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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-23-2006 * ~ ",',Ji PJCITYOFw, , ;;if'.'" DB URNW$' ,....... ......., ...".... .... .. ......: .." 'J" ,,"""- .,.",. WASHINGTON PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE JANUARY 23,2006 MINUTES I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Lynn Norman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p,m, in the Council Chambers located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA. Committee members present were: Member Gene Cerino, Member Nancy Backus, Also present were Planning and Community Development Director Paul Krauss, Community Development Administrator David Osaki, Parks and Recreation Director Daryl Faber, Development Services Coordinator Steve Pilcher, Mayor Lewis, Planning Secretary Carolyn Brown, II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. January 9, 2006 Meeting - Mr. Cerino moved to approve the minutes as read and Ms. Backus seconded the motion. Motion approved unanimously. 3-0. III. ACTION A. Mr. Osaki presented the draft Sign Code ordinance. He stated that the Planning Commission made it's recommendation at it's January 4, 2006 meeting. The version provided tonight to the Planning and Community Development Committee, is the strike-out and underline version of what staff recommended to the Planning Commission. It reflects changes recommended by the Planning Commission and also incorporates comments received from certain councilmembers to date. Mr. Osaki stated that there were no additional revisions suggested by the Public Works Committee earlier in the afternoon. Councilmember Wagner asked about C-3 zoning, as larger commercial properties may want to have larger commercial signs. Mr. Osaki added that the code now gives the Planning Director the ability to approve larger signs though a master sign plan process if a coordinated signage scheme is proposed. Page 1 PlanninQ & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23. 2006 The PCD Committee discussed apartments that are located back from a main thoroughfare and may need off-premise signs to help advertise vacancies. Mr. Cerino provided background about a particular landlord who would like to put the "For Lease" signs on private property. Chair Norman added this is a valid point, and there is a concern that other property owners might be faced with a similar situation. Mr. Osaki added that the existing code doesn't deal that well with rental property signs or signs that advertise vacancies. Chair Norman noted that rental properties could always have a sign up as there may always be vacancies in an apartment complex. As it is proposed now, the Planning Director will have the opportunity to grant permits for off premise signs, rather than have them processed through the Hearing Examiner public hearing process. The PCD Committee discussed areas such as 8th Street NE, where there is no room along side the street to place signs. Mr. Osaki mentioned that the agenda bill notes that staff will add language to the proposed ordinance clarifying that a right-of-way use permit may be required for certain community signs. Also, staff will add language to the proposed sign code specifying that civic event signs in the right-of-way need to be installed in accordance with the requirements of the Public Works Department. The PCD Committee discussed the use of street banners located on Main Street. Mr. Osaki stated that the proposed code does not explicitly regulate political signs. Life safety issues will regulate political signs. Mr. Cerino asked if the code addressed the Wayfinding signs and the locations. Mayor Lewis stated this is covered in the Wayfinding sign proposal. The Committee discussed abandoned signs. Mr. Krauss said the City did not want to require property owners to take the conforming sign structure down just because a business has vacated the site. Mr. Osaki added that if the sign is torn, broken, in disrepair, etc. the City can then take action. Mr. Cerino made the motion to forward the amended sign code - Ordinance 5993 - to City Council for approval. Ms. Backus seconded and Chair Norman concurred. Page 2 PlanninQ & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23. 2006 IV. DISCUSSION A. Paul Wohlhueter, Chair of the Park Board, provided a recap of 2005 highlights. He briefly discussed new projects, OPM, and policy revisions for the Parks and Recreation Department. The plans for the Auburn Golf Course Club House have been approved by the City Council. Mr. Faber stated the architect has given staff a first look. The plan will be on the agenda for the Muni Seryices meeting in 2 weeks. Fenster Park located by the Green River near 4th Street and 2nd Street SE, has been through community meetings. A consultant has been hired for the Master Plan Development. Mr. Faber said that a grant in the amount of $750,000 has been received. Next year the Parks Department will apply for additional grant money. There may be additional WRIA money available for a grant for phase 2. The landscaping and irrigation have been completed in the Cedar Lanes Park. The Coalition of Churches donated $10,000 both in cash and an asphalt donation. The Coalition volunteers installed the playground. There is still some turf work that needs to be completed at the entrance to the park. There is an on-site building which would be a suitable site for a before-and-after school program for the Terminal Park school and Gildo Ray Elementary School. Mr. Faber added it is a brick building and the interior could be remodel into a large room and a kitchen. The Les Gove Park and Community Campus has had the Master Plan approved by park board. Mr. Faber said there are a few things that have changed about the area and he will bring a revised Master Plan back to the Committee at the end of the quarter. The Park Board has approved the concept and will submit it to the Planning and Community Development Committee approval. Mr. Faber said they are meeting with the King County Boys and Girls Club to see if they want to partner with the City. Also, they are meeting with ACAP regarding a possible move to the new location. Mr. Wohlhueter reviewed some of the successful projects of 2005. The small skate board park at Les Gove has proved very popular. The skate boarders actually donated money and labor. Mr. Faber Page 3 PlanninQ & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23. 2006 said this seems to have eliminated the problem of skateboarding at the library and museum and the spray park. The White River Disc Golf Club developed a site at Game Farm Park with donated labor and OPM. Mr. Faber said next summer this course will attract a large group of participants. It is a nice course on unused land, and does not distract from the park. Mr. Faber discussed other sponsorships such as Auburn Medical Center which will sponsor the Summer Cinema Series. Also, the transfer of the Game Farm Park from the State to the City was finalized in 2005. The redesign of the camping sites at Game Farm Wilderness is ready for the 2006 season. Some of the 2006 goals are the Golf Course club house, more work at Game Farm Park, the building at Veterans Park, and before-and- after school programs. Mr. Faber added Parks Department policy manual needs to be updated. Mr. Wohlhueter said one of the concerns of the Park Board is the lack of soccer fields. Mr. Faber said the City is looking at all weather fields. There is $600,000 in budget and staff will be applying for state money to turn the soccer fields into turf fields. Chair Norman asked if the City was still in discussion with Green River College. Mr. Faber said there has been the discussion of giving the College about 10 years of free use of soccer fields, with the donation of upfront money. Mr. Faber added the City has 2 soccer fields, and for a city the size of Auburn, there should be around 19 soccer fields. Chair Norman stated that all the parks should be ADA friendly and user friendly. Mr. Faber acknowledged that the playgrounds are inadequate and they need to be accessible to all ages. B. Mr. Faber provided the information regarding thinning trees at Game Farm Park. The trees were planted too closely to begin with when the park was developed. The park was over planted and the City uses plants to move around to other parks. Mr. Faber said the Parks Department will do citizen awareness related to tree removal inside of the park. Mr. Faber added that most of the trees that are going to be thinned are too big to be moved. Page 4 Plannina & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23. 2006 C. Mr. Osaki provided updated information to the PCD Committee regarding the Home Occupations Code change. He explained that this code change is still a work in progress to some extent. Basically some of the key issues are: . Only one family member. The present code does not allow non-resident employees. As the proposed code now reads, one non-resident employee is permitted if the home occupation can demonstrate adequate off street parking. . Staff is proposing to delete the entire section related to inventory. . The Home Occupation shall not involve the use of personal commercial vehicles. . The business will be allowed to have one - one square-foot sign. However, if a home is in a commercial or industrial zone then the amount of signage allowed is determined by the zone. . Limits customer traffic to 5 daily trips each way. . Prohibits outdoor storage of materials. . Eliminates any new requests for an auto repair business. . Building construction or landscaping businesses would be required to obtain a Home Occupation permit. . Eliminates the hearing examiner public hearing process for special home application permits and replaces it with an administrative review process. . Eliminates the hearing examiner public hearing process to terminate a home occupation. D. Mr. Pilcher provide an update on the conceptual design of an expanded City Hall Plaza. Staff met last Friday with Mark Hinshaw of LMN Architects, who had developed some ideas for redoing the plaza at City Hall. The potential project would not only improve the existing plaza, but also extend across Division Street to the "tavern block," thereby providing a public interest to move forward with acquisition of properties. One design is for a "healing garden" concept, which would be tiered and planted with scented plants. It would probably be high maintenance and would require volunteers, such as garden clubs. Several individuals present at the Friday meeting felt this was a better concept for the hospital to pursue. Page 5 Plannina & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23, 2006 Mr. Pilcher pointed out that all the designs will change the pattern of the street intersection. The designs will possibly make use of colored or stamped concrete. He pointed out that these are all conceptual studies and as yet there is no cost estimates. A second "water feature" concept shows some landscaping and a multilevel shallow water pool, with a smaller amount of greenery. The water pool could also include a grate that would allow people to walk over the feature. Chair Norman said greenery, rockery, water feature and etching would provide nice setting. The water feature could perhaps be designed to go under the street and come out across Division. Mr. Pilcher stated the water can also mask street noise. Chair Norman added that rainwater could be captured and used for watering the plants. Also, they would like to see it as a "friendly area" with chairs that have backs. Another idea is for a town square concept with a row of trees toward the main entrance of City Hall. It would also incorporate a redesign at the top of the stairs leading from the plaza and remove the podium. Mayor Lewis noted that pieces could be taken from the three designs in order to come up with the best application. Mayor Lewis added if the City Council is agreeable, staff would need to provide an ordinance to start the process by acquiring the necessary properties. The next step for the Committee is to direct staff to move forward through the process. The Committee would like to see more open area for hosting community events. Mr. Krauss said they will ask Mark Hinshaw to redo the design with more space. E. Mr. Pilcher also provided an update regarding the Downtown Design Standards. On February 9 there will be a lunch meeting with Merilee Utter. Right now, Mr. Pilcher is trying to come up with a time Mr. Hinshaw can meet the Planning Commission. Their normal meeting is on a day of the week he can't come. The Committee discussed the downtown core, and in relation to the urban center. Mayor Lewis said that the downtown is specifically speaking of Main Street and anything within walking distance from downtown as the urban area. Mr. Krauss said staff has asked Mr. Hinshaw to expand the area from downtown. Mr. Cerino stated that Page 6 PlanninQ & Community Development Committee Minutes January 23, 2006 he would like to see the term "Urban Center" substituted for Downtown. Mayor Lewis suggested it could be the Auburn Downtown Design Standards as defined by the Urban Center area. Mr. Cerino added the City wants to do what it can for the area, and the downtown is very limited. He added it is the city center, but may not always be downtown in terms of retail activity. V. INFORMATION A. Planning and Community Development Committee Status Matrix The PCD Committee indicated that it would like to see the Human Seryices Committee attend the February 27, 2006 PCD meeting. VI. OLD BUSINESS A. None VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Planning and Community Development Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p,m, 13th DAY OF J:l/1a~ w&t,,-- ~ud2cn,-- ~'- Carolyn Bro~, Secretary . Page 7