Month: June 2008

More excellent work by our Renton Police officers: Possible tragedy avoided

Written by Randy Corman 2 Comments

Denis Law sent this email to council today:

Our officers are continuing to do great work in the Cascade/Benson neighborhood. A recent traffic stop resulted in the arrest of a suspect wanted on warrants. And the alert action of one of our new officers may have prevented a tragic outcome.

Officer Scott Barfield made a stop on a car on Petrovitsky Road, and while waiting to confirm that the warrants were valid, Officer Steve Rice, who recently left Seattle Police to join RPD, observed the suspect reaching under the front seat. He quickly reached through the window of the car and grabbed the suspect’s hand and removed him from the car. The suspect attempted to flee and was arrested following a struggle with several officers. A 9mm semi-automatic, loaded with 13 rounds, was found under the seat.

The suspect is a known gang member and convicted felon. All of the serial numbers on the gun had been filed off. Slowly, but surely, the bad guys are learning that this community is no longer free of police protection!

Denis

King County budget cuts will hurt ability for Sheriff’s office to fight crime

Written by Randy Corman 17 Comments

If I lived in an urban area outside of city limits, this kind of story would be of significant concern to me. Click here

According to the news report, it’s almost as if the Sheriff’s office is giving up in tracking down some classes of criminals. It sounds like burglars, check forgers, identity thieves, car prowlers, and even cold-case murderers will be getting a free pass if they initially escape the scene of the crime.

I’m happy to report that Renton police will still be going after all these crooks if the crime occurs within city limits.

Just to be clear… Helicopter ordinance is still coming to city council…

Written by Randy Corman 6 Comments

I stated below that Charlie Conner’s temporary helicopter use permit (issued last year) has been overturned by our Hearing Examiner. The permit was tossed mostly on procedural grounds, based on a determination that the administration had erred in allowing a temporary use that was arguably not allowed by ordinance. The fact that city codes do not address helicopter use in residential areas, while allowing them as conditional uses in other zones, is interpreted to prohibit them in residential areas under the current laws.

However, I should have mentioned that a new ordinance allowing limited residential helicopter operation, as a conditional use, is coming to city council in the coming weeks or months. This ordinance would lay out terms for the keeping of helicopters in residentail areas when allowed by FAA. As a practical matter, the new ordianance and current FAA rules would only allow helicopters at a few properties on the lake. And, any personal heliport permits would have to be presented to the Hearing Examiner (the same one mentioned above), who would hear public testimony and could impose additional specific requirements on the use as part of the COnditional Use process.

So, council will weigh in on this, and depending on the outcome, possible turn Mr. Conner’s helicopter permit question BACK to the Hearing Examiner.

Since this is going to council, I wanted to raise a question I’ve been pondering. What are the chances that we are arriving at the future, where personal air travel may in fact become more commonplace? It’s possible that in coming years some of these companies working on new light-weight helicopters, and “flying cars” (lightweight aircraft that don’t require special skills to fly.

If so, do we leave it to the FAA, or do we do we attempt to prepare for the future in today’s city codes…?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Popular Mechanics, 1951

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Clearly, the inspiration for the Space Needle

Charlie Conner’s Helicopter Use Permit revoked by Renton Hearing Examiner

Written by Randy Corman 18 Comments


The Hearing examiner has overturned the basis for Charlie Conner’s Temporary Helicopter Use Permit. My understanding is that he will now have to cease helicopter operations (possibly with a ten day grace period… I’m still checking on the process.)

The complete Hearing Examiner’s record is given Here

I read through the decision, and generally agree with much of the reasoning, but there is one point I have a question on. (Please note that this permit was originally issued under the previous administration–which you know my opinion of — and I was never consulted. So I have no strong bias either way on this topic)

I’ll keep that to myself until I check on it, but meanwhile I would be interested on other’s opinions.