HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-16-2025 MinutesCITY OF * *
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Planning Commission
Special Meeting
September 16, 2025 - 7:00 PM
City Hall Council Chambers
MINUTES
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The City of Auburn Planning Commission Meeting was held in person and virtually.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of
Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners present: Chair Judi Roland, Vice Chair William Stewart, Julie Berry,
Aaron Vanderpol, Lynn Walters, Kirk Hiller, and Ajay Ganesan.
Staff members present: Planning Services Manager Alexandria Teague, Senior Planner
Dinah Reed, Senior Planner Alyssa Tatro, Planner II Gabriel Clark, Development
Engineer Manager Shannon Howard, Deputy City Attorney Paul Byrne, Senior City
Staff Attorney Chandra Hein, and Deputy City Clerk Rebecca Wood -Pollock.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chair Roland led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
No one came forward to speak.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. August 5, 2025 Draft Minutes from Planning Commission Meeting
Commissioner Walters moved and Vice Chair Stewart seconded to approve
the August 5, 2025, Planning Commission Meeting minutes.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7-0
DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Annual Comprehensive Plan & Map Amendments (Clark)
Discussion on the annual amendments for 2025.
P/T No. 1 Auburn School District 2025 Capital Facilities Plan
P/T No. 2 Dieringer School District 2025-2031 Capital Facilities Plan
P/T No. 3 Federal Way Public Schools 2026 Capital Facilities Plan
P/T No. 4 Kent School District 2024-2025 through 2030-2031 Capital Facilities
Plan
P/T No. 5 Updates to the City of Auburn Capital Facilities Element
P/T No. 6 Updates to the Housing Element
P/T No. 7 Updates to the Housing Needs Assessment
P/T No. 8 Removal of the Core Plan
M No. 1 Comprehensive Land Use Map Correction
Planner Clark shared a presentation on the Annual Comprehensive Plan and
Map Amendments, including an overview of the Policy/Text Amendments and
Map Update, procedural steps, school district Capital Facilities Plans, the
Capital Facilities Element, the Housing Element and Housing Needs
Assessment, removal of the Core Plan; and the Land Use Map Amendment.
Commission discussed school districts, population growth, housing units,
verbiage, and procedures.
B. Auburn School District Comprehensive Map Amendment & Rezone
(Reed)
Proposed Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment under the Imagine Auburn
Comprehensive Plan Update 2024, the current land use designation for the
subject site is Neighborhood Residential Two, which is intended to
accommodate a variety of residential dwelling types but does not permit
schools. The Auburn School District No. 408 is requesting an amendment to
the 2024 Comprehensive Plan to redesignate all the subject parcels to
Public/Quasi-Public land use to support the development of a new middle
school.
Planner Reed shared a presentation on the Auburn School District
Comprehensive Map Amendment and Rezone, including an overview of the
Private -Initiated Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment, land use designations,
zoning map amendments, and staff recommendations.
Commission discussed City Ordinances, the next steps in the process, and
school district jurisdictions.
C. Critical Areas Code Text Amendment (Tatro)
Proposed updates to the Critical Areas Ordinance, codified in Chapter 16.10
ACC. Update to align with Ecology recommendations and best available
science; this update is required in 2025 by the Department of Commerce.
Planner Tatro shared a presentation on the Critical Areas Ordinance Update,
including its background and purpose, key objectives, and updates to the
Critical Areas Sections regarding Purpose and Intent, Definitions, Applicability
and Regulated Activities, Exemptions and Nonconforming Uses, Classification
and Rating of Critical Areas, Buffer Areas and Setbacks, Alteration or
Development of Critical Areas, and Mitigation Standards. She also shared
updates regarding location and timing, replacement ratios, long-term
protection, performance standards for the Mitigation Planning Section, the
monitoring program and contingency plan, procedural provisions, the
reasonable use provision, and the next steps in the process.
Commission discussed buffers, minimization measures, and replacement
ratios.
D. Home Occupation Text Amendment (Clark)
Discussion of the additional proposed changes to the Home Occupation
(Chapter 18.60 ACC) code recommendation made by the Planning
Commission on August 5, 2025.
Planner Clark shared a presentation on the Home Occupation Code Update,
including its background and purpose, a summary of the proposed Code
changes, and staff recommendations.
Commission discussed home occupations and business license requirements.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Home Occupation Text Amendment (Clark)
Planning Commission to hold a Public Hearing for the Home Occupation Text
Amendment.
Chair Roland opened the Public Hearing at 8:09 p.m.
No one came forward to speak.
Chair Roland closed the Public Hearing at 8:10 p.m.
ACTION ITEMS
A. Home Occupation Text Amendment (Clark)
Planning Commission to recommend the City Council to review and adopt
additional proposed changes to the Home Occupation (Chapter 18.60 ACC)
code recommendation made by the Planning Commission on August 5th,
2025.
Commissioner Berry moved and Vice Chair Stewart seconded to recommend
to City Council the adoption of the additional proposed changes to the Home
Occupation Code as recommended by staff.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7-0
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Planning Commission, the meeting
was adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
APPROVED this 2 /,S-: day of ocibb.ew- , 2025
JU ROLAND, CHAIR Rebecca Wood -Pollock, Deputy City Clerk