HomeMy WebLinkAbout6049 b&w (2)ORDINANCE NO. 6049
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF AUBURN, WASHINGTON,
RELATING TO DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY RENEWAL, FINDING AND
DETERMINING THAT DOWNTOWN AUBURN IS BLIGHTED,
DESIGNATING A COMMUNITY RENEWAL AREA, AND ADOPTING A
COMMUNITY RENEWAL PLAN
WHEREAS, the Auburn downtown area has been identified as a subarea within
the City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan as evidenced by the City Council's adoption of
the Auburn Downtown Plan /Final EIS in May 2001; and
WHEREAS, the Auburn downtown, and particularly the area shown in Exhibit "A ",
attached, which generally coincides the City of Auburn urban center as approved by
King County and the Puget Sound Regional Council, and as evidenced by the Block by
Block Analysis of "blight" for certain areas included as part of Exhibit "B ", attached, has
experienced substantial decline in the quality of the building stock, a substantial
increase in building vacancies, and is also characterized by the presence of vacant
underutilized parcels that are difficult to develop due to their size and difficulties in
aggregating adjoining parcels under different ownership; and
WHEREAS, the Auburn downtown has also seen the decline of property
maintenance which has impaired job growth and economic development in the city,
which adversely impacts the ability to attract private sector investment, and thereby
undermines and limits the tax base; and
WHEREAS, the substantial physical dilapidation, deterioration and/or age or
obsolescence of buildings, inappropriate uses of land or buildings, unsanitary or unsafe
conditions, deterioration of sites, and the existence of conditions that endanger life or
property by fire or other causes, all of which exist within the Auburn downtown, are
Ordinance No. 6049
Page 1 of 7
collectively conducive to ill health, juvenile delinquency, crime, and substantially impair
or arrest the sound growth of the Auburn downtown and its environs, constitute an
economic and social liability, and in their present condition are detrimental to the public
health, safety, welfare, or morals; and
WHEREAS, the current Auburn downtown environment lends itself to residents
electing to conduct business elsewhere, in surroundings that are perceived to be safer
and more comfortable; and
WHEREAS, the city of Auburn Comprehensive Plan as evidenced by the City
Council's adoption of the Auburn Downtown Plan /Final EIS in May 2001 (the "Auburn
Downtown Plan ") recognizes that blight conflicts with the goal of establishing a high
quality pedestrian oriented downtown; and
WHEREAS, in recognizing that blight exists in the Auburn downtown, the Auburn
Downtown Plan contains goals and policies to address such blight including, by way of
example,
"Goal 2 To remove or diminish the impact of blighting influences throughout
downtown."
"Policy 2 -1 Encouraging removal
Removal of blighting influences is encouraged."
"Policy 2 -2 Public sector investment
When private sector investment is not feasible or timely, public sector
investments in catalyst projects should be considered. The City shall have the
ability to acquire properties to aggregate into larger projects."
WHEREAS, the Washington State legislature in its 2002 session amended the
State's Urban Renewal Law, renaming it the "Community Renewal Law" and providing
additional tools for cities for the revitalization of "Community Renewal Areas" which are
Ordinance No. 6049
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blighted areas designated as appropriate for "Community Renewal Projects" as set forth
in Chapter 35.81 RCW; and
WHEREAS, undertakings related to the rehabilitation, redevelopment or
combination thereof of blighted areas is necessary and in the interest of the public
health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the City, and
WHEREAS, the Auburn Downtown Plan, together with the "Community Renewal
Area Financial Plan" and the "Downtown Project Area Residential Displacement Plan"
attached at Exhibit "B ", constitutes an appropriate Community Renewal Plan for the
Auburn downtown; and
WHEREAS, the Community Renewal Plan contains a sound and adequate
financial program for financing renewal projects; and
WHEREAS, the Community Renewal Plan contains a feasible plan for making
available adequate housing for the residents who may be displaced; and
WHEREAS the Community Renewal Plan conforms to the city's Comprehensive
Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Community Renewal Plan will afford the maximum opportunity,
consistent with the needs of the city, for the rehabilitation or redevelopment of the
community renewal area by private enterprise; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that a sound and adequate financial program
exists for financing the community renewal projects given funding programs, City
partnerships in proposed projects and anticipated private development financing; and
WHEREAS, public notice of a Community Renewal Plan public hearing was
provided by publication once each week for two consecutive weeks not less than ten
Ordinance No. 6049
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and not more than thirty days prior to the public hearing in a newspaper having general
circulation in the community renewal area of the municipality; and
WHEREAS, mailing of notice of the public hearing was given not less than ten
days prior to the date of the public hearing to the persons whose names appear on the
county treasurer's tax roll as the owner or reputed owner of the property, at the address
shown on the tax roll; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing on the proposed Downtown Community - Renewal
Plan was held by the Auburn City Council on September 18, 2005, at a regular open
public meeting, prior to which notice of the public hearing was published in the City's
official newspaper and mailed to all affected property owners within the affected area;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the best interest of the City to designate
downtown Auburn as a "Blighted Area "7 and adopt a Community Renewal Plan for the
Auburn downtown.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN,
WASHINGTON, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Findin s Ado ted. The City Council hereby adopts the
"WHEREAS" clauses of this ordinance as findings of fact and evidence of blight.
Section 2. Desi nation of Blighted Area. Based on the materials and
testimony presented to the City Council, the Block by Block Analysis of Blight included
in Exhibit "B ", and the findings set forth in the "WHEREAS" clauses of this ordinance,
the downtown area of the City of Auburn as shown on the attached map labeled as
Ordinance No. 5049
Page 4 of 7
Exhibit "A" is hereby found and determined to be and designated as a "blighted area" as
defined in RCW 35.81.015(2).
Section 3. Renewed Auburn Downtown Appropriate. It is necessary in the
public interest of public health, safety, morals and welfare of the residents of the City of
Auburn that the Auburn downtown be determined to be an area to be reclaimed and
renewed through "redevelopment" and/or "rehabilitation" as defined in RCW 35.81.01 5
(18) and (19).
Section 4. Declaration of Communit y Renewal Area. The downtown area
of the City of Auburn as shown on the attached map labeled as "Exhibit A" is declared to
be a "community renewal area" as defined in RCW 35.81.01 0(5) and the rehabilitation,
redevelopment or combination thereof of such area is necessary in the interest of the
public health, safety, morals or welfare of the residents of the City of Auburn.
Section 5. Adoption of Community- Renewal Plan. The Auburn Downtown
Plan, together with the "Community Renewal Area Financial Plan" and the "Downtown
Project Area Residential Displacement Plan" attached at Exhibit "B ", are approved and
adopted as the community renewal plan for the downtown area shown on Exhibit "A"
(the "Community Renewal Plan "). The City Council finds that: (i) a feasible plan exists
for making available adequate housing for the residents of that area who may be
displaced by the community renewal project undertaken pursuant to the Community
Renewal Plan; (ii) the Community Renewal Plan conforms to the City's Comprehensive
Plan; (iii) the Community Renewal Plan will afford maximum opportunity, consistent with
the needs of the City, for the rehabilitation or redevelopment of the community renewal
area by private enterprise; (iv) a sound and adequate financial program exists for the
financing of the community renewal project undertaken pursuant to the Community
Ordinance No. 5049
Page 5of7
Renewal Plan; and (v) the community renewal project area described in Exhibit "A" is a
blighted area as defined in RCW 35.81.015(2). Further, pursuant to RCW
35.81.050(2)(b), the City elects to have the powers of a community renewal agency
exercised by the City Council directly, and pursuant to RCW 35.81.150, the powers
described in RCW 35.8 1.1 50 shall be exercised by the City of Auburn Mayor's Office,
all for the purposes of redressing the blight in the Auburn downtown community renewal
area.
Section 6. Severabilityl, The provisions of this ordinance are declared
to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph,
subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application
thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of
this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances.
Section 7. Ratification. All actions previously taken in accordance with this
ordinance are hereby ratified and confirmed.
Section 8. Effective Date of ordinance. This ordinance shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage and five days following its publication as required
by law.
INTRODUCED: SEP 1 8 2006
SEP 1 B 2006
PASSED:
APPROVED: SEP 1 g 2006
o OF URN
PE ER B. LEWIS, MAYOR
Ordinance No. 0049
Page 6 of 7
ATTEST:
Da Ile E. Daskam, City Clerk
PUBLISHED: - --
Ordinance No. 0049
Page 7 of 7
Exhibit B
City of Auburn
Community Renewal Plan
Attachments
(Which, together with City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan
as evidenced by the City Council' adoption of the Auburn
Downtown Plan /Final EIS in May 2001, constitutes the
Community Renewal Plan
For'the Downtown Auburn Community Renewal Area)
Prepared in accordance with the Requirements of RCW 35.81
Adopted by Ordinance No. &J, September �, 2006
,_,.
September 12, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
To is
Page
Community Renewal Area Financial Pl an.■ r .r■a...rr.. ■.r.r ■.... ■rr... ■.•■ rr..r.. ■r.rar.r 3
Downtown Project Area Residential Displacement Plan. r r r r r r r r r r. w ... r r r r r r a r r r r r r 6
Appendix A Block by Block Analysis of Blight
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COMMUNITY RENEWAL AREA FINANCIAL PLAN
Back -ground
Auburn historically developed out from a traditional downtown focused along Main
Street and the railroad. Until the latter part of the last century, Auburn was a relatively
free - standing community separated from the Seattle and Tacoma urban cores by miles
of farmland. As such, downtown provided a full range of goods and services to serve
local needs.
Starting in the 1960's, improved highway connections made a larger regional area
accessible for employment, shopping, services and entertainment. concurrently,
downtown Auburn, like many smaller city downtowns, began a long period of decline.
Over time, fewer goods and services were available in downtown Auburn, and the larger
downtown retailers including JC Penney, eventually closed or relocated. Property
owners limited investments in maintenance and construction in property.
By the 1990's, downtown had reached its nadir but at the same time the seeds for its
rebirth were being sown. The City experienced rapid growth outside of the downtown
area, bringing thousands of new households into the area. There has also been some
modest improvement downtown. Auburn Regional Medical center has undergone
several expansions making downtown a center for medical excellence. The City
partnered with Sound Transit and King county Metro to develop Auburn Station. The
City selected the location and partnered in the construction of the parking garage and
first floor retail space in the expectation that it would serve as a catalyst for
redevelopment. The City also built the Auburn Justice center at the eastern end of
Main Street to anchor that area. At the same time, the private sector began to respond
to opportunities presented by downtown. Several new buildings were built and a few
others renovated.
Today, downtown is on the verge of a renaissance, but the legacy of decades of decline
remains. Numerous buildings are in poor condition, functionally obsolete and most are
not worthy of rehabilitation. Some buildings that have been damaged by earthquakes
and fire remain standing, often in poor condition. Vacant lots abound. A number of
occupied buildings contain uses inconsistent with a vibrant downtown. Development
density is low and not supportive of the city's "Urban center" designation. Patterns of
property ownership (multiple narrow lots) which date back to the 1929's will not support
the needs of new development compatible with Auburn's plans and policies. Site
acquisition and assembly is often a critical obstacle.
3
Plan Goals
The city intends to use a variety of financial and other incentives to promote the
redevelopment of downtown in a manner consistent with:
• The Auburn Downtown Plan (May 2001) element of the city Comprehensive
Plan
• The City Comprehensive Plan (updated annually)
• Auburn Downtown Urban Center designation (as approved by King County and
the Puget Sound Regional council)
• The City Economic Development Strategies document (2005)
• Downtown Design and Code Amendments (pending at time of writing)
Plan Financial Strategies
. The City intends to use its current financial resources (including its nonvoted general
obligation debt capacity) to acquire strategically located parcels. These will
ultimately be offered for sale on a public competitive basis, sometimes in conjunction
with other parcels owned by the City. Under the competitive process, potential
developers will be required to demonstrate an ability to bring on -line development
compatible with City plans, ordinances and policies includin as an example, the
extent to which a ro'ect may serve. as a catalyst for the revitalization and renewal of
the downtown area. Development proposals will ,among other items be evaluated
upon total return on the City's expenditureronv«c}INIn}
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In so- doing, the sales price may take into account such considerations asbe
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•
• Projected construction sales tax accruing to the City,
• Projected property tax accruing to the city,
• Potential real estate excise taxes earned by the City in connection with the sale
of improved properties,
• Projected sales taxes resulting from retail development and from purchases
made by residents of the project within Auburn,
• Leasehold tax revenues - and,
• Other factors as may be deemed p2propriate .
i
2. The City will consider waivers of traffic impact and storm drainage fees.
3. Application of the city's adopted program for a 10 year waiver of property taxes for
residential portions of appropriate projects.
4
4. The city will consider the formation of additional local improvement districts in the
downtown area to help pay for infrastructure such as street, sidewalk and storm
drainage improvements, and utility relocation.
5. The City will apply for State and Federal grants, as available, for economic
development and for infrastructure improvements.
6. The City will work cooperatively with other governmental agencies including King
County and Sound Transit, to bring financial resources to bear on improvements that
will benefit both the City and other entities.
7. If made possible through amendments to existing law, the City may use tax
increment financing to encourage improvements within the downtown community
renewal area.
61
DOWNTOWN PROJECT AREA RESIDENTIAL
DISPLACEMENT PLAN
Introduction
The Auburn community has a substantial inventory of affordable housing. Its supply. of
housing that is accessible and affordable to low, moderate and middle- income groups is
one of the largest in Ding County. The City of Auburn supports the improvement of
community's existing low income housing supply and during the last three decades has
supported the development of its human services infrastructure as well as housing
addressing the needs of disadvantaged populations.
The City of Auburn does not anticipate that its actions will directly displace residents in
the renewal area. It will seek to avoid displacement and explore alternative actions
which will limit displacement of residents in those areas designated for revitalization.
However, in the event such displacement does occur, the City will utilize its resources to
mitigate the adverse effects of displacement.
Plan to Minimize Misplacement
In order to avoid and/or minimize displacement, the City of Auburn will emphasize
projects which:
• Do not demolish buildings housing low income residents.
• Emphasize projects that require no relocation or only temporary relocation.
• Attempt to focus revitalization efforts on properties whose use is substantially
commercial rather residential.
• Encourage the redevelopment of residential properties that are voluntarily
sold, not as result of the use of the power of eminent domain.
,Plan to Assist Displaced Residents
For projects where displacement is unavoidable, the City of Auburn will work with local,
state and federal agencies and organizations to assist in identifying housing suitable for
the relocation of displaced persons.
• The programs, services and funding sources of the King County Housing
Authority, shall be requested to assist any resident displaced as a result of
the project.
• The City will collaborate with area human services agencies to identify and
facilitate access to existing housing opportunities for residents displaced as a
result of revitalization efforts.
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• The City will seek to identify programs that provide down payment assistance,
rent subsidies, or access to existing affordable housing opportunities in the
community.
The City will identify and develop a list of public and private multi- family
housing complexes that offer affordable housing opportunities within the
Auburn community.
• The City will collaborate with area realtors to identify housing opportunities
suitable for residents in revitalization areas who are being displaced.
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