HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-2007CITY OF
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WASHINGTON
CITY OF AUBURN
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 --- 7:00 P.M.
AUBURN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
25 WEST MAIN STREET
MINUTES
The regular meeting of the Auburn Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, April 3, 2007 at
7:00 p.m. with a Study Session starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Auburn City Hall.
Those in attendance were as follows:
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Judi Roland, Vice Chair Kevin Chapman, Peter Di Turi,
Dave Peace, Renee Larsen, Joan Mason and Darci Bidman
STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Administrator David Osaki, Environmental
Protection Manager Aaron Nix, Senior Planner Jeff Dixon and Planning
Secretary Kirsten Reynolds.
CITY CONSULTANTS: Kent Hale, Adolfson Associates Inc.
STUDY SESSION:
Community Development Administrator David Osaki briefly reviewed the Capital Facilities Plan
Amendments and the Changing Message Center (Electronic) Sign Code Amendment with the
Commissioners in an informal question and answer study session.
Amendments to the Six-Year 2007-2012 Capital Facilities Plan are currently being identified.
David Osaki informed the Commission that the Planning and Community Development (PCD)
Committee had concerns related to electronic message board signs. Dave Osaki reviewed some
of the proposed design/messaging elements identified by the PCD Committee.
Both items (CFP amendment and electronic message board code amendment) are scheduled for
public hearing at the Planning Commission's May meeting.
REGULAR MEETING:
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 3, 2007
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
• The Commissioners reviewed the minutes from the March 6, 2007 meeting.
Commissioner Di Turi moved to approve the minutes from the March 6, 2007 meeting;
Commissioner Peace seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously 7-0 and the minutes were adopted as presented.
PUBLIC COMMENT
NONE
PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT
David Osaki updated the Planning Commissioners on the Boundary Review Board (BRB)
presentations related to the West Hill and Lea Hill annexation areas.
Due to unavailability of presenters, the State of Washington Planning "Short Course" originally
scheduled for April 17th will be rescheduled to sometime in May or June.
The City's annual "Clean Sweep" is scheduled to occur on May 12th. The event will include planting
English laurels shrubs along the west side of A Street SE from 6th Street to 37th Street SE, along
the Railroad property in efforts to beautify the streetscape. The Commissioners were invited to
participate.
In response to a question Mr. Osaki indicated Starbucks is developing a new store at the
intersection/corner of M Street and Auburn Way South.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Environmental Protection Manager Aaron Nix gave an update on the process of the update to the
Shoreline Master Program (SMP). A grant in the amount for $150,000 was given to update the City's
30-year old plan. The grant also establishes certain timetables for completion. The first step was to
contract with a consultant to develop an inventory and characterization report with a map folio. There
was an open house held for the public to come ask questions, 24 people attended the open house.
Next, a public hearing (held on April 3~d 2007) had to take place and move forward with a
recommendation from the Commission.
PUBLIC HEARING OPEN at 7:22 p.m.
Jim Fugate who lives at 1202 Pike Street N.E. questioned what could be done about log and debris
build up in the river; he specified his area of concern near the Golf Course. Staff s response to Mr.
Fugate's concerns was that the City does not have the financial or equipment resources or exclusive
authority to take care of this type of build up. The Army Corps of Engineers has the primary
responsibility for navigable waters and thus this type of buildup.
Rick Jones who lives on 1630 River View Drive N.W. talked about the erosion problem happening
along the river bank near his property. Mr. Jones also addressed the need to have public restrooms
and other amenities if the purposed annexation area near "Bottle Neck" Park is passed.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 3, 2007
Lilith Rambler who lives at 2400 East Main Street wanted to know if her property will be affected.
The resident stated she felt staff's PowerPoint presentation was too generic and wasn't going to "
take the time to read the SMP document." Staff's response was they would be more than happy to
meet with her one-on-one to review her circumstances. Staff stated that generally the SMP regulates
the shoreline and shouldn't directly affect any one individual property.
Glenn Helevu who lives at 1538 River View Drive commented on a tree that fell over the river, from
one bank to the other near 15t" Street; there was an excellent effort made to take care of it. Mr.
Helevu also pointed out in one of the available handouts it stated there is no permit needed for
building a dock on the river. Staff mentioned that the previously mentioned tree that had fallen
was taken care of by King County Flood Control District, State Department of Fish and Wildlife and
the Army Corps of Engineers. Staff's response to the statement regarding dock permits indicating
that the handout in question originated from more general state guidance and should be considered
an example, this however would not be allowed in the City of Auburn under the proposed regulations.
John Rockwell who lives at 924 Pike Place N.E. expressed his support for public access to the river
but had concerns about erosion caused mainly by fisherpersons. People travel on Mr. Rockwell's
property to get to the river, this has created additional erosion. Mr. Rockwell asked if he could place
sandbags on the river bank to prevent this erosion? Staff offered to talk one-on-one to discuss
property rights and what can be done to protect his property.
Mark Hancock stated the following mailing address in to the public record as P.O. Box 88028 Tukwila
WA. Mr. Hancock stated he was representing a local land owner and he personally served on the
Citizens Advisory Committee for the SMP. A couple of requests were brought forward by Mr.
Hancock for the Planning Commission to consider. One request was related to the shoreline
environment designations for area identified by Mr. Hancock that is currently proposed as the "Urban
Conservatory" designation (The area is a little sliver on the south of the White River and a bit east of
the R Street SE bridge- where the shoreline designation extends on the south side of Stuck River
Drive SE) was requested to be changed to a "Shoreline Residential" designation to coincide with the
adjacent designation. This request was being made to aid in the effort to continue adjacent property
consistency owned by Segale Properties. Mr. Hancock's second request drew from page three in
comparison to page thirteen in the SMP under the dredging section. He suggested habitat
maintenance and improvement projects should be an allowed use rather than a conditionally
permitted use (denoted by a "C" in the Permitted Use Table).
The three "C's" used to denote Conditionally Permitted were recommended to be changed to an
allowed use status. Also, several segments in the SMP document were suggested to have the
wording changed from "shall" to "should".
The Commission asked staff to comment on Mark Hancock's recommendations. Staff asked to
examine the zoning consistency proposal in further detail before making a recommendation.
Discussion took place around who owns the property affected by the shoreline environment
designation; the road (Stuck River Drive SE) and surrounding property. The consultant Kent Hale of
Adolfson Associates Inc. addressed the Commission by stating there were two options for reviewing,
one the wording will be reviewed for what is reasonable and applicable and two, all the points of
emphasis should have the higher level of measures applied.
No further public testimony was received so Chair Roland closed the Public Hearing at 8:13 p.m.
and recessed for a five minute break.
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PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES April 3, 2007
The Commissioners were called back to order by Chair Roland at 8:20 p.m.
The Commission then took the opportunity to ask questions of staff related to the public testimony
received. Commissioner Di Turi asked about the issue of the local SMP not allowing piers/docks and
if this prohibition could be appealed to the State. Kent Hale responded that the SMP is a State law,
once the State accepts an individual jurisdiction's SMP; the State will comply with the SMP individual
components set by that jurisdiction. Sandra Lange, a representative from the State Department of
Ecology was in the audience and further elaborated to the Commission regarding this process. She
stated once the Department of Ecology accepts a local jurisdiction's SMP, it is followed regardless of
an individual's request.
Clarification was made that Aaron Nix is and will continue to be the point of contact for the public
to assist in coordinating with the various local, state and federal agencies that have jurisdiction within
the rivers.
Discussion took place regarding the concerns of erosion, log jams and how the SMP addressed
these topics. It was described that the reality of the situation is complex because many jurisdictions
are involved when something like this takes place. Staff ensured the Commission that in situations
where safety is a concern there will be an effort made on behalf of the City to do something about it.
Commissioner Peace motioned to recommend approval of the SMP to City Council with a
couple of additions. One to have staff take another look of the "shoulds" and "shalls" on pages
one, five and seven, run the changes by the City Attorney; this might require adding additional
wording such as unreasonable to paragraph three on page five. Commissioner Peace also
recommends approval of the Segale property request to be labeled the same as the adjacent
property; motion was seconded by Commissioner Bidman.
Discussion: Commissioner Chapman asked why the parcel was sectioned out originally.
Environmental Protection Manager Aaron Nix replied that when they originally examined
the area the decision was based off the old shoreline environment designations. Senior
Planner Jeff Dixon described the existing land uses. He also addressed that while consistency
of the shoreline environment designations is important, and the majority of the shoreline area
at issue intervenes between the roadway and the White River and would not change; only a
small sliver south of the road would be affected
The motion passed unanimously 7-0.
OTHER BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Planning Commission adjourned at 8:42 p.m.
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