Renton council clears transportation and utilities items; moves small‑cell franchise to second reading

The Renton City Council unanimously voted to concur with several Transportation and Utilities Committee recommendations Tuesday, approving change orders, professional services agreements and preliminary latecomer assessment actions, and moved a five‑year small‑cell franchise ordinance to second reading.

On the Transportation and Aviation Committee items the council concurred with staff recommendations and authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute: change order No. 2 with Doolittle Construction for the 2024 slurry seal project in the amount of $280,400; change order No. 48 with Pavetta Brothers Construction for the Rainier Avenue South Corridor Improvements Phase 4 project in the amount of $111,794.25 (no additional working days); and a professional services agreement with KBA Inc. for full construction management on the Oaksdale Avenue SW pavement preservation project totaling $276,116. The council also concurred with an access allowance agreement with Sound Transit for the Lake Washington Boulevard signal project, not to exceed $790,000, funded by grant obligations.

In Utilities Committee business the council gave preliminary approval to two latecomer agreement petitions: a High Avenue NE sewer extension to recover an estimated $408,183 in construction costs, and a Wells Avenue S water main extension petition to recover an estimated $317,925. The council directed staff to forward preliminary assessment rolls to the city clerk and noted that final assessment roles and agreements will follow construction and final cost approval; protests will trigger a public hearing. The council also concurred with staff recommendation that the Extonnet Systems LLC franchise extension be forwarded to ordinance for first reading.

An ordinance granting Extonnet Systems a nonexclusive five‑year franchise to install and operate small‑cell telecommunications facilities in Renton rights of way was presented for first reading; Councilmember Van moved and Councilmember Rivera seconded placement of the ordinance on second and final reading at the next council meeting.

The consent agenda (seven items) was approved without separation, and there were no roll‑call objections to committee concurrence motions. The votes on committee concurrence items were recorded as motions that carried; exact individual roll‑call tallies were not provided in the meeting transcript.