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Home My WebLink AboutITEM V-BMemorandum WASHINGTON To: Planning and Community Development Committee From: Stuart Wagner, Planner Jeff Dixon, Principal Planner Planning and Development Department CC: Elizabeth Chamberlain, AICP, Planning Manager Date: January 10, 2011 Re: Phase II - Code Update Project- Introduction Background The purpose of this memorandum is to kick off an introductory discussion of topics, issues and priorities related to the continued modification of Title 18 - Zoning of the Auburn City Code. After gathering input from the Committee at the January 10th meeting, Planning staff will formulate a work program for Phase II of the Code Update Project. Once this work program is developed it will be presented to the Committee. The Code Update Project is intended to meet four broad objectives: Improve the readability of the development regulations and design standards and make them easier for property owners, applicants, and City residents to use; Update the development regulations and design standards technical content to address known issue areas and better support the City's development review and quasi-judicial decision process; Ensure that the development regulations and design standards are coordinated and consistent with Auburn's Comprehensive Plan and other state land use and environmental requirements. Promote sustainability concepts where feasible It's worth mentioning these broad objectives again because they continue to be relevant and staff will consider them when preparing and evaluating any new code sections. Discussion In order to complete Phase II of the code update project, staff has identified the following four focus areas. Focus Areas 1 through 3 relate directly to the existing code and Focus Area 4 is a series of topics and issues that have been previously discussed or considered in the past. This focus area is also intended to include other topics that haven't been considered to date. Focus Areas 1. Non-Residential Zoning Districts There are currently 13 non-residential zone designations (RO, CN, C1, C2, DUC, C3, M1, EP, M2, BP, P1, LF, and 1). Each zone has an associated set of development standards, and a list of use activities that are permitted or administratively/conditionally permitted. The Phase 2 Code Update will review, evaluate, and amend the development standards applicable to the individual zone and the set of uses within these zoning districts with the exception of the EP and DUC zoning districts. The EP and DUC zones were recently revised or currently under evaluation and are not proposed to be addressed as part of this effort. See Attachment A for specific chapters to be amended. 2. Development Standards applicable to all zoning districts There are specific chapters of the zoning code that contain development standards applicable to all zoning districts. Phase 2 will revise the development standards that support non-residential uses. These include standards found in the following chapters: ACC 18.50 - Landscaping and Screening and ACC 18.52 - Off-Street Parking and Loading. ACC 18.56 - Signs is not proposed to be addressed due to recent comprehensive revision effort including special committee input. Staff will also review, evaluate, and amend ACC 18.54 - Non-Conforming Uses and Structures. 3. Administrative Processes applicable to all zoning districts There are specific chapters of the zoning code that contain processes for land use decisions. Staff will examine and amend processes within the code that were not addressed in Phase 1. This includes ACC 18.70 - Variances, Special Exceptions, and Administrative Appeals. Staff will also review ACC 18.66 - Hearing Examiner. This chapter may be better situated in Title 2 - Administration and Personnel. The following chapters have been more recently revised and are not proposed to be comprehensively revised except as maybe needed for clean up or consistency revisions: ACC 18.18.46A - Temporary Uses, ACC 18.60 - Home Occupations, ACC 18.64 - Administrative and Conditional Use Permits. 4. Other Assumptions and/or Considerations (To be Prioritized) Topic/Issue Summary Expand Non-Industrial Uses Based on how the economic recovery precedes, in Light Industrial Zoning expanding allowable non-industrial land uses within the District M-1 or Light Industrial zoning district to create additional job and revenue generation opportunities may be considered. Phase 1 Clean Up The Phase 1 amendments have been implemented for a Implementation items year and a half now. Based on recent project and permit reviews some items require clarification and/or correction. Planning staff anticipates this step will need to occur later in the Phase II update process in order to ensure consistency and capture the broadest number of changes. Other Code Amendments Complete the evaluation of and amend other code updates currently in process. These include new code sections related to Brew Pubs & Microbreweries, the Master Plan process, electrical vehicles and compressed natural gas fueling. Establishment of an Evaluate and if appropriate, creation of a new Administrative Variance administrative variance process for the City. Determine process. whether it's appropriate for the Director to process variances in residential zones, variances for fences or walls in any zone; and variances in a non-residential zone that does not exceed the 10-20% of the development standard. Airport Runway Protection Evaluate land use compatibility issues, update the City's Landing Field Zoning District, and creation of a runway protection zone (possible overlay) to meet Federal Aviation Administration runway clear area requirements for Auburn Municipal Airport. Architectural and Site Create, review, and adopt new design standards for Planning Design Standards commercial, institutional, and Industrial development (non-residential uses) Conclusion: The purpose of this introductory discussion is to confirm the topics, issues and priorities related to the continued modification of Title 18 - Zoning of the Auburn City Code. During the Committee's discussion of Phase II of the Code Update at its January 10th meeting, staff would like to discuss the following questions: 1. Does the Committee agree with the inclusion of the topics or chapters listed in the four focus areas above? Are there other subject areas you would like staff to evaluate and amend? 2. What topics or chapters have the highest priority? 3. After review of Focus Area 4 - Other Assumptions and/or Considerations, has staff captured the items that were previously discussed/considered during Phase I of the code update, or after amendments to Title 18 were made (June 2009)? Are there other subject areas you would like staff to evaluate and amend? 4. Does the Committee have additional questions or information that it wants staff to research and report back pertaining to Phase 11 of the Code Update? ATTACHMENT A: EXISTING AUBURN CITY CODE (BOLD INDICATES CHAPTERS TO BE ADDRESSED IN FOCUS AREAS 1-3) Title 18 ZONING Chapters: 18.01 User Guide 18.02 General Provisions 18.04 Definitions 18.06 Repealed 18.07 Residential Zones 18.08 Repealed 18.09 R-MHC Manufactured/Mobile Home Community Zone 18.10 Repealed 18.12 Repealed 18.14 Repealed 18.16 Repealed 18.18 Repealed 18.20 Repealed 18.21 Overlays 18.22 RO Residential Office and RO-H Residential Office-Hospital District 18.24 C-N Neighborhood Shopping District 18.25 Infill Residential Development Standards 18.26 C-1 Light Commercial District 18.28 C-2 Central Business District 18.29 DUC Downtown Urban Center District 18.30 C-3 Heavy Commercial District 18.31 Supplemental Development Standards 18.32 M-1 Light Industrial District 18.33 Environmental Park District 18.34 M-2 Heavy Industrial District 18.36 BP Business Park District 18.38 LF Airport Landing Field District 18.40 P-1 Public Use District 18.42 UNC Unclassified Use District 18.44 I Institutional Use District 18.45 Repealed 18.45A Repealed 18.46 Repealed 18.46A Temporary Uses 18.48 Repealed 18.49 Flexible Development Alternatives 18.50 Landscaping and Screening 18.52 Off-Street Parking and Loading 18.54 Nonconforming Structures, Land and Uses 18.56 Signs 18.58 Repealed 18.60 Home Occupations 18.62 Surface Mining 18.64 Administrative and Conditional Use Permits 18.66 Hearing Examiner 18.68 Amendments 18.69 Repealed 18.70 Variances, Special Exceptions, and Administrative Appeals 18.72 Administration and Enforcement 18.74 Location of Sexually Oriented Businesses 18.76 Planned Unit Development District (PUD) - Lakeland Hills South 18.78 Terrace View (TV) District