Written by 
The Reserve at Renton income-restricted senior living apartments and the Feast Buffet banquet restaurant sit side-by-side in the Rainier Avenue Fred Meyer Shopping Center. The Reserve also has two businesses located on its ground floor. Tight parking and new parking permit requirements at the Reserve have resulted in senior residents and store customers having their cars towed, seemingly unfairly in many cases; some have allegedly been towed from ADA spots even when displaying state ADA credentials. (Google Map photo for location reference but does not include current signage- see photos below story for signage)
Reserve at Renton and Feast Buffet are side-by-side
At last night’s council meeting, five speakers from the audience expressed heartfelt disappointment and frustration about confusing parking permit requirements and recent overzealous towing at the Reserve at Renton Senior Living apartments.
The Reserve at Renton opened in 2015 at a site that had previously been in use for school bus parking, and was once the home of the Renton Food Circus (seven restaurants in one dining complex.) The Reserve also includes two ground floor stores, and is located adjacent to the Feast Buffet banquet restaurant, in Renton’s Fred Meyer Shopping Center on Rainier Avenue.
When the Reserve at Renton opened, there appears to have been an assumption that the large retail lot would ensure adequate parking for everyone. Urban planners at the time were beginning to embrace the idea of getting greater density and parking efficiency through shared parking; the logic being that living units require the most parking in the evening, while retail requires the most parking during the day– so fewer spots are required when they are shared.
But retired residents don’t necessarily leave their homes during the day, and banquet halls can get very crowded, so parking shortages arose. In response, the Reserve at Renton posted permit-only parking signs and issued limited parking permits. Any resident or store customer vehicle not displaying the permits could get swiftly towed, apparently even residents or customers parking in ADA spots. The residents of these apartments have limited income, and many speak English as a second language. Several residents reported very challenging efforts to reclaim their cars in Kent, and towing bills ranging from $500-$900. Some reported missing medical appointments from the disruption.
I hope they can get these parking challenges resolved soon, and I think some of the residents deserve refunds.
The situation also serves as a stark reminder that there is a limit to how much Renton can reduce parking and still maintain peace in our city. It is not reasonable to assume every senior resident can safely walk to and from transit stops, and take 2-3 hour bus trips to get to their medical appointments; they need adequate parking, and so do their caregivers.
Here is a youtube video of last night’s public comment. The testimony about this topic begins at 25:09.
A Google Earth view of the Reserve next to the Feast Buffet and Fred Meyer Shopping Center.
Additional photos of the site, which include the recently added signage, can be seen by clicking below:
Recent Comments