such as safe pedestrian crossings and speeding. The City will proactively work to identify problem areas and issues. The following list contains examples of some techniques that can be employed in these efforts. • Maintaining non-motorized travel information kiosks at key City destinations (e.g. Main Street, Outlet Collection, Emerald Downs,trails). • Displaying educational information in City publications, on the website, and on TV. • Maintaining and expanding wayfinding signage to direct pedestrians and bicyclists. • Partnering with the School District to teach children safe walking and biking behaviors. • Launching public information campaigns for problematic locations and partnering with the Police Department to provide enforcement. • Increasing driver awareness of vehicle speeds through the presence of radar speed signs where appropriate. Enforcing pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver infractions. 3.2 BICYCLE TRAVEL Bicycle facilities are an important component of Auburn's transportation and recreational infrastructure. Bicycling provides an environmentally friendly travel mode and helps citizens to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It also helps improve traffic congestion and air quality by providing an alternative to driving. Increasingly, bicycle commuting is becoming a more popular alternative, and the City is taking steps to provide a more functional and attractive network for commute cyclists, in addition to recreational cyclists. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 53 NEEDS ASSESSMENT Existing Conditions The topography in the Auburn Valley is flat and conducive to cycling for a range of skill levels. Areas along the Green and White Rivers provide recreational opportunities for multi-use trails that accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians. The Interurban Trail is part of a major north- south regional trail system. The Green River trail is also an extension of a north-south regional trail. Therefore, Auburn has a good network of existing or planned north-south recreational trails. However, there are few existing cross-town connections, and new connections onto the West Hill and Lea Hill are needed. Cross-town bike connections to the West Hill and Lea Hill areas of Auburn are more challenging due to steep topography. Yet investing in these connections is important because a significant number of Auburn residents live in these areas. Building these connections would improve bicycle access to regional transit, local employment, the regional trail system, and to downtown Auburn. Recreational and commuter cyclists travel along the Interurban Trail to areas north and south of Auburn. Cyclists also frequently ride along S 277th Street to the east side of Green River Road, and down along the Green River to 8th Street NE, or down R Street NE to SE Auburn Black Diamond Road. SE Auburn Black Diamond Road and SE Green Valley Road are popular routes for accessing areas east of Auburn. However,these roads are characterized by challenging cycling conditions and are not suitable for inexperienced cyclists. Once in Auburn,there is especially a need to increase the number of east-west bicycle facilities. Investing in trail connections to improve bicycle access in these areas should also be a priority. Bicycle lanes are limited on city arterials and collectors, making it difficult both for regional and local riders to navigate for any reasonable distance through the City. Limited bicycle storage is also a hindrance to cyclists. Map 3-2 identifies existing and planned trails and bike facilities in the City. Auburn Bicycle Task Force In March 2010, the city formed the City of Auburn Bicycle Task Force. This task force dissolved upon completion of their goals. It was intended that the Bicycle Task Force would further refine the City's goals and policies for its bicycle transportation system. The Task Force was comprised of a broad cross section of community members and interested parties that were charged to develop recommendations on bicycle facilities, issues and opportunities centered on the following three principles: • Connections—for example, how do bicycle riders get from the north end to the south end of the City or from Lakeland to Lea Hill? 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 54 • Recreation Opportunities—for example, how does the City further build and capitalize on a bicycle network to support and enhance the recreation options for its citizens? • Economic Development—for example, how does the City capitalize on the Interurban Trail as a conduit of customers for existing and new businesses? Bike Improvements Completed and Planned in the Near-Term Future The work of the task force has informed and guided city decisions on future bike lane and trail improvements and connections. Its work is directly reflected in improvements already made as well as the future bike lanes and trail improvements shown in Map 3-2. Since 2009 bike lanes were added to 124th Ave SE, and SE 320th Street near Green River College on Lea Hill, a new bike lane connection was created by the construction of the new A Street NW corridor. Bikes lanes were added as part of the new M Street SE BNSF underpass project and sharrows (share the road with bike symbols) were added to East Main Street. Bike lanes are part of the new planned West Main Street project and the F Street SE project includes development of a Bicycle Boulevard and Bike Share Program. Bicycle Facility Classification The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has developed classifications for bicycle facilities and parking. Bicycle classification is based on the design and exclusivity of use. Bicycle Facility Classification • Separate Facility (Class I) —A non- motorized two-way paved facility,that is physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier. • Bike Lane (Class II)—An exclusive on street one way lane for bicyclists delineated with signing and striping • Shared Lanes (Class HO—A lane shared by vehicles and bicycles. Wider lanes that may be delineated with shared use markings and signage. • Bicycle Boulevard—A bicycle focused roadway designated with enhanced signage and special pavement markings and bicycle friendly design standards such as wide curb lanes and bicycle safe drain grates. Typically designed to connect key bicycle destinations. Existing Class I multi-use trails in the City include S 277th St from Interurban Trail to L St NE, Interurban Trail, White River Trail, and Green River Trails. Class II bicycle lanes added since 2009 include; 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 55 • Terrace Drive NW (15th to W St) • A ST NW/B ST NW (3rd to 30th) • 14th StNW (ANWtoANE) • R St SE (17th to White River) • M St SE (3rd to 8th) • 116th Ave SE (SE 304th to SE 312th) • SE 312th St, 132nd Ave SE, SE Class III shared facilities were tested on R St NE/SE, Auburn Black Diamond Road and E Main St. They were well received by the cycling community and continue to be maintained. Shared facilities will continue to be implemented on other appropriate roadways. The F Street Bike Boulevard is scheduled to be completed in 2020. Bike parking facilities are classified by length of use: long term, and short term. The longer bikes are to be stored,the more durable the facility's design must be. Long term bike storage facilities are available at Auburn Station. The City currently provides short term bike storage throughout the downtown core. Improvement Needs Cyclists desire safe routes that make connections throughout the City and to regional points of interests. The existing facilities, while being continuously improved, still fall short of creating a well- connected bicycle network in Auburn. The City plans to build out the bicycle network shown in Map 3-2 and provide better east-west connections. Upgrading bicycle facilities on city streets is an important component of this plan. Auburn shall make greater efforts in the future to encourage bicycle use, particularly for commuting purposes, as a form of transportation demand management (TDM). One mechanism of doing so is to ensure that bike lanes and trails that serve major employers are prioritized. The City needs to take a more aggressive role in programming implementation of the future bicycle network identified in this chapter, ensuring that eventually all residents of and employees in Auburn feel comfortable commuting on bike. In addition, Auburn should seek outlets, including the City's website, to provide up-to-date information on bicycling options within the City and to regional destinations. The Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program provides a formal mechanism for encouraging these practices, and is required by state law for employers with 100 or more employees arriving at a single location during the AM peak travel time. Auburn's CTR program calls out bicycle storage facilities, lockers, changing areas, and showers as measures employers can take to meet their CTR goals. In addition, Auburn can use the SEPA process to encourage development of these facilities at the time of new development or tenant improvements. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 56 The Downtown Plan also discusses the need for improving bicycle facilities in the area. On- street bicycle facilities will be sought in association with planned roadway improvements. In addition,the City should investigate providing bicycle storage and other amenities on City owned properties. FUTURE TRAVEL 4. #1111,a0 e" .tAhliilik '' . , A • 'a iii,..4......«.0N . a A44 „ 72 i • . , .' The work is easier when shared The future bicycle network includes corridors for regional, recreational, and cross-town connections. The regional corridors will provide connections to the Valley communities as well other areas of King and Pierce Counties. Local biking groups have identified the Interurban Trail and Green River Trail as important regional connections. Other planned regional connections will link Auburn to attractions around the Puget Sound. The Green and White River corridors are multi-functional, providing recreational opportunities for regional and local bicycle trips. Therefore, the City has prioritized the completion of both these trail systems. Also, Auburn will seek to enhance portions of City trail systems whenever possible, by providing amenities for non-motorized travelers such as rest areas, as well as safety improvements including warning signage and grade separated trails. As shown in Map 3-2, the bicycle routes identified for future development will consist of a mix of interconnected local trails and on- street bike facilities linking Auburn's neighborhoods. The future Bonneville Power Trail will be a separated, hard surfaced trail crossing the Lea Hill area and connecting to the Interurban Trail and West Hill via on-street bicycle facilities. This new bike route is planned from Lea Hill through Isaac Evans and Dykstra Park to connect to downtown Auburn via the new A Street NW corridor. Numerous other on-street bicycle facilities and trails are planned. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 57 The selection of bike facility projects will be based upon safety, route continuity, and connectivity. In addition to new bicycle corridors, spot safety improvements are an important component of the City's future bicycle network. Improvements including flashing beacons have already been made at the Interurban Trail crossing of 15th Street SW, and are planned at the Interurban Trail crossing of West Main Street and C Street SW and Ellingson. In addition, safe access to downtown Auburn and onto West Hill, Lea Hill and Lakeland are a priority for the City. Typical bicycle route improvements along a Class I facility include purchasing the right-of-way, designing the trail, and constructing the trail and trailhead. For a Class II pathway, improvements include striping lanes, installing warning and directional signage, and painting bike symbols on the pavement. For a roadway where bikes will share the lane with vehicles, it may include the installation of shared use markings and signage. As this plan is updated in the future, emphasis should continue to be placed on developing a safe and convenient bicycling environment for both recreational and commuter cyclists of all experience levels. 3.3 FUTURE NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM Auburn's future non-motorized system consists of an interconnected network of sidewalks, bike lanes, and multi-use trails. The list of proposed projects in Table 3-2 is developed for planning purposes. Map 3-2 identifies the location of the trail projects identified in Table 3-2 and maps the future trail and bicycle network. Trail Name Potential Users Description Green River This paved trail will be part of a regional recreational corridor.King County is the lead Bicyclists Trail administrator of the project but will work in collaboration with the City for the portion of the trail Pedestrians in Auburn.The trail alignment will extend along the west bank of the Green River from S.277th St.,south to Brannan Park.From Brannan Park,the trail will then run south along M Street SE to 22nd Street NE,where it will turn east towards Dykstra Park.It will then cross the river at the Dykstra foot bridge to the east bank of the river.It will then parallel Green River Road and 104th Ave SE.Once across Lea Hill Road SE the trail will follow 104th PL.SE to the dead end.From the dead end the trail will follow the wooded bluff until it reaches a point opposite of Fenster Nature Park.At the alignment of 2nd St.SE the trail will cross at a future bridge location to the west side of the river and into Fenster Nature Park.The trail will continue south through the park and into the King County owned Auburn Narrows area where it will end near the intersection of Auburn Black Diamond Rd.and Green Valley Road. Auburn This looped recreational path spurs off the Interurban Trail and will go through the Auburn Off-road Cyclists Environment Environmental Park. Pedestrians al Park Loop 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 58 White River The White River Trail runs along the south side of the White River from Roegner Park to the Bicyclists Trail eastern edge of Game Farm Wilderness Park.Future extensions of the trail are planned from A Off-road Cyclists Street SE to Roegner Park,across the White River via the future BNSF Railroad underpass,on the Pedestrians south side of the river within the City of Pacific,and from Game Farm Wilderness Park to southeast Auburn along the White River. Williams Trail These recreational trails are intended to use public or quasi-public lands,including utility Bicyclists corridors.A variety of loop trails may be possible within this large area. Off-road Cyclists Pedestrians Bonneville This east-west trail will extend from Lea Hill to Dykstra Park Street,where it will connect to Bicyclists Power Trail downtown Auburn and West Hill via an existing and planned series of bike lanes.There are Pedestrians topographical and environmental challenges that will need to be addressed during the design phase. Academy Trail The portion of Academy Drive from SR 164 to Green Valley Road is currently closed due to slope Bicyclists failures.However,it has the potential to be re-opened as a multi-use recreational trail. Pedestrians Lakeland Hills This trail serves the Lakeland community and links Sunset Park and Dorothy Bothell Park via a Pedestrians Trail meandering sidewalk path along Lakeland Hills Way SE. A Street SE This mixed use trail would be along the BNSF tracks to the west of A St SE,from 6th St SE to 41St St Bicyclists Trail SE/Ellingson Rd. Pedestrians This network will provide local and regional connections for a variety of non-motorized modes. The completed portions of the Interurban and Green River Trails connect pedestrians and cyclists to areas north and south of Auburn, while the White River Trail provides for east-west travel. Additional bike lanes and completion of the paved trail network will guide cyclists safely to points of interests, and through congested areas of the City. Pedestrians will be able to travel more safely and comfortably with upgrades and expansion of the sidewalk network, new crossings and street lighting, and better street design near schools and frequently traveled pedestrian locations. The addition of a BNSF undercrossing,just north of the White River and west of A Street SE, will provide safe passage for pedestrians. A new trail connection along C Street SW will provide pedestrians and cyclists with a safer connection to downtown and the Auburn Station. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 59 PROMOTING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES kf ial i '. aJ r' White River Trail CrY *Orr White River Trail—Multi-Use Path The City of Auburn envisions a transportation system that will help promote healthy community principles by coordinating land use, the non-motorized transportation system, and transit in a manner that encourages walking and bicycling. The Puget Sound Regional Council has identified several elements, which contribute to the desirability of walking, bicycling, and transit use, in their Vision 2040 "Update Paper on Health". • Concentrating complementary uses such as restaurants, retail and grocery stores proximate to residences and employment. • Linking neighborhoods by connecting streets, sidewalks, and trails. • Designing for safe and welcoming pedestrian and bicycle facilities. • Enhancing transit opportunities and non-motorized connections to transit facilities. • Reducing and mitigating the effects of parking. These principles, many of which can be promoted by thoughtful transportation systems planning, encourage healthier communities by increasing physical activity and decreasing air pollution caused by vehicle emissions. Auburn has historically planned for a transportation system that incorporates many healthy community principles, such as transit facility planning and regional trail planning. In addition, the Downtown Plan calls for a mixed-use, high density, pedestrian oriented downtown. Improving the non-motorized system also helps address the findings of the citywide Health Impact Assessment process, which recommended that the City improve sidewalk connectivity, improve the pedestrian environment, eliminate natural and man-made mobility barriers for pedestrian and bicyclists, improve transit access, improve traffic safety, pedestrian safety, and personal security. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 60 In the future, Auburn shall continue to promote these principles through long-range planning efforts, capital facility improvements, development review, and community activities involving active lifestyle elements. IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS The City developed policies and identified funding strategies that will help implement the future non-motorized network. They can be found in Chapters 5 and 6, consecutively, of this plan. The planning direction outlined in this chapter shall be used as the foundation for implementing the non-motorized policies and securing funding. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 61 CHAPTER 4 - TRANSIT sic _ 1r 1 11 1 1 « s:.1311:" titer" ' 1 s , _r r Auburn Station Transit service is a key component of Auburn's transportation system, providing mobility within the City and access to and from the City. Unlike the street and non-motorized systems, Auburn does not directly administer transit service. Rather, the City works with local transit agencies to coordinate service in Auburn. The transit agencies are publicly funded and are responsible for providing transit service within their service boundaries. Today, Auburn is served by local and regional bus, as well as a commuter rail line that runs between Seattle and Tacoma/Lakewood. 4.1 NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICES The following section provides a brief summary of the public transportation services offered in Auburn. Existing transit service for the Auburn area is identified in Map 4-1 at the end of this section. Due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, all transit agencies saw a reduction in ridership and implemented service reductions, which may continue into 2021. The service levels outlined in this section are for normal operation. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 62 KING COUNTY METRO TRANSIT Bus Service Metro Transit provides local bus services linking destinations within the community and providing regional connections to the Auburn Station. With the deletion of Routes 910 and 952 and Route 160 alignment on Auburn Way, Metro will no longer serve the 15th Street NW Park and Ride in September 2020. However, the lot will continue to be served by ST Route 566. Metro Transit offers a network of bus service in Auburn, connecting the city to the region. Metro adopted and implemented changes to its network in September 2020, via the Renton- Kent-Auburn Area Mobility Plan (RKAAMP), and some of the routes were affected. These changes were in part to accommodate the planned RapidRide I Line, which would replace a portion of route 180, and provide frequent, reliable, and extended (early mornings to late night) service from Auburn Station, along the Auburn Way N corridor, connecting Auburn, Kent, and Renton transit stations. Route 160 replaces the portion of former route 180 from Auburn Station to Kent, with minor changes in its alignment. This route provides 15 minute service during peak hours, and 30 minute service during off-peak, and operates from 4 am to 3 am on week days, and from 5 am to 3 am on weekends. This route will become the RapidRide I Line in 2023, and will provide service every 10 to 15 minutes. Route 165 replaces route 164 and provides regional service between Kent, Auburn and the Green River College. It connects with the Route 181 at Green River College. This route is not changed within the city limits. Route 181 provides daily service between the Twin Lakes Park-and-Ride, Sea-Tac Mall, Federal Way Transit Center, the Outlet Collection, Auburn Station, and Green River College. Route 184 replaces the portion of route 180 from Auburn Station to south Auburn, and provides 20 to 30 minute service during the day, and 30-60 minute service during nights and weekend, and operates from 5 am to 1 am on weekdays, and 5:30 am to midnight on weekends. Route 186 was combined in 2020 with Route 915 to have one route number only. Route 910 was discontinued in 2020. Route 915 absorbed route 186, and provides weekday and weekend service between the Auburn Station and Enumclaw via Auburn Way South. The route also includes a small portion of Demand Area Responsive Transit (DART) service with limited, variable routing in response to rider requests. Route 917 provides weekday and Saturday service between A Street SE, 41st Street SE, Algona, the Outlet Collection, and the Auburn Station. The route offers DART service (limited variable route) in portions of Pacific. As of September 2020, service is more frequent at 30 to 40 minutes 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 63 on weekdays, and Sunday service is added, with 60 minute service on weekends. The route was shortened to begin in Pacific and will to no longer serve the A Street/41st St SE area of Auburn. The peak-hour deviation to serve the Social Security Administration and the General Services administration, which are in the process of relocation, was deleted due to low ridership and an off-peak deviation to directly serve the Wal-Mart was added to maintain access lost with the deletion of Route 910. Route 952 was discontinued in 2020. ACCESS ACCESS Transportation is a King County Metro paratransit service, providing door-to-door, shared- ride van transportation within most of King County. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires curb-to-curb paratransit service for persons whose disabilities prevent use of accessible non-commuter, fixed route bus service. This service is intended to offer a comparable level of service to that provided by regular bus service. Vanpool Services Metro Transit sponsors vanpool services that serve residents and employees in Auburn. Vanpool is a shared-ride service that provides group transport for commuters with proximate origins and destinations. Vanpool is a popular and flexible service that provides commuters with an alternative to driving alone and fixed-route transit service. Vanpool will continue to be an important strategy for mitigating peak period congestion throughout Auburn and the region. Metro Transit Facilities Metro Transit owns and operates the Auburn 15th Street NW Park-and-Ride with 244 surface parking stalls. Metro also operates into the Auburn Station managed by Sound Transit. Additionally, Metro maintains approximately 177 bus stops in Auburn, 42 of which contain passenger shelters. Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Under state law, the City is required to administer a Commute Trip Reduction program for all employers in Auburn with at least 100 employees arriving during the peak morning commute hours. The City of Auburn contracts with Metro Transit to provide CTR support services for the CTR affected local employers. Currently, there are 10 CTR employers in Auburn with a total of 5,500 employees. Metro Transit assists employers in complying with state law by providing rideshare support and a host of other incentives aimed at reducing single occupant vehicle travel. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 64 PIERCE TRANSIT Route 497 is operated by Pierce Transit in partnership with the City of Auburn, and King County Metro Transit. It operates peak hour weekday service between Lakeland Hills and the Auburn Station. As a morning and evening service meeting Sounder trains, the 497 is a commuter - oriented route, but is open to all riders. In the future, the City hopes to expand the Route 497 to serve all peak hour Sounder trips. Because Route 497 primarily serves Sounder passengers, and because it significantly reduces the demand for commuter parking at the Auburn Station parking garage managed by Sound Transit,the city is seeking financial participation from Sound Transit in operating this route and making this a permanent route. Vanpool Services are provided by Pierce Transit similar to those offered by King County Metro Transit. Future RapidRide I Line: The new route 160 will become the RapidRide I Line in September 2023; the first to serve the City of Auburn. City staff collaborate with Metro on this project, to offer support, review, information, and help. King County Metro is applying for a grant to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Auburn supplied a support letter for the project and grant application. When the new service begins,Auburn will be served with frequent (10 to 15 minutes) and reliable service, connecting Auburn to Kent and Renton nearly 24 hours a day. SOUND TRANSIT Sound Transit is the regional transit provider for Puget Sound. It provides limited stop, transit services linking Auburn to major regional destinations in King and Pierce Counties. The agency offers Sounder commuter rail and regional express bus services in Auburn. Sounder Commuter Rail Sound Transit operates the Sounder commuter rail service on the Lakewood-Tacoma—Seattle route via the BNSF Railway. Sound Transit provides weekday peak hour trips northbound to Seattle in the morning and southbound from Seattle to Tacoma -Lakewood in the afternoon. Reverse direction trips are also provided in each peak hour with limited mid-day service. Some connections are available between south line Sounder trains, which terminate in Seattle, and north line Sounder trains from Everett to Seattle. Additional special event service to and from Seattle for Mariners, Seahawks, Storm, and Sounders games on some weekends. Currently, nine trains operate northbound to Seattle in the morning peak, with an additional train during the mid-morning, and ten trains return southbound during the PM peak. Three trains operate southbound to Tacoma/Lakewood in the morning and northbound to Seattle in the early evening. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 65 Regional Express Bus Service Route 566/567 offers daily weekday, limited stop service between the Auburn Station the Kent Station, the Renton Transit Center, the Bellevue Transit Center, and the Overlake Transit Center. Route 577/578 offers daily limited stop service between Puyallup, Sumner, Auburn, Federal Way and Seattle. The 577 provides service between the Federal Way Transit Center and Seattle during the peak periods when the Sounder trains is in operation. The 578 provides service between Puyallup and Seattle during the off-peak hours when train service is not currently provided. Transit Facilities Sound Transit owns and operates the Auburn Station located in downtown Auburn. This full service multi-modal facility provides parking for a total of 633 vehicles in a 6-story parking garage and a surface parking lot. A new parking garage is expected to be available for transit users in September 2023, offering an additional 525 parking stalls. A number of parking stalls are reserved for carpool/vanpool, and a number of stalls are reserved for paying single occupant vehicles. The facility currently handles approximately 470 daily bus trips. Approximately 3,000 passengers ride bus service to/from the station on a daily basis. Boardings at Auburn on Sounder commuter rail are approximately 1,300 per day. The facility draws numerous transit riders from outside Auburn including from outside the Sound Transit taxing District,the geographic area where residents contribute tax revenue to fund Sound Transit. MIT TRANSIT The Muckleshoot Tribe runs two publicly available Transit routes along State Road 164. The Reservation Route runs through the Tribe community, and stops southeast of Les Gove Park. It runs every 30 minutes starting at 7:00am. The Auburn Route Express runs from the Tribe through the City of Auburn, making stops along the way. It runs every hour starting at 7:00am. 4.2 TRANSIT USER NEEDS DEMOGRAPHICS People use public transportation for two reasons: because they have to ride or because they choose to ride. Carrying the choice rider, such as commuters, often has the greatest positive impact on the transportation system by helping control peak hour traffic demand. But providing a "safety net" of adequate transportation to those who absolutely depend on it is, arguably, public transportation's most important role. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 66 There are a number of ways to identify "transit dependency", but the most effective way is to identify locations with high concentrations of residents who have no vehicle available in their household. An examination of the most recent year 2000 Census data available from the Bureau of the Census shows that some areas of Auburn have a high number of households with no vehicle available. This remains the most recent information available with the level of detail necessary to identify needs on a block level. As a comparison baseline, 9 percent of Auburn households have no vehicle available; this percentage is consistent with that of King County (9 percent) and slightly higher than that of Pierce County (8 percent). For the purpose of this analysis, block groups with significant concentrations of residential development in which over 12 percent of households have no vehicle available are considered transit dependent areas. There are eleven census block groups in Auburn in which over 12 percent of households have no vehicle available, nine of which have significant concentrations of residential development and are therefore identified as transit dependent areas. It is also notable that four of the nine block groups with large concentrations of residential development have at least 20 percent of households with no vehicle available. The nine block groups comprising the transit dependent areas had a total of 3,698 households in 2000, 771 (21 percent) of which had no vehicle available. Map 4-2 shows the transit dependent areas and overlays the existing transit service in order to identify if adequate transit service is available to these highly transit dependent neighborhoods. Comparing the neighborhoods in question to the transit route structure, it is apparent that the vast majority of Auburn's most transit dependent population lives within 1/4 miles of a fixed route bus—the distance standard most often identified by the transit industry as a reasonable walking distance to transit. An exception to that rule is the area near Dogwood Street SE north of Auburn Way South where many of the transit dependent residents are located more than 1/4 mile from fixed route bus service. In the future, it will be critical to ensure these areas continue to be well served by transit service, both in terms of route and schedule coverage. SERVICE COVERAGE Generally speaking, local transit service coverage in Auburn is well planned and well operated. Even though, there are some areas of the community that do not have adequate local service coverage, as well as some important regional bus links and commuter rail services that have yet to be fully developed. Local Bus Service Some of Auburn's most populated neighborhoods are deficient in local bus service, including the West Hill, Lakeland Hills during the non-peak hours, and parts of east and north Auburn. The least served residential area of Auburn is West Hill, an area with approximately 5,000 residents with no transit service. Lakeland Hills, a planned residential community with approximately 3,800 homes has peak hour service to downtown Auburn, but lacks all day 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 67 service. Lea Hill, a predominantly residential community on Auburn's east hill, has two transit routes, which predominantly serve Green River College, leaving a large portion of the residents unable to walk to a transit route. In 2014, a license plate survey of the Auburn Station garage indicated that a substantial number of Lea Hill residents utilize transit service at Auburn Station. This suggests that a commuter oriented shuttle serving Lea Hill, similar to the Route 497 shuttle implemented in Lakeland Hills, could be successful. Additionally, residential areas of east Auburn, east of M Street NE and south of 8th Street NE, and parts of northeast Auburn, east of I Street NE, are also located more than 1/4 mile from fixed route bus service. It is difficult for these areas to access transit, both for local and regional trips. The design of King County Metro's local bus routes in Auburn should be reviewed in relation to future changes in Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail and regional express bus services to identify opportunities and priorities for productive improvements to transit coverage, frequency, and hours of operation. Regional Bus Service The most important unmet regional transit need is for all day, express bus and commuter rail service between Auburn,Tacoma/Lakewood, and Seattle. While the original Sound Transit Regional Express Bus Service Plan contained a direct link between Auburn and Tacoma/Lakewood,the connection was discontinued in Sound Transit's later service plans. Sounder Commuter Rail Sounder Commuter Rail, a highly popular and attractive service, operates bi-directionally in the peak periods. Most of the trips are operated in the peak direction; northbound during the weekday AM peak and southbound during the weekday PM peak. No midday, evening, or weekend regular service is currently provided, except for the special events times. These services are needed as is additional capacity on some of the currently most popular runs. Intercity Passenger Rail Auburn is an ideal location for a future stop on the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor, which runs from Vancouver, BC to Eugene, OR. A former Intercity passenger rail stop and Amtrak city, Auburn is centrally located in South King County at the intersection of SR-18 and SR-167 and is a 10 minute drive from 1-5. The Auburn Station is the only facility in King or Pierce County with direct freeway access and currently serves over 3,000 bus passengers and 1,300 commuter rail passengers and is centrally located within 10 miles of 500,000 people. Amtrak should implement more intercity rail stations in the high density and traffic congested areas of Puget Sound such as at Auburn Station. A new Auburn stop would have great ridership benefits since it is at a station with available overnight parking and is in close proximity to hundreds of thousands of potential new customers. Furthermore the projected schedule impacts of a stop in Auburn could be largely absorbed in the overall route schedule. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 68 TRANSIT SCHEDULING The scheduling of transit service is often as important as route alignment and coverage in determining the success of the service. Scheduling to Successfully Serve Employers One of the most overlooked aspects of transit system design is scheduled transit arrival times versus major employer shift times. While a transit system can physically serve the front door of a business, its actual scheduled arrival times will often determine if anyone rides the system. It is not the intention of this effort to conduct an exhaustive employer shift time analysis of the community. However, an example of the challenge can be found in examining one of Auburn's major employers, the Boeing Company with over 6,000 employees. The company's primary morning shift time arrival occurs at 6 AM, the earliest southbound Sounder train from Seattle, arrives in Auburn at 6:32 AM. The first run of the day for the Metro Route 181 from Federal Way and Lea Hill arrive near Boeing at approximately 6 AM, making it difficult for employees to meet the shift time. The first runs of the Route 917 which serve the nearby GSA and SSA offices arrive after the Boeing shift time as well. None of the existing bus routes stop close enough to the Boeing facility to allow employees to walk to the facility. This shows how it is beneficial to continue to coordinate with major employers to offer alternate transit options that can meet various shift times such as dedicated Vanpools or Vanshares. The lack of transit schedule synchronization with key employers in a community can also negatively impact other opportunities. The City of Auburn in partnership with Metro Transit was the first agency in Puget Sound to create the concept of'Van Share', a specialized transit service in which vanpools carry employees to their employer's front door from regional transit centers. Where the schedules work, such as in providing a direct link between Boeing's Renton facilities and the Tukwila Station, the concept has been highly successful. On the other end of the trip, the Van Share concept can be successfully implemented to transport employees between their homes and the Transit Station, saving capacity on the roadway and at the Auburn Station parking facilities. Due to the fact that Auburn's major employer shift times sometimes don't match Sounder and regional bus transit arrival times, Van Share has not yet achieved its full potential in Auburn. However, as Sounder and bus service to the Auburn Station increase, this option may become more viable for major employers in Auburn. To maximize the investment in public transit service in Auburn, it is recommended that both Sound Transit and Metro Transit conduct an evaluation of their schedules with a focus on improving service to major employers in the Auburn area. Transit Capacity A second consideration in scheduling service is ensuring that enough service is available to meet the demand. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 69 Sounder Commuter Rail has also been immensely popular, indicating that increased service is supported by the ridership demand. Daily Sounder boardings at south end stations total around 6,000 riders, the equivalent of a lane of traffic on SR 167 or 15, emphasizing the importance of expanding Sounder service. The Auburn Station is a highly successful component of the Sounder service. Total rail boardings at the Auburn Station today average over 1,300 riders per day making Auburn one of the busiest stations on the Sounder route. URBAN DESIGN The design of the build environment has direct implications on the quality and availability of transit service. Urban design can either encourage or inhibit the provision of local transit service. Some inhibitors to providing neighborhood service include inadequate street geometry and construction, lack of a satisfactory location for a terminal at the end of the route, absence of a street grid that could be used to turn around a bus, and the absence of a connected sidewalk network. Ideally, new residential developments should be laid out with future transit route alignments in mind and supporting transit facilities. Likewise, retrofits of the existing street network should accommodate transit design considerations IMPROVING LOCAL SERVICE Preserving the Route 910 Since 2010 Auburn and Metro Transit have partnered through the Transit Now initiative to implement community shuttle circulator service. The Route 910 shuttle serves Northeast Auburn commercial and activity areas. The service has become steadily more popular, doubling in productivity since its inception. This partnership route between, Auburn and King County Metro has now been extended until 2020. The Transit Now initiative was terminated in 2020. The route 910 service was discontinued in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused service reductions, and was not renewed due to the added service frequency along Auburn Way N, along former route 180, and the changes and added frequency to route 917. Preserve and Expand Commuter Connection Bus Routes Auburn should work with Pierce Transit, Metro Transit and Sound Transit to preserve the Route 497 and add service to the Route to meet all existing and future Sounder trains while encouraging Sound Transit to fund a portion of the Route 497. Auburn should explore the concept with Metro Transit and Sound Transit of adding a new commuter bus/van service to Sounder from Lea Hill and the west hill of Auburn and encourage Sound Transit to fund a portion of the routes. Similar to the Route 497, these routes would be timed to meet Sounder trains and operate on a direct route and express schedule after leaving 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 70 the Lea Hill or west hill areas. These potential services are particularly relevant given Metro Transit's recent focus on the expanded use of Alternative Service concepts for covering areas which cannot support the use of a traditional fixed route bus but which are still in need of public transportation. TRANSIT FACILITIES One type of transit facility improvement stands out as the most important ongoing need: parking. Comparing the number of current Sounder daily boardings (1,300) to the available number of parking stalls at the Auburn Station (633) and the number of passengers who transfer daily from bus to Sounder (approximately 150) shows there is a lack of parking for Sounder at the Auburn Station. Additional train trips are currently being planned, including three new round trips, and these will attract more ridership (and result in more parking needs) in downtown Auburn. Although there is always a desire tO have as many people as possible access commuter rail without parking, the reality of the service is that it is usually used by customers who want to start and end their day with a direct, fast trip to and from the station. Only the Route 497 is specifically designed to link commuters to Sounder. It accounts for the majority of transfers between bus service and rail service. Given the strength of the demand for Sounder and the location of many of its users, other lifestyle choices (bike, pedestrian or TOD) will also not be sufficient to ultimately negate the continued demand for more parking. So, for the foreseeable future, parking will be a continuing challenge at the Auburn Station and even more will be needed as three more Sounder roundtrips are added, as scheduled in 2016 and 2017. Building the infrastructure to accommodate commuter parking demand is an essential component of making transit an attractive option for commuters. In order to do so, action is essential to clearly identify the future demand and acquire the land needed to build the parking. The plans created in ST2 and ST3 (ST2 is the Sound Transit Plan approved by voters during 2008, ST3 was approved by voters in November 2016 to build parking should be followed. If this is not done, neighborhoods within walking distance of Auburn Station, particularly those bordering W Main Street, will experience an increase in on-street commuter parking, making it difficult for residents to find parking during the day and early evening. To combat this issue, the City has established a restricted parking zone for residents to the west of C Street NW, however the problem may begin in other locations. Sound Transit should also examine the usage of the Auburn Station garage by people who live outside the Sound Transit Taxing District. The agency should consider requiring those users to pay to park in the Auburn Station garage. In a 2014 survey of the vehicles parked at the Auburn facility over 90 vehicles (15 percent of the parking supply) were registered at addresses outside the Sound Transit Taxing District. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 71 King County Metro Transit is responsible for installing new and maintaining existing bus shelters in Auburn. Both the City and agency should continue to prioritize potential improvements to shelters, benches, pads, bus zones, customer information and pedestrian access. Currently, about 20 Metro bus stops that meet warrants for the installation of shelters have not received them yet and City staff is focused on working with Metro to accomplish that installation. Pedestrian improvements around existing or planned transit stops, including enhanced crosswalks and pedestrian refuges, should also be examined by the City. The placement of bus stops is driven by a variety of criteria including transit system operating and design standards, professional engineering field evaluation, and public input. 4.3 TRANSIT SYSTEM RECOMMENDATIONS This section contains the recommendations derived from the transit needs assessment, as discussed in the first part of this chapter. Recommendations are organized by lead agency, with the understanding that implementation of any major system improvement will require the collaboration of many agencies. KING COUNTY METRO TRANSIT Explore partnering with Metro Transit and the Muckleshoot Indian tribe to create a new route combining the best features of the former Route 919 and the MIT tribal shuttle to provide better transit service to the city and the Reservation. Work with Metro Transit to create new,limited stop AM and PM peak transit services designed for commuters from Lea Hill and west hill to and from the downtown Auburn Station. Conduct an evaluation of transit schedules; improve service to major employers. Work with Metro Transit to add service to the Route 497 to meet more Sounder trains. Work with Metro Transit to implement the Rapid Ride I line which is part of Metro Connects Work with Metro Transit to introduce new Mobility Options to improve access to Rapid Ride and other high capacity transit services, such as Sound Transit commuter rail and regional bus routes Explore, assist, and encourage the implementation of commuter Vanpool and Van Share, linking Boeing to the Auburn Station,to meet Sounder and Regional bus routes. PIERCE TRANSIT Work with Pierce Transit to add service to the Route 497 to meet more Sounder trains. SOUND TRANSIT Work with Sound Transit to add service to the Route 497 to meet more Sounder trains and fund a portion of the Route. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 72 Work with Sound Transit to add new commuter bus service to the Sounder from Lea Hill and West Hill and fund a portion of the routes. Institute midday Sounder service to and from Tacoma/Lakewood and Seattle and plan for evening and weekend service in the near future. Address the loss of existing parking at the Auburn Station due to the use of the overcrowded Sounder parking facility by Sounder riders who live outside the Sound Transit taxing district and pay nothing for the facility. Continue to work with the City of Auburn to create additional parking near the Auburn Station, as specified in ST2. CITY OF AUBURN Partner with local transit agencies to provide transit service similar to the route 497 to serve other areas of Auburn, including the Lea Hill Area. The route would collect commuters to provide them access to the Sounder Station in downtown Auburn. Explore partnering with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to create a new route combining the best features of the former Route 919 and the MIT tribal shuttle to provide better transit service to the City and the Reservation. Work with Pierce Transit and Metro Transit to add service to the Route 497 to meet more Sounder trains and encourage Sound Transit to fund a portion of the Route 497 to continue the route in service for multiple years beyond 2016. Continue to work with Sound Transit to address the loss of existing parking at the Auburn Station due to the use of the overcrowded Sounder parking facility by Sounder riders who live outside the Sound Transit taxing district and pay nothing for the facility. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 73 CHAPTER 5 - POLICIES Transportation objectives and policies establish the framework for realizing the City's vision of its transportation system. Policies provide guidance for the City, other governmental entities and private developers, enabling the City to achieve its goal in accordance with the City's Comprehensive Plan.The policy framework presented below is a guideline, which the City will use to evaluate individual projects and address its infrastructure needs. The objectives and policies are organized according to five broad headings. The first heading, Coordination, Planning and Implementation, addresses the system comprehensively, detailing policies that pertain to the planning and implementation of the system as a whole. The subsequent four headings list policies specific to the following systems: Street system, Non- motorized system, Transit system, and Air transportation. The analysis of the transportation system, as well as any individual proposals, shall consider all modes of transportation and all methods of efficiently managing the network. GOAL To plan,expand, and improve the transportation system in cooperation and coordination with adjacent and regional jurisdictions to ensure concurrency compliance with the growth management act, and to provide a safe and efficient multimodal system that meets the community needs and facilitates the land use plan. 5.1 COORDINATION, PLANNING, AND IMPLEMENTATION OBJECTIVE: COORDINATION To be consistent with regional plans and the plans of neighboring cities,to encourage partnerships, and not to unreasonably preclude an adjacent jurisdiction from implementing its planned improvements. Coord-01: Coordinate transportation operations, planning and improvements with other transportation authorities and governmental entities (cities, counties,tribes, state, federal)to address transportation issues. These include: • Improvement of the state highway network through strong advocacy with state officials, both elected and staff, for improvements to state highways and interchanges; • Improvements to roadways connecting Auburn to the surrounding region, including SR 167, SR 18, SR 181/West Valley Hwy, SR 164, and S 277th Street; • Improved access to the Interstate 5 corridor and regional employment centers; • Transit connections to the Regional Growth Centers; • Establishing the Auburn Station as a center for multi-modal transportation connections to proposed future intercity rail service; • Strong advocacy with US congressional members to provide funding to mitigate transportation problems connected to interstate commerce; and 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 74 • Proactively pursuing forums to coordinate transportation project priorities among other governmental entities, including proposed future intercity rail service. OBJECTIVE: LONG-RANGE PLANNING & PROGRAMMING To continue to plan for the future of the multi-modal transportation system through long-range planning, programmatic planning, and financial planning, in compliance with the Growth Management Act. Plan-01:The Comprehensive Transportation Plan shall be evaluated and amended annually to ensure it is technically accurate, consistent with state, regional, and other local plans, and in keeping with the City's vision of the future transportation system. Plan-02: The Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) shall be updated annually to reevaluate project priorities, develop a plan to fund capital improvement projects, and ensure consistency between project priorities and financing plans. Project evaluation criteria shall foster economic development, maximize utilization of city financing to match transportation grants, promote safety, integrate planning of other projects requiring disturbance of pavements, promote mobility, and optimize the utilization of existing infrastructure. OBJECTIVE:SAFETY To provide a transportation system that is safe for all users. Safety-01: A safe and efficient transportation system shall be prioritized over driving convenience. Safety-02: Utilize education to increase awareness of existing traffic laws and safety issues, especially as they relate to pedestrians and bicyclists. Safety-03: Engage the community in transportation issues through public involvement and partnerships with organizations such as the Auburn School District. Safety-04: Identify areas with persistent traffic violations and address these violations, in part, through Police Department enforcement. Safety-05: Emphasize enforcement of the "rules of the road" for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists whose actions endanger others. Conduct enforcement in a manner that reinforces the messages found in non-motorized education & safety programs. Safety-06: Recognize the potential effects of hazards on transportation facilities and incorporate such considerations into the planning and design of transportation projects, where feasible. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 75 OBJECTIVE: CONNECTIVITY To provide a highly interconnected network of streets and trails for ease and variety of travel. Connect-01: An efficient transportation system seeks to spread vehicle movements over a series of planned streets. The goal of the system is to encourage connectivity while preventing unacceptably high traffic volumes on any one street. Ample alternatives should exist to accommodate access for emergency vehicles. For these reasons the City will continue to plan a series of collectors and arterials designed to national standards to provide efficient service to the community. Connect-02: Encourage the use of trails and other connections that provide ease of travel within and between neighborhoods, community activity centers, and transit services. Development patterns that block direct pedestrian access are discouraged. Ample alternatives should exist to accommodate non-motorized transportation on arterials, collectors, and local roads. OBJECTIVE: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Minimize the environmental impacts of all new transportation projects and transportation related improvements. Environ-01:Thoroughly evaluate the impacts of all transportation projects and apply appropriate mitigation measures in conformance with SEPA, the Critical Areas Ordinance, and other city, county, state, and federal regulations. Environ-02: Identify and consider the environmental impacts of transportation projects at the earliest possible time to ensure planning and decisions reflect environmental values, to avoid delays later in the process, and to reduce or avoid potential problems that may adversely impact the environment and project outcome. Environ-03: Incorporate Low Impact Development (LID), green technology, and sustainability practices into transportation improvements as primary alternatives whenever feasible. Environ-04: Support efforts to improve air quality throughout the Auburn area and develop a transportation system compatible with the goals of the Federal and State Clean Air Acts. Environ-05: Require air quality studies of future major development to assess impacts created by site generated traffic. OBJECTIVE: LEVEL-OF-SERVICE (LOS)THRESHOLD To ensure that new development does not degrade transportation facilities to below LOS standards. LOS-01: New development shall not be allowed when the impacts of the new development on the transportation system degrades the LOS to below the adopted LOS standard, unless the impacts are mitigated concurrent with the development as described in Chapter 2. LOS-02: The term "below level-of-service" shall apply to situations where traffic attributed to a development likely results in any of the following. • An unacceptable increase in hazard or an unacceptable decrease in safety at an 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 76 intersection or on a roadway segment. • An accelerated deterioration of the street pavement condition or the proposed regular use of a street not designated as a truck route for truck movements that can reasonably result in accelerated deterioration of the street pavement. • An unacceptable impact on geometric design conditions at an intersection where two truck routes meet on the City arterial and collector network. • An increase in congestion which constitutes an unacceptable adverse environmental impact under the State Environmental Policy Act. • An increase in queuing that causes blocking of adjacent land uses or intersections. • A reduction in any of the four (4) LOS standards below. 1. Arterial and Collector Corridor LOS: The level-of-service standard for each arterial and collector corridor is "D", unless otherwise specified in Chapter 2 of this plan. The City may require a development or redevelopment to examine a shorter or longer corridor segment than is specified in Chapter 2, to ensure a project's total LOS impacts are evaluated. 2. Signalized Intersection LOS: The level-of-service standard for signalized intersections is "D", with the following exceptions; for signalized intersections of two Arterial roads the level-of- service standard during the AM and PM peak periods is "E" for a maximum duration of 30 minutes and for signalized intersections of two Principal Arterial roads the level-of-service standard during the AM and PM peak periods is "E" for a maximum duration of 60 minutes. The City may require a development or redevelopment to examine individual signalized or roundabout intersections for LOS impacts to ensure a project's total LOS impacts are evaluated. 3. Two-Way and All-Way Stop Controlled Intersection LOS: The level-of-service standard for two-way stop controlled and all-way stop controlled intersections, is "D". If LOS falls below the standard, analysis and mitigation may be required in a manner commensurate with the associated impacts. This may include, among other requirements, conducting a traffic signal warrant analysis and installing or financing a signal or roundabout. 4. Roundabout Intersection LOS: The level-of-service standard for roundabout controlled intersections is "D". The City may require a development or redevelopment to examine to examine roundabout intersections for LOS impacts to ensure a project's total LOS impacts are evaluated. LOS-03: Establish a multi-modal level-of-service system in the future. LOS-04: PM level of service is the city standard. AM level of service may need to be analyzed in situations where specialized conditions exist that disproportionately impact AM traffic. OBJECTIVE:CONCURRENCY To ensure transportation facilities do not fall below the adopted level-of-service standard,as required by the Growth Management Act. GMA-01: Require developments to construct or finance transportation improvements and/or implement strategies that mitigate the impacts of new development concurrent with (within 6 years of) development, as required by the Growth Management Act. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 77 GMA-02: New development that lowers a facility's level-of-service standard below the locally adopted minimum standard shall be denied, as required by the Growth Management Act. Strategies that may allow a development to proceed include, but are not limited to: • Reducing the scope of a project (e.g. platting fewer lots or building less square footage); • Building or financing new transportation improvements concurrent with (within 6 years of) development; • Phasing/delaying a project; • Requiring the development to incorporate Transportation Demand Management strategies;or • Lowering level-of-service standards. GMA-03: The denial of development in order to maintain concurrency may be grounds for declaring an emergency for the purpose of amending the Comprehensive Plan outside of the annual amendment cycle. OBJECTIVE: QUALITY OF LIFE To improve the quality of life for Auburn residents and businesses through design of the transportation system. QOL-01: Enhance the livability of Auburn through a variety of mechanisms, including the innovative design and construction of roadways, non- motorized facilities, and associated improvements. Apply design standards that result in attractive and functional transportation facilities. OBJECTIVE:TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT(TSM) To efficiently operate the existing transportation system through Transportation System Management (TSM)strategies,thereby maximizing resources and reducing the need for costly system capacity expansion projects. TSM-01: Use TSM strategies to more efficiently utilize the existing infrastructure to optimize traffic flow and relieve congestion. Examples include: • Re-channelization/restriping, adding turn lanes, adding/increasing number of through lanes • Signal interconnect and optimization; • Turn movement restrictions; • Access Management; and • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). TSM-02: Support Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) implementation in coordination with Map 2-7. Future ITS corridors will be prioritized using the following criteria. • Grants, loans, or partner funding can be leveraged to expand the ITS system on a specific corridor(s). • There is existing infrastructure that would make it easier and more cost efficient to implement ITS elements. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 78 • The corridor(s) completes a logical segment or missing link in the citywide ITS network. • Significant travel-time savings can be achieved with ITS implementation. • Corridor supports other City communication and technology needs. • ITS implementation would have significant safety benefits, including reducing the need for police flaggers in intersections during events. TSM-03: ITS elements include but are not limited to: • Operational improvements such as traffic signal coordination; • Traveler information including traffic alerts and emergency notification; • Incident management; and • Traffic data collection. TSM-04: Require development to contribute its share of ITS improvements as mitigation. TSM-05: Program signal timing to encourage specific movements and the use of travel routes that are underutilized. OBJECTIVE:TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT(TDM) To utilize transportation demand management strategies to lessen demand for increased street system capacity, help maintain the LOS standard,and enhance quality of life for those who use and benefit from the transportation system. TDM-01: Encourage the use of high-occupancy vehicles (buses, carpool, and vanpool) through both private programs and under the direction of Metro and Pierce Transit. TDM-02: Promote reduced employee travel during the daily peak travel periods through flexible work schedules and programs to allow employees to work part-time or full-time or at alternate work sites closer to home. TDM-03: Encourage employers to provide TDM measures in the workplace through such programs as preferential parking for high-occupancy vehicles, car sharing, improved access for transit vehicles, and employee incentives for using high-occupancy vehicles. TDM-04: In making funding decisions, consider transportation investments that support transportation demand management approaches by providing alternatives to single-occupant vehicles, such as transit, bikeways and pedestrian paths. TDM-05: Recognize emerging TDM strategies such as tolling, variable-priced lanes, and car sharing may be effective in certain situations. TDM-06: Coordinate with Metro and other jurisdictions to enhance Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) programs for CTR employers in Auburn. TDM-07: Lead by example through implementation of a thorough and successful Commute-Trip Reduction (CTR) Program for City employees. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 79 OBJECTIVE: PARKING To ensure adequate coordination of parking needs with traffic and development needs and support development of a regional park-and ride lot system by Metro Transit, Pierce Transit,Sound Transit, and the Washington State Department of Transportation. Parking-01: On-street parking should be allowed only when consistent with the function of the street and with traffic volumes. Parking-02: New developments should provide adequate off-street parking to meet their needs. Parking-03: Develop and maintain regulations, which foster a balance between meeting the need for public parking and ensuring developers provide adequate parking to meet the demand generated by new development. Parking-04: In certain cases, such as in the Regional Growth Center and in areas with high pedestrian and transit use, it may be appropriate to reduce the developer parking obligation to achieve other community benefits or employ innovative parking strategies such as the use of "park &walk" lots, where people could park their vehicles and walk to nearby destinations. Parking-05:The City shall evaluate new residential subdivisions with constrained space for driveways, utility services, street lights, street trees, and fire hydrants and the resultant impact on the provision of adequate on-street parking. Where appropriate, the City shall require the subdivision to provide dispersed locations of on-street parking (or street accessible parking) to meet their needs in addition to the zoning code required off-street parking. Parking-06: Encourage park & ride lots on sites adjacent to compatible land uses with convenient access to the Auburn Station, SR 18, SR 167, and all regional transportation corridors. Parking-07: Work proactively with Sound Transit, WSDOT, Metro Transit, and Pierce Transit to ensure the adequate supply of park & ride capacity in Auburn. OBJECTIVE: RIGHT-OF-WAY To retain and preserve existing right-of-way,and identify and acquire new right-of-way as needed to achieve the City's objectives. ROW-01:The acquisition and preservation of right-of-way is a key component of maintaining a viable transportation system. Methods used to acquire and preserve right-of-way include: • Requiring dedication of right-of-way as a condition of development; • Purchasing right-of-way at fair market value; and • Acquiring development rights and easements from property owners. ROW-02: Preserve and protect existing right-of-way through the issuance of permits such as ROW Use permits and franchise agreements, by monitoring and responding to right-of-way encroachments and safety impacts, and by limiting vacations of public right-of-way. ROW-03: Vacate right-of-way only when it clearly will not be a future need or to support economic development. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 80 OBJECTIVE: MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION To maintain the City's transportation system at a level that is comparable with the design standards applied to new facilities. Prsry-01: Establish programs and schedules for the level and frequency of roadway and non- motorized system maintenance. Prsry-02: In order to help ensure the long term preservation of the city street system, the City shall prohibit non-local trip heavy vehicles from traveling on city streets, unless the City permits such travel via the issuance of a temporary haul permit that requires appropriate mitigation. Prsry-03: Establish standards of street repair and seek to obtain sufficient financing to attain and maintain a safe system in good condition. Prsry-04: Continue to implement the "Save Our Streets" program for maintenance and rehabilitation of local streets. Prsry-05: Continue to implement the arterial/collector streets maintenance and rehabilitation program. Prsry-06: Develop and implement operations and maintenance procedures to ensure ongoing effectiveness of LID infrastructure. Prsry-07: In order to help ensure the long term preservation of the city street system, the City may prohibit trenching or cutting into newly constructed or newly overlaid pavements for a period of 5 years. Overlays of up to the full roadway width of affected pavement surface should be required as mitigation in the event cuts into new pavements cannot be avoided. Prsry-08: City shall notify and coordinate with all private and public utilities within the City limits when planning to complete pavement overlay's or reconstruction.• ":4* ::: 4t• +wr �.,r.7 _ I • 1 'r<,. szAu- Save our Streets—Patching Treatment Save our Streets-Overlay 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 81 5.2 STREET SYSTEM OBJECTIVE: COMPLETE STREETS Ensure Auburn's transportation system is designed to enable comprehensive, integrated, safe access for users of all abilities including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists,transit riders and operators,and truck operators. Street-01: Plan for and develop a balanced transportation system, which provides safe access and connectivity to transportation facilities for users of all ages and abilities including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, transit users and operators, and truck operators. Street-02: Plan for, design, and construct all transportation projects, whether City led or development driven,to provide appropriate accommodation for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in a manner consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, except in situations where the establishment of such facilities would be contrary to public health and safety or the cost would be excessively disproportionate to the need. Street-03: Ensure the transportation system meets the requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ) and the ADA Transition Plan for Facilities in the Public ROW and its policies. Street-04: The Auburn Engineering'Design Standards is the primary vehicle for executing the Complete Streets Objective and should include standards for each roadway classification to guide implementation. Street-05: Context and flexibility in balancing user needs shall be considered in the design of all projects and if necessary, a deviation from the Auburn Engineering Design Standards may be granted to ensure the Complete Streets Objective and supporting policies are achieved. OBJECTIVE: STREET NETWORK To provide an integrated street network of appropriate classes of streets designed to facilitate different types of traffic flows and access needs. Street-06: The city street system shall be made up of three classes of streets: • Arterials - a system of city, county, and state streets designed to move traffic to or from major traffic and activity generators. Arterials should be adequate in number, appropriately situated, and designed to accommodate moderate to high traffic volumes with a minimum of flow disruption. • Collectors- a system of city streets that collect traffic and move it from the local street system to the arterial street system. • Local streets- a system of city streets, which collect traffic from individual sites and conveys the traffic to the collector and arterial systems. Street-07: The Functional Roadway Classifications Map shall serve as the adopted standard for identifying classified streets in the City of Auburn and the potential annexation areas. Street-08: Ensure all eligible streets classified in the Comprehensive Transportation Plan are 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 82 federally classified. Street-09: Street standards shall be developed, modified, and implemented that reflect the street classification system and function. The design and management of the street network shall seek to improve the appearance of existing street corridors. Streets are recognized as an important component of the public spaces within the City and should include, where appropriate, landscaping to enhance the appearance of city street corridors. The standards should include provisions for streetscaping. Street-10: The classification standards adopted in the Auburn Engineering Design Standards are considered the City's minimum standards for new streets. In cases in which the City attempts to rebuild an existing street within an established right- of-way, the City Council reserves the authority to determine if additional right-of-way should be obtained in order to realize the improvement. Preservation of neighborhood continuity and cohesiveness will be respected. Street-11: The standards for residential streets may be modified in cross section to provide better relationships between the different components of the street including, but not limited to, on-street parking, the landscape strip, and the sidewalk. Among other objectives, this may be done to balance the need to provide adequate parking and buffer pedestrians from traffic. Street-12:These minimum standards do not limit or prevent developers from providing facilities that exceed the City's standards. Street-13: Encourage King and Pierce counties to develop and implement a similar system of arterial designations within Auburn's potential annexation area. Street-14: Designate new arterials to serve developing areas concurrent with approval of such development. Arterials shall be spaced in compliance with good transportation network planning principles, and support the importance of overall system circulation. Street-1S: Encourage King and Pierce counties to develop and implement a similar system of collector designations within Auburn's potential annexation area. Street-16: Designate new collectors to serve developing areas concurrent with approval of such development. Collectors shall be spaced in compliance with good transportation network planning principles, and support the importance of overall system circulation. Street-17: Access Tracts may be permitted, as long as emergency access can be guaranteed at all times. Street-18: The local street network shall be developed to maximize the efficiency of the transportation network in residential areas and minimize through traffic in neighborhoods. • The internal local residential street network for a subdivision should be designed to discourage regional through traffic and non-residential traffic from penetrating the subdivision or adjacent subdivisions. • Where possible, streets shall be planned, designed and constructed to connect to future development. • When applicable, non-motorized paths shall be provided at the end of dead end streets to shorten walking distances to an adjacent arterial or public facilities including, but not 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 83 limited to, schools and parks. • Residential developments should be planned in a manner that minimizes the number of local street accesses to arterials and collectors. • To promote efficient connectivity between areas of the community, existing stub end streets shall be linked to other streets in new development whenever the opportunity arises and the resulting traffic volumes are not likely to exceed acceptable volumes as identified in the Auburn Engineering Design Standards. OBJECTIVE: PRIVATE STREETS To discourage the development of private streets and ensure, if they are permitted by the City,they are constructed and maintained according to City standards. Street-19: Private streets are discouraged, but may be permitted on a discretionary basis, as regulated by city code and the Auburn Engineering Design Standards. Street-20: If a private street is permitted, it must be built to public street standards as identified in the Auburn Engineering.Design Standards and Construction Standards manuals. Street-21: Private streets must provide for emergency vehicle access and be privately maintained by an approved association or business. The City does not maintain private streets. OBJECTIVE:ACCESS MANAGEMENT To limit and provide access to the street network in a manner which improves and maintains public safety and roadway capacity. Street-22: Seek consolidation of access points to state highways, arterials, and collectors. This will benefit the highway and city street system, reduce interference with traffic flows on arterials, and discourage through traffic on local streets. To achieve this level of access control, the City: • Adopts and supports the State's controlled access policy on all state highway facilities; • May acquire access rights along some arterials and collectors; • Adopts design standards that identify access standards for each type of functional street classification; • Encourages consolidation of access in developing commercial and high density residential areas through shared use of driveways and local access streets; and • Will establish standards for access management, develop a planning process to work with the community and implement access management solutions on arterial corridors. Street-23: Strive to prevent negative impacts to existing businesses, without compromising safety, when implementing access management. OBJECTIVE:THROUGH TRAFFIC To accommodate through traffic in the City as efficiently as possible,with a minimum of disruption to neighborhoods. Street-24: Continue to coordinate with the Washington State Department of Transportation to 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 84 facilitate the movement of traffic through the City. Street-25: Encourage the State and Counties to develop through routes, which minimize the impact of through traffic on Auburn's residential neighborhoods. Street-26: Actively solicit action by the State and Counties to program and construct those improvements needed to serve Auburn to the state and county arterial and freeway systems. OBJECTIVE:TRAFFIC CALMING To employ traffic calming techniques to improve safety and neighborhood quality. Street-27: Implement the City's traffic calming program to improve neighborhood safety and quality. Street-28:The traffic calming program shall require a technical analysis of existing conditions and appropriate treatments before actions are taken to fund and implement traffic calming measures. Street-29: The traffic calming program shall incorporate neighborhood involvement and seek community support. Street-30: New construction should incorporate traffic calming measures, as appropriate. OBJECTIVE: FREIGHT MOVEMENTS To facilitate the movements of freight and goods through Auburn with minimal adverse traffic and other environmental impacts. Freight-01:The movement of freight and goods is recognized as an important component of Auburn's transportation system. Freight-02: The movement of freight and goods which serve largely national, state, or regional needs should take place in such a way so that the impacts on the local transportation system are minimized. These movements should take place primarily on state highways, Interstates, or on grade-separated rail corridors in order to minimize the local impacts. Freight-03: Seek public and private partners to leverage funds for freight improvement projects and associated mitigation. Freight-04: Continue to work with the Freight Mobility Roundtable, FAST, FMSIB, and other local and regional groups to ensure regional needs are met, and local impacts are mitigated. Freight-05: All through truck trips and the majority of local trips shall take place on designated truck routes, as identified on the truck route map, Map 2-3, of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan. This policy shall not apply to developments and uses operating under existing right-of-way use permits,traffic mitigation agreements or equivalent agreements directly related to the regulation of permitted haul routes. Freight-06: If the City is unable to acquire funding to maintain existing truck routes to a Pavement Condition Index Standard of 70 on a segment of roadway, that route may be restricted or closed to truck travel. Freight-07: Work towards designing and constructing future truck routes, as identified on the 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 85 truck route map in Chapter 2 of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan, to sustain routine truck traffic. Freight-08: Local truck trips that have origins and/or destinations in Auburn may have to sometimes use routes not designated as truck routes. The City may approve the use of alternate routes not currently designated as truck routes for truck traffic, with appropriate mitigation. Approval may be made through issuance of right-of-way use permits, traffic mitigation agreements or equivalent agreements. Freight-09: Development shall be required to mitigate the impacts of construction generated truck traffic on the City's transportation system, based on the City's LOS standard. Freight-10: Temporary haul routes for overweight or oversized vehicles shall be permitted under circumstances acceptable to the City and with appropriate mitigation. A temporary haul permit must be obtained prior to the hauling of oversized or overweight freight. Freight-11:Truck traffic in residential neighborhoods shall be prohibited, except for local deliveries within said neighborhood, unless no other possible route is available, in which case mitigation may be required. OBJECTIVE: LATECOMER POLICY To enable private investors to recover a portion of improvement costs for transportation facility improvements that benefit other developments. LC-01:The City may enter into latecomer (payback) agreements where substantial transportation investments are made by one party that legitimately should be reimbursed by others, such as, when the infrastructure improvement will benefit a future development. Such agreements will be at the discretion of the City Council. Latecomer or payback agreements do not apply to situations in which a property owner is required to construct improvements per an existing city code provision, such as in the case of half-street and other frontage improvements. OBJECTIVE: ROUNDABOUTS To seek air quality,safety,and capacity benefits by promoting the use of roundabouts over traffic signals. RB-01: Intersections controlled with roundabouts are preferred over signalized intersections whenever feasible and appropriate due to the benefits achieved with roundabouts including reduced collision rate for vehicles and pedestrians, less severe collisions, smoother traffic flow, reduced vehicle emissions and fuel consumption, lower long-term maintenance costs, and improved aesthetics. RB-02: Developments required to signalize an intersection as mitigation for a project may be required to install a roundabout instead of a traffic signal. The feasibility of acquiring the land needed for a roundabout will be considered as a factor in this requirement. 5.3 NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM OBJECTIVE: PLANNING THE NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 86 To plan a coordinated, interconnected network of non-motorized transportation facilities that effectively provide access to local and regional destinations, improve overall quality of life, and support healthy community and environmental principles. NM-01: Implement land use regulations and encourage site design that promotes non- motorized forms of transportation. NM-02: Include the role of non-motorized transportation in all transportation planning, programming, and if suitable, capital improvement projects. NM-03: Plan for continuous non-motorized circulation routes within and between existing, new or redeveloping commercial, residential, and industrial developments. Transportation planning shall seek to allow pedestrians and bicyclists the ability to cross or avoid barriers in a manner that is safe and convenient. NM-04: Actively seek to acquire land along corridors identified for future trail development in the current Comprehensive Transportation Plan and Auburn Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Plan. NM-05: Schedule, plan and co-sponsor events that support recreational walking and bicycling. These events should emphasize their recreational and health values and introduce people to the transportation capabilities of bicycling and walking. NM-06: Improve and protect the non-motorized transportation system through the establishment of level-of-service goals for non-motorized facilities. OBJECTIVE: DEVELOPING THE NON-MOTORIZED SYSTEM To build a safe, attractive,and inter-connected non-motorized transportation system. NM-06: Develop and maintain the non-motorized system, including bike routes and walkways, to encourage significant recreational use. NM-07: Develop and maintain the non-motorized system, including bike routes, sidewalks, and multi-use paths in a manner that promotes non-motorized travel as a viable mode of transportation. NM-08: Develop the non-motorized system to accommodate appropriate alternative forms of non- motorized transport, as well as medically necessary motorized transport. NM-09: Appropriate street furniture, lighting, signage, and landscaping should be installed along non-motorized routes to increase safety and to ensure that facilities are inviting to users. NM-10: Clearly sign and mark major non-motorized routes to guide travelers and improve safety. NM-11: Non-motorized routes shall be constructed to accommodate emergency vehicle access and be amenable to law enforcement. NM-12: Locate and design non-motorized transportation systems so that they contribute to the safety, efficiency, enjoyment and convenience of residential neighborhoods. NM-13: The development of facilities supporting non-motorized transportation should be provided as a regular element of new construction projects. Improvements shall be secured 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 87 through the development review process. NM-14: Minimize hazards and obstructions on the non-motorized transportation system by properly designing, constructing, managing, and maintaining designated routes in the system. OBJECTIVE: PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL To enhance and encourage pedestrian travel in Auburn. Ped-01: Promote pedestrian travel within the city and connections to adjacent communities with emphasis placed on safety and on connectivity to priority destinations such as schools, parks, the downtown, and other pedestrian-oriented areas. Pedestrian-oriented areas are those areas with high pedestrian traffic or potential and are identified in this plan. These areas and streets shall encourage pedestrian travel by providing enhanced pedestrian improvements or controls on motorized traffic. Ped-02: Focus investments on and aggressively seek funding for the high priority pedestrian corridors, identified in Map 3-2. Ped-03: Require developers to incorporate pedestrian facilities into new development and redevelopment in conformance with the Auburn City Code. Ped-04: Continue to construct new and rehabilitate existing sidewalks through a sidewalk improvement program. Ped-05: Seek ways to provide pedestrian amenities such as streetlights, trees, seating areas, signage, and public art along all major pedestrian travel routes. Ped-06: Work towards buffering pedestrian walkways from moving traffic, particularly in areas with high levels of pedestrian movements, such as near schools and commercial areas, and along corridors with heavy vehicular traffic. Ped-07: Pedestrian crossings shall be developed at locations with significant pedestrian traffic and designed to match pedestrian desire lines. Ped-08: Encourage the formation of LIDs to develop pedestrian pathways and other non- motorized amenities throughout the City. Partner with the local school districts to improve Safe Walking Routes to School. OBJECTIVE: BICYCLE TRAVEL To improve Auburn's bicycling network. Bike-01: Develop programs and publications, and work with local employers to encourage citywide bicycle commuting. Bike-02: Designate, develop, and maintain high priority bicycle routes, in conformance with Map 3-4, that create an interconnected system of bike facilities for local and regional travel, including on- street bike routes, and multi-purpose trails. Bike-03: During the development review process, ensure projects are consistent with the Non- motorized chapter of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan by requiring right-of-way dedications and other improvements as needed to develop the bicycle network. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 88 Bike-04: Focus investments on and aggressively seek funding for the high priority future bicycle corridors, identified in Map 3-4 and corridors and connectors, as applicable, specified in Map 3- 5. Bike-05: Encourage the inclusion of convenient and secure bicycle storage facilities in all large public and private developments. Bike-06: Continue to develop and implement Sharrows and associated Share the Road signage in residential and some non-residential areas of City. Bike-07: Continue installation of bike lanes in parts of City where there is existing/adequate right- of-way. Bike-08: Develop an Auburn specific bicycle signage program to highlight corridors, connectors and in-city/out of city destinations. Bike-09: Make improvements to existing Interurban Trail — signage, pavement conditions, vegetation maintenance, grade crossings, and upgrades to user facilities at Main Street crossing. Bike-10: Develop a capital improvement program project with cost estimate for the design and construction of bicycle/pedestrian bridge at southern terminus of M St. west of existing Stuck River Vehicle Bridge. Bike-11: Develop a capital improvement program project with cost estimate for the design and construction of innovative and safe pedestrian/bicycle crossing at M St./Auburn Way South intersection. Bike-12: Install one or more bike boxes through a pilot program approach to test effectiveness and public response. Focus pilot program efforts at key intersections such as the West Main Street and C Street intersection, the M Street and Auburn Way South intersection and the Ellingson Road and A Street intersection. Bike-13: Continue to install bicycle/pedestrian crossing warning systems along Interurban Trail at all crossing locations consisting of S 277th Street, 37th Street NW, and W Main Street. Bike-14: Develop and maintain an official Auburn Bicycling Guide Map. Bike-15: In coordination with the City Council, Mayor's Office, Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce, Auburn Tourism Board and appropriate City departments develop strategies and actions for the implementation of the bicycle oriented economic development recommendations of the Auburn Bicycle Task Force. 5.4 TRANSIT SYSTEM OBJECTIVE:TRANSIT SERVICES To encourage the continued development of public transit systems and other alternatives to single occupant vehicle travel,to relieve traffic congestion, to reduce reliance on the automobile for personal transportation needs,to improve route coverage and scheduling,and to ensure transit is a convenient and reliable mode option for both local and regional trips. Transit-01: Partner with WSDOT, Metro Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, Muckleshoot 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 89 Indian Tribe, and private businesses to achieve Auburn's transit and passenger rail objectives. Transit-02: Work with local and regional transit agencies to serve new and existing trip generators in Auburn, such as colleges, commercial areas, and community facilities. Transit-03: Encourage Sound Transit, Metro Transit, and Pierce Transit to expand transit to underserved areas of Auburn. Transit-04: Partner with WSDOT, Amtrak, and Sound Transit to establish an intercity passenger rail stop at the Auburn Station. Transit-05: Consider both the transit impacts and the opportunities presented by major development proposals when reviewing development under the State Environmental Policy Act. Transit-06: Encourage the inclusion of transit facilities in new development when appropriate. Transit-07: Encourage bus stops to be located at well-lit and accessible areas. Transit-08: Work with transit providers and regional agencies to develop a transit system that is fully accessible to pedestrians and the physically challenged, and which integrates the access, safety, and parking requirements of bicyclists. Transit-09: Identify areas of concentrated transit traffic and impose design and construction standards that accommodate the unique considerations associated with bus travel, such as street geometry and pedestrian linkages. Transit-10: Work with transit providers to create new commuter—oriented transit routes and maintain existing commuter routes linked with Sounder commuter rail. Transit-11: Develop rider information packages that inform users of commuter, transit, rail, trail, and air transportation opportunities. 5.5 AIR TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVE:AIR TRANSPORTATION To provide an efficient municipal airport,serving light general aviation aircraft, as an integral part of the City's transportation system. Air-01: Continue to develop the Auburn Municipal Airport in accordance with the Airport Master Plan. Air-02: The airport shall be managed as a general aviation facility. General aviation includes all civilian flying except scheduled passenger airline service. Air-03: When siting new or revised facilities or operations at the airport, the impacts on neighborhoods such as increased noise generated from the use of those facilities shall be considered. Air-04: Use of the airport by non-conventional aircraft such as ultra lights is discouraged by the City. Air-05: Minimize or eliminate the potentially adverse effects of light and glare on the operation of the Auburn Airport. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 90 CHAPTER 6 - FUNDING The ability to finance the maintenance and enhancement of the transportation system is critical to the implementation of this plan and the success of the future transportation system. This chapter details the financial planning tools and funding mechanisms available to accomplish these goals. 6.1 FINANCIAL PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING The City updates its financial plan annually in order to ensure programmed transportation improvements are financially feasible and prioritized in accordance with available funds. The Transportation Improvement Program and Capital Facilities Plan are the two financial planning documents the City uses to identify its financial strategy for implementing transportation improvements. TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a six year plan which lists programmed transportation improvements in the following categories: roadway improvement projects, intersection improvement projects, non-motorized and transit projects, preliminary engineering and miscellaneous projects, and preservation projects. Transportation needs are identified by examining the latest information concerning safety and accident history, growth trends, the traffic model, traffic studies, and the Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The City adopts an updated TIP annually, including a revenue forecast and analysis of available funding. Projects are then prioritized according to a number of factors including safety, capacity needs, access needs, and the likelihood of securing funding. The first three years of the TIP must be financially constrained, so project programming is often limited due to funding limitations. The TIP is an important tool for identifying funding and developing a financial plan for project implementation. It also feeds into the Capital Facilities Plan. CAPITAL FACILITIES PLAN The Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) is the Comprehensive Plan element which identifies the financial plan for implementing all capital improvements in Auburn. Transportation improvements are included in the Capital Facilities Plan, which is amended annually. The Capital Facilities Plan enables the City to fulfill the GMA requirement of having a multiyear financing plan based on identified transportation needs. It also enables the City to make informed decisions about its investment of public dollars and make timely decisions about maintaining levels-of-service in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan standards. The 2016- 2035 Transportation Plan capacity projects are forecast to cost approximately$196 million. The revenue sources proposed to be used by the City of Auburn for these transportation improvements are described below. Forecasts are based on current funding levels for City funds and based on past trends for grants and partnerships. 6.2 FUNDING SOURCES The City uses a combination of public and private funding sources to implement transportation improvements in Auburn, both for maintenance activities and capital improvements. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 91 GENERAL TAX REVENUES The City receives tax revenues from a variety of state, regional, and local sources including the real estate excise tax (REET), sales tax, and the motor vehicle fuel tax (MVFT). Despite these revenues, the City has numerous maintenance and capital improvement needs that cannot be met by existing tax revenues alone. Recognizing the need to raise additional revenues for the local street system, Auburn residents approved the 'Save Our Streets' (SOS) program in 2004 for specific funding from property taxes, and in doing so, created a funding program to help rehabilitate Auburn's residential streets. In 2013, the City Council modified the funding source for the program to be from Construction Sales Tax instead of property taxes. In 2018, City Council modified the funds for this program, which are currently provided by Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) for 2019 and 2020. With the success of the 'Save Our Streets' program, the City intends to pursue a program that will help fund arterial and collector street maintenance. The City has an Arterial Street Fund; however,these funds have proven inadequate in addressing all the maintenance and capital needs of the arterial system. In addition,the City has also created an Arterial Street Preservation Program to preserve and rehabilitate the pavement on these classes of streets. The program is funded through a one percent utility tax which was adopted by City Council during 2008. 2016—2035 Forecast: REET: $6,000,000 Sales Tax: $32,000,000 (Local Roads Fund) MVFT: $10,700,000 Utility Tax: $40,000,000 (Arterial Roads Fund) GRANTS The City has an active grant program and continually seeks grants, both private and public, to improve Auburn's transportation system. The following is a list of some of the grants the City has historically applied for and will likely apply for again in the future. FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) replaced the Transportation Enhancement (TE) Activities with the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The original TE activities remain eligible for TE funds that were previously apportioned until the TE funds are obligated, rescinded, or lapse. MAP-21 funds projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the inter-modal transportation system. The program provides for the implementation of a variety of non-traditional projects, including the restoration of historic transportation facilities, the construction of bicycle and pedestrian 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 92 facilities, landscaping and scenic beautification, and the mitigation of water pollution from highway runoff. The Surface Transportation Program (STP) provides flexible funding that may be used by states and localities for projects on any public road, non-motorized improvements, bridge projects, and transit capital projects. The Safety Program is a federal program targeted at reducing accident rates at intersections and along corridors, particularly at those locations with higher than average fatality and injury rates. Funds come from the Highway Safety Improvement (HSIP) Program included in MAP-21. HSIP requires that states program and spend safety funds according to their Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Washington State's plan is called Target Zero. The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program is a federally funded program administered through PSRC. CMAQ funds projects and programs in air quality non-attainment and maintenance areas, which reduce transportation related emissions. In addition to the aforementioned programs, the federal government has an annual appropriations bill. Auburn may apply through the offices of Washington senators and congressional members for funding for specific projects. This funding source has historically been a successful means of financing some of the City's more expensive capital improvement projects. FEDERAL LEGISLATION In 2018, the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD Transportation Discretionary Grant program, replaced the TIGER Grant program which was established in 2009. This program provides a unique opportunity for the DOT to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. Previously known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER Discretionary Grants, Congress has dedicated nearly$7.1 billion for ten rounds of National Infrastructure Investments to fund projects that have a significant local or regional impact. The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act also dedicates funding to numerous programs, many of which can be used to help finance the City's programmed transportation improvement projects. STATE FUNDED PROGRAMS The Safe Routes to Schools Program is a state and federally funded program that aims to protect children from traffic related deaths and injuries and promotes a healthy lifestyle by encouraging bicycling and walking to school. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Grant is a state funded program that funds non-motorized safety improvements. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 93 The Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) administers annual grant programs that fund roadway and non-motorized projects that improve safety, mobility, capacity, and promote economic development. The TIB offers several programs, each of which emphasizes different funding criteria. The Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) is a state funded program that provides low-cost financing for public facility improvements. Public entities are eligible to apply for and receive loans and grants for public facilities linked to economic development outcomes such as private business investment and job creation. CERB also finances site-specific studies and plans. 2016-2035 Forecast: Federal Grants: $60,000,000 State Grants: $30,000,000 LOANS Low-interest loans are also available to municipalities. For example the Washington State Department of Commerce Public Works Board offers low-interest loans (PWTF) for local governments to finance public infrastructure construction and rehabilitation. Eligible projects must improve public health and safety, respond to environmental issues, promote economic development, or upgrade system performance. Roads, streets and bridges are eligible for these loans. The loans can be strategically employed to leverage grant funding by providing a local match, enabling the City to compete for funding for public infrastructure projects. In addition, the City has the option of issuing bonds for public infrastructure projects. 2016-2035 Forecast: PWTFL: No PWTF loans are included in the forecast. PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTIONS The City has an established traffic impact fee system based on the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) guidelines, as amended by the City Council. The fee system estimates the amount of traffic each development is anticipated to create, based on the land use type and size. Traffic impact fees compensate the City for the capacity improvements needed to accommodate the new trips generated by new development. In turn, the City uses the revenues to expand the street network through the capacity projects included in the TIP. The fees are based on the costs of the capacity project included in the TIP and forecast growth throughout the City. The fees are updated annually following the adoption of the TIP by City Council. Payment of the impact fee does not relieve developers of their codified obligation to construct half-street improvements, nor the need to mitigate project impacts identified through the SEPA process, which may include the construction of an identified TIP project (and a credit for the impact fee contribution towards that project). 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 94 The City also charges a truck impact fee for certain land-use types which are associated with significant truck traffic generation, such as commercial and industrial uses. These fees are used to address impacts on the City's truck routes and other truck-related infrastructure. 2016-2035 Forecast: Traffic Impact Fees: $20,000,000 Development Improvements: $15,000,000 FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS The City has successfully formed several funding partnerships, which have enabled it to leverage its resources in implementing transportation improvements. MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE(MIT) The City anticipates continuing to partner with MIT on funding projects of mutual benefit throughout the City. A recent partnership project is Auburn Way South (Dogwood to Hemlock). The City expects MIT to be a major funding partner on the Auburn Way South Bypass project and also to participate in the remainder of the (SR 164) Auburn Way South Corridor improvement projects. WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (WSDOT) The City anticipates continuing to partner with WSDOT on funding projects involving the State Routes through the City. Recent appropriations by the state legislature budgeted $15 million for the Auburn Way South Bypass project for the Eastbound Off-Ramp. LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS Local Improvement Districts (LID) enable city investment in a specified area by leveraging city funds, when available, with contributions from property owners in the district. In essence, LID's are a means of using limited city resources to improve neighborhood quality through improvement of streets, sidewalks, and other features of the roadway. FAST(FREIGHT ACTION STRATEGY TEAM) FAST is an innovative partnership composed of transportation agencies, ports, cities, economic development organizations, trucking, rail, and business interests. One of FAST's primary objectives is to obtain funding for projects that improve freight mobility. FAST helped fund the S 277th Street Grade Separation, the 3rd Street SW Grade Separation, and the M Street Underpass project. FMSIB (FREIGHT MOBILITY STRATEGIC INVESTMENT BOARD) The mission of the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board (FMSIB) is to create a comprehensive and coordinated state program to facilitate freight movement to local, national, and international markets. FMSIB is also charged with lessening the impact of freight movements on local communities. FMSIB obtains funding directly from legislative 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 95 appropriations and has contributed funds to the 3rd Street SW Grade Separation, the S 277th Street Grade Separation and the M Street Underpass projects. 2016-2035 Forecast: MIT: $15,000,000 WSDOT: $20,000,000 LID: No LID funds are included in the forecast. FAST: No future FAST funding is included in the forecast. FMSIB: No FMSIB funds are included in the forecast. FUTURE FINANCING POSSIBILITIES As the transportation system evolves, so will the range of financing options available to the City. In general, the financing options currently available under state law fall short of meeting current and anticipated transportation improvement needs. Hence,the City will continue to seek fair and sustainable strategies for funding the maintenance activities and capital improvements needed to preserve the City's transportation network. Among other strategies, the implementation of a street utility may be employed to fund many of the City's transportation needs. TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT In 1987,the State Legislature created Transportation Benefit Districts (TBDs) as an option for local governments to fund transportation improvements. Chapter 36.73 of the Revised Code of Washington provides for the establishment of TBD by cities and counties to levy and impose various taxes and fees to generate revenues to support transportation improvements within the district. A TBD is a quasi-municipal corporation and independent taxing district created for the sole purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, providing, and funding transportation improvements within the district. In 2005 and 2007, the Legislature amended the TBD statute to expand its uses and revenue authority, including the ability to authorize a $20 annual vehicle license fee (VLF), and up to an additional $80 of VLF, if approved by voters within the district. The state legislature provided local governments with these tools because inflation has eroded the local share of gas tax and a series of statewide ballot initiatives passed over the last 12 years have eliminated other traditional sources of funding for local transportation needs. The City of Auburn created a TBD in 2011. The TBD is currently considering the implementation of the $20 annual vehicle fee, possible local sales tax increase and how the revenue raised could be best used to achieve the goals of the TBD. 2016-2035 Forecast: (If Authorized) TBD: $16,000,000 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 96 STREET UTILITY A street utility would be used similarly to how sewer and water utility fees are now collected. A monthly or annual fee would be charged to residents and businesses in Auburn, for example via a flat fee or through a pro-rated fee based on anticipated usage. The implementation of a street utility would require a change in state law. The street utility system is one in which all residents and businesses would pay their fair share of funding street maintenance and repair. If implemented, a street utility would undoubtedly be combined with the suite of other financing strategies the City currently employs. 2016-2035 Forecast: (If Authorized) Street Utility: $5-9 Million per year 6.3 REVENUE SHORTFALL CONTINGENCY Revenue forecasts for City funds are considered to be relatively secured. Other revenue such as grants and partnership funding can be slightly more unpredictable. While all the revenue currently forecast above does fully fund the transportation plan improvements, if shortfalls arise the City will have to take one or more of the following actions to maintain compliance with GMA concurrency requirements; • Supplant the projected budget shortfall with other existing City funds. • Enact new sources of revenue. • Revise Land Use Plan to reduce development capacity and resultant need for additional transportation improvements. • Lower the LOS Standard sufficiently to reduce the need for additional transportation improvements. • Impose restriction (moratorium) on further development with impacts to areas not meeting LOS standards until current LOS standard is met. 6.4 FUNDING STRATEGIES, PROJECT PRIORITIZATION The City uses a variety of criteria to prioritize transportation projects, including safety, mobility, and overall community benefit. In addition,the City also considers the availability of funding and the ability to leverage City dollars to raise addition funds. For example, grants are often available for specific types of capital investments, whereas they are more limited for maintenance/preservation. Hence, the City often needs to budget for maintenance/preservation through tax revenues. Capital improvements may be financially secured through a combination of public and private investment. Hence, project prioritization for capital improvements is often partially dependent on the ability to secure outside funding. Likewise, maintenance and preservation is highly dependent on the limited tax revenues available to the City. In the future,the City will need to continue lobbying for its share of federal, state, and county tax revenues, seek creative avenues for securing private investment dollars and grant funds, and potentially implement new funding strategies such as tolling and street utility fees. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 97 CHAPTER 7 - MONITORING AND EVALUATION The Comprehensive Transportation Plan, a long- range plan with the horizon year 2035, predicts the needs and conditions of the future transportation system, enabling the City to anticipate its future needs. Nonetheless, the transportation network is dynamic, constantly evolving due to circumstances beyond the scope and influence of this plan. Hence, regular updates are necessary to ensure the Plan remains current and relevant. 7.1 ANNUAL UPDATES The Comprehensive Transportation Plan can be amended annually as part of the City's regular Comprehensive Plan amendment cycle, which ensures proposed changes go through a public review process before the amended plan is adopted by the City Council at the end of the calendar year. In preparation for the annual amendment cycle, the City will review the plan and propose updates as needed. These proposed updates may be due to changes to City priorities, the availability of new information, or the relevance of certain plan components. RE-EVALUATION The annual re-evaluation process provides an opportunity for the City to identify progress made in implementing the Plan, as well as identify new needs that have arisen since the previous update. The update will consider the street, non-motorized and transit systems, and assess whether the Plan adequately addresses the implementation strategies necessary to ensure the transportation infrastructure continues to grow in line with the City's objectives. As part of this process,the City will review its future projects list and update the Transportation Improvement Program and the Capital Facilities Plan as appropriate. It will also review and update the Policies and Funding chapters, in order to remain consistent with the City's vision and current with potential funding strategies. TECHNICAL INFORMATION The Comprehensive Transportation Plan contains a range of technical data, much of which informs other elements of the Plan. As part of the annual amendment cycle, technical information, such as traffic volumes, existing levels-of-service, roadway classifications, and transit route and ridership information will be updated as appropriate. Updated information will inform much of the evaluation process, enabling the City to quantify system changes over time and make appropriate decisions in planning the future system. MODEL UPDATES The City's traffic model shall be updated on a regular basis, every few years, as new land use, employment, and housing data becomes available. Model updates are important as they 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 98 ensure the City has an accurate understanding of how land use patterns, employment, and other factors impact future transportation conditions, enabling the City Council to make informed policy decisions. The model also provides an understanding of the impacts associated with different projects, allowing the City to devise a revised list of future projects to improve capacity and safety, as well as achieve other priorities. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CONSISTENCY The annual evaluation process is an opportunity to ensure the Comprehensive Transportation Plan is consistent with other elements of the City's Comprehensive Plan, including the land-use element, economic development element,Auburn Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan, Transportation Improvement Program, and Capital Facilities Plan. Hence, as part of the annual amendment cycle, the City will ensure these plan components are consistent with and supportive of each other. 7.2 MULTI-YEAR UPDATES The City has the opportunity to preform annual updates to the Comprehensive Transportation Plan on an as needed basis to account for significant changes which have occurred during the previous year. A more exhaustive process is periodically necessary, hence, a thorough rewrite of the Plan shall be conducted every five to eight years. This endeavor will include a broad public outreach effort with input from neighboring jurisdictions, state and regional agencies, and Auburn residents and businesses. Much like the process for the 2015 update, it will present an opportunity to holistically examine the current transportation system and lay the framework for development of the future system. 2020 Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Page 99 City of Auburn APPENDIX A Comprehensive Transportation Plan Project List The table below lists transportation projects that address current and anticipated transportation needs through the 2035 horizon year.The list excludes projects planned to be underway within the next 6 years that are included in the current Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Number Name Description Purpose/Need Estimated Cost(2020) Capacity, Safety, LOS:This M Street SE Corridor project will improve with signal at 12th St Widen M St to construct mobility and contributes to SE multi-lane arterial, the completion of a Comp-1 Corridor and including a new traffic north/north arterial $7.3M Intersection signal at 12th St SE. corridor. Combines projects Improvements listed as (16) and (22) in the 2022 analysis. Construct multi-lane Capacity,Safety, Non- roundabout to replace motorized: Project the signalized identified in Lea Hill Road Lea Hill Road intersection, re-align the Corridor Study(2020). Corridor 104th curved section of Lea Hill Avenue SE/8th Street Road, widen sidewalks Comp-2 NE Intersection & on the 8th Street bridge, $4.0M Corridor Potential access Improvements management on 8th Street NE and intersection improvements at Pike Street NE Construct a single-lane, Capacity, Safety, Non- roundabout at the motorized: Project intersection of 116th identified in Lea Hill Road Avenue SE, pedestrian Corridor Study(2020). crossings with flashing Lea Hill Road beacons at key crossings, Corridor- 116th and complete gaps in Avenue SE/SE 312th sidewalks and bicycle Comp-3 $5.6M Street Intersection lanes between 116th and Corridor Avenue SE and 124th Improvements Avenue SE. Portions of this project may be completed as frontage improvements by developers of adjacent properties. Lea Hill Road Construct shared use Capacity, Safety, Non- Widening path along the east side motorized: Project Comp-4 Capacity and a bike lane on the identified in Lea Hill Road $9.5M west side of Lea Hill Road Corridor Study (2020). Improvements between 112th Avenue SE and 106th Place SE, left-turn pocket at the Lea Hill Condominiums, pedestrian crossings with flashing beacons bus stops, and a soldier-pile retaining wall on the downhill side of Lea Hill Road as needed to accommodate roadway widening and stabilize the hillside. Capacity,Safety: Project M Street SE/29th identified in R Street SE Street SE Construct single lane Corridor Study (2019). Comp-5 Intersection roundabout. Listed as project(23) 2022 $1.OM Improvements analysis as a new traffic signal. Capacity,Safety, Non- Motorized:This project was identified in the 2002 M Street SE Grade Separation Pre-Design Study and was originally planned to be Construct a new arterial implemented with the connection between M grade separation that has St SE and Auburn Black- since been completed.The Diamond Rd, parallel to new connection would R Street Bypass the Stampede Pass rail keep freight and commuter Comp-6 Capacity traffic off of R Street, a $8.0M Improvements line and potentially residential collector street remove at-grade railroad crossing that connects and provide a connection Black Diamond Road to R between SR18 and SR164 Street SE. via M Street SE.This would reduce congestion at the intersection of R Street NE/8th Street SE and address other capacity and safety issues. Listed as project(30) in the 2035 analysis. Capacity,Safety:The 116th Avenue SE/SE project would provide * 320th Street Construct single lane traffic calming and Comp-7 Intersection roundabout. improved intersection $2.0M Improvements control.This is a portion of a project(11) listed in the 2022 analysis. Construct a southbound Capacity,Safety right-turn pocket, re- C Street SW/15th channelize the Street SW intersection to provide Comp-8* two southbound through $1.2M Intersection Improvements lanes, and replace the existing spanwire traffic signal with a new traffic _ signal. Capacity, Safety:This 124th Avenue SE/SE project was identified to be 320th Street Replace traffic signal needed to support the on Comp-9* Intersection with roundabout going expansion of Green $2.5M Improvements River College. Listed as project (32)was in the 2035 analysis. Capacity,Safety: Project need identified using crash history prior to 2015. Listed as a project (24) in the 2022 analysis. 124th Avenue SE/SE Construct northbound Comp- 284th Street left-turn lane on 124th $1M 10* Intersection Ave SE Improvements Re-construction of the Preservation,Safety. roadway from West 15th Street SW Valley Highway to C Comp- Street SW with potential 11* Preservation safety improvements at $10M Improvements the Union Pacific at grade rail and Interurban Trail crossings Construct pedestrian Economic Development, Auburn Way accessibility and Non-motorized. Comp- aesthetic enhancements 12* Corridor $4.5M on Auburn Way between Improvements 4th St NE and 4th St SE, including curb-bulbs at intersections adjacent to on-street parking, a new northbound left-turn at 3rd St SE, and signal and channelization improvements at E Main St. Safety, Non-motorized: SE Construct non-motorized 320th is a primary route and safety serving Green River College SE 320th St improvements including and adjacent Comp- neighborhoods.There are Corridor bicycle lanes, sidewalks, $4.0M 13* high volumes of Improvements and street lighting between 122"d Ave SE pedestrians, bicyclists, and and 116th Ave SE. transit utilizing the corridor. Listed as project (11) in the 2022 analysis. Rehabilitate and widen Preservation, Non- pavement from 15th Motorized.This road Street NW to;W Main segment is a popular bike West Valley Street, re-channelize to corridor which is also on Comp- add bicycle lanes and the annual Seattle-to- Highway Corridor $4.0M 14* pedestrian facilities Portland bike race route. Improvements including a trail on one Listed as project(13) in the side, roadway lighting, 2022 analysis. ITS, and required storm system improvements. Construct improved Economic Development: pedestrian linkages, new This project will revitalize and repaired sidewalks, and beautify Auburn Way S. Auburn Way S undergrounding utilities, Comp- new street lighting,trash 15* Corridor and recycling $4.5M Improvements receptacles, and other appropriate amenities from SR-18 interchange to M Street SE. Construct a new traffic Capacity,Safety, Non- SE 304th Street/112th signal, northbound left motorized: Listed as project Com 16 Avenue SE turn lane on 112th Ave (31) in the 2035 analysis. p Intersection SE, and sidewalks/bike $1.SM Improvements lanes on both sides of SE 304th Street. This project will Network Capacity and Non- com 17 SE 284th/SE 288th St construct a new collector motorized. Listed as project TBD p New roadway linking 284th St at 124th (34) in the 2035 analysis. $TBD to 288th St at 132nd Ave.The roadway will A portion of this project have one lane in each was partially constructed by direction, and include a a private development. bike lane and sidewalks Approximately 700 feet on each side. remains to be constructed to connect the roadway to SE 288th St. This project will Network Capacity and Non- construct a new 4 lane Motorized. Listed as project Com 18 D St NW arterial from 37th St NW (36) in the 2035 analysis. $7M p New Roadway to 44th St NW, including bike lanes and sidewalks on each side. Construct sidewalks Non-motorized:This along 37th Street SE from project would complete a M Street SE to Olympic gap in the sidewalk 37th Street SE to Olympic Street SE and network and provide Comp-19 Safe Routes to enhanced pedestrian connections to/from Gildo TBD Schools crossings along 37th Ray Elementary, Mt. Baker Street SE between M Middle School,the 37th Street SE and D Street Street trail to R Street SE SE. and transit stops on 37th Street SE and M Street SE. Lea Hill Road Reconfigure 105th Place Construct a single lane Corridor 112th Ave SE to be right in/right roundabout with sidewalks Comp 20 SE & 105th Place SE out. Construct a single and bike lanes on SE 312th $5M Intersection lane roundabout with Street. Improvements sidewalks and bike lanes on SE 312th Street. Construct a protected Capacity, Safety, Non- 51st Ave S/S 296th St southbound left turn motorized. Listed as project Comp 21 Intersection lane on 51st Avenue S, (35) in the 2035 analysis. $1.6M Improvements bike lanes, and sidewalks on all legs of the intersection. This project would provide a grade separated arterial connection over the BNSF This project will rail yard that would provide BNSF Yard Grade connectivity to/from the Comp-22 construct a road across TBD Separation the BNSF yard yard to SR 18 and SR 167. The project would be needed if/when the BNSF Yard converts to a multi- modal facility. Comp 23 East Auburn Access Construct a new arterial Capacity,Safety, Non- TBD. Project connection from SR-18 motorized: Muckleshoot New Roadway to SR-164 that connects Previously referred to as Indian Tribe to SR-164 between MIT Auburn Bypass, a draft project, Plaza and Riverwalk Bypass Feasibility Report $15M Drive. was prepared in awarded by partnership with WSDOT, Connecting City of Auburn, Washington Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Program in and other regional partners 2015. in 2009. Construct a new Network Capacity. Listed as TBD Comp 24 I St NE Corridor roadway connection project(2) in the 2022 Developer New Roadway from 45th St NE to S 277th analysis. St. led project. Construct a new Capacity, Safety, Non- TBD R Street SE roadway connection motorized: Reduce Potential Comp-25 Extension between 17th St SE and congestion on Auburn Way Muckleshoot New Roadway Auburn Black-Diamond South and M Street SE. Indian Tribe Road project. Main Street TOD East Main Street,Auburn Improvements support Infrastructure Avenue to Auburn Way revitalization of Auburn's Comp-26 North—replace roadway, downtown core to support $9.0M Improvements— Central Main Street parking, sidewalks, and transit oriented utilities. development Main Street TOD West Main Street, B Improvements support Infrastructure Street NW/SW to revitalization of Auburn's Comp-27 Improvements— Division Street, replace downtown core to support $6.0M Western Main roadway, parking, transit oriented Street sidewalks,and utilities. development Main Street TOD East Main Street,Auburn Improvements support Infrastructure Way to F Street SE/NE, revitalization of Auburn's Comp-28 replace roadway, downtown core to support $7.0M Improvements— Eastern Main Street parking, sidewalks, and transit oriented utilities. development *Project was removed from the TIP in 2020 and placed back into the comprehensive plan because there is still a current or future need for the project but funding was anticipated to not be available for the project within the 6-year TIP period City of Auburn APPENDIX B Comprehensive Transportation Plan Maps CITY OF kJBtJRN Memorandum -. WASHINGTON Community Development& Public Works To: City Staff From: Josh Steiner, Senior Planner Date: January 3, 2022 Re: Supplement to Comprehensive Plan Binder(adopted 12/2021 ORD 6840)— 2021 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Attached are the Comprehensive Plan documents (Text) that were amended as part of the 2021 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments. Please replace the appropriate chapters in your comprehensive plan binder with the attached corresponding chapter. Pleaseupdate your comp plan binder and if there are any questions please let me know. List of Attached Items and Amended Documents 1. Volume 1 —Land Use Element(replace chapter) 2. Volume 2— Housing Element(replace chapter) • Page 1 of 1 AUBURN * MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED 1111,191,1111111.111i -k' . - k u.'- •. , . , - _ , 0 ; , i . LAND USE ELEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Vision LU-1 Conditions and Trends LU-1 Introduction LU-1 Residential Land Use Designations LU-2 Commercial Land Use Designations LU-6 Industrial Land Use Designations LU-10 Public and Institutional Land Use Designations LU-12 Overlays, Urban Growth Area, and Special Planning Land Use DesignationsLU-15 MAPS Map 1.1-Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map LU-29 Map 1.2-Districts Map LU-30 Map 1.3-Designated Areas LU-31 Map 1.4-Adopted Areas LU-32 Map 1.5-Impression Corridors LU-33 Map 1.6-Gateways Map LU-34 LAND USE ELEMENT VISION The Auburn community is both physically and socially connected. We take pride in the quality of our built environment as well as the beauty and function of our natural environment. Land use patterns are supported by a complete and efficient transportation and utility infrastructure system. Neighborhoods, commercial centers, and parks are attractive, interesting, accessible, and well maintained. Natural riv- erine and forested corridors are interspersed throughout the city, offering sanctuaries where fish and wildlife reside, and providing opportunities for people to observe and learn about the environment. Residents have a strong association with their neighborhoods, and are engaged and involved in the decisions that steer Auburn into the future. CONDITIONS AND TRENDS connectivity to each other, have a mix of identi- ties, and are experiencing a change in their char- Dispersed Land Use Pattern atter from rural to more urban. For the first 100 years of Auburn's existence, the Robust Diversity of Land Use land use pattern developed in a relatively logical Auburn has a strong mix of housing and indus- manner. Auburn was fully contained to the valley try.Auburn's residential land use pattern includes floor with a traditional downtown urban center, a variety of densities, ages, and housing type. several north/south heavy commercial and in- Auburn's nonresidential land use pattern includes dustrial corridors paralleling Highway 167, and a a mix of local and regional retail, entertainment, surrounding housing stock that was built primari- services, manufacturing, warehousing, and dis- ly between 1910 and 1960. In the last 30 years,the tribution centers.This mix of land use is a strength land use pattern of Auburn has changed, primar- because it exemplifies social, economic, and cul- ily from incorporation of areas to the south, east, tural diversity. and west. Each newly incorporated area has its own identity and land use pattern. Diversity in Natural Resources Disconnected Communities Auburn's natural resources include the Green River and its tributaries, the White River and its Because a significant portion of today's Auburn tributaries, a robust inventory of wetlands, flood- was settled prior to incorporation, the basic land plains, steep slopes, and mature open spaces. use patterns and infrastructure have already With a strong base to work from, the City and its been established. Furthermore, much of today's partners can be strategic about how to better C Auburn land use pattern was established in either connect and preserve natural areas so that the 0 Auburn, the Muckleshoot Reservation, or prior to overall system is enhanced for future generations r" incorporation in King County or Pierce County. to enjoy. • Given the mix of jurisdictional oversight, myri- ad land use policies, regulations, infrastructure INTRODUCTION standards, and investments have been applied in these areas. This has resulted in a relative- All land within the City of Auburn is assigned a ly uncoordinated and random land use pattern. land use designation, which builds off the past It also means that the various communities lack Comprehensive Plan Map, the existing land use LU-1 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN pattern, previously approved subarea plans, to- linking one area to another. The design and build pography, natural features, and targeted goals quality of new construction and infill will be held for shifting the character of specified areas. to a high standard. The City will encourage proj- This chapter provides a description for each ects to be unique,innovative,and provide the res- designation, general criteria for how to assign idents of Auburn true choice. the designation, and a series of policies that govern land use within each designation. The Values Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map contained in Character: Residential neighborhoods will in- the Core Comprehensive Plan shows the location clude amenities, features, and layouts that pro- and boundaries for each designation. This map mote interaction amongst residents. should be consulted together with the written policies of this Plan when decisions about zoning Wellness:The design of residential neighborhoods designations, land use activities, and develop- will emphasize safety and nonmotorized ment of public infrastructure are considered. connectivity. Service:Through outreach and engagement, in- This Section of the document also explains the dividual residents and homeowners' associations reasoning and intention behind the Plan Map's are connected to and aware of municipal servic- land use designations. This should be useful in: es, events, and activities. • developing and implementing tools (such as Economy: Neighborhoods have a physical and zoning provisions) personal connection to Auburn's commercial centers and attractions. People want to move to • interpreting the Plan Map as it applies to spe- Auburn because of the commercial and recrea- cific regulatory decisions or development tional opportunities it has to offer. proposals Celebration: Districts and neighborhoods are • adjusting or amending the Plan Map when identified, promoted, and celebrated. changing conditions or land use markets Environment: The built environment will fit into warrant the natural landscape in a way that protects and • planning for public services and infrastructure respects ecosystem function and that preserves native vegetation and soils. Finally, this chapter sets forth special policies in- Sustainability: Natural resources, economic tended to address the unique challenges and opportunities of specific locations within Auburn. prosperity, and cultural vibrancy are balanced in These specific policies supplement the general a way that builds and maintains a thriving and goals, objectives and policies found elsewhere in long-lasting community. this plan. General Policies RESIDENTIAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS LU-1 Regulations for new developments and in- fill should address the following elements: Character Sketch a. Connectivity by multiple means to ad- jacent subdivisions, nearby commercial Residential uses will comprise a diverse arrange- hubs,and parks and recreation facilities. Jment of multiple densities.The pattern of one sin- gle density in a zone or neighborhood will evolve b. Relationship to nearby existing or future into increased and mixed densities in exchange transit service. lool for amenities that enhance quality of life. There c. Usable community amenities and spaces. will be greater connectivity and stronger spatial relationships between neighborhoods through d. Environmental protection and preserva- strategic locations of roadway, trail, park, and tion of natural features. neighborhood-serving businesses. These ameni- e. Preservation of areas that can support ties will help create localized identity while also low-impact development techniques. LU-2 LAND USE ELEMENT f. Promote the use of energy and water building height, and other bulk or di- conservation measures mensional standards should be uti- lizedg. Efficient and effective delivery of utility in order to create incentives that service. promote preservation. h. Innovative design. Residential Conservancy Designation i. Crime prevention through environmen- Description tal design. j. Long-term maintenance considerations. This designation should consist primarily of low-density residential uses (one dwelling unit LU-2 As the market and availability of util- per four acres is allowed) and accessory agricul- ities enable denser development to tural uses in areas featuring environmental con- occur,standards should be developed straints or requiring special protection such as the to maximize density while preserving Coal Creek Springs watershed area, low-lying open space and critical areas. areas along the Green River, and areas that are isolated from urban services.This designation will, LU-3 Programs should be implemented to serve to both protect environmental features and improve the quality of low-income hold areas for higher density development until neighborhoods and encourage reha- such time public facilities become available. bilitation of deteriorating structures and facilities. Designation Criteria LU-4 Public and institutional uses may be 1. Areas with significant environmental con- permitted as a conditional use if de- straints, intrinsic value, or that may pose en- signed in a manner that enhances vironmental hazards if developed, such as the residential character of the area. areas tributary to public water sources; Special care shall be given to ensur- ing adequate parking, landscaping, 2. Affords greater protections to environmental and traffic circulation to avoid con- features than existing designation; flict with residential uses. 3. Level of service for property consistent with LU-5 New residential development should adjacent residential conservancy properties; contribute to the creation, enhance- or ment, and improvement of the trans- portation system, health and human 4. Location, size of properties, and character services, emergency services, school is consistent with a residential conservancy. system, and park system. This may use. be accomplished through the devel- opment of level-of-service standards, Implementing Zoning Designations mitigation fees, impact fees, or con- struction contributions. Residential Conservancy LU-6 Cluster development is the preferred Policies form of residential development in LU-7 Densities and activities shall be of a very : 0 all residential designations with the low intensity and shall not compromise en- • goal of preserving natural areas, vironmental and watershed resources. critical areas, and areas that sup- port low-impact development.Where LU-8 In addition to single-family homes, these clustering accomplishes these objec- larger properties can also be developed tives, it should not come at the ex- with garages, accessory dwelling units, pense of lost development potential. barns, and other accessory outbuildings. Variances to lot size, lot dimensions, Home occupations, agricultural uses, and LU-3 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN other allowed nonresidential activities may Designation Criteria operate out of any type of permitted build- 1. Previously developed single-family residen- ing, subject to intensity and use limitations. tial areas; LU-9 Until these areas are served by public util- 2. Undeveloped areas that do not meet the ities (water, sewer, storm services), exist- designation criteria for other Residential, ing and new development is not expected Commercial, Industrial, Institutional or to beserved by public infrastructure, such Public/Quasi-Public designations; or as urban streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, 3. Residential Conservancy areas that contain street lighting, and landscaping. limited critical areas, are served by public LU-10 As the market and utility availability enable utilities (water, sewer, storm services), and denser development to occur, standards meet the development parameters of the should be developed to maximize density single-family designation. while preserving open space and critical Implementing Zoning Designations areas. R-1 Residential Zone(One Dwelling Unit Per Acre): LU-11 Small-scale agricultural uses are allowed All properties located within the Urban Separator and encouraged. Commercial activities Overlay are zoned R-1, as consistent with King that are directly related to and support County County-wide Planning Policies. agricultural uses may also be allowed. The procedural standards may vary depend- R-5 Residential Zone (Five Dwelling Units Per ing upon the type and scale of agricultural Acre): All properties not located within the Urban uses and supporting commercial activities. Separator Overlay may be zoned R-5. Small-scale agricultural uses are allowed R-7 Residential Zone (Seven Dwelling Units Per and encouraged. Acre): All properties not located within the Urban LU-12 Land use standards should adequately limit Separator Overlay may be zoned R-7. and control excessive accumulation of de- Policies bris.Where a permitted activity does allow outdoor storage, it should be adequate- LU-14 Accessory dwelling units should play an ly screened from adjacent properties and integral part of promoting infill develop- roads, as well as ensuring adequate soil ment and affordable housing, and are and environmental protection. therefore encouraged within this land use category. LU-13 Public, institutional, and resource-ex- LU-15 Home occupations, bed-and-breakfasts, tractive uses that are low-intensity and day cares, and other appropriate uses preserve the environment may be consid- should be encouraged as viable accesso- ered conditional uses. ry uses. Single-Family Residential Designation LU-16 Manufactured homes shall be permitted on single-family lots provided they are Description sited and constructed in a manner that would blend with adjacent homes. This designation is the predominant land use LU-17 Provide a variety of housing typolo- .l category in the City. Maintaining and creating pies to suit the needs of various potential 0 a diverse arrangement of interconnected sub- divisions, neighborhoods, and communities that residents. have a mix of densities and housing types; link- LU-18 Density bonuses outside of the Urban ages with other residential areas and commercial Separator Overlay should be approved hubs through nonmotorized modes, such as pe- based on innovations in transportation, destrian and bicycling, and vehicular modes will stormwater management, and public % be encouraged. amenities proposed for the development LU-4 LAND USE ELEMENT or adjacent neighborhoods associated Policies with the request. The onus is on the de- veloper to justify density above baseline. LU-19 Density bonuses and flexible development Examples of amenities and concepts that standards should be considered an incen- justify density bonuses include park space, tive for innovative neighborhood design. art, enhanced landscaping, trails that LU-20 Carefully developed low-intensity of- connect to adjacent properties, neighbor- lice, or residentially related commercial hood commercial property set asides, use uses (such as day care centers) can be of low-impact development techniques compatible. beyond the minimum code requirements, incorporation of CPTED concepts, and LU-21 Accessory dwelling units should play an variation of architecture and housing integral part of promoting infill devel- typology. opment and affordable housing and are therefore encouraged within this land use Moderate Density Residential Designation category. Description Multiple-family Designation Moderate Density Residential designated areas are planned to accommodate a variety of resi- Description dential dwelling types. Varying intensities may be This category shall be applied to those areas that permitted to provide a transition between sin- are either now developed or are reserved for gle-family residential and other more intensive multiple family dwellings. Densities may range uses or activities (such as arterial streets) based from 20 to 24 units per acre. These communities on adjacent density, intensity, and/or charac- are served by transit, have nonmotorized con- ter. Appropriate densities in these areas gen- nections to surrounding amenities and services, erally range from 7 up to 20 dwelling units per or have access to on-site amenities. acre. Dwelling types generally range from sin- gle-family dwelling to multiple-family dwellings, Designation Criteria with larger structures allowed (within the density residen- range) where offsetting community benefits can 1. Previously developed high-density be identified. tial or manufactured/mobile home parks; or 2. Properties that are connected to single-fam- Designation Criteria ily and nonresidential designations by the 1. Previously developed moderate-density res- Residential Transition designation and idential areas; or meet the development parameters of the 2. Areas that provide a transition between sin- Multifamily designation. gle-family and multifamily,single-family and Implementing Zoning Designations nonresidential,multifamily and nonresidential zones or development that are adjacent and R-20 Residential Zone(Twenty Dwelling Units Per. meet the development parameters of the Acre): All Multiple-family designated land not Moderate Density Residential designation. previously developed as manufactured/mobile C Implementing Zoning Designations home parks are zoned R-20. 0 Residential Transition Manufactured/Mobile Home Park: All previouslyr developed manufactured/mobile home parks are R-10 Residential (Ten Dwelling Units Per Acre) zoned RMHC. R-16 Residential(Sixteen Dwelling Units Per Acre) Policies LU-22 Development regulations should include density bonuses and flexible development LU-5 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN standards that create incentives for, in- LU-29 Access to nearby amenities and health novative site and building design, incor- andhuman services should be consid- poration of open space and public art, ered when reviewing senior housing nonmotorized connectivity to parks and developments. commercial areas, proximity to transit services, supplemental natural resource LU-30 Encourage development of permanent protection, supplemental use of CPTED, supportive housing to address the home- and supplemental use of low-impact de- less population and those with special velopment techniques. needs. LU-31 Encourage adaptive reuse, particularly of LU-23 Home occupations and shared housing should be allowed in this designation; historic properties. how- ever, given their high densities, it is appro- priate to establish additional restrictions, COMMERCIAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS procedures, and requirements in order to Character Sketch ensure that they are compatible with their surroundings and do not adversely affect Commercial uses will be wide ranging in terms of the community. scale and type. A mix of businesses - local, re- gional, and national - will be among the busi- LU-24 Live-work units are encouraged. nesses in the various designations, and will be LU-25 Improve the quality of low-income neigh- carefully located to create balance and maintain borhoods and implement programs that appropriateness based on adjacent uses. These encourage rehabilitation of deteriorat- commercial areas will be economically vibrant, ing structures and facilities the downtown unique, and active outside of traditional work hours. They will be accessible by foot, bike, car, area, areas between lower-density resi- and public transport. dential uses and more intense nonresiden- tial activities, and areas with high levels of Values transit service and available high-quality services. Character - Active gathering spaces, such as parks, plazas,cafes,concert venues,festivals and LU-26 Multiple-family development should be markets, will be distributed throughout the City; subject to building and site design stan- these spaces will be engaging and filled with dards. These standards should address people interacting, irrespective of culture, age, or the appearance of buildings, compati- income level. bility with nearby uses, exterior lighting, connectivity with surrounding properties Wellness: A variety of healthy food options will and uses, the relationship of ground floor be physically and economically accessible to all spaces and entryways with the street- members of the Auburn community. scape, and connectivity to nearby non- Service: The City's resources and services are residential hubs (shopping centers and available and utilized by the business community. jschools). The business community finds the City approach 0able, empathetic, and responsive. An open and LU-27 Provide a variety of housing typolo- collaborative dialogue exists to help identify gies to suit the needs of various potential problems and find solutions. residents. Economy: A wide complement of retail, service, LU-28 Establish intensity limitations such as floor and dining options will cater to local needs, at- area ratios,density,building height,cover- tract visitors, and encourage consistent patron- age ratios, setbacks, and other standards. age of local businesses. LU-6 LAND USE ELEMENT Celebration:Auburn will have a thriving and ex- Designation Criteria panding arts and culture community. There will 1. Located within the Urban Center boundaries be events, amenities, and attractions that draw established by the King County Countywide people to congregate and socialize. planning policies or within Business Environment: Local businesses benefit from Improvement Area boundaries. Auburn's collection of natural resources and amenities because residents and visitors are Implementing Zoning Designations choosing Auburn as their home or destination. Downtown Urban Center Sustainability:Local businesses benefit from,and contribute to, a sustainable economy because Policies Auburn is an easy location to start up, main- tains opportunity for growth, and has a business LU-38 Vertical mixed-use should be encouraged; friendly economic climate. the location of retail sales and services General Policies should predominately be on the ground floor with residential or more retail or ser- LU-32 The commercial uses permitted must be vices above. However, small freestanding carefully regulated in regards to perfor- commercial spaces may be established mance criteria and design. as an accessory use to a larger vertical mixed-use development. LU-33 Permitted uses would consist of lo- cal-serving and community-serving retail LU-39 Deviations of height, density or intensity trade, offices, personal services, and eat- limitations should be allowed when sup- ing establishments. plemental amenities are incorporated into site and building design. Examples LU-34 Encourage uses that provide health and of amenities include use of low-impact human services to the adjacent community. development, use of sustainable site and LU-35 Encourage adaptive reuse, particularly of building techniques, public space and art, historic properties. transit-oriented development, landscap- ing and lighting,and bike shelters-as well LU-36 Promote the use of energy and water con- as the inclusion of affordable housing. servation measures(PSRC 11/12/15) LU-40 Encourage a broad mix of uses within the LU-37 Ensure that legally established existing downtown area. A wide range of con- uses that may not conform with the under- sumer-oriented goods and services are lying zone, but that are compatible with compatible within this designation since their surrounding uses, and are allowed creating an attractive shopping environ- to continue to evolve and operate without ment is a primary emphasis. Permitted being classified as "nonconforming" uses. uses include retail trade, offices, personal services, eating and drinking establish- Downtown Urban Center Designation ments,financial institutions, governmental offices, and similar uses. Legally estab- C Description lished existing uses that do not fit within O the range of desired new uses continue to This category should be applied exclusively in be a valuable part of the downtown econ- downtown Auburn. The area should be Bevel- omy and character and should be allowed oped in a manner consistent with and conducive to evolve and operate in a manner that re- to pedestrian-oriented activities. The ambiance sembles listed permitted uses. of the downtown should encourage leisure shop- ping, provide services to local residents and area LU-41 Encourage multiple family dwellings, employees, and provide amenities that attract particularly within the upper stories of regional visitors and shoppers. buildings. LU-7 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LU-42 Drive-in windows should not be permit- Implementing Zoning Designations ted to maintain the area's pedestrian environment. Neighborhood Commercial LU-43 Parking standards within the downtown Policies should reflect the pedestrian orientation LU-49 The commercial uses permitted must be of the area, but also consider parking's impact for economic development. carefully regulated in regards to perfor- mance criteria and design. Architectural LU-44 Discourage uses that rely on direct access style, building height and size, lighting, by vehicles or involve heavy truck traffic and signage should be consistent with the (other than for merchandise delivery). surrounding residential properties. LU-45 Unsightly outdoor storage and similar ac- LU-50 Permitted uses would consist of small-scale tivities should be prohibited. local-serving and community-serving re- tail trade, offices, personal services, and LU-46 The downtown should capitalize on op- non-drive-through eating establishments. portunities for multimodal transportation. LU-51 Special emphasis will be directed at LU-47 Encourage adaptive reuse, particularly of those accessory activities that can alter historic properties. the character of these areas into heavier commercial areas. Examples include out- LU-48 As a designated VISION 2040 Regional door storage, location and screening of Growth Center that contains a transit trash receptacles, loading and unloading station, land use policies and regulations zones, and parking lots. Regulations and should encourage population and em- permit conditions will employ techniques ployment growth. that mitigate light and noise impacts as- sociated with surrounding residential Neighborhood Commercial Designation properties. Description LU-52 Encourage adaptive reuse of existing res- idential buildings and historic properties. Low-intensity, small-scale commercial services that meet the daily needs of and complement LU-53 Commercial uses will have an orientation the quality of the residential neighborhoods they that is directed toward adjacent public serve. Commercial uses need to be carefully lo- streets while also providing pedestrian cated (if located within single-family residen- and bike-oriented access. tial neighborhoods) or should be buffered from LU-54 Upzone requests to the next zone should single-family residential areas. These areas are be approved based on the innovations characterized by lower traffic generation, fewer in transportation and stormwater man- operating hours,smaller-scale buildings,and less agement and public amenities proposed signage than light commercial areas. for the development associated with the request. J Designation Criteria 1. Located along arterial or collector streets; Light Commercial Designation 2. Properties that are buffered from the sin- Description gle-family designation by landscaping, en- vironmental features, or the Residential This category represents the prime commer- Transition designation; and cial designation for small-to moderate-scale 3. Meets the development parameters of the commercial activities. These commercial areas Neighborhood Commercial designation. should be developed in a manner consistent with LU-8 LAND USE ELEMENT and attracts pedestrian-oriented activities. Such infrastructure, and proximity and connec- areas should encourage walkability, leisure shop- tion to public transit. ping, engaging public space, and should provide LU-58 Multiple family dwellings are only allowed other amenities conducive to attracting shoppers. as part of mixed-use developments where they do not interfere'with the shopping Designation Criteria character of the area, such as within the 1. Previously developed light commercial areas upper stories of buildings. buffered from more intense commercial or in- LU-59 Drive in windows should only be allowed dustrial designations by landscaping or envi- accessory to a permitted use, and only ronmental features; or when carefully sited under the adminis- 2. Located along arterialor collector streets; trative use process, in order to ensure that 3. Properties 'that are buffered from the sin- an area's pedestrian environment is not gle-family designation by landscaping, en- compromised. vironmental features, or the Residential Transition designation; and LU-60 Large-scale regional retail uses and uses 4. Meets the development parameters of the that rely on direct access by vehicles or Light Commercial designation. involve heavy truck traffic (other than for merchandise delivery) are not appropri- Implementing Zoning Designations ate in this category. Light Commercial LU-61 Unsightly outdoor storage and similar ac- tivities should be prohibited. Policies LU-62 Encourage adaptive reuse, particularly of LU-55 A wide range of consumer-oriented goods historic properties. and services are compatible within this LU-63 Upzone requests tothe next zone should designation since creating an attractive be approved based on the innovations shopping environment is a primary em- in transportation and stormwater man- phasis. Permitted uses would consist of lo- agement and public amenities proposed cal-serving and community-serving retail for the development associated with the trade, offices, personal services, eating request. establishments, financial institutions, gov- ernmental offices, and similar uses. Heavy Commercial Designation LU-56 Parking lots must be located and designed Description in a manner that softens their appear- ance from adjacent public roads. This is This category is intended to accommodate uses accomplished through landscaping, pe- that would also accommodate a wide range of destrian spaces, and the location of build- heavier commercial uses involving extensive stor- ings on the property. Where practicable, age or vehicular movement. low-impact development techniques and landscaping should be used to promote Designation Criteria on site stormwater infiltration and shad- O ing of hard surfaces. Minimum and max- 1. Previously developed heavy commercial imum parking ratios must be established areas; or - • for each type of permitted use. 2. Located along major arterial streets; LU-57 Development incentives should be es- 3. Properties that are buffered from the sin- tablished that encourage the creation gle-family designation by landscaping, en- of electric car charging stations, use of vironmental features, or the Residential sustainable building and/or operational Transition designation and buffered from all practices, development of nonmotorized other Residential designations; and LU-9 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 4. Meets the development parameters of the INDUSTRIAL LAND USE DESIGNATIONS Heavy Commercial designation. Implementing Zoning Designations Character Sketch Industrial uses will become a more integrated part Heavy Commercial: All Heavy Commercial des- of the physical and social life of the City. Since so ignated land not located within the Northeast many people work in these areas and these com- Auburn Special Planning Area or located with- ponies contribute so much to the financial life of in the Northeast Auburn Special Planning Area, the city, it is important that they are connected but incapable of meeting the C-MU zoning through paths, roads and by public transportation. Locations that have access to rail and highways requirements. thatalso encourage intelligent growth patterns will be prioritized. Innovation will be a key requirement Policies of new and infill projects as the City looks to miti- gate impacts of production and limit damage to the LU-69 A wide variety of commercial-oriented environment. services are appropriate within this cat- egory. This includes but is not limited to Values regional-scale retail and entertainment Character: Buildings, landscaping, and outdoor uses,commercial uses with outdoor sales spaces will be attractive,interesting,well designed, areas, drive-in restaurant or other drive and well maintained. in commercial businesses, and commer- Wellness:Risk to life and property from all hazards cial services with outdoor storage as an will be minimized. Properties and businesses are accessory use. connected to nonmotorized corridors that offers alternative means to commute. LU-70 Parking lots must be located and de- Service:The city works closely with individuals and signed in a manner that softens their organizations to fully understand the demands, appearance from adjacent public roads. needs, and concerns of the industrial community This is accomplished through landscap- so that the City can sponsor initiatives that help aid in their success. ing, pedestrian spaces, and the loca- Economy:Cornerstone institutions will strategically tion of buildings on the property. Where expand in regional prominence.As industry grows, practicable, low-impact development land use policy will support efforts to grow within techniques and landscaping should be Auburn. used to promote on site stormwater in- Celebration:The Community will be made aware filtration and shading of hard surfaces. of and celebrate the accomplishments of our local, Minimum and maximum parking ratios regional and international leaders in manufactur- must be established for each type of ing,warehousing, and distribution. permitted u.se. Environment:The built environment will fit into the • natural landscape in a way that protects and re-. O LU-71 Development incentives should be es- spects ecosystem function. Natural resource pro- tablished that encourage the creation tection will be supported and celebrated by City leadership and the community. of electric car charging stations, use of sustainable building and/or operational Sustainability:Industrial uses are contributing to, and supportive of, efforts to build and maintain practices, development of nonmotorized a transportation system that ensuresthe people infrastructure, and proximity and connec- and goods move safely throughout the City and - tion to public transit. beyond. LU-10 LAND USE ELEMENT General Policies Implementing Zoning Designations LU-72 A wide range of industrial uses may be per- Li ht Industrial mitted, subject to performance standards. g LU-73 Outside storage shall be permitted sub- Policies ject to performance criteria addressing its quantity and location. LU-76 A wide range of industrial uses may be permitted, subject to performance stan- LU-74 Development incentives should be es- dards. Heavy commercial uses that serve tablished that encourage the creation the needs of workers in light industries are of electric car charging stations, use of also appropriate.These uses include indoor sustainable building and/or operational manufacturing,processing,and assembling practices, development of nonmotorized of materials from previously prepared or infrastructure, and proximity and connec- raw materials and ancillary and necessary tion to public transit. warehousing and distribution of finished LU-75 Promote the use of energy and water con- goods associated with manufacturing and servation measures industrial uses. Light Industrial Designation LU-77 Parking lots must be located and designed in a manner that softens their appearance Description from adjacent public roads. This is accom- This category is intended to accommodate a plished through landscaping, pedestrian spaces, and the location of buildings on wide range of industrial and commercial uses. the property. Where practicable, low-im- This designation is intended to provide an attrac- pact development techniques and land- tive location for manufacturing, processing and scoping should be used to promote on site assembling land use activities that contribute to stormwater infiltration and shading of hard quality surroundings. A wide variety of appropri- surfaces. Minimum and maximum parking ate commercial uses in this designation benefit ratios must be established for each type of from the location, access, physical configuration, permitted use. and building types of these properties. It is dis- tinguished from heavier industrial uses by means LU-78 Landscaping, sidewalks, and bike paths will of performance criteria. All significant activities be integral parts of site design if a develop- shall take place inside buildings,and the process- ment is located on an impression corridor or ing or storage of hazardous materials shall be located within or adjacent to an identified strictly controlled and permitted only as an inti- nonmotorized corridor. dental part of another use. LU-79 Outside storage shall be permitted sub- Designation Criteria ject to performance criteria addressing its 1. Previously developed light industrial areas; or quantity and location.This is to ensure tom patibility with adjacent uses, so that such 2. Located along high-visibility corridors; storage would not detract from the potential OC 3. Provides,buffering for heavy industrial areas use of the area for light industry.In all cases, or is buffered from the single-family designs- such storage shall be extensively screened. r tion by landscaping, environmental features, LU-80 Where a light industrial use is located adja- or the Residential Transition designation and cent to a property with a less intense zoning buffered from all other Residential designa- designation, the light industrial use bears tions; and the burden of incorporating techniques that 4. Meets the development parameters of the mitigate :the visual, noise, dust,..and odor Light Industrial designation. impacts. LU-11 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN LU-81 Uses involving substantial storage or pro- Implementing Zoning Designations cessing of hazardous materials, as well as substantial emissions, should not be per- Heavy Industrial mitted in these areas. Policies LU-82 A wide range of commercial activities may LU-85 While this zone should be reserved pri- be allowed to provide increased opportu- marily for the heavier forms of industrial nities for sales tax revenue. activities, a wide range of industrial ac- LU-83 The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tivities may be permitted. These heavier forms of industrial activities may include Auburn Yard located within the Railroad outdoor or semi-enclosed manufacturing, Special Plan Area is considered a compatible processing,or assembling activities,signif-. use at its current level of usage.It is not bound icant outdoor storage, and uses involving by the policies concerning outside storage substantial storage or processing of haz- under the existing light industrial designation ardous materials. Heavy commercial uses as it was an existing use prior to the develop- that serve the needs of workers in heavy ment of this policy.Should BNSF decide to re- industries are also appropriate. activate its applications to upgrade the yard LU-86 Parking lots must be located and designed to an intermodal facility,the proposal will be in a manner that softens their appear- subject to the essential public facility siting ance from adjacent public roads. This is process as defined in the Capital Facilities accomplished through landscaping, pe- Element. destrian spaces, and the location of build- ings on the property. Where practicable, LU-84 Upzone requests to the next zone should low-impact development techniques and be approved based on the innovations landscaping should be used to promote in transportation and stormwater man- on site stormwater infiltration and shad- agement and public amenities proposed ing of hard surfaces. Minimum and max- for the development associated with the imum parking ratios must be established request. for each type of permitted use. Heavy Industrial Designation LU-87 Landscaping, sidewalks, and bike paths will be integral parts of site design if a Description development is located on an impression corridor or located within or adjacent to This designation allows the full range of industrial an identified nonmotorized corridor. uses, as well as certain heavy commercial uses LU-88 Where a heavy industrial use is located that serve the needs of workers in light industries adjacent to a property with a less intense are also appropriate. zoning designation, the heavy industri- al use bears the burden of incorporating Designation Criteria techniques that mitigate the visual, noise, dust, and odor impacts. 1 1. Previously developed heavy industrial areas; 0 or PUBLIC AND INSTITUTIONAL LAND USE > 2. Not located along high-visibility corridors; DESIGNATIONS 3. Buffered by the Light Industrial Designation or otherwise buffered from all other compatible Character Sketch designations; and Public and institutional uses will occur in both low- 4. Meets the development parameters of the and high-density environments. For passive uses, Heavy Industrial designation. land and views will be protected; limited access to, LU-12 LAND USE ELEMENT these areas will be typical. For more active uses, should maximize use of the site while min- usability and accessibility will be key features and imizing fiscal impacts and impacts to ad- new development will be subject to standards re- jacent areas. flecting programmed space and interconnectivi- ty. These spaces will be varied in type, providing LU-91 Increase visibility of resources through service to areas large and small, urban and more public information campaigns. rural in character.Sustainable solutions and inno- LU-92 Appropriate uses include low-intensi- vations that are responsive to the native ecology ty recreational uses, passive use open will be typical of public and institutional uses. areas, protected environmental habitat, stormwater detention facilities, and simi- Values lar low-intensity uses. Character: Community facilities and programs LU-93 Promote the use of energy and water con- bring people together and connect residents and servation measures visitors to our natural resources. Wellness:Multiple recreation options,and nearby Open Space Designation trails, parks, activities, and events will be readily Description accessible to the entire community. Service: Land use policy supports the provision This category shall be applied to areas that of community, health and human services to all are owned by a public entity and managed in a residents. largely undeveloped character. It includes parks, Economy: Residents and visitors seek Auburn as watersheds, shoreline areas, significantwildlife a residence or destination because of its natu- habitats, storm drainage ponds, utility corridors ral resources, community events, and community with public access, and areas with significant de- pride. velopment restrictions. Celebration:We utilize our open spaces and pub- lic facilities to promote who we are, our diversity, Designation Criteria and our community pride. 1. Passive parks or undeveloped Parks Environment: Residents and visitors will enjoy Department property; open spaces and environmentally sensitive areas, 2. Any site containing a significant develop- while encouraging the appreciation of their im- mental hazard; or portance and beauty. Impacts of new develop- ment on natural resources are considerate of 3. Any site containing open space value suita- their sensitivity and importance. ble for public protection without unduly en- Sustainability:Public and private funds are used croaching on private property rights. to make investments in land preservation, resto- Implementing Zoning Designations ration and protection. Public investments in land and facilities are considered for their perpetual or Open Space generational value versus short-term motivations. General Policies Policies 0 LU-89 The primary purpose of this designation is LU-94 Active parks that provide sports field, ac- r to address public needs while taking ad- tivity and community centers, cemetery's, vantage of synergies with the adjacent and public buildings should not be desig- areas where they are sited. noted as open space. LU-90 Innovative strategies to integrate the LU-95 Open space lands are primarily designat- uses and sites into the areas where they ed to provide wildlife and aquatic hab- are sited is encouraged. These strategies itat, flood detention, vegetation and soil LU-13 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN preservation, and view shed protection. 2. Locatedalong major arterial streets; Land designated as open space may be 3. Properties that are buffered from the sin- used for public access to trails, interpre- gle-family designation by landscaping, en- tive centers, education opportunities, and vironmental features, or the Residential other uses and facilities that support the Transition designation and buffered from all purpose of their designation. other Residential designations; and LU-96 Increase distribution of open space and 4. Meets the development parameters of the increase access to open space amenities Institutional designation. throughout Auburn. 5. Properties identified in the Airport Master LU-97 Enhance restoration, preservation and Plan as Landing Field. protection of natural resources and crit- Implementing Zoning Designations ical areas. Institutional LU-98 Seek out opportunities to develop rec- Landing Field reation and education opportunities on public lands or through public-private Policies partnerships. LU-101 A responsible management entity and LU-99 Increase visibility of resources through the purpose for the institutional des- public information campaigns. Continue ignation should be identified for each to work with regional partners to devel- property interest within this designation. op and maintain trail systems that con- Management policies and plans are ap- nect Auburn with regional destinations. propriate for all lands in this designation. LU-100 Build on partnerships with school dis- LU-102 Appropriate uses for this designation tricts to expand public use of school fa- include facilities that serve the needs cilities for recreation and exercise, and of the larger community such as public to improve public access to facilities for schools, active parks, city operated mu- nicipal facilities, large churches, and fire this purpose, as appropriate. stations. Institutional Designation LU-103 This designation permits a wide array of Description uses that tend to be located in the midst of other dissimilar uses. For this reason, This category includes those areas that are re- special emphasis should be directed at served for public or institutional uses.These pub- the following: lic uses include public schools and institutional a. The appropriateness of new requests uses such as large churches and schools. It is also for this designation and the impacts intended to include those of a significant im- that it may have on the surrounding 1: pact, and not thosesmaller public uses that are community. • consistent with and may be included in another b. Site-specific conditions that should I designation. For example, public uses of an in- be attached to the granting of new 0 dustrial character are included in the industrial requests for this designation that are designation, and small-scale religious institutions designed to mitigate impacts on the of a residential character are included in the res- surrounding community. idential designation. c. Site-specific conditions that should be attached to development propos- Designation Criteria als that are designed to mitigate im- 1. Previously developed institutional uses; or pacts on the surrounding community. LU-14 LAND USE ELEMENT LU-104 Coordination with other public or insti- LU-111 New commercial land uses in proximity tutional entities is essential in the imple- to the airport should be air-related and/ mentation of the institutional land use or complementary to the airport. designation. LU-112 To protect the viability of the Auburn. LU-105 Industrial and commercial uses that are Municipal Airport the City shall create affiliated with and managed by edu- an airport overlay that is consistent with cational institutions for vocational edu- FAA regulations and WSDOT guidance. cational purposes may be classified as an institutional use and permitted on a LU-113 The City's zoning ordinance and other. conditional basis. appropriate regulatory measures shall enforce the airport overlay and the FAR LU-106 For the Landing Field (LF) zone, an Part 77 surfaces. Airport Master Plan (AMP) should be LU-114 The airport overlay shall protect the op- developed that establishes the vision, erations of the Auburn Municipal Airport policies, and implementation strategies by establishing controls on incompatible that govern uses, management princi- ples, and future planning efforts. The land uses and development. AMP shall be incorporated by reference LU-115 The airport overlay should be imple- in the Auburn Comprehensive Plan as an mented to manage land uses and de- appendix. velopment around the airport to ensure LU-107 Auburn Municipal Airport is included in compatibility into the future and prevent the federal airport system -the National incompatible future uses. The regula- Plan of Integrated Airport Systems tions applied to properties surrounding (NPIAS). Participation in the NPIAS is the airport should encourage land uses limited to public use airports that meet that are related to, and benefit from, specific FAA criteria. NPIAS airports proximity to the airport but not restrict- are eligible for federal funding of im- ed exclusively to only these. provements through FAA programs. To LU-116 The impact of development on air safety maintain eligibility for funding through shall be assessed through the City zon- FAA programs, the Airport Master Plan ing ordinance, FAA regulations, SEPA should be periodically updated as con- review, input from the Auburn Municipal ditions change. Airport, and relevant technical guid- ance. Appropriate mitigation measures LU-108 Uses, activities, and operations within shall be required by the City. the LF Airport Landing Field District must be coordinated and consistent with the LU-117 Uses in proximity to the airport that may Airport Master Plan. create potential operational (e.g. height or noise) conflicts shall be reviewed LU-109 Future expansions of the LF Airport for their consistency to airport oper- Landing Field District, for the purpose of ations and conformance with the FAA airport uses, activities, and operations, regulations. should be coordinated and consistent O r. with the Airport Master Plan. LU-118 The airport should be protected from nonconforming uses and structures • LU-110 While the industrially designated area that pose a safety concern to airport east of the Airport is highly suited for operations. airport related activities, other indus- trial type uses are now located here. LU-119 The City shall determine whether non- Therefore, the City will encourage use in conforming uses and structures affect this area to take advantage of its prox- airport operations and require their imity to the Airport. minimization or elimination, at cost to LU-15 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN owner, based on individualized study of Designation Criteria proposals, City regulations, input from the Auburn Municipal Airport, and rele- Areas designated through the process of vant technical guidance. annexation Implementing Overlay Designations OVERLAYS, URBAN GROWTH AREA, AND Lea Hill Overlay SPECIAL PLANNING LAND USE DESIGNATIONS West Hill Overlay Urban Separator Overlay Character Sketch Policies These areas help control growth, protect the en- vironment, and prevent urban sprawl conditions LU-122 The City is obligated to maintain (and in our City. For a variety of reasons,specific areas not redesignate) until at least the year exist within the City that require further specificity 2022, pursuant to countywide planning or focus of land use planning, policy, regulation, policies and an annexation agreement or investment.Overlays,urban growth areas,and with King County. special planning areas may be designated that LU-123 Urban separators are deemed to be help further enumerate a purpose. These areas both a regional as well as local concern are to be designated through the Comprehensive and no modifications to development Plan and treated as a component of the Land Use regulations governing their use may be Element of the Plan. made without King County review and Values concurrence. Therefore, the areas des- ignated as "urban separator" on the Each area designated as an overlay,urban growth Comprehensive Land Use map, will be area, or special planning area shall reflect the zoned for densities not to exceed one values identified in the Core Comprehensive Plan. dwelling unit per acre,with lot clustering General Policies being required if a subdivision of land is proposed. LU-120 These land use designations must be consistent with the Growth Management Urban Growth Area and Potential Annexation Act, Puget Sound Regional Council, and Area Designation countywide planning policies. Description LU-121 Any proposed changes to these desig- nations must be pursued in coordina- Urban growth areas and potential annexation tion with applicable State, Regional and areas are areas located outside of the municipal County agencies. city limits of Auburn. They are areas that are an- ticipated to be incorporated into the City within 10 Urban Separator Designation years of their designation. Description Designation Criteria Urban separators are areas designated for Jlow-density uses in the King County Countywide Potential annexation areas are jointly developed 0 planning policies. They are intended to "protect by cities and the County in which they are locat- Resource Lands,the Rural Area,and environmen- ed.They are based upon countywide growth pro- tally sensitive areas, and create open space and jections that are divided among all urban growth wildlife corridors within and between communi- areas within each respective County. Urban ties while also providing public health, environ- growth areas and potential annexation areas mental, visual, and recreational benefits." There are distinguished from each other by whether are two primary areas of urban separators, one they have been assigned to a City or not. Urban on Lea Hill and one on West Hill. growth areas have been identified but have not LU-16 LAND USE ELEMENT been assigned to a City. Potential annexation transfer of permit authority, infrastruc- areas are urban growth areas that have been ture financing, financing of fire and po- assigned to a specific City. lice services, and interim development regulations. Implementing Designations Urban Growth Area Transition Designation Potential Annexation Area Description Policies The Transition Designation following establishes LU-124 Work with King and Pierce County, as policies and guidance are intended toprovide a well as nearby cities, to redesignate basis for future development of zoning and other urban growth areas into potential an- regulatory tools to manage and reduce impacts nexation areas. from proximity of boundaries between sharper differences of intensity in land uses and is meant LU-125 Auburn's Potential Annexation Area is to apply city-wide. shown on the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map (Map 1.1). Map 1.1 also depicts Designation Criteria Growth Impact Areas. These Growth Impact Areas are generally adjacent The Designation should apply to areas that are cities or unincorporated County lands in located between single-family and multifamily which development that occurs poten- land use designations; between multifamily and tially impacts the city of Auburn. nonresidential land use designations; and be- tween single-family and nonresidential land use LU-126 The Auburn City Council may revise the designations. boundaries of the Potential Annexation Area in the future, in response to: Implementing Designations a. Amendments to King and Pierce The Designation and implementing zoning and County Urban Growth Areas as spec- other regulatory tools shall generally apply to the ified in the King and Pierce County more intense land use designation. countywide policies b. Discussions between Auburn and Policies adjacent jurisdictions regarding POTENTIAL ANNEXATION AREA LU-129 Between single-family and multifamily: boundaries a. Where a multifamily use is pro- c. Discussions with Pierce County con- posed to be located adjacent to a cerningthe designation of POTENTIAL single-family zone, the multifamily ANNEXATION AREA boundaries use will bear the burden of provid- d. Changed circumstances. relating to ing an adequate transition of land population and employment growth use. Mitigating measures that con- and projections, urban service feasi- trol light, noise, and dust should be < bility, or similar factors. incorporated into multifamily devel- O LU-127 Develop strategies and agreements for opment proposals. the review of development and provision b. Provide non-motorized access of utilities within potential annexation through the site in order to connect areas that have yet to beannexed. the adjacent land uses. c. Housing size, type, and orientation LU-128 Prior to annexation, develop strategies shall be utilized as a means of pro- and agreements that address the order- viding harmonious transition of the ly transition of areas into the City such as built environment. LU-17 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN d. Provide a mix of townhomes,duplex- Designation Criteria es, cottage housing and small-scale multifamily housing. Designation of critical areas includes both crite- ria that should be applied to the specific type of LU-130 Between multifamily and nonresidential critical area as well as buffers and/or setbacks a. Where a non-residential use is pro- that are necessary for the protection of the criti- posed to be located adjacent to a cal area and/or life and property. Designation of multifamily zone, the non-residential critical areas is based on best available science use will bear the burden of provid- as it applies to local conditions. ing an adequate transition of land Implementing Designations use. Mitigating measures that con- Wetlands trol light, noise, and dust should be Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas incorporated into nonresidential de- Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas velopment proposals. Frequently Flooded Areas b. Provide non-motorized access Geologically Hazardous Areas through the site in order to connect Policies the adjacent land uses. c. Provide a mix of townhomes,duplex- LU-132 Best available science will be utilized es, cottage housing and small-scale for the specific designation criteria and multifamily housing. the associated adopted protection stan- dards and development regulations. LU-131 Between single-family and nonresidential: LU-133 Reasonable use provisions will be in- cluded within the critical area regula- a. Where a non-residential use is pro- tions that ensure a property owner is not posed to be located adjacent to a denied use of a preexisting parcel, lot or single-family zone, the non-resi- tract. dential use will bear the burden of providing an adequate transition of LU-134 Exemptions to the critical areas ordi- land use. Mitigating measure that nance should be provided for very lim- control light, noise, and dust should ited and justified circumstances such as be incorporated into nonresidential maintenance of existing land uses, work within some types of human-made fea- development proposals. tures, limited types of site investigation b. Provide non-motorized access work, emergency activities, and certain through the site in order to connect types of invasive vegetation control. the adjacent land uses. LU-135 Critical area regulations will identify the Critical Area Overlay Land Use process and standards for alteration of a critical area and criteria related to miti- Description gation, performance, and monitoring. • Under the Growth Management Act cities and Special Planning Area Designation 0 counties are required to identify, designate and protect critical areas. Critical areas include (a) Description wetlands, (b) areas with a critical recharging ef- "Special Planning Areas" consist of Districts, fect on aquifers used for potable water, (c) fish subareas, Impression Corridors, and Gateways and wildlife habitat conservation areas, (d) fre- within Auburn that warrant additional empha,- quently flooded areas, and (e) geologically haz- sis in planning, investments, and policy devel- ardous areas. op-ment. Each may be recognized separately. LU-18 LAND USE ELEMENT within the Comprehensive Plan, as an Element of or other linear corridor. Districts may con- the Comprehensive Plan, or as an subarea plan tain other smaller Special Planning Areas, (discussed below). There are a variety of rea- such as subareas. Additionally, districts are sons for designating and distinguishing a special generally consistent with the geography of planning area,and once designated, a variety of one of the eight"neighborhoods"'identified in potential outcomes. Reasons for designating a the 2014 City of Auburn Community Vision special planning area include: Report.Generally speaking,districts are iden- tified• Areas of high visibility and traffic. These areas for the purpose of creating identity.This create an impression or image of Auburn. means that the land use designations and It is therefore particularly important to en- overarching policies and implementing regu= sure that they are attractive and well main- lotions are not going to change from one dis- tained. Examples include Auburn Way South trict to the next. Instead, Districts are import- and associated major highway on- and ant for event planning, establishing park and open space level-of-service standards, and off-ramps. promoting community identity. • Land use activities that warrant joint plan- ning between the City and owner/opera- Districts(see Map 1.2) tor. In ad-edition to developing approach- . West Hill es and strat-.egies for the land use activity, . North Auburn there may be additional emphasis on ensur- • Lea Hill ing compatibility with surrounding land uses. • Downtown Examples include, Green River College, the Auburn Municipal Airport, and Emerald Downs ▪ South Auburn Thoroughbred Horse Racetrack. • Plateau • • Neighborhoods in which a resident and Lakeland merchant live and conduct daily business • Southeast Auburn and leisure. Neighborhoods may also be dis- 2. Subareas:Subareas are smaller in geography tin,guished by physical setting, physical sepa- than a district. Though relatively large, multi- rations,and similarity over an area. Examples ple subareas may be located within a single include downtown, Lea Hill, and Lakeland. district. Subareas allow for the refinement • Areas with a focused desire to create greater and recognition of existing unique character- physical and economic cohesiveness. These istics within a district. Subareas are intended may be large planned developments or to anticipate, support, and guide long-term clusters. Examples include the Auburn North growth and redevelopment through planned Business Area and Mt. Rainier Vista. development and a unique vision for how that • Areas with an existing built environment or an area should look and function in the future. It existing regulatory framework that does not, can also be used to provide flexibility when in itself, meet the expectations of the seven there is uncertainty regarding how an area. values that underscore the Comprehensive may be most appropriately developed in the Plan.Examples include the need for multimodal future. connections between West Hill and Lea Hill to Twenty-eight (28) subareas currently exist. C north and downtown Auburn. These subareas are categorized into five dif- O Designation Criteria ferent types of subareas: r, • Identified Areas; • 1. Districts:The geographic limit of districts and • Designatged Areas; areas that make up this category of Special Planning Areas extends beyond an alignment • Economic Development Strategy Areas (a with any particular street, trail, river, stream, Designated Areas sub-category); 1. The eight "neighborhoods" are identified for comprehensive planning purposes only, as neither the City nor its neighborhoods have elected to officially designate the boundaries of City neighborhoods. LU-19 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN • Areas of Concern(another Designated Areas areas will be guided by individual Plan ele- sub-category; and ment or subarea plan of the Comprehensive • Adopted Areas. Plan. The future subarea plan will either sup- plement existing goals,policies, and implement Uses, intensities, and infrastructure develop- strategies, or replace existing Comprehensive ment determined for each subarea or planned Plan designations and policies for the area area through individual planning processes. within the specific and detailed boundary. Connectivity throughout the planned area, and connections to multimodal transportation op- Designated Areas(see Map 1.3) portunities outside of the planned area are also • Auburn Municipal Airport emphasized through the individual planning pro- • BNSF Rail Yard cess. The result of each individual planning pro- • Stuck River Road cess is the adoption of Comprehensive Plan ele- • Lakeview ment or subarea plan for the particular subarea • Mt. Rainier by City Council. Each Plan element must be con- sistent with the general goals, objectives, and 2b(1). Designated Areas-Areas of Concern: policies of the Comprehensive Plan,and once ad- Areas of Concern are a specific type(or subcat- opted, subarea plans are intended to guide the egory) of designated area.Areas of Concern are future development of each respectively adopted established because they represent an area that subarea. features a lack in the infrastructure and services (e.g. municipal water and sewer service, urban 2a. Identified Areas: Identified areas are iden- roads, traffic demand, and storm water man- tified as a subarea within the Comprehensive agement) necessary to support increase in den- Plan, but have not been established on the sity or other development. These areas require a close assessment of and an emphasis on infra- Comprehensive Plan Map.Therefore,the specific structure development and planning to support and detailed boundaries of an identified subarea further development.While this Plan may not have not been defined.Identification of a subarea fully represent the intensity of uses that could ul- within the Comprehensive Plan occurs by official timately be supported in these areas(in part due action of the City Council. to the current weakness of the City's infrastruc- ture to support future growth). Development intensification within the Area of Concern needs to be coordinated with the necessary infra- Identified Areas structure and services to support growth. • Auburn Golf Course GSA/Boeing Designated Areas - Areas of Concern (see Map •• Green River College 1.3 ' • Mary Olsen Farm • AWS/Auburn Black Diamond Rd. • Les Gave Campus • Pike Street NE • Emerald Downs • 8th Street NE J • Auburn High School 0 2b(2). Designated Areas- Economic > 2b. Desginated Areas: Designated Areas have Development Strategy Areas: The Economic been designated on the Comprehensive Plan Development Strategy Areas are a specif- Map, which defines the specific and detailed is type(or subcategory) of designated area. boundaries of the area. Designation of an In 2005, City Council adopted six Economic area on the Comprehensive Plan Map occurs Development Strategy Areas under Resolution by official action of the Auburn City Council. It No. 3944. These areas, initially identified by a is intended that future development of these focus group of diverse business and community LU-20 LAND USE ELEMENT interests, are targeted for population and em- • NW Manufacturing Village ployment growth within the planning horizon • 15th St SW/West Valley Hwy N of the City's 20-year growth target(2031). By 2012, the City Council added three addition- 2c.Adopted Areas:Adopted Areas include al economic development strategy areas, an Adopted Subarea Plan incorporated into bringing the total to nine (9)strategy areas. the Comprehensive Plan that establishes the purpose of its designation, goals and policies, During the City's 2015 update of the and implementation strategies.Adoption of a Comprehensive Plan the list of economic de- subarea plan occurs by official action of the velopment strategy areas to reflect current City Council. As an adopted document of the conditions and status of these areas.As such, Comprehensive Plan, the subarea Plans are two of the original six economic development subject to a review, and if necessary, revision to strategy areas was removed from the list. The address changes in conditions, issues, or even Urban Center, one of the original six develop- characteristics of the planned areas. The review ment strategy areas, was removed as it is no and revision a subarea Plan will also include the review and, if necessary, a revision of zoning longer a designated area. The Urban Center, also known as"Downtown Auburn" or the regulations and architectural design standards. "Downtown Urban Center" is an adopted area (since 2001) and features its own subarea plan. Adopted Areas(see Map 1.4) The Auburn Environmental Park(AEP)/Green • Downtown (Ordinance No. 5549) Zone has also been removed as an econom- • Auburn Adventist Academy(Resolution No. is development strategy area. The AEP/Green Zone economic development strategy area 2254) was previously zoned EP, Environmental Park ▪ quburn North Business Area (Resolution No. Zone.The intent of this zone was to encourage 2283) economic development in the form of medi- • Lakeland Hills(Resolution No. 1851) cal, biotech and "green"technologies includ- • Lakeland Hills South (County H.E. Case Z15/ ing energy conservation, engineering, water UP70) quality and similar uses. Through Ordinance • Northeast Auburn (Ordinance No. 6183) No. 6660 City Council rezoned the AEP/Green Zone from EP, Environmental Park Zone to M-1, 3. Impression Corridors: Impression corridors Light Industrial, hereby effectively removing the are aligned with a particular street, trail, need to designate the AEP/Green Zone as an river,stream,or specific linear corridor.Some specific economic development strategy area. corridors may be part of.a subarea, in which case the Impression Corridor policies are The current economic development strate- additive to a subarea plan. Impression cor- gy areas are included below. The bounds- ridors enhance the areas in which residents, ries of the economic development strategy businesses,visitors move throughout the City. areas are incorporated as designated sub- The benefit of an impression corridor is two- areas"Designated Areas - Special Planning fold: residents know that the City is invested Areas" map of the Land Use Element. in the aesthetic of main thoroughfares and < businesses can buildoff of the design and 0 Designated Areas-Economic Development aesthetic provided by the impression cor- Strategy Areas(see Map 1.3) ridor. Improvements or modification to im- pression corridors consist of aesthetic sig- • A St SE (corridor) nage, landscaping, and monument features, • Auburn Way South (AWS) Corridor and the rehabilitation or removal of existing • Auburn Way North (AWN) Corridor buildings and property. Impression Corridor • M St SE(between AWN and AWS) boundaries and policies are formally des- • SE 312th/124th Ave ignated by adoption of the Comprehensive LU-21 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Plan. Priority is given to the impression cor- function as a entrance to an impression ridors that are a part of a subarea. Priority corridor. The priority gateways are itali- impression corridors are the thoroughfares cized below. in which residents, businesses, visitors move throughout a specific subarea. The priority Gateways(see Map 1.6) impression corridors are italicized below. • Auburn Way North and Auburn Avenue Impression Corridors(see Map 1.5) (where the roads converge) Auburn Way North • East Main Street and M Street NE/ • Auburn Way South SE(at the intersection) •• Auburn Black Diamond Road • Auburn Way South and 4th Street SE • A Street SE/Auburn Avenue • Auburn Way S and 6th Street SE • C Street SW • West Main Street between C • Division Street Street NW and B Street NW • M Street/Harvey Road Main Street • All roads with an entry into the city •• 8th Street NE • Hwy 167 Off Ramps • 15th Street SW • SR 18 Off Ramps • West Valley Highway 15th Street NW/NE Implementing Designations •• 132nd Ave SE Planned Unit Development(PUD) • SE 320th Street Master Plans • SE 312th Street • SE 304th Street Policies • R Street • Lake Tapps Pkwy SE District Policies. • Green River Road LU-123 Through regulation, capital investment, • 37th Street NW and community planning, identify, pro- • S 277th Street mote and market district identity. • Interurban Trail • Green River Subarea Policies. • White River .LU-124 Each subarea will contain its own vision, • Mill Creek goals, policies and strategies. LU-125 BNS,F Rail Yard - This approximately 150 4. Gateways: Gateways are specific plac- acre Special Planning Area is located es, intersections, or blocks within the City. in the south-central portion of the City These essential locations are established and surrounded by SR-18 to the North, because they constitute the first impression Ellingson Road to the South, C Street SW into of Auburn. Gateways are intended to Y to the west and A Street SE to the East. create a"welcome"into distinct areas of the The Special Planning Area should con- City or into the City itself. They are there- sider both sides of C Street and A Street. O fore highly important to plan, construct, Consideration should be given to: maintain, and enhance their appearance and function. Gateway locations and pol- • The needs of Burlington Northern. icies are formally designated by adoption • Providing pedestrian, bicycle and - - of the Comprehensive Plan. Priority is given vehicular access across the site to to those gateways that are along -an pri- ,connect the southeast and south- ority impression corridor. Priority gateways west sides of the city. LU-22 LAND USE ELEMENT • Providing a more visually appealing mineral resource area should be granted "entry corridor" into the City from for the life of the resource, with reviews the south along A and C Streets. conducted periodically(every five years) • Allowing for a mix of uses including to determine whether changes in the single and multifamily development originally proposed mineral extraction and commercial and industrial uses operation have arisen and give rise to where appropriate. the need for additional or revised permit conditions to address the new impacts LU-126 Stuck River Road - A portion of the (if any) of any such changes. Any per- Stuck River Road Special Planning Area mit applications for additional acreage is currently the site of a large sand and within the mineral resource area shall be gravel mining operation. This area and processed by the City. other adjacent land comprising a total of approximately 664 acres has been Development of this area should not designated as a long term resource occur until adequate public facilities are area (mineral resource area), so devel- available to support the development opment of the Special Area Plan for this consistent with City concurrency policy. area should be a low priority as mining The City recognizes the potential for is expected to continue on this site for as expanding the Stuck River Road Special long as 30 years. The land uses for the Planning Area to include addition- Stuck River Road Special Planning Area al land east of Kersey Way and north will be determined through the subarea of the Covington-Chehalis power line planning process and the City Council's easement, and will consider a propos- , adoption of the subarea plan. Potential al by all affected property owners. If land uses applied through the subarea the area is expanded, the number of planning process could include sin- non-multiple family, non-manufac- gle-family residential, multi-family res- tured home park dwellings units may idential, commercial, institutional, and be increased proportionate to the in- recreational. Some light industrial uses crease in acreage. Any such proposal may be appropriate for consideration shall specifically apportion the types and designation through the subarea and quantities of development to occur planning process if the uses are "indus- within each separate ownership. trial or business park" in character, con- LU-127 Lakeview-The Lakeview subarea is cur- ducted entirely within an enclosed build- rently the site of two independent sand ing, and exhibit a high degree of perfor- and gravel mining operations. While mance standards and are non-nuisance mining activity continues in the eastern in nature and if appropriately limited operation,indications in 1995 arethatthe in extent and location. A mix of hous- western operation has ceased. Activity ing types ranging from single family in the western portion is now limited to residential to multi-family residential is a concrete batch plant and future site appropriate for this planning area. The reclamation. Following reclamation, the subarea plan should be adopted tak- area should be developed as:a primar- < ing into consideration the period during ily single family residential neighbor- O which mining is expected and the intent hood of low to moderate urban density. of theultimate development of the area. r A planned development would be par- . An active permit has been processed by ticularly appropriate for this approxi- the City with respect to the mining ac- mately 235 acre site. The permitted de- tivity on a portion (approximately 664 velopment density of the site will depend acres) of the mineral extraction opera- heavily upon the ability of the transpor- t tion. The permit process should Contin- tation system near the site to handle the ue, however,any permit for mining in the new uses. Consideration shall be given LU-23 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN to the environmental, recreational and poses the least risk of contamination amenity value of White Lake, the histor- for Coal Creek Springs. Lands upon ical and cultural significance, as well as which any level of development would tribal ownership andjurisdiction of the have a high risk for contaminating the Muckleshoot Tribe in the development water supply shall not be developed, of the Lakeview Plan element. Permit but would be retained,as open space. applications have been accepted and The development pattern shall provide are currently being processed by the for a logical transition between areas City with respect to the mining activity designated for rural uses and those on the eastern portion of the area. The designated for single family residential permit process should continue, how- use. All dwelling units shall be served ever, any permit for continued mining in by municipal water and sanitary sewer this portion of the area should be limited service, and urban roads. If 53rd to 10 years to encourage completion of Street S.E. is the major access to serve the mining, and subsequent reclama- the Special Planning Area, the devel- tion by the property owner in prepara- oper will be responsible for developing tion for development.The Lakeview Plan the street to urban standards,from the element should be adopted prior to the property owners'eastern property line City's acceptance or processing of any that abuts 53rd Street, west to the in- other permit applications for the min- tersection of 53rd and Kersey Way. ing operation in the Lakeview Special 3.Percolation type storm sewer dispos- Planning Area. The environmental in- al systems shall not be permitted. All formation and analysis included in the surface water drainage shall be con- Final Environmental Impact Statement veyed consistent with the City's current for Lakeview (November 1980), shall be storm drainage standards. Treatment _ considered in the development of the of stormwater shall occur prior to its Lakeview Plan element. While heavy discharge to any surface water body, commercial or industrial uses would not consistent with standard public works be appropriate as permanent uses of this or other requirements in general effect area, conversion of the area now zoned at the time of development. for heavy industry to office commercial (or similar) uses would be appropriate. 4. The site shall be zoned temporari- ly, at one unit per four acres, until the LU-128 Mt. Rainier Vista - This 145 acre subarea sub-area plan is completed and the is located south of Coal Creek Springs long-term urban zoning determined. Watershed. Overall development of the Mt. Rainier Vista subarea plan shall be 5. The Mt. Rainier Vista special plan- consistent with the following conditions: ping area boundary may be modi- fied through the development of the 1. Primary consideration in use and subarea plan. development of the property shall be given to protection of Coal Creek 6.The Mt. Rainier Vista and Stuck River Road Special Planning Areas shall be Springs' water quality. Development types, patterns and standards de- coordinated subarea plans. . termined to pose a substantial risk to Designated Areas -Areas of Concern Policies. Othe public water source shall not be LU-129 AWS/Auburn Black Diamond Rd - The allowed. area between Auburn-Black Diamond 2. The maximum number of dwelling Road and the Burlington Northern units will be determined as part of Railroad currently lacks urban facili- any sub-area plan process. Dwelling ties necessary to support urban devel- units shall be located within portions opment. Major development propos- of the property where development als shall be carefully assessed under LU-24 LAND USE ELEMENT SEPA to ensure that the development most consistent with community aspira- can be supported by the available fa- tions. Each subarea plan should address cilities. Once property owners are able and include policies regarding the ex- to demonstrate to the City that they pected level of housing density (or resi- can provide urban services (municipal dentia)growth targets)and employment water and sewer service, urban roads growth targets. and storm water management) neces- • Auburn Way South Corridor sary to support the intensity of develop- . Auburn Way North Corridor ment proposed within the entire area, • NW Auburn Manufacturing Village the Plan designation and zoning for this • 15th St. SW/C St. SW/W Valley Hwy. N area shouldbe changed to an urban • A St. SE residential or commercial classification. • SE 312th St./124th Ave SE The appropriate classification(s) shall • M St. SE between Auburn Way N and be determined after a review of the de- Auburn Way S velopment proposal and the pertinent Comprehensive Plan policies. Adopted Areas Policies. LU-130 Pike Street NE - The area located north LU-133 Adoption or revision of a subarea plan of 8th NE, east of Harvey Road, and will be treated as a comprehensive plan south of 22nd NE is inadequately served amendment and will comply with the by residential arterials. No increase Growth Management Act, Countywide in density or other development which planning policies, Vision 2040, and the would increase traffic demand in this Core Comprehensive Plan. area should be approved. LU-134 Adventist Academy - Adopted under LU-131 8th Street NE -The areas paralleling 8th Resolution No. 2254 on November 14, Street NE located between Auburn Way 1991. The Auburn Adventist Academy is and M Street are designated for multiple Special Planning Area (Adopted Area) family residential while 8th Street NE is is a multi-use campus operated by the designated as a minor arterial.However, Western Washington Conference of the road is not currently constructed to Seventh-Day Adventists. The Campus this standard and is not able to support plays a large role in the Western current traffic demand adequately. The Washington Conference of Seventh- Plan designation would greatly increase Day Adventists' private elementary traffic volumes. Implementation of the and secondary education system in Plan designations should not occur until Washington and hosts many communi- 8th Street NE is constructed to the ade- ty events as well as an annual region- quate arterialstandard and water ser- al camp meeting for Adventists from vice is upgraded. Up zones should not be Washington and around the world. granted from current zoning until these The Campus previously housed Harris stems are upgraded or guaranteed. Pine Mill, a furniture manufacturer, for. Designated Areas Economic Development many years. The Mill provided finan- Strategy Ares Policies. cial benefit to the Academy's budget < LU-132 The City should adopt a formal subarea and provided employment opportuni- plan for each of the seven economic de- ties, learning experiences, and voca- velopment strategy areas (listed below) tional education for Academy students: as an element of the Comprehensive The Academy continues to include in .1 Plan.Each economic development strat- its plan industrial uses that support egy area subarea plan should identify the mission of the school financial- the uses, intensities, and infrastructure ly. The reuse of existing mill buildings development necessary to support the and redevelopment of buildings lost types of business and activities that are to a fire in 1989 are the focal points of LU-25 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN the current industrial development. In LU-136 Lakeland Hills - Adopted under addition to institutional and industrial Resolution No. 1851 on April 18, 1988. uses, the Academy is also operates a Lakeland Hills area lies between the landing strip and associated aircraft Stuck River and the southern City lim- hangars for student aviation and flight its of Auburn in the most southwestern training. A single family subdivision is part of the City. The area consists of located to the south of the airstrip. In planned residential and commercial addition to these uses, the Academy subdivisions, and is predominate- wishes to allow development of uses ly residential - in nature, offering a such a multi-family and senior housing range of housing types, including sin- and assisted living and memory care gle family and multi-family dwellings. which will generate perpetual revenue The Lakeland Hills Plan was intended through a long-term land lease on a to provide long-term predictability to portion of the Campus lying generally both the City and potential developers. north of Auburn Way South and south As a planned community, development of 32nd Street S.E. that will direct- and design must be consistent with the ly aid its mission. The financial bene- policy guidance of the Lakeland Hills fit from these uses will allow funding Plan. an endowment, subsidize student tui- LU-137 Lakeland Hills South - Approved under tion, provide financial aid for students Pierce County Hearing Examiner Case needing tuition assistance, for new Z15/UP7O.Lakeland Hills South lies educational programs, for additional south of the Lakeland Hills special plan faculty, facility maintenance and up- area and is the most southwestern part grades, and other needs. The plan of the City. The area is predominate- ly residential, allowing for a range of focuses on provides predictability to planning, zoning, subdivision, and de- housing types, with commercial uses, velopment decisions within the Special including Lakeland Town Center, in Planning Area (Adopted Area) made the center. Nonresidential uses, in- by the City. cluding civic, religious, and municipal services are allowed throughout the LU-135 Auburn North Business Area - Adopted area through an Administrative Use under Resolution No. 2283 on March 2, Permit. Unlike Lakeland Hills, Lakeland 1992. The Auburn North Business Area Hills South was accepted into Auburn Special Planning Area Plan was the was a Planned Unit Development result of a comprehensive planning (PUD). The Lakeland Hills PUD, origi- study due to increased development nally the Lakeland Hills South Planned pressure north of the Central Business Development District (PDD), was ap- District. Since the Central Business proved under Pierce County Hearing District, which contains Downtown, the Examiner Case no Z15-UP70 in 1990. core of Auburn, is adjacent to these Lakeland Hills South PUD is intended to areas, future development in this area provide enhanced flexibility to develop • is crucial. A comprehensive and cohe- a site through innovative and alterna- ,J sive direction was also needed based tive development standards. As a PUD, 0 on increased development proposals specific development and design stan- and rezone requests. In addition to de- dards are prescribed. velopment concerns, many of the con- LU-138 Auburn Downtown Plan(Urban Center) siderable undeveloped parcels contain - Adopted under Ordinance No. 5549 wetlands.All of these factors made de- on May 21, 2001:Downtown Auburn is velopment controls beyond zoning and the business, governmental, and cul- development regulations advisable. tural hub of Auburn, its physical and LU-26 LAND USE ELEMENT cultural heart. Many stores, restau- in the Comprehensive Plan for the rants, service providers, and small of- area between Auburn Way North and fices are well-represented through- the Green River, south of 277th Street out this district. Downtown hosts many (52nd Street NE) and north of approx- community events and activities, such imately 37th Street NE in the City of as the weekly Auburn International Auburn (Map No. 14.2). The planning Farmers Market in the summer, area was narrowed to an area cover- Soundbites! Concert Series (in the ing approximately 120 acres, north of City Hall Plaza) and the Veterans Day 45th Street NW and between Auburn Parade. Downtown features public art Way North and the existing I Street NE that includes temporary installations right-of-way. The Northeast Auburn/ such as Pianos on Parade and a per- Robertson Properties Special Area manent outdoor Downtown Sculpture Plan focuses onproposed develop of. Gallery with rotating pieces. This dy- the Auburn Gateway project area, a namism is possible because the dis- 60-acre group of properties owned or trict is a collection of uses that coex- under consideration for purchase by ist in close proximity to one another. Robertson Properties Group, owners Due to the value, importance, and of the Valley 6 Drive-In Theater. The complexity of this district, The Auburn plan calls for a mix of office,retail,and Downtown Plan identified four gener- multifamily development under a new al needs to be addressed by the plan: zoning designation (C-4, Mixed Use • Update of the existing plan Commercial)for the central portion of in order to continue Downtown this planning area, created to accom- revitalization modate mixed use development. The plan calls for phased development in • Concern over the reopening of coordination with the provision of new Stampede Pass roads, stormwater and other utilities, • Multiple large projects proposed and flood management measures. for Downtown Scarce private investment Impression Corridor Policies. • LU-140 Create specific plans for each iden- In conjunction with project-based tified corridor, outlining development items, a regulatory element that policies and regulations, 'necessary emerged from the goals of the Auburn capital improvements, and imple- Downtown Plan was the Downtown mentation strategies. In the absence Urban Center (DUC) zoning district, of any specific corridor plans, this which was established in 2007. While section contains general policies that the DUC zoning district is intended are to be applied within designated specifically to address the needs of impression corridors. downtown, though the implemen- tation of policies identified by the LU-141 Coordinate corridor planning, de- Downtown Auburn Plan , many chal- sign, construction, and maintenance < lenges related to publicand private with other agencies, such as BNSF, the 0 investment, development, and strate- Muckleshoot Indian Reservation, and . r gic planning have yet to be addressed the WashingtonState Department • as downtown has evolved. of Transportation. Where one agen- LU-139 Northeast Auburn Special Plan Area - cy may more effectively manage the Adopted under Ordinance No. 6183 on corridor, management or ownership. June 5, 2008. The Plan was prepared consolidation is appropriate. in fulfillment of the policies included LU-27 LAND USE ELEMENT LU-142 Promote the elimination or renova- LU-150 Signage, landscaping, and monument tion of existing derelict or unmain- features should be used to establish tained structures, signs, fences, and prominent access points. properties along impression corridors through regulatory or enforcement LU-151 Discourage aerial utilities. mechanisms LU-152 Invest in impression corridors by ac- LU-143 Work with private and public property quiring rights-of-way, constructing owners to educate, create incentives, and widening sidewalks, installing and enforce regulations that are in- landscaping, building center medi- tended to improve the overall ap- ans, constructing parklets, providing pearance of identified corridors. street furniture, and constructing other improvements. LU-144 Emphasize the design, orientation, construction materials, landscaping, Gateway Policies. and site layout for development pro- LU-153 Prioritize by rank all gateways and de- posals of new and existing buildings velop potential opportunities and de- along impression corridors. New con- signs for each location. struction and the renovation of exist- ing buildings create important oppor- LU-154 Develop land use regulations that in- tunities for enhancing the appearance corporate gateway priorities and con- of impression corridors. cepts into private development pro- posals that are located at identified LU-145 Establish regulations that ensure co- gateways. ordinated, attractive commercial LU-155 Coordinate with the Washington State signage is of an appropriate size and Department of Transportation to un- quantity. Signage regulations along derstand options and implement ac- these corridors may be different than tions at gateway location. Many of those in other areas. the gateway locations are within the LU-146 Take advantage of opportunities to WSDOT right-of-way. provide informational signs, wayfind- LU-156 Develop design layouts for gateway lo- ing signs, and traffic control signs that cations. Designs will identify key areas are attractive, useful, and integrated that greet residents and visitors as they into a larger citywide signage plan or enter the City or downtown center, op- policy. portunities for signage and monument LU-147 Outdoor storage of materials, invento- features, and landscaping. ry, and other goods and off-street sur- LU-157 Maintain established gateways. face parking should be located at the rear of the property. If outdoor storage cannot be located in the rear of the property, then it should be screened from view from adjacent rights-of-way. 0 LU-148 Design, construct, and enhance im- pression corridors to accommodate • multimodal uses. LU-149 Design and construct vehicular access points in a manner that consolidates access points serving multiple uses. LU-28 __ _. Cityof Auburn Comprehensive Land Use ... 1 .1 • . . . ' /�� / 5�7(7d°, '. to �f1 I _. NORTHEASTAUBURN rt _ (.......m.-.7....--....---'.---.. ��.e -,�x.�...n�.� �l\, � ? / /�x_rpr `p��H�.NE I f J -'MTHiST�NWt- , 1ff 28�TH�JIF • 288 SE _- 11 I 1m i � v 1. -i - 71 I z i;LL1 ..� i s T F I,. 9„0 37TH WNW 37TH ST E ,� - 4 �����'l�� • '1q , r N I L 1 'J I_ f a: 5 -1 l\ {y � f l a I w ii . 6296TH ST:� t = --' - ".t 1 Y'. �� Ir ;I4' ,k� ` 1671 f ' {) j'/ l a�© �1�'�1g 30TH ST NW.30TH f311 -30TH ST NE"'-.__.= 1 = - F� yj/. it. �� x -7� ! .moi ; .r�I/ �u _. `z � ,' ' 5.1 _t>` - 11 A SE 304T1 ST Ty+,�Si. �'4 G l Ig._ G ,.._` c kr- t r SE 304 7 �� � - - �1 1 DRQ 4`�^ a • 1.1. h/ 1 1 '7-,, _hl r 7:11sr NE R(a5F a I 11 _i� °- If s 1 �I � 1,( I 't_ I II ` �G �' _ _ �f[tJ.3 1 16TH 5T HW �® 1 prl I t� f •c' . tf_ !;, ISTH ST NW.. i m ? ?� w 1�`� _,, A 1_ 1 lim f W ...SSE. 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I .I ra y ti ti k, , , \ Fl • II HOUSING ELEMENT TABLE OF CONTENTS Vision H-1 Conditions and Trends H-1 Why is housing important to Auburn's future? H-4 Goals and Policies H-5 Housing Objectives/Implementation H-10 vo HOUSING ELEMENT VISION Auburn is a place that those in our diverse community are proud to call home for a lifetime.Auburn pro- vides opportunities forattainable housing in a variety of styles to meet the needs of all ages, abilities, cultures,and incomes.Our neighborhoods are safe and attractive,offer gathering places to meet friends and family, are connected by trails, streets, and transit, and are well kept. Our households are aware of the opportunities and services offered by governmental, educational, employment, health, and service providers that can enhance their quality of life. Volunteerism to improve our parks, schools, streets, and homes makes our neighborhoods and families stronger. Our quality housing and neighborhoods sup- port our local economy. CONDITIONS AND TRENDS identifying city strategies and recommendations to increase residential capacity.Data and analysis The City of Auburn commissioned a Housing found in the HAP may vary from the 2014 Housing Needs and Characteristics Report(BERK 2014) to Needs and Characteristics Report (and subse- identify community needs and develop housing quently in this Housing Element) due to differenc- element policies. The key findings of that report es in the timeframe for data collection and the (summarized below) led to the development of sources of data. The HAP analysis is anticipated updated goals and policies. to be included in the City's next periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan scheduled for 2024. In 2020,the City of Auburn prepared and adopted a Housing Action Plan (HAP), funded by a state Auburn is diverse. Approximately 25% of Auburn grant (authorized by HB 1923) for the purpose of residents speak a language other than English. Exhibit 1— Languages Spoken at Home in Auburn,2008-2012 Five-Year Average Language Spoken at Home #of Persons %of Total %of Group 8% Only English 48,919 75% — 7 4 Spanish or Spanish Creole 5,928 9% 48% C Other Indo-European languages 4,385 7% 44%. O 75% • Asian and Pacific Island languages 5,245 8% 42% N Other languages 943 1% 32% TOTAL 65,400 100% 11% Source:2008-2012.American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates H-1 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN This percentage is similar to that of King County households without children, and. Auburn also (25%) and higher than that of Pierce County has a higher-than-average percentage of sin- (14%). Other than English, Spanish (9%), Asian gle-parent households.The types of homes need- and Pacific Island (8%), and other Indo-European ed for smaller households may be different than (7%) are the most common languages spoken in those needed for larger households. See Exhibit Auburn. See Exhibit 1. 2. Auburn's diverse communities may have differ- Auburn is affordable. A higher proportion of ent housing, neighborhood amenity, and ser- Auburn's population has lower incomes, and vice needs. For example, outreach conducted Auburn's housing is more affordable than hous- ing in the region as a whole. Average rent is less with the Hispanic community in association with . the Housing Element update showed that most than King County fair market rent, and the me- would recommend Auburn as a place to live for dian sales price of owner-occupied housing is at family and friends, and though residents wanted least $100,000 below that of King County overall. their children to grow up and remain in Auburn, Almost half the City's households could afford the they desired improved security and traffic calm- median-priced home in Auburn, and more than ing. Outreach participants were interested in two-thirds could afford the median-priced con- helping to improve their neighborhood and in dominium unit. volunteering. Auburn's housing stock is older than average, Trends in household size indicate that Auburn and much of its rental housing stock is in fair or will need to ensure the availability of a variety of poor condition. Though housing is affordable in housing types to match the needs of both small Auburn, the City could lose some of its most af- and large households. Auburn has both a larger fordable rental housing as structures approach household size and a larger average family size the ends of their useful lives. than do King and Pierce Counties overall. Data Exhibit 3 illustrates year-built information for the on household composition indicate, however, City, with older housing stock concentrated in the that significant portions of the City's households valley and West Hill, and newer housing predom- are made up of single-person and two-person inantly in Lea Hill and Lakeland Hills. Exhibit 2—Household Composition and Average Household Size — City of Auburn, King County, and Pierce County Household Composition Average Household/Family Size 100% Average 90% 16%is 3 6 •Other Households 0% 6 Area Household Size Family Size N 70% .3. Z 7•'— ■livingAlone • 60% 50% •7% , Single Parent, ° z:— Auburn 2.67 3.22 ® O40% •59299z6 Children 30% ■Mauled,No zo% Children King County 2.40 3.05 I19229N0 ___10% ■Married,Children 0% King Pierce Auburn Pierce County 2.59 3.09 Source:King County Assessor,2014;Pierce County Assessor 2014;BERK Consulting 2014 H-2 HOUSING ELEMENT Exhibit 3 -Auburn Housing Stock- Year Built `A tiu ,•n tJf n- _. 1° U!@ "•!w q "r,�- V'. 1 Y '3 a ',7 '3',q,,..tr+ „2.1 i• a •dr- '.. la J ';,,";-.....I''-'.-;'1- g.f ; tt �.-.n r'4 �, .1 I`- 5,2-,w-7--:.:-1a r�..�lII� r: • '- NI it Ji tit` I h 10.Mum a. i�r� o�l{r l L , - fit, • ,` pr rsduni,�p firJ ''.,61,,,,--,.4,P---..1 . T Q� }. N.,..: ��//s� t x r z 1.t 1▪4 u-• "4 iL� l ''-a E4LG". N0 '"� 1 .Y.6-1. • ..I -,--,-.- i;• -' ',oga Li 1 41 A,, ..kttP-.. =VW' 7 . -;_ _Igliej Ili ---- -19 'y, ;• ,-ter • :- a i Al.BURN', M -r° :1•; - - ! 1..,_ i ( ems. — � i. r eros .MR I/• , ,ii elli ib :: ° zzl. F ' .113 : eal -:• rj•" -mesadJ i ' t CSB 7- �6A� i- �� I;.-SIS} . t'# tltlVVV .._ E ' Y � 7 .1Q11 1,illiliilli,z ti 5f r 1 ..-.....i , 0 ® ai ou,1 ' r- t r"-+ rl t-i t r ^.'1.0 .• ,'�..� =1�11111 , ► SIB i I e�S ' , rc"r 3�q 3� (' _d r I ,�7 1/4: j/ is a I<a i ZE111-., ::l, L ' , r.S' rte,iTili. nil 7 t h a.�l a Y'a J r: L...... r..+�• �� i�,` d ;r� -P �_' him �7wS � is f_ - i.,�'^ �. o ! . 606 'f "\ .1, Residential Properties: 3 1 y /��1 Ei! y i 1, l• ;� ;,fir Date Built V �"' L--i d 1 ® <1950 ' J. d I u r er�i 1.°_4 i I 1 i.I �!s ., ,.,• t',,7„ r.: KING-COUNTY ie ti u �i!I a �,• , a'• f" 1951 1960 --- - 1•�1 '1 _ _.-t"-aA m'7 a�J,,,�1 t 7 ■ 1961-1970 - PIERCE COUNTY! —1_-.7-,,,.;,- (1, ,ac .1,--6-_,.!_' (1��, f—",. -7.1771.7; ,...., ..,:a` a-; nl--] Ill 1971-1980 1 . l�d'� o�•1t•• �� rq he� rx —�ia� • C a 'jam 1 t ,L1I / ..r—!_ i ',,r`' [! u'\111'8`'. .y ` ..L_ .f° 0 1981-1990 • C 1 11.7v m44.1: .;at r t i i ■ 1991-2000 F. �1 -• -•� ? V 1 7 to I ✓!' -'� r • III -- i.. t .._..-L. ='` ' _.\' ? r 2001 -2010 1 t� •1':_'._....angl '�r,:°J ■ 2011-Present ~ , . ti 1 rZ :'''r y, 1.--1411 , 015 c� I i- I III Parks , • I'I l i 4! F ;., ,� Y-,k Miles.. : �t-1 �'rt..'- _.>. 's..� i. 'a soured: A' 2014.2014 Qlalco coups 2oti1 •..,1"9 •',"c.-' .' _-a., Source:2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; US Census,2010. H-3 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The overall assessed improvement value per market. Housing with the lowest improvement square foot in Auburn is relatively low, as iI- values per square foot are concentrated in lustrated in Exhibit 4. This is likely owing to the theperiphery areas outside of the city center. age of much of Auburn's housing stock and Exceptions include northeast Auburn around its position within the overall metropolitan 132nd SE and the Lakeland Hills area. Exhibit 4—Assessed Improvement Value per Sauare Foot 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 b.b. 800 E 600 4002001111111 . 1111111 0 NN p liii•T��ri i I I V}V7•V?a VY V}V}V1•V} epi a-1 rl Z.' LN-I 4ei 4 N N N N N N N N N N M M M.M m M M 4.6 4I V}i/}Vf.Vf•V1.4"4J Vb V}VY V}V}VSA V).V) Vb 4"Vf.4/1.4"VI-4.1 V"V1•<!h Improvement Value per Square Foot A closer look at the improvement value per square • A variety of housing choices can meet the foot demonstrates the distribution of housing units needs of Auburn's residents at all ages and in Auburn by per-unit value. affordability levels, help residents maintain and retain their homes, and promote servic- • Approximately 1,600 units have no or very lim- es and amenities that improve neighborhood ited improvement value listed. livability. • A long tail stretches toward higher improve- • Well-planned housing can support Auburn's ment values per square foot, demonstrating economic goals by making it attractive and the presences of some higher-value housing possible for residents to live near their jobs stock. and by serving as a source of customers to support commercial districts. • The median improvement value (not including lots with no improvement value) is $16.73 per • Housing in proximity to transit or mixed-use N square foot. projects can help reduce the need for cost- • ly infrastructure such as roads and sewers. WHY IS HOUSING IMPORTANT TO AUBURN'S FUTURE? Housing in proximity to a variety of trans- portation modes can increase a household's The Housing Element can serve as a useful man- disposable income and savings by reducing agement tool to meet changing community needs household transportation costs. for housing and address land use, economic de- • Well-designed and located housing can re- velopment, transportation, environmental, and duce energy and water consumption, and it other concerns. can promote healthy lifestyles. H-4 HOUSING ELEMENT GOALS AND POLICIES designed to supportaffordable multimodal transportation options, and contributes to a regional jobs-housing balance.[Element Healthy Homes and Neighborhoods audit, needs assessment, outreach] H-1 Recognize the important role of public H-5 Provide for,housing choices in downtown improvements, facilities, and programs and other designated mixed-use centers in providing a healthy home environment where infrastructure is more available or within the community. [HO-4] can be improved with regional and local H-2 Through integrated planning for land funds. [Element audit, needs assessment, use, parks and recreation, transportation, outreach] housing, and jobs, support active living H-6 Improve streetscapes in developed and healthy eating opportunities.[Element neighborhoods. Continue to repair and/ audit, needs assessment, outreach] or replacedeteriorated sidewalks and H-3 Promote safe and connected remove barriers to pedestrian traffic. neighborhoods. [Element audit, needs as- [HO-30] sessment, outreach] H-7 Seek and provide assistance for the re- a. Continue to implement crime preven- duction of lead-based paint hazards and tion programs such as neighborhood measures to remove mold, improve ener- blockwatches. gy conservation and provide for healthy indoor air quality. [Lead-based, HO-29; b. Through the land use and building per- also housing audit] mit process, implement principles of crime prevention through environmen- H-8 Promote the City's neighborhood pro- tal design. gram. Connect residents to volunteer ac- tivities. [Element audit, needs assessment, c. Promote community volunteerism to outreach] increase the well-being and safetyof residents. H-9 When evaluating proposed developments, apply site and building design standards, d. Invest in transportation improvements require quality streetscape, landscape, that will create safe neighborhoods on-site recreational and open space, and for walking, biking, and connecting to low-impact development measures that transit. will improve community character and en- H-4 Promote housing that meets the needs vironmental quality. [Element audit, needs of Auburn's workforce, is located and assessment, outreach] How Can Auburn Plan for Active Living and Healthy Eating? Provide for a complete community with a variety of work, shopping, recreation, health and educa- tion, and home environments. C Implement a connected nonmotorized trail and park system with neighborhood gathering spaces. O r Work with transit providers to connect neighborhoods to commercial and social services. S N Facilitate access to regional transportation and job centers in and near Auburn. Support art projects and cultural events to provide opportunities to build a sense of community invest- ment, improve aesthetics, bring people together cross-culturally, and involve neighborhood youth. Support community gardens to improve access to healthy food and to build community relationships. H-5 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Variety Quality H-10 Provide a land use plan and zoning that H-18 Conserve Auburn's existing housing stock offers opportunities to achieve a variety because it is the most affordable form of of housing styles and densities for private housing. [Objective 7.7] and nonprofit housing providers. [Element H-19 Inventory and map dilapidated proper- audit, needs assessment, outreach] ties. [Public Works, 2012] H-11 Promote opportunities for home owner- H-20 Organize, educate and assist proper- ship through single-family detached and ty managers and owners in the creation semiattached housing, fee-simple cot- and preservation of safe neighborhoods. tages and townhouses, and condominium [HO-28] apartments. [Element audit, needs as- a. Offer an owner-landlord training sessment, outreach] program to better market, manage H-12 Allow accessory dwelling units as an af- and maintain residential rental fordable housing strategy. [HO-19] property. [Public Works, 2012] H-13 Encourage residential development in b. Encourage retention of professional downtown, particularly housing that is in- management assistance. [Public tegrated with commercial development. Works, 2012] [HO-18] c. Recognize and publicize well- maintained apartment properties, H-14 Implement incentives for developing un- such as by awarding a "multifamily derutilized parcels into new uses that allow property of the year." [Public Works, them to function as pedestrian-oriented 2012] mixed-use neighborhoods. Existing uses that are complementary, economical, and d. Advise landlords with problem physically viable shall integrate into the buildings about the benefits of form and function of the neighborhood. donating their property or selling [HO-26] it below market cost to a specially designated nonprofit organization. H-15 Use innovative zoning provisions to en- [Public Works, 2012] courage infill development of underuti- H-21 Promote housing improvements by prop- lized parcels in zones that have been erty owners and building managers. Seek identified in the Comprehensive Plan as available assistance for housing rehabil- areas where infill residential development itation. Assistance will include the devel- should be encouraged. Certain develop- opment of residential infrastructure and ment requirements for infill development the rehabilitation of individual properties. may be relaxed, while requiring .adher- [H0-20] ence to specific design requirements to ensure compatibility withthe character a. Find public and private sources of of nearby existing residential structures. capital and offer low-interest loans for (Si [H0-27] rehabilitation. [Public Works, 2012] • b. Continue to participate in the J H-16 Allow appropriately designed manu- Emergency Home Repair Program 0 factured housing within single-family and consider partnering with ►! neighborhoods, consistent with state law. nongovernmental organizations to [H0-13] maximize funds. [Public Works, 2012] H-17 Allow manufactured housing parks, tran- c. Encourage green lending for improved sitional housing, and multifamily housing energy conservation, indoor air in appropriately zoned but limited areas. quality, and other measures. [Public [HO-14] Works, 2012] H-6 HOUSING ELEMENT d. Help identify professional volunteers at households with moderate, low- and very- educational or professional associations low incomes, including those with special to plan redesign or architectural needs and our veterans. [Element audit, upgrades of the properties. [Public needs assessment, outreach] Works, 2012] a. The King County need for housing, e. Support additional healthy housing countywide, by percentage of area and preservation strategies, such as median income is: property tax exemptions to preserve i. 50%-80% of AMI (moderate) - 16% affordable housing opportunities and of total housing supply utilizing community health workers to offer property owners and residents ii. 30%-50% of AMI (low) - 12% of the education and resources needed to total housing supply maintain housing. iii. 30% and below AMI (very low) -. H-22 Evaluate and update codes applicable to 12%of total housing supply housing and provide effective and appro- b. Address the King County need for priate enforcement. [H0-9] housing affordable to households at a. Enforce city ordinances regarding less than 30% AMI (very low income), abandoned properties. [Public Works, through all jurisdictions working indi- 2012] vidually and collectively. b. Consider a multifamily inspection c. Meet Pierce County countywide plan- program. [Public Works, 2012]. ning policies to provide opportunities c. Consider public identification of for housing affordable to all incomes landlords who are found to be out including low incomes. of compliance for extended time d. Focus Auburn's efforts toward the periods and unwilling to take steps to countywide and community need for ameliorate substandard conditions. low- and moderate-income hous- [Public Works, 2012] ing on preserving existing affordable d. Consider a landlord compliance housing with robust maintenance and program where code enforcement repair programs,minimizing displace- penalties can be reduced if attending ment impacts,and ensuring long-term landlord training programs. [Public affordability of existing housing. Works, 2012] e. Act as a County leader in the explora- e. Work with park owners,managers and tion and implementation of new fund- park tenants to develop policies and ing mechanisms and strategies to de- regulations to preserve manufactured velop housing affordable at 30% AMI home parks and the affordable and below across King County and housing they offer. [HO-21] throughout South King County. f. Consider an Auburn Housing Authority. H-25 Encourage and assist in the renovation [Council Vision] of surplus public and commercial build- < ings and land into affordable housing. 0 Attainability Additionally,explore opportunities to dedi- cate revenues from sales of publicly owned • H-23 Promote affordable housing that meets properties, including tax title sales, to af- N changing demographic needs. [Element fordable housing projects. [extension of audit, needs assessment, outreach] HO-22; element audit] H-24 Work in partnership with King and Pierce H-26 Seek, encourage and assist nonprof- Counties and other cities to address the it organizations in acquiring depreci- countywide need for housing affordable to ated apartment units for the purpose of H-7 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN maintaining and ensuring their long-term senior center activities. [Element audit, affordability. [HO-23] needs assessment, outreach] H-27 Review and streamline, development H-35 Provide opportunities for transitional standards and regulations to advance housing assisted living and retirement their public benefit, provide flexibility, communities. [Element audit, needs as- and minimize additional costs to hous- ing. [Element audit, needs assessment, sessment, outreach] outreach] H-36 Promote universal design principles to H-28 Promote compliance with federal and ensure housing is designed to be usable state fair housing laws. Support fair by all people regardless of age or abil- housing opportunities for all regardless ities. [Element audit, needs assessment, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, outreach] familial status, or disability. [Element audit, needs assessment, outreach] Supportive Services H-29 Explore the use of density bonuses, park- ing reductions, multifamily tax exemp- H-37 Provide empowering training for local tions, fee waivers and exemptions, and residents who want to participate in civic permit expediting to encourage the de- activities and who would like to improve velopment of housing affordable at be- their knowledge and skills around corn- low-market rate. munity leadership. [Public Works, 2012] H-30 Where practical, ensure that housing cre- H-38 Provide information in multiple languages ated or preserved using local public re- to Auburn's diverse communities regard- sources or by regulation benefits low-in- ing services offered by local and regional come households and retains its afforda- governmental, educational, employment, bility over time. health, and other providers to improve Special Needs residents' quality of life and to promote resident engagement and household H-31 Encourage and support human and economic independence. [Element audit, health service organizations that offer needs assessment, outreach] programs and facilities for people with . special needs. Support programs in par- H-39 Offer financial and homebuyer educa- ticular that help people to remain within tion to encourage household saving and the community, including those that are budgeting to consider home ownership. veterans, disabled, seniors, single-parent [Public Works, 2012] households, and the homeless. [broad- ened HO-1] H-40 Provide information and resources that educate and guide low-income persons H-32 Assist low-income persons, who are dis- toward affordable housing opportunities. N placed as a result of redevelopment, find Develop materials in multiple languages. affordable housing in accordance with •J state and federal laws and regulations. [HO-16] ® [HO-15] H-41 Review proposalsto site facilities pro- > H-33 Continue to ensure that funding becomes viding new or expanded human servic- available to support youth, veterans, and es within the City to determine their po- social services in Auburn. [HO-31] tential impacts and whether they meet H-34 Support seniors who wish to age in place the needs of the Auburn community. in their homes, such as with home reha- Important caveats in the City's consider- bilitation services, adult day health and ation will include the following: [HO-5] H-8 HOUSING ELEMENT ap.While Auburn will willingly accept its human service needs of the region and the regional share of facilities that provide City. [HO-7] residential services, or influence H-45 Explore all available federal, state and residential location decisions, Auburn local programs and private options for fi- will expect other communities to nancing affordable housing, removing or accept their share as well. reducing risk factors, and preserving safe aq.The funding of human service centers neighborhoods. [Objective 4.4] sited in Auburn that serve an area H-46. Work in partnership with public and pri- larger than Auburn would rely on an vote housing providers, businesses, and equitable regional source of funding. other agencies in the provision of housing ar. The siting of all facilities shall be assistance to Auburn residents and busi- based on sound land use planning ness employees. principles and should establish working relationships with affected H-47 Support nonprofit organizations during all neighborhoods. stages of siting and project planning and when applying for county, state, and fed- Partnerships and Monitoring eral funding. H-42 Partner with South King County jurisdic- H-48 Through the building permit process, in- tions in ongoing efforts to coordinate the ventory and track affordable housing op- human, educational, and housing needs portunities within Auburn. Distribute af- of our diverse cultural communities, such fordable housing information to nonprofit as through the Road Map Project, inter- agencies serving the homeless and low-in- jurisdictional housing and human services come persons. [HO-17] forums, and other efforts. [Element audit, H-49 Monitor housing supply, affordability, and needs assessment, outreach] diversity in Auburn and its contribution H-43 Work with other jurisdictions and health to the countywide and regional housing and social service organizations to imple- need. [Element audit, needs assessment, ment a coordinated, regional approach to outreach] homelessness. H-50 Review and amend, a minimum every 5 H-44 Support national, state and especially re- years, local housing policies and strategies.: gional efforts to address the housing and [Element audit, needs assessment, outreach] 0 I— . H-9 CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN HOUSING OBJECTIVES/IMPLEMENTATION diversity, condition, attainability,, and programs The City has developed housing objectives im- to serve special needs. See Exhibit 5. The City will plementation strategies addressing housing monitor the objectives over time. Exhibit 5—Housing Objectives and Tools Outcomes Indicators Example Tools Housing rehabilitation and repair loans Loans for energy conservation and healthy indoor air quality Improve housing' Increased quality of rental City-sponsored and nonprofit property manager quality housing programs Housing inspection program Code enforcement Community volunteer program Meet demand for Land capacity to meet or Land use plan and zoning new housing units exceed housing target Single-family dwellings including small lots Promote housing Maintain or increase Accessory dwelling units ownership homeownership rates Cottages,townhomes Increased numbers Single-family dwellings including small lots Allow for a variety of small units with Accessory dwelling units of housing types to neighborhood recreation meet size and age and service amenities Multiplexes, cottages,townhomes and cultural trends Retention of housing stock Mixed-use zoning with larger units Incentives infill housing types Increased numbers of ownership dwellings avail- Accessory dwelling units Increase opportu- able to moderate incomes nities for housing to, Increased mixed-use de- Downtown incentives very-low, low-, and velopment for all incomes Infill incentives moderate-income Increased preservation Permit and impact fee waivers households. and improvement of rental See also"improve housing quality"above housing with long-term af- fordability commitments N • Greater match of housing Improved oppor- tunities to special needs includ- Community services programs O for special in housin for all ages needs housing and Partnerships with nonprofit housing providers and non- services and abilities as well as the governmental organizations homeless Monitor housing Address achievement of Monitor,in conjunction with regular Comprehensive Plan . supply, affordabili- indicators above updates and new countywide planning policy housing - ty,and diversity targets H-10