HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-13-2001MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 13,200_.L
The continued meeting of the Planning Commission was held on February 13, 2001 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers of the Auburn City Hall. Those in attendance were as follows:
MEMBERS: Dave Peace, Bill Taylor, Peter DiTuri, Dan Rollins
STAFF: Lynn Rued, David Osaki, B Sanders, and Patti Zook
The following members were absent: Karen Ekrem, Garna Jones, Fred Helser
The meeting was reconvened by Chairman Dave Peace.
DOWNTOWN PLAN/DRAFT EIS
Chairman Peace remarked that Planner Sanders made language revisions to the plan as posed from the February 6th
Planning Commission meeting. She will also make revisions relating to street lights that should have been included
in the memorandum. The building height issue was not to be part of the revisions.
Commissioner Rollins inquired about the methodology. Principal Planner Osaki said set aside for staff annual
report on implementation of the downtown plan. 'A formal public hearing is not needed. Review will be early in the
year in case amendments to the plan are needed. Commissioner Taylor inquired about authority to make revisions
to plan. Principal Planner Osaki replied that Planning Commission can always initiate changes to the plan. Staff
will generate ideas from the Planning Commission for any annual changes.
Commissioner DiTuri referred to the Safeway revisions, page 102, the second sentence in the revisions, in particular
the words "allowing automobile uses". The first sentence speaks to "industry trends", and the second sentence
seems to be a conclusion that the City would tolerate auto uses for large ~ocery store as a foregone conclusion.
This should not be included in the plan, and he gave a specific example. He thinks this would be an unfair influence
on the plan. He would like to see the sentence omitted. Commissioner Rollins also wondered about this wording
and agrees with Commissioner DiTuri that the language is too specific, is redundant and leading.
Chairman Peace inquired about the process and wondered if a public hearing process will be used to allow the fuel
facility use, or is it an outright permitted use. Assistant Planning Director Rued said this is for Planning
Commission to decide the process. The current plan has lots of policy and direction to get away from car type uses
in downtown.
Chairman Peace spoke about giving Planning Commission latitude to determine if station is appropriate because he
does not want to say it is an outright permitted use. Assistant Planning Director Rued advised that the policy by
itself does not allow Safeway to build the gas station. Chairman Peace agrees with deleting the sentence.
Commissioner Taylor advised that Planning Commission needs to be specific in what is allowed. Chairman Peace
suggested that maybe the wording should not be revised.
Commissioner DiTuri mentioned that Planning Commission voted on accessory uses in general, not for Safeway
specifically. He would tolerate accessory uses if it is a generic use, however it is clear the sentence is written for
Safeway. In the past, task force was unaware that fuel facility for Safeway could occur. Safeway says that fuel
facility is happening in industry-wide, but what will the case be in two years? The plan should reflect generic use,
does not want to single out Safeway as an example. Auto uses could be stated in more generic terms. Task force
said it wanted to minimize auto uses in the area, and he is concerned about the wording being too specific.
Planner Sanders advised that City needs something in the plan to counteract getting rid of the auto uses. It is
difficult to make the Zoning Ordinance change. Principal Planner Osaki said this includes for example allowing
accessory auto uses in discrete circumstances.
Chairman Peace commented that it appears Planning Commission concensus is to not allow garage and lube facility
- only in order for Safeway to be competitive.
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MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 13, ?001
Commissioner Rollins, Commissioner Taylor and Chairman Peace then said to leave the wording as is.
Commissioner DiTuri said the sentence does use "for example". Chairman Peace understands concerns raised by
Commissioner DiTuri. Planner Sanders wondered about leaving out reference to grocery store and say as an
accessory use. Commissioner DiTuri suggested saying "existing businesses" instead of"large grocery store".
Commissioner Taylor suggested the wording stay as it now reads. Chairman Peace then suggested keeping the
word "large". Commissioner Rollins referred to the last sentence which gives City instruction. Commissioner
DiTuri said the fourth sentence is all right because it is specific for today, but could change. This could be a poor
example for the future.
Commissioner Rollins made a motion, seconded by Commissioner DiTuri, to accept the amended language as in
Planner Sanders' memorandum and as discussed tonight. The motion passed.
DISCUSSION:
· Proposed Amendments to Chapters 18.28 and 18.52 of the Zoning Ordinance related to the Downtown Plan
(ZOA01-0001)
Assistant Planning Director Rued remarked that the public hearing is scheduled for March and then reviewed with
the Commission the proposed revisions including gasoline stations. He reviewed an overhead entitled "Gasoline
Dispensing Facilities for Passenger Vehicles Provided the Following Requirements are Met": 1) must be accessory
to an existing retail/service establishment with the principal tenant has minimum floor area; 2) must be located on
the property that provides the least amount of conflict to the pedestrian traffic; 3) has to be located on and direct
access to an arterial using existing curb cuts and driveways when possible; 4) cannot interfere with existing parking
and/or traffic circulation on the property; 5) must have enough room for the vehicles to avoid cars backing up onto
the street; 6) shall have a pitched roof that covers all activities including the pay window, fuel pumps and adjacent
parking. He distributed colored renderings from Safeway depicting the fuel facility. Graphics person then scanned
drawings in and made four modifications for different views of canopy structure. The pitched roof might appear
bulky and draw attention to the fuel island. There is a clear limitation on size of the structure.
Chairman Peace said that he did not like the drawing showing closed in walls. If Safeway has a large faqade they
may want to match facade with fuel facility. Commissioner Rollins believes the pitched roof makes fuel facility
look huge. Assistant Planning Director Rued asked Planning Commission to think about design ideas and
everything must be under the roof. No more than eight vehicles are to be fueled at one time, and structure size is
6,000 square feet.
Consensus of Planning Commission to make fuel facility architecturally similar to Safeway fa~;ade and liked idea of
roof to match fa~Tade. Assistant Planning Director Rued pointed out that the design architecture treatment and
streetscape features must be consistent with design concepts in downtown plan as well as provide design continuity
between facility and primary structure. A five foot width of Type III landscaping shall be provide along the street
frontage that the facility is oriented toward. Any other products for sale shall only be displayed within the building
containing the pay window and such products shall be incidental to auto care/maintenance or snacks and beverages.
No sales of alcohol beverages will be allowed. Signs shall be limited to permanent wall signs only.
Planner Sanders explained that interim zoning has gone to City Council several times, but is now coming before
them for permanent changes to Zoning Ordinance. She referred to page 6 and explained elevator penthouses. She
reviewed pages 11 and 12 relating to mechanical equipment on rooftops, stair towers and elevator penthouses.
Section 18.28.060 is a new section and part of the interim zoning revisions. On page 14 she reviewed item H, I and
J.
Commissioner Rollins: considered minimum height restriction because some garage roofs are low. Planner Sanders
offered that the first floor roof height is 14 feet and upper roofs are 10 feet. Commissioner DiTuri inquired about
standards for the pedestrian bridge. Planner Sanders said that standards were not developed for this. The elevators
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have to accommodate wheelchairs and bikes. The bridge deck is 11 feet wide, but if the bridge is wider, the costs
become prohibitive.
Principal Planner Osaki advised along with the proposed text amendments there are also two zoning map
amendments which need to be made. He described the areas involved in the two map amendments. Last year the
City did Comprehensive Plan amendment and these zoning map amendment implement the downtown plan map
amendment. Property owners came in and talked with staff and they are aware of the proposed change. The City
adopted interim zoning ordinance that changed C3 to C2. The City did not want any development that would
compromise the downtown plan. The C2 zoning would be permanently applied to this area.
Principal Planner Osaki then explained the proposed changes to Chapter 18.52, Off-Street Parking and Loading. He
referred to the chart and said that all property C2 or C3 in the area can receive 40 percent reduction in off-street
parking due to proximity of the rail station. He explained the residential multi family parking requirements in
downtown. The current requirement could be reduced to one off-street parking space per unit. The idea is that
families most likely will not reside in multi family units in downtown. People who participate in LIDs to form
parking garages or public parking should get credit for stalls in the garage or lot.
Principal Planner Osaki then referred to a letter received from Don Small, owner of the fuel distribution facility.
The plan describes A Street as eventually being extended and the plan identifies this intersection as a gateway to
downtown. The plan also proposes to phase out some industrial uses in the area.
Commissioner Taylor inquired if the business is being moved. Principal Planner Osaki said the facility is
nonconforming and plan puts forth concept of phasing out industrial uses in area and is this a concept that the
Planning Commission wants in the plan or not. As Mr. Small's letter was received after the close of the Downtown
Plan public hearing, the Planning Commission took no action on Mr. Small's request.
ADJOURNMENT:
With no further items to come before the Commission the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 a.m.
PC\AG\MIN02-13-01
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