Renton, WA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Renton adopted King County's landmark program instead of building its own. Under RMC 4-1-260.D, nine sections of Chapter 20.62 King County Code (KCC) are incorporated by reference and amended to substitute Renton officials for county ones: KCC 20.62.020 (Definitions) is amended so "Director" means Renton's Community and Economic Development Administrator, KCC 20.62.040 (Designation Criteria) and KCC 20.62.070 (Designation Procedure) swap "King County" for "City of Renton," and KCC 20.62.110 (Appeal Procedure) routes appeals to the Renton City Clerk for decision by the Renton Hearing Examiner rather than a county body.

Before any Renton property can even enter King County's nomination process, RMC 4-1-260.B requires the Mayor to approve the resource for nomination, subject to Council confirmation, and proof of that approval must be included in the nomination package sent to King County. Once designated, exterior changes to a landmark go through KCC 20.62.080's Certificate of Appropriateness procedure, also incorporated by RMC 4-1-260.D.5 (except its last sentence), and violations of that process carry penalties under the incorporated KCC 20.62.130.

The King County Landmarks Commission itself sits as Renton's landmarks commission under RMC 4-1-260.E.1. The Mayor, with Council confirmation, appoints one special member with demonstrated competence in historic preservation to a three-year term; that member may serve no more than two consecutive three-year terms and serves without compensation beyond reimbursed expenses. The City may also bill property owners or applicants for fees the City itself pays King County to process their nomination, per RMC 4-1-260.C.