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RESOLUTION NO. 2 5 3 8
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A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, AMENDING THE ARTERIAL STREET PLAN (MAP "E") OF THE
CITY OF AUBURN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND DIRECTING THAT THIS
RESOLUTION BE FILED WITH THE AUBURN CITY CLERK AND BE
AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION.
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WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the City of Auburn
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Comprehensive Plan on August 18, 1986 pursuant to Resolution
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No. 1703; and
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WHEREAS, La Terra Limited Partnership, the proponents, of
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the thoroughbred racing facility, (proposed to be located
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generally between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the
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Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, and between 15th Street
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N.W. and 37th Street N.W.), have requested an amendment to the
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City's Arterial Street plan. This is Map "E" contained within
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the City's Comprehensive Plan.
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WHEREAS, the proposed amendment to the City of Auburn
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Comprehensive Plan was transmitted to the Auburn Planning
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Commission, and after proper notice, a public meeting was held
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on March 8, 1994, wherein the Planning Commission conducted a
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public hearing on the proposed amendment;
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WHEREAS, at said hearing the Planning Commission heard
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public testimony, received evidence and exhibits, reviewed the
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proposed amendment, and thereafter recommended that the city
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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Council approve the proposed amendment to the city of Auburn
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Comprehensive Plan; and
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WHEREAS, on April 11, 1994, the Planning Commission's
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recommendation was forwarded to the Mayor and City Clerk; and
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WHEREAS, on May 2, 1994, the Planning Commission's
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recommendation was forwarded to the City Council and at their
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May 2, 1994 Council meeting scheduled a public hearing to be
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held on June 20, 1994; and
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WHEREAS, on June 20, 1994 the City Council conducted a
public hearing wherein the Council heard public testimony,
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received evidence and exhibits and reviewed the Planning
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Commission's recommendation, at the conclusion of which, the
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City Council based upon the following Findings of Fact and
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Conclusions,
Planning
Commission's
approved
the
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recommendation.
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FINDINGS OF FACT
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1.
The proponents of the thoroughbred racing
facility, (proposed to be located generally between the
Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the Burlington Northern
Railroad tracks, and between 15th Street N. W. and 37th
Street N.W.,) have requested an amendment to the City's
Arterial Street plan. This is Map "E" contained within
the City's Comprehensive Plan.
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2.
The effect of the amendment would be that most of 29th
Street N.W., that lies between the Union Pacific Railroad
tracks and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks, would
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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no longer be illustrated on the arterial street plan as a
planned arterial.
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3.
The Arterial street Plan (Map "E") illustrates the
existing arterial street system for Auburn and those
streets that are planned to be arterials. Arterials are
streets that are constructed to accommodate 4-5 lanes of
traffic and are intended to serve the arterial needs of
adjacent properties and the arterial circulation needs of
the whole community. 29th street is not developed as an
arterial, but does connect to "B" street N. W. and "M"
street N.W. which are north/south arterials, and
intersects with a planned north/south arterial designated
as "H" street N.W. which runs through the proposed
racetrack site from 15th street N.W. to 37th street N.W.
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4.
The 29th street right-of-way, as it now exists, would
bisect the racetrack facility that is being proposed.
The proponents of the racetrack have stated this would be
unacceptable for the following reasons:
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29th street N.W. divides the two key areas necessary for
a functional racetrack development. These areas are the
backside stable area containing administration buildings,
grooms quarters and stables for 1,360 horses and the
frontside area which is where the one mile racing oval is
located with its grandstand, saddling paddock, patron
areas and parking for approximately 1,800 cars. Parking
to the north of 29th street N. W. and to the side and
north of the backside/stable area provides parking for
another 3,300 cars.
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The normal daily morning routine during the period of
February 1 through October would require that
approximately 1,000 of the 1,360 thoroughbred horses
stabled on the backside, together with their rides, cross
29th street N. W. to gain access to the racetrack for
their morning training and exercise. These crossings
would occur between the hours of 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
and an average workout would last approximately 15
minutes. After their exercise, horse and rider would
again cross 29th street N.W. to return to the backstretch
and stables. This activity results in up to 2,000 horse
and rider crossings of 29th street N.W. each morning. On
average, each horse and rider is accompanied to the track
by his groom, trainer and quite often the horses'
owner / owners thereby resul ting in an average of three
pedestrian crossings associated with each horse trip.
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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The net effect of these pedestrian crossings to the
fronts ide and returning to the backside would be
approximately 6,000 pedestrian trips per morning and not
providing for any backside and fronts ide administration
employee activity.
Afternoon crossings of 29th street N.W. would be at the
highest level during the typical live racing season of
April through september. Five days per week, Wednesday
through Sunday, 29th Street N . W. would be crossed by
horses and their handlers (up to 216 horse trips per day)
going over to and returning from the afternoon races.
The backside community would also contribute to a
constant flow of pedestrian traffic crossing 29th Street
N.W. on a live race day. with 3,300 patron parking
spaces to the north of 29th Street N.W. and an average of
2.47 people per car there exists the potential for 8,151
or more patron crossings of 29th Street N.W. on a peak
race day.
The combination of the daily morning crossing traffic and
the heavy afternoon crossings on race days create an
unacceptable risk of horse or human injury. Thoroughbred
horses are excitable creatures. Their daily crossings of
29th Street N.W. would result in incidents of loose
horses mixing with traffic. Racetracks go to great
lengths to secure the horses on the track grounds and
they always prohibit vehicular traffic on the backside
until after morning training ends.
The existing transportation system is oriented in a
north/south direction, e.g., Highway 167, West Valley
Highway, II Mil Street N. W., "H" Street N. W., "B" Street
N.W. The east/west links between the north/south
arterials provide circulation and allow alternate routes.
The major interchanges and/or intersections that
interface with the north/ south system are to the north
and to the south of 29th Street N.W. 15th Street N.W. is
a major east/west arterial that has a full interchange
with Highway 167. 37th Street N.W. is a major east/west
arterial that overpasses Highway 167 and then intersects
with the West Valley Highway. Traffic that would use the
29th Street corridor would need to go either north or
south in order to interface with the major east/west
interchanges and intersections.
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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6.
If the racetrack site is approved and then developed,
there would be a reduced need to have 29th street serve
as an arterial. The traffic pattern planned for the
racetrack is north/south with most of the traffic going
to 15th street N . W. The racetrack and the remaining
developable property in the area can access north and
south using "B" street N. W., II Mil street N. W. and the
planned "H" street N.W. when developed.
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29th street N.W. would also have to cross over two sets
of railroad tracks. These "at grade" crossings are not
preferred for arterial streets; however, these crossings
are already approved by the Washington utilities and
Transportation Commission (WUTC). city policy requires
that future developers would upgrade the crossing
protection required to serve the traffic circulation
demands of new development, concurrent wi th that
development.
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8.
There are four parcels of property that front on 29th
street N. W. that lie between the two railroad tracks,
that are not part of the racetrack proposal. These
parcels will still be provided access by 29th street N.W.
if the racetrack is developed.
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9.
On September 30, 1993, the city of Auburn issued a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Auburn
Thoroughbred Racetrack.
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The FEIS was subsequently appealed by "CAPOW", citizens
Alliance to Protect Our Wetlands. The appeal challenged
the adequacy and accuracy of the EIS. The City's Hearing
Examiner conducted a public hearing on the appeal that
took the course of three days to complete.
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On January 4, 1994, the Hearing Examiner issued her
decision to deny the appeal.
10. On May 17, 1994, the Hearing Examiner conducted a public
hearing on the conditional use permit and on June 10,
1994 issued her decision to recommend approval of the
racetrack proposal.
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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CONCLUSIONS
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It is concluded that the amendment to remove that portion
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of 29th street N. W., (that lies between "B" street N. W. and
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the planned "H" street N. W.) from the Arterial street Plan
(Map "E") be approved for the following reasons:
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1.
The major transportation system, in this area, (existing
and proposed) is oriented in a north/south direction.
29th street N.W. has a relatively minor circulation
interface with this system.
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2.
15th street N.W. and 37th street N.W. provide a
significant interface with the north/south system. The
29th street N.W. traffic can either go north or south on
"B" street N.W, "H" street N.W. or "M" street N.W., and
then use 15th street N.W. or 37th street N.W.
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3.
If the track is constructed, there would be a limited
amount of land remaining in the area to be developed.
Wetlands, flood plain, and Mill Creek are factors
limiting the need for the arterial. There will be no
adjacent properties that will be left without access to
29th street, if 29th street is not developed as an
arterial.
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4.
The primary need for an east/west arterial in this
location is to serve adj acent properties. Developing
this parcel as one site eliminates this need by
redirecting access to other adjacent arterials.
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5.
Having an arterial bisect the racetrack site
desirable for operational and safety features
racetrack.
is not
of the
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6.
Development of 29th street N.W., as an arterial, is not
desirable due to the "at grade II railroad crossings.
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
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WASHINGTON, IN A REGULAR MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED, HEREWITH
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RESOLVES THAT:
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section 1. Map "E" of the city's Comprehensive Plan is
hereby amended so that 29th Street N.W. that lies between the
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Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the Burlington Northern
Railroad tracks, would no longer be illustrated on the
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arterial street plan as a planned arterial.
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Section 2. The amendment referenced above is adopted and
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approved in accordance with Chapter 35A.63 RCW as an element
of the City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan and it is directed
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that it be filed along with this Resolution with the Auburn
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City Clerk and be made available for public inspection.
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Section 3.
Said amendment would become void and the
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previous arterial street designation would again be in force
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if the race track is not constructed.
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section 4.
The Mayor is hereby authorized to implement
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such administrative procedures as may be necessary to carry
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out the directives of this legislation.
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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DATED and SIGNED this 5th day of July, 1994.
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CITY OF AUBURN
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~ Ct. ßoJJ.
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MAYOR
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ATTEST:
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Robin Wohlhueter,
City Clerk
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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Michael J. Reynolds,
Acting City Attorney
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Resolution No. 2538
June 29, 1994
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