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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-12-1999MINUTES OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE APRIL 12, 1999 The regular meeting of the Planning and Community Development Committee was held April 12, 1999' in the Council Work Area. Those members in attendance were as follows: MEMBERS PRESENT: Trish Borden, Sue Singer, and Pete Lewis STAFF PRESENT: Lynn Rued, Dick Deal, Bob Sokol, Bill Mandeville, and Patti Zook ALSO PRESENT: Mayor Booth; Bob Poldevart, Deputy Superintendent with Auburn School District; Gwen Escher-Derdowski, Planning Administrator with Kent School District The meeting was called to order by Committee Chair Borden at 6:30 p.m. 1. School Impact Fees Assistant Planning Director Rued remarked that the City of Auburn has adopted the Capital Facilities Plans (CFPs) for the Auburn and Kent School Districts. This was done so the City could adopt school impact fees. Once the CFP is in place, the City can adopt the impact fees. Now the City must adopt a fee schedule for each district and enter into interlocal agreements with each district. The school impact fee ordinance is in place because it was adopted last year. The City has an impact fee schedule for Dieringer School District and an ordinance in place. The information for tonight is basically the same. The amount of the impact fee is taken from the CFP for each district. The Committee is being asked to consider the fees and make a recommendation to the City Council for their adoption. Deputy Superintendent Poldevart reiterated information presented to the Committee in previous meetings. He stressed the need for the Council to adopt school impact fees. Councilmember Lewis mentioned that he had a list of questions which he faxed earlier to Assistant Planning Director Rued. He is uncomfortable with the language that the Planning Director is responsible for settling disputes, claims, or adjustments, etc. He is unhappy with this portion of the State law because it makes the City almost totally responsible for settling disputes that may arise. Chairman Borden advised that she supports the proposal of school impact fees for the Auburn and Kent School districts. Councilmember Singer agreed that this topic is ready for a public hearing. Assistant Planning Director Rued advised that a public hearing is not required for the City Council to adopt the school impact fees. The public hearing is optional. Councilmember Singer made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Lewis, for the City Council to conduct a public hearing on the school impact fees. They believe that the public should have a chance to comment on the proposed fees. Assistant Planning Director Rued said'that the issues will be put on the Council's April 19th agenda for a call for public hearing to be held at their May 3rd meeting. City Council can vote on the proposal that night in May. Paula Thrush, Lea Hill resident, asked if a planned unit development (PUD) is exempt from school impact fees. Assistant Planning Director Rued advised that PUD developments are not exempt; senior housing projects are exempt because they do not have an impact on schools. Chairman Borden wanted to clarify if the Committee is supportive of school impact fees, but still wants to have a public hearing. Councilmember Lewis advised that he is undecided about the topic, and is waiting for public comments. Councilmember Singer advised that she also wants to hear public comments. She considers school impact fees a tax and the public should comment on the proposal. PAGE 1 MINUTES OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE APRIL 12, 1999 Chairman Borden remarked that she has studied the issue quite a bit. She needed to have a strong sense of what to do for the Council meeting. Her fear is not having a decisive recommendation before the Council, and the item is then returned to the Committee which would cause delays. Councilmember Singer does not envision this happening. Chairman Borden stressed the importance of implementing school impact fees soon. Councilmember Lewis also does not see the topic being returned to the Committee. He is struggling with the fee amounts. He does not like three different fees inside the City limits and wants to hear public input on this. Chairman Borden stressed that the fees are set by the school districts in the CFP which expands beyond the City limits. The schools have to have different fees for different districts because of the boundaries. Councilmember Singer expressed concern about Auburn School District collecting fees in one area and not in another. Councilmember Lewis remarked that people in the community should be treated the same. There could be an inequity depending on which side of the street someone lives on. He does not care about the fees collected outside the City limits. He stressed again that he wants to hear what the public has to say on the matter. Chairman Borden stressed her support of the fees. The public hearing will be May 3rd and the ordinance should be presented that night. Deputy Superintendent Poldevart expressed his appreciation to the Committee for their work and attention to this matter. Special Occasion Liquor License The COmmittee concurred with the request. Neighborhood Matchinq Grants Planner I Mandeville distributed the final draft to the Committee and began to review changes to the final as compared to the preliminary document. He read the change on page 2. He read the change on page 3. The focus should be at the neighborhood level and benefiting a specific neighborhood. Funding source for community projects should be the City's general fund or the CDBG. Councilmember Singer wondered about an agency needing an additional $1,000 for a project, and if they would then be eligible for this program. Planner I Mandeville explained that it would not be possible for an agency to do this. Principal Planner Sokol clarified by saying that they do not want an agency applying to the City for completion of an ongoing program. It is to be used to establish new programs or take existing programs and tailor to a specific area in the City. Councilmember Lewis remarked that this could still leave loopholes in the process. Planner I Mandeville believes it would discourage, but there might still be concerns about agencies doing "end runs" to gain funds. The focus will be on new projects. Councilmember Singer advised that non-profit agencies do piece meal funding. Councilmember Lewis said that he likes the intent of the wording to help a specific area. Chairman Borden asked how staff decides if an agency is trying to take advantage of the program. Planner I Mandeville said that staff would need to find out why the agency did not get its full amount of funding; was their request reasonable. City Council has the prerogative to make decisions on funding. Chairman Borden stressed that the wording needs to be clearer regarding this. Mayor said the project should be directed toward capital improvements. Councilmember Singer agreed that the project should be something concrete, visible. PAGE 2 MINUTES OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE APRIL 12, 1999 Chairman Borden suggested adding language about the City's intent along with wording similar to Principal Planner Sokol's statement earlier. Wording should reflect programs that are new, innovative or unique. Councilmember Lewis agreed with the suggestion. Councilmember Singer asked Chairman Borden what her original thoughts were on this program. Chairman Borden remarked that it should be activities that bring neighbors together and generates future ideas for the neighborhoods. If non-profits are added, then she worries about supplanting of social service funds/projects. Planner I Mandeville said that originally non-profits were excluded from the program. Now there is an open door to include the non-profit agencies. He then gave an example using the YMCA. Mayor remarked that the proposal should be from the neighborhood, with the YMCA acting as an implementor. Planner I Mandeville said that the YMCA could be the implementor. This is what he hoped the paragraph on page 3 would accomplish. Councilmember Singer expressed concern about the City ending up with more of what it already has in the way of programs versus projects to give pride to neighborhoods and revitalize neighborhoods. She believes this was the idea behind the program. Councilmember Lewis believes the original intent was to get neighborhoods to help themselves. Chairman Borden is concerned about non-profits being included. The non-profit agency could be the project coordinator. It should be a neighborhood project not an agency project. She reiterated that the project should come from the neighborhood.. Mayor affirmed that the project idea needs to come from the neighborhood. Principal Planner Sokol explained that preference will be given to projects initiated by private citizens. The City wants neighborhoods to pursue projects and the neighborhood groups would have priority. Mayor mentioned concerns about non-profit agencies manipulating the program. The citizens are generating the idea or program and they will initiate the request. Chairman Borden said that she agrees with the Mayor. The paragraph on page 3 regarding non-profits should be deleted. Wording should be added that non-profits can participate and facilitate. The non-profits should not be out recruiting projects. Councilmember Lewis suggested adding language that non-profits are eligible for being included in neighborhood improvement group. Planner I Mandeville suggested wording that the non-profit has to have a location within the specified neighborhood. Mayor stressed that the non-profit agencies should be in a supporting role, not a leadership role. Councilmember Lewis likes the statement that non-profits can be included, but they cannot lead. Discussion occurred relating to removing the entire paragraph on page 3. Councilmember Singer said that the first paragraph under section 5.0 on page 2 needs to be clarified. Planner I Mandeville then continued by reviewing the changes on page 4 and page 6. He spoke about the required training for the project coordinator. Chairman Borden referred to the last paragraph on page 6 relating to the criminal background check. She suggested that the sentence beginning with "Information from the .... "be deleted. The Committee agreed that this sentence should be deleted. Mayor remarked that this section needs a statement about the overall qualifications of the project coordinator. Planner I Mandeville then reviewed page 7. He indicated that he will make the changes to the document as discussed this evening. PAGE 3 MINUTES OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE APRIL 12, 1999 OTHER BUSINESS: Paula Thrush, former member of the Lea Hill Task Force, spoke regarding the southwest Lea Hill annexation process. She complained that she was a member of the Task Force, but did not receive a letter regarding last Saturday's petition drive. She is disappointed that she was not contacted. She was told by staff that door-to-door solicitation would not be done. Mayor apologized and emphasized that nothing underhanded was done. No such activity would be done without notification to the Task Force. Principal Planner Sokol pointed out that those not interested in annexing would not sign the petition. If they do not know about the annexation they will not sign. Mayor stressed that the City's effort was not a hard sell. He mentioned that the Task Force should have an update on the annexation. Principal Planner Sokol said that a letter could be sent to the Task Force outlining the latest progress. Mrs. Thrush then continued by updating staff on the latest rumors. With no further items to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. PC DC\MIN\4A-99 PAGE 4