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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-07-2003MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 The regular meeting of the Planning Commission was held on January 7, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Auburn City Hall. Those in attendance were as follows: MEMBERS: Dave Peace, Peter DiTuri, Ronald Douglass, Renee Larsen and Yvonne Ward STAFF: David Osaki and Patti Zook The following members were absent: Karen Ekrem and Garna Jones The meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Peace. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Douglass made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Ward, to approve the minutes of the December 3, 2002 meeting. The motion passed. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Vice Chairman Peace accepted nominations for Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Douglass nominated Karen Ekrem for Chair and Garna Jones for Vice Chair. Commissioner Ward seconded the motion. The motion passed. Karen Ekrem is re-elected as the Chairman and Garna Jones is elected as Vice Chair. The officers will take office at the February Planning Commission meeting. PUBLIC HEARINGS Vice Chairman Peace opened the public hearing. Case Number ZOA02-0005 - Amendment to Auburn City Code (ACC) Chapter 16.06, "Environmental Review Procedures" by adding a new section 16.06.055 entitled "Categorical Exemptions" to increase the categorical exemption threshold for automobile parking from 20 to 40 spaces. Community Development Administrator Osaki said the two public hearing items are related because of parking, but are separate sections of the City Code. Title 16 contains the environmental review procedures. Certain types of actions are required to undergo environmental review. He reviewed the SEPA exemptions on his handout. As part of the State rules governing SEPA, certain actions do not have to undergo SEPA review. Minor new construction has flexible thresholds for exemptions which were explained. The increase in the minimum threshold can be increased by the local government up to a certain level. Item (b)(iv) is proposed to be increased to 40 automobiles. It is up to the local government to determine whether it wants to increase the thresholds. The City proposes an ordinance to increase the threshold for parking lots from 20 autos to 40 autos. The change is being driven by two things. The City has identified an area for developing a parking lot. Impacts can be addressed by current Code versus SEPA regulations. Parking lots not undergoing SEPA review does not waive drainage or landscape requirements. The second reason for the amendment is that the City is undergoing review of its permit processing procedures. Stakeholders are being identified and they will identify codes and/or regulations that increase timelines. Cities are enhancing their permit process and selling their communities on how well they can expeditiously approve permits. Communities are increasing flexibility thresholds to lure development. Commissioner Larsen asked about 20 parking spaces on top of a hill that is increased to 40 parking spaces, what about increased runoff and landslide hazards, and any regulations to address? Community Development Administrator Osaki said that for lots on a hillside constructed with an apartment complex, would still have to do environmental review. The proposal is for stand alone parking lots only. -1- MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 Commissioner Ward wondered if 40 spaces does not have big impact, why the change and Community Development Administrator Osaki replied that going through the environmental review process can add six to eight weeks to development process. Commissioner Ward thinks the time frame is not significant and asked about the permit stakeholders process. Community Development Administrator Osaki said this is a separate issue to talk about later. A consultant is to interview the development community and the public, talk with staff, conduct surveys, and identify what the problems are, validate, and identify the best management practices to improve. Commissioner Ward believes that complaints are not from developers, but from regular citizens whose voices are not being heard. The City needs to look at the average citizens' needs because developers are well represented. Commissioner Ward asked about possible environmental impact from 20 to 40 space lot. Community Development Administrator Osaki gave examples of size of parking lots by saying the lot behind the senior housing project (Gustaves Manor) is 40 spaces, to the east is the municipal parking lot behind the taverns which is 40 spaces. The lot adjacent to the Liquidators store is about 20 spaces. Commissioner Larsen believes that 40 space lot is more traffic versus 20 space lot and has an effect on a neighborhood. Commissioner Ward spoke about benefit waiving here and benefit of expediting the process. Community Development Administrator ©saki said idea behind GMA was to rely on codes and regulations versus relying on SEPA by case by case basis. If asking about the key impacts, item (b)(iv), B4, would be drainage and storm water control manual can address this. For access issues related to driveways, Public Works Department has standards about where the driveways can be located. There are requirements to address different types of impacts. Also, landscape requirements are still required. Vice Chairman Peace wondered about a building permit for 21 spaces, and time period of six to eight weeks longer, does the permit cost more? Is more staff time involved also? Community Development Administrator Osaki replied yes to both. Staff is talking about increasing all these thresholds in the future. If person is seeking parking lot for 40 spaces, SEPA review will probably result in a determination of non-significance. He said that approximately 10 staff review the application, three to four weeks to review and determine if application is complete, then do the determination, comment period follows, then appeal period follows, with eight weeks the minimum. Commissioner Larsen asked about public input. If a 40 space parking lot is proposed, what is the public input? Community Development Administrator Osaki said that for a proponent of 22 space lot, the proposal can be held up because of the public process. Commissioner Ward wondered about additional time and extra cost for commercial lot coming in and losing the public comment period. Community Development Administrator Osaki explained process for public versus fee and time for staff to review the application. You can address the impacts through the Code versus SEPA process. Commissioner Ward inquired how many 40 space parking lots would there be and Community Development Administrator Osaki replied that a 20 space parking lot is small. A 40 space lot is also small, but does not think there would be many people taking advantage of the change. In response to Commissioner Larsen's inquiry, Community Development Administrator Osaki said that the City will be looking at the other thresholds over time. Different jurisdictions have selected different thresholds to increase exemptions. Kent has increased several exemptions. Different cities have adjusted thresholds at different levels. Community Development Administrator Osaki mentioned that for the second public hearing item, there is a particular piece of property that the City wants to develop as a municipal parking lot. The change of flexibility is not parcel specific and would apply City-wide. Vice Chairman Peace closed the public hearing. -2- MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 Commissioner Ward wants to defer voting tonight as she received her Planning Commission packet in today's mail. Two Commissioners are not in attendance tonight, and she is also concerned about the SEPA exemptions. Commissioner Larsen asked about hospital's additional parking. Community Development Administrator Osaki is unsure how much additional parking is being provided. There are community meetings next week to explain the new parking for residents in the area. City has talked about residential parking permits because of parking problems in the area. Commissioner Ward believes the City should have notified the Planning Commission earlier. Community Development Administrator Osaki pointed out that in terms of amendments to the Code, Title 16 does not even require Planning Commission consideration. Amendments to the Zoning Code and Land Division Ordinance do require Planning Commission consideration, but the environmental section does rot. It was staff's decision to come to Planning Commission for this public hearing. Commissioner Ward again recommended deferring action on this first item because she is not comfortable with the proposed changes. She wondered how the first item relates to the second item. Community Development Administrator Osaki replied that both are Code changes. The second one deals with gravel parking areas and increasing percentage of compact parking spaces. Commissioner Ward made a motion, seconded by Commissioner DiTuri, to defer action on the first portion of ZOA02-0005 until next month. Vice Chairman Peace does not see what delaying action on the item does for anyone. Planning Commission's job is to be conduit for public comment. His agenda packet arrived Monday. The amendments seem straightforward and he has no problem with making a recommendation now. He spoke of the concerted effect of planning and strategy for downtown. He has not seen a formal City strategy to handle flow of parking in a concise plan to address problems. It appears these amendment changes are part of the plan to make parking more accommodating and he recommends going forward. Commissioner Larsen wants to hear the second public hearing item. Commissioner Douglass also wants to hear the staff presentation on the second item. Commissioner Ward objects to having only four hours to review her packet and being expected to make a recommendation. Commissioner DiTuri received his packet on Friday and wants to see what the parking plan entails and see what City's objectives are long term. He is unsure if he wants to go along with the first item. Vice Chairman Peace said a special opportunity has presented itself to the City. He has no problem with making a recommendation on the first item. Commissioner Larsen thinks the City should take advantage of the temporary situation. Vice Chairman Peace restated the earlier motion. The motion carried 4-1 with Commissioner Douglass voting no. Case Number ZOA02-0005 - Amendments to Auburn City Code (ACC) Chapter 18.22 "RO Residential Office and RO-H Residential Office-Hospital District", ACC Chapter 18.46, "Temporary Uses," and Chapter 18.52 "Off-Street Parking and Case Number ZOA02-0005 - Amendments to Auburn City Code (ACC) Chapter 18.22 "RO Residential Office and RO-H Residential Office-Hospital District", ACC Chapter 18.46, "Temporary Uses," and Chapter 18.52 "Off-Street Parking and Loading." Vice Chairman Peace opened the public hearing. -3- MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 Community Development Administrator Osaki presented the staff report and said the amendment has four components. One component deals with amendments to the RO-H zone which is located in only one area of the City. He reviewed the amendment. Another amendment would allow for temporary gravel lots for government uses for 12 months. Another amendment is proposal to allow up to 50% of parking spaces to be labeled as 'compact'. The City has a lease on certain property and wants to use it for municipal purposes; that is, for the parking of City vehicles and for employee parking. However, the amendments would not be parcel specific. The amendments would encourage more efficient use of land. He spoke briefly about the parking changes that are occurring in downtown and around City Hall and the Court/Police building. This will make parking more convenient for those doing business at City Hall. Commissioner Ward inquired about the definition of a municipal parking lot and if this means the lot is non-commercial. Community Development Administrator Osaki said this means the lot is owned or leased by the municipality. There is no definition in the Zoning Code. The idea behind this amendment is to park City vehicles at this lot in order to free up space around City Hall. In turn, the parking lots closer to City Hall become more citizen friendly. Community Development Administrator Osaki described areas where RO-H and RO zoning exists in the City. Commissioner DiTuri wondered if in looking at the parking plan, does City envision that the area supported by the hospital will free up additional spaces for handicap parking. Making more handicap parking spaces available is a public benefit. There is a lot of use of the handicap spaces at the hospital. Community Development Administrator Osaki is not convinced this will have a positive or negative effect on the disabled parking. Vice Chairman Peace asked why the increase in percentage of compacts vehicles to 50. Community Development Administrator Osaki said that the City is finding that there is a demand for parking in downtown for employees and business customers. Sound Transit has increased its ridership. City parking lots are full at 7:50 am weekdays. There is finite amount of resources for parking. The use of compact parking spaces increases additional parking spaces. Discussion occurred of benefits of compact parking and problem of non-compact cars parking in compact parking spaces. Commissioner Ward asked whether the City requires all lots to be paved even if lot is for small project and Community Development Administrator Osaki replied that people are concerned about rocks in the street and aesthetics. Some communities allow gravel lots. Vice Chairman Peace closed the public hearing. Commissioner Ward suggested term 'non-commercial' be added to municipal automobile parking facilities. She wants to make sure that municipal parking lots not have a fee. Commissioner DiTuri made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Ward, to recommend approval of the amendments with the revisions as previously discussed. The motion passed 5-0. PUBLIC COMMENT The public may comment on any item not scheduled for public hearing this evening. Bob Evans, United States Post Office, Auburn, WA, said they have installed a stop sign and a no left turn sign at the exit of the parking lot. This revision has already alleviated some traffic problems. They are waiting to hear about the contract postal station. Their engineers are also looking at revising the layout for the drive-through mail box area. The status of any new Post Office building is out of his hands. Vice Chairman Peace recessed the meeting at 8:30 pm and reconvened at 8:40 pm. -4- MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 DISCUSSION · Terminal Park Plan Planner Mandeville invited Planning Commission to come to next meeting with TP residents. He spoke about the Plan and spoke about neighborhood planning process in general. City is working with existing infrastructure. He told about the perspective of the residents and their neighbors and what attracts them to the neighborhood. He explained reason for the TP area boundary. He mentioned different chapters of the Plan, history of the area, and inventory of amenities. He spoke about when the Plan process began, open houses, stakeholder meetings, vision statement, and how TP residents view the area. Work shops on public nuisances, crime prevention and abatement procedures were held, and strategies to address public nuisances were discussed. He spoke zoning and land use for the area. He spoke about the truck route designations on 12th Street and 17th Street. Commissioner Ward wondered about the zoning split on a block of A Street and Planner Mandeville said the TP residents want to keep the alley as the boundary. They like the alley because it stops encroachment from A Street. The alley has been vacated at different points. He spoke of need to create sustainable neighborhood and to stabilize the neighborhood. Residents want a traffic light at the corner of 12th and A Streets. Commissioner Douglass said that 12th Street is now striped and marked as two lanes each way. He pointed out that the matrix does not mention 12th or 17th Streets as truck routes. He believes there needs to be a correlation between the Plan verbiage and the matrix. The matrix needs to be rewritten to reflect strategies in the verbiage. When will Planning Commission receive the revised matrix? Planner Mandeville said the spreadsheet format is being changed. You can see current matrix on the City website. He will continue to communicate with TP residents. Planning Commission does not have the revised matrix. Commissioner Douglass asked how staff plans to get sense of TP group and feedback. Planner Mandeville is asking folks to log onto the website. Copies of the Plan to all is ideal, but is cost prohibitive. Copies are available at the library and Senior Center. He has received feedback via e-mail. Commissioner Douglass spoke of the amount of target ideas and the need to prepare a priority list. Planner Mandeville said the meeting attendees will indicate their priorities. Commissioner Ward and Commissioner Douglass are both concerned about the condition of sidewalks in the area, especially on D Street. Planner Mandeville said deciding what to do about old infrastructure is one of the challenges of neighborhood planning. Commissioner Ward wondered how to incorporate all the ideas, how to measure what is feasible, its impacts, and whose job. Planner Mandeville replied that these are no simple answers. City has to look at some major concerns, look at less important concerns, compare these with City's resources that are available. Commissioner Douglass does not want City to say something is not a priority just because funding is not available. Commissioner DiTuri wanted to ensure that community leaders are contacted about the upcoming TP meetings. Commissioner Larsen asked about using benchmarks with other neighborhoods. Planner Mandeville said there has been discussion of using the CP to underwrite schools. City is also looking at the Les Gove Park neighborhood and also the City Park neighborhood. INFORMATION · 2002 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Summary The matrix is so that Planning Commission can see what City Council adopted. -5- MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING JANUARY 7, 2003 · 2003 Meeting Schedule No discussion occurred on this item. ADJOURNMENT: With no further items to come before the Commission the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. PC~AGND\MIN 01-2003 -6-