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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-08-2008.* CITY OF .AVU~ - WASHINGTON CITY OF AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING January 8, 2008 --- 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 Wednesday, January 8, 2008 at 7:00 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, Joan Mason, Ron Copple and Bob Baggett. STAFF PRESENT: Planning Director Cindy Baker, Policy, Codes, Environmental Programs Manager Steve Pitcher, Senior Planner Chris Hankins and Planning Secretary Kirsten Reynolds. REGULAR MEETING CALL TO ORDER Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. ELECT NEW CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR Commissioner Mason moved to nominated Judi Roland at the Chair of the Auburn Planning Commission; Commissioner Di Turi seconded. Commissioner Peace moved to nominate Kevin Chapman as Vice Chair of the Auburn Planning Commission, seconded by Commissioner Mason. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Ron Copple was welcomed to the Auburn Planning Commission from the West Hill area and Bob Baggett from the Lea Hill area. APPROVAL OF MINUTES December 11, 2007 Commissioner Di Turi moved to approve the minutes from December 11, 2007 meeting as submitted; seconded by Commissioner Chapman The motion passed unanimously 4-0. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES January 8, 2008 Chair Roland asked staff to give an update on the findings for not allowing goats in the annexation areas. Policy, Codes, Environmental Programs Manager Steve Pilcher reported his scientific findings on the matter; two City staff members have worked with goats that declared they are stinky animals and eat everything. Mr. Pilcher also stated typical protocol for most cities do not allow goats and swine. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no public present for comments. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT Planning Director Cindy Baker reviewed the new department's organizational chart with the Commissioners. The planning division was categorized in three separate teams: Downtown & Annexation areas, Code, Compliance and Environment and the Greater Auburn Area. Director Baker reviewed the permitting process for the annexation areas; if a project was originally filed with King County the project will stay with them until it's finished, including inspections. The City of Auburn will utilize their Hearing Examiner to make any necessary decisions that pop up. Director Baker announced that Klump (North) and Totem (South) will be goin~q through an annexation vote in the near future. The open houses will be held on January 23~d and 24 h for the residents in the surrounding areas. Efforts to verify addresses in the city are currently underway. Twelve extra people were hired to help complete this internal effort; by doing this internally the department saved a great deal of money. Director Baker gave an update on the Farmers Market effort. There have been two meetings and Sound Transit has agreed to host the market at the Sounder station. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Sports Facility in the downtown area. has been sent out. Companies were allowed to submit for design and construction of the facility. Director Baker will report more along the way as this project progresses. This is just at the. idea stage to propose to the State. Director Baker shared several highlights that the Commission assisted the department with in 2007. A few of the items included, but not limited to: the Downtown Urban Center, the Design Standards, Annexations, Zoning, all the policy and code changes. There were a few questions and discussion from the Commission regarding several locations in the city including the old Denny's located on 15th Street NE, the buildings across the street from City Hall, Environmental Park, Robertson's Property (RPG), a few properties north of KFC and the Sundalen project (located at the bottom of Lea Hill). PUBLIC HEARINGS • Continued public hearing (testimony closed) on changing message center signs - The public hearing and testimony on changing message center signs has already been closed; only four Commissioners were able to deliberate because three Commissioners were not present at the time of the hearing (two new members and one member was excused). PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES January 8, 2008 Policy, Codes, Environmental Programs Manager Steve Pilcher presented a chart that answered the Commissioner's questions from the previous meeting. The first question discussed was the general location where signs would be allowed in the C1 zone. Staff reviewed the geographic distribution with the Commissioners. Typically C3 zones interface with industrial or high density residential zones. The primary difference for the C1 zone is they are typically located around low density residential districts. Oddly C1 zones in the Lea Hill area are surrounded by higher density. Staff clarified that the John L. Scott Reality, ReMax Reality and Walgreens signs would all become non-conforming signs; these signs are all located on Auburn Way North. The next question addressed by Mr. Pilcher was where the signs are allowed; if the desire was to allow for the signs in the downtown zone there would need to be several modifications to the code. Currently only monumental and indirectly lit signs are allowed and all signs must be on the actual property, no off site advertising is allowed. Another question of interest to the Commission was regarding the sign height -the reason for the height limit is to protect the adjacent residential areas. The accepted recommendation was to limit signs to 18 feet in Public Use District (P1) zones and Institutional (I) zones, and 25 feet in the C3 zones. All the above zones were described and clarified for the record. The display of colors were a mute point and of no concerns from the Ad Hoc and Planning and Community Development Committee (PCD) Committees. There were concerns regarding light levels of the signs and the need to limit the hours. Previously representatives from the sign companies clarified signs have timers and can suppress the light levels at any time. Chair Roland expressed that toning down the signs would be the best option, the rest of the Commission agreed. The Ad Hoc Committee strongly stated they did not support the idea of amortization. PCD and the Planning Commission agreed that all signs would need to be brought in to compliance with the display limitations within one year and expand the provision to include lighting levels in addition to the display. The Commission deliberated on all the topics of interest and did their best to mitigate the circumstances in fairness to residents and local businesses. Commissioner Di Turi moved to recommend adoption of the changing message center signs code amendment with the following modifications: 1) Permit the changing message center signs in the C1 zone along the arterial streets. 2) Allow the signs in the Institutional zones with restricted the location to the arterial street frontages and restricting the hours of operation between 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 3) Staff to make determination that the 8,000 nit is acceptable and does not conflict with any health, safety or energy related issues. 4) Staff to provide a legal check on the amortization provision regarding its implementation; Commissioner Mason seconded. The motion passed 4-0. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES January 8, 2008 • Proposed code amendment re: manufactured homes - The public hearing was opened at 8:40 p.m. There was no public comment The hearing was closed at 8:41 p.m. Commissioner Peace started off with some recommendations: 1) Add the modular definition. 2) Take out language regarding a used mobile home, under 18.48.050 section one. Mr. Pilcher clarified the language was taken from State's RCW; Mr. Pilcher will look in to whether it should state mobile or manufactured. 3) Delete or rephrase the language under item B stating homes should be placed with the longest facade parallel to the abutting street. 4) Under item four -instead of decorative make it "may or may not be load bearing". The Commission deliberated on information staff presented and several comments made by Commissioner Peace. Commissioners had discussion regarding the proposed standards and issues with manufactured verses stick built homes. Mr. Pilcher explained these proposed standards would apply on the placement of a manufactured home on any single lot. Commissioner Peace moved to recommend approval of the Ordinance on manufactured housing with the following revisions: 1) Add a definition for modular homes 2) In section 18.48.050A-1 need to add manufactured home along side the used mobile home; clarifying that a mobile home can not become a used manufactured home. 3) Delete section B-1 4) Under section B-2 where it states "have a composition or wood shake or shingle coated metal or similar roof of not less than a nominal pitch" add the following: "unless approved by the Building Official" so a flat roof could be allowed on a stick built house. 5) Change language from "which can be load bearing or decorative" to "which may or may not be load bearing"; Commissioner Di Turi seconded. The motion passed 7-0. OTHER BUSINESS Next meeting is Tuesday February 5, 2008 Commissioner Chapman asked staff to check in to the code that would prohibit Bio-Diesel service stations or manufacturing in the City. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the Planning Commission adjourned at 8:54 p.m.