HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-02-2008ACITY OF ~
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PLANNING COMMISSION
December 2, 2008
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers located on
the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA. Commissioners present
were: Chair Judi Roland, Vice Chair Kevin Chapman, Dave Peace, Peter DiTuri, Ron Copple,
Robert Baggett, Michael Hamilton, and Joan Mason.
Staff members present included: Assistant Director of Planning, Building and Community
Kevin Snyder and Planning Secretary Carolyn Brown.
Audience: Five members from a U of W class.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - October 7, 2008
Commissioner Mason made the motion to approve the minutes from October 7, 2008;
seconded by Commissioner DiTuri.
Motion approved 7-0.
II. PUBLIC COMMENT
• None
III. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT
• Update Planning Commission on Planning Department activities was provided by
Assistant Planning Director Kevin Snyder. He stated Planning Director Baker will
be out of the office until early January, 2009. He added that the Planning and
Building Department is busy but with reduced volume and projects. The projects
coming in are smaller with no sub-divisions or plats at this time.
On January 14, 2009 at 6:00 pm, in the Auburn City Hall, there will be a short
course on Local Planning. The state agency will bring in staff and training staff.
This will also cover the role of the Planning Commission and the legal basis of
planning in Washington State. This will be an opportunity to come together with staff
and elected officials from other jurisdictions. The Commissioners will receive an
email with confirmation of time and date.
On November 17, 2008, City Council enacted moratorium in the 100 year flood
plain. This was due to a recent biological opinion by the National Marine Fisheries.
Current FEMA regulations, as they pertain to regulations to flood plains, are not
adequate to address endangered species. The way flood plain regulations work is
FEMA creates models and these are adopted by local jurisdiction. The City of
Auburn's regulations mirror the FEMA regulations and could open the City to legal
actions. The City is currently working with FEMA to identify the next steps and
FEMA is working to create a new model ordinance. The ordinance is limiting
Planninq Commission Meetinq Minutes
December 6, 2008
development in the flood plain in and around Auburn. A development company can
build if they can demonstrate that the development will not cause impact.
The City Council will hold a public hearing on January 5, 2009. A public information
meeting will be on December 10 at the Parks, Recreation and Arts Building. The
City will notify all current property owners in the flood plain and any owners in the
new mapped FEMA area of the meeting. Questions will be answered from 6:30 to
8:00 pm.
Commissioner Peace asked how much development is in that area. Assistant
Planning Director Snyder said the City will have to evaluate on a case by case
approach. The project could be as small as a tenant improvement, a short plat
request or a remodel. An internal staff committee will review requests. If the
property has even a piece of property in the area in question, the whole property is
considered impacted. This only affects the currently designated 100 year plan. The
proposed maps show a much greater impact area. Property owners in these areas
will be notified via mail and there will be a notice in the Auburn Reporter. Assistant
Planning Director Snyder stated development in progress does not have to stop.
The City is making people aware of the proposed action. The City has a contact
person at FEMA for questions. If an application was complete before September
22, 2008 it should not be affected. Any applications after that date could be
affected.
Assistant Chair Chapman had a question about the Robertson property in NE
Auburn, the Auburn golf course and the work on the new levees. These properties
could all be affected. The FEMA models will have to be analyzed for impact.
Mr. Chapman asked about the Mill Creek area. Assistant Planning Director Snyder
answered that is not under the proposed mapping. The AEP will move forward and
will not be immediately impacted by this issue. Assistant Planning Director Snyder
is not sure if this can be resolved in the 6 month time period. Hopefully there will be
an understanding by then. Assistant Planning Director Snyder added this FEMA
project is specific to the Puget Sound area. A law suit was filed by the National
Wildlife as a third party law suit. Maps will be available as a hand out at the
meeting, and a Power Point presentation, with an overview. Assistant Planning
Director Snyder will provide a map to the PC members.
Mr. Chapman asked about the Segale pit (Ikon). Assistant Planning Director
Snyder stated the ruling affects the issuance of permits and does not affect on
going business or activities.
Other items of interest to the PC, the City Council adopted the Comprehensive Plan
amendments as recommended by PC. On December 15, 2008, school impact fees
are going to City Council. There will a ground breaking for the Birding Tower at the
AEP on December 15, 2008, with the goal for the tower to be open to the public by
February 2009.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes December 6, 2008
Assistant Planning Director Snyder said residential conversions to business have a
planning process going on at this time, primarily in the downtown area. Parcels in
this area are already built out. This is a process independent of the code update,
but is taking place at the same time. The process should be complete and through
PC and City Council by the first quarter of 2009. This item will go to PCDC in
December 2008, then to PC in January 2009. The City is looking for flexibility
where possible. Residential conversions need to be ADA compliant, and egress
and ingress compliance.
Commissioner Mason asked if the short course will be in lieu of the regular meeting.
Assistant Planning Director Snyder said the PC will probably still meet on January
6, 2009 the regular meeting time to be briefed on status of residential conversion.
The City is prioritizing the residential conversion so it can move forward.
Mr. Snyder is project manager for the City on the code update project. The
underlying basis was the removal of City Council from quasi-judicial status.
Projects that used to go to City Council will now go to Hearing Examiner. This is to
address liability issues. The City Council directed staff to make certain the people
are getting the best service with the most correct methods and there are two
phases. Phase one is focused on the residential section of the code, and Public
Works is streets, clearing, grading, and storm water.
The City wants the code to be more user friendly. As it is now, it is difficult to get
through and understand. Staff is developing the use of tables, pictures, graphs and
want to reduce vagueness and inconsistencies in the code. Address compliance
will be within the comprehensive plan and state regulations.
The City formed a citizen advisory committee to begin the process and the goal was
too get a broad cross section of the community for the committee. November 5,
2008 was the first advisory group meeting. There will be more meetings before the
process is ready to come before the PC and City Council. The second phase is the
commercial properties and this will finish off with the engineering design standards.
PC may see issues raised in the code sections. In October 2008, there have been
various meetings with committees, stake holders, and staff. Based on feed back
staff will focus on the areas that were discussed.
Chair Roland pointed out the meeting is scheduled to be held on January 14 2009,
the same day as the short course is scheduled. Assistant Planning Director Snyder
will make a note and probably change the date of the open house, not the short
course for the PC. He said he will notify the PC.
Commissioner DiTuri noted the City will have to make an interpretation as to the
significance as to what the code is now and how it relates. A similar matrix format
will be used as was used in the comprehensive plan review. Assistant Planning
Director Snyder said one is zoning designations, such as R-1, R-2. More
jurisdictions have moved to a lot based designation or a density based.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
December 6, 2008
Commissioner DiTuri wanted to know if this will be available to a citizen to go online
and find links or other information to clarify or substantiate the information.
Assistant Planning Director Snyder the City is working to explore the capacity to use
hyperlinks in the City web. A matrix style is easier to use in the hyperlink format.
Part of the consultant's contract is to review other jurisdictions and their process
and web site.
After approved by City Council and accepted by resolution, the City will need to
develop a scheduled process to look at updates and formalize the monitoring
process.
Chair Roland asked for more information on the January 6, 2009 meeting. The
agenda should include residential conversions update and a briefing on the citizen
committee on the code update. The residential conversions will be a separate
Public Hearing, within the 1 St quarter of the year. The PC will probably have a work
session before the Public Hearing.
PC discussed development standards, PUDs, and if the transformation is clear.
Assistant Planning Director Snyder stated the City Council repealed the
development agreement part of the code. One task is to determine what the option
is; one is a PUD ordinance built in to zoning standards. The City Council is
concerned with unmarked flexibility and should be earned. The PC discussed how
parameters will be set and the role of the PC as the City Council is interested in the
defined parameters.
Staff will have to research a way that is beneficial to the community but will attract
the developers and a key issue will be what appropriate parameters for creativity
are. Defined flexibility and these issues came out of the first meetings with the stake
holders as they want flexibility to allow for development. However, PCDC stated
boundaries have to be set.
The PC briefly discussed the new move to allow parking on the non-paved parking
area of parking strips. Assistant Planning Director Snyder said the intent is to
address an ongoing problem with people already parking on these strips. The City
Council has allowed this 6 month program to see how it works. Assistant Planning
Director Snyder people getting ticketed and came to City Council to appeal the
parking.
Assistant Planning Director Snyder voiced staffs appreciation for the time dedicated
to the work that is done by the Planning Commission members.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
• None
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Planning Commission adjourned at 8:03 p.m.
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