HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-31-2006 Committee of the Whole~k
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WASHINGTON
CITY COUNCIL
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
July 31, 2006 5:00 PM
Council Chambers
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
Mayor Pro Tem Sue Singer called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Councilmembers present included: Mayor Pro Tem Sue Singer, Rich Wagner,
Gene Cerino, Nancy Backus, Bill Peloza, Roger Thordarson and Lynn Norman.
Mayor Peter B. Lewis was also present.
Staff members present included Parks, Arts and Recreation Director Daryl
Faber, Human Resources and Risk Management Director Brenda Heineman,
Assistant Police Chief Bob Lee, Economic Development Manager Dave Baron,
Development Services Coordinator Steven Pitcher, Planner AI Hicks, Community
Development Administrator David Osaki, Finance Director Shelley Coleman,
Information Services Director Lorrie Rempher, Public Works Director Dennis
Dowdy, Senior Planner Elizabeth Chamberlain, and City Clerk Danielle Daskam.
Community Renewal
Finance Director Shelley Coleman introduced Mr. Hugh Spitzer of Foster Pepper
Shefelman, who presented the Council with information on the state community
renewal law, formerly known as Urban Renewal. Utilizing a PowerPoint
presentation, Mr. Spitzer discussed the purpose and basic process for
establishing community renewal areas.
The basic process calls for the Council to establish a finding of "blight", designate
the community renewal area(s) boundaries, develop a community renewal plan,
designate the entity to carry out the plan and then proceed with the plan.
"Blighted areas" can include substantial physical dilapidation, overcrowding,
unsanitary or unsafe conditions, dangerous or unhealthful conditions, hazardous
soils or substances, inappropriate or mixed uses of land or buildings, defective or
inadequate street layout or lot layout, excessive land coverage, persistent or high
levels of unemployment or poverty, diversity of ownership, or tax or special
assessment delinquencies.
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City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Julv 31, 2006
In response to a question from Mayor Pro Tem Singer, Mr. Spitzer stated that the
City could adopt its existing Downtown Plan as a community renewal plan. The
plan would need to be amended to include a finance section and relocation plan
in order to serve as a community renewal plan. Prior to adoption of the plan, the
Council must hold a public hearing on the proposed plan after publishing notice
in the newspaper and giving written notice to all property owners within the
affected area.
Buxton Economic Development Presentation
Amy Wetzel of Buxton CommunitylD Division presented the Council with
information on the services her firm could provide with regard to a Retail
Recruiting Program. Buxton is a customer research firm that provides data both
to retailers and to communities. Buxton provides retailer matching to
communities to match specific retail and restaurant concepts to the buying habits
and lifestyles of the consumers living in the community.
The Community ID Program includes profiling potential retail sites within a
community, determining drive-time trade area, establishes total household
psychographic profile, determines retail trade potential - consumables to hard
goods, identifies matching retail/restaurant concepts, and provides marketing
materials for attracting the retailer. Buxton will prepare marketing packages and
contact the matching retailer on the City's behalf.
The proposed consulting services agreement with Buxton will be reviewed by the
Planning and Community Development Committee and the Finance Committee
at a later date.
Land Use .Moratorium
Community Development Administrator Osaki presented information on current
land use moratoriums. The City has two moratoriums in effect as of this date: 1)
a moratorium on the filing of applications for certain licenses, permits and
approvals for industrial land uses in areas of the City bounded by State Route 18
on the south, State Route 167 on the west, 15th Street NW on the north and the
Union Pacific Railroad on the east, bounded by West Main Street on the south,
the Union Pacific Railroad on the west, 6th Street NW on the north and C Street
NW on the east; 2) a moratorium on commercial and industrial permits for
properties zoned M1, M2 and C3 in those areas of the City located on the east
side of A Street SE between Highway 18 and the southern city limits and along a
segment of 6th Street SE.
Mr. Osaki advised that at the next regular Council meeting, the City Council will
consider the Environmental Park District rezone. If and when the rezone is
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City of Auburn Committee of the Whole July 31, 2006
approved, the moratorium will expire on that portion of the moratorium area. The
remaining area subject to the moratorium will be evaluated during the 2006
annual comprehensive plan amendment process.
On July 17t", the City Council conducted a hearing on the A Street SE
moratorium after which the Council directed staff to prepare a revised resolution
to repeal that portion of the moratorium applying to C3 (heavy commercial)
zoned properties. The resolution will be considered at the August 7t" Council
meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Singer asked that notification be sent to the affected property
owners on A Street SE of any change in the moratorium area and possible
expansion of the commercial zone (extending east of A Street SE).
Pending Comprehensive Plan Amendments
Senior Planner Elizabeth Chamberlain presented an overview of the 2006
Annual Comprehensive Plan amendments. All of the proposed amendments are
City initiated. Map amendments 1 through 12 involve city owned properties; the
remaining proposed map amendments (13 through 25) are in response to the
Council's adopted vision and goals and adopted economic development
strategies.
Senior Planner Chamberlain briefly reviewed the following Comprehensive Plan
map (CPM) amendments:
CPM 13 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Public and Quasi-Public" to
"Downtown" for land generally located north of 1St Street NW, south of 2"d Street
NW, and west of Auburn Regional Medical Center. CPM/Area 13 is located
immediately north of Auburn City Hall, across First Street NW. The current
comprehensive plan land use designation is "Public and Quasi-Public" as the
land was previously owned by the City of Auburn. The property was purchased
from the City of Auburn by Auburn Regional Medical Center earlier this year.
The proposal is to amend the Comprehensive Land Use plan map to
"Downtown". This is necessary to reflect that the property is no longer in public
ownership and that the parcels are located within the city's designated urban
center. The adjacent properties and Auburn Regional Medical Center are
presently all designated "Downtown". Therefore the "Downtown" designation is
currently implemented with the C-2 Central Business District zone, which may be
replaced by a new zone district, Downtown Urban Center, in the future.
CPM 14 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Heavy Industrial" to "Heavy
Commercial" for land generally located east of Emerald Downs Drive, north of
15t" Street NW, south of 37t" Street NW, and west of BNSF Railroad. Emerald
Downs and its associated parking facilities compose CPM/Area 14. The existing
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City of Auburn Committee of the Whole July 31, 2006
comprehensive land use designation is "Heavy Industrial" and the property is
zoned M-2 (Heavy Industrial). The proposal is to amend the Comprehensive
Land Use plan map to "Heavy Commercial". The affected area is approximately
136.58 acres.
CPM 15 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Light Industrial" and "Open
Space" to "Heavy Commercial" and "Open Space" for land generally located
west of Emerald Downs Drive, east of SR 167, south of 29t" Street NW, and
north of 15t" Street NW. CPM/Area 15 consists of vacant land, a Costco
warehouse facility, and some outbuildings. This area is designated "Light
Industrial" and "Open Space". The proposal is to amend the Comprehensive
Land Use plan map to "Heavy Commercial" and retain the existing "Open Space"
designation. This area is approximately 95.29 acres and lies between SR 167
and the Emerald Downs site, which is Area 14.
CPM 16 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Light Industrial" to "Heavy
Commercial" for land generally located north of 30t" Street NE and east of I
Street NE. The Auburn Comprehensive Plan presently designates CPM/Area 16
as "Light Industrial". The property is approximately 4.82 acres, and is the only
"Light Industrial" designated parcel in the I Street NE and Auburn Way corridor
between approximately 10t" Street NE to the northern city limits.
CPM 17 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Light Industrial" to "Light
Commercial" for land generally located east of D Street NE, north of 9t" Street
NE, and west of Auburn Way North. CPM/Area 17 is currently designated
"Light Industrial" on the City of Auburn Comprehensive Plan land use map. The
existing use on site is a warehouse and distribution facility and is located in the
Auburn North Business Area. The property is approximately 5.18 acres, and is
the only "Light Industrial" designated parcel in the vicinity. Surrounding land
uses are light commercial and heavy commercial in nature. The property's
comprehensive land use designation and zoning designation of "Light Industrial"
reflect its existing use.
This proposal is intended to make the land use designation for Area 17
consistent with the "Light Commercial" land use designation of the surrounding
properties within the Auburn North Business Area. If the existing designation of
"Light Industrial" remains, Area 17 will remain an isolated island of "Light
Industrial", which is not consistent with adjacent land use designations.
CPM 18 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Light Industrial" to "Heavy
Commercial" for land generally located south of SR 18 and north of 8t" Street
SW. CPM/Area 18 is currently designated "Light Industrial". The existing use on
site is a warehouse and distribution facility that has multiple tenants. The site is
approximately 13.84 acres. Surrounding land use designations include "Heavy
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Citv of Auburn Committee of the Whole July 31, 2006
Commercial". The area to the south is proposed CPM#/Area 19. This proposal
is intended to make the land use designation for Area 18 consistent with the
adjacent "Heavy Commercial" designation of the SuperMall and the proposed
designation of "Heavy Commercial" for Area 19 (below). This property is near to
and visible from State Route 18.
CPM 19 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Public/Quasi-Public" and
"Heavy Industrial" to "Heavy Commercial" for land generally located south of Stn
Street SW, west of C Street SW, north of 15th Street SW, and east of the
SuperMall. Area 19 is designated "Heavy Industrial" and "Public/Quasi-Public".
The existing uses of CPM/Area 19 include a cold storage facility, the City of
Auburn's Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Department, Auburn School
District transportation facility, GSA ball-fields, and vacant land. These properties
comprise approximately 47.83 acres. Surrounding land use designations include
"Heavy Commercial". CPM #18 is located to the north. This proposal is
intended to make the land use designation for Area 19 consistent with the
adjacent "Heavy Commercial" designation of the SuperMall, the properties to
northeast that were amended during the 2005 comprehensive plan amendment
process, and the proposed designation of "Heavy Commercial" for Area 18.
CPM 20 -Properties located on A Street SE and within a current moratorium
area. Utility Vault Company property. To amend the Comprehensive Plan from
"Heavy Industrial" to "Heavy Commercial" for land generally located east of A
Street SE, north 29th Street SE, and west of D Street SE.
Councilmembers discussed nonconforming uses and the process to expand a
nonconforming use.
CPM 21 -Properties located on A Street SE and D Street SE adjacent to
unincorporated King County land zoned R-4 and within a current moratorium
area. AA-Insurance Auto Auction, vacant land, Imaginetics, Maryanski Building
and auto wrecking. To amend the Comprehensive Plan from "Heavy Industrial"
to "Heavy Commercial" and "High Density Residential" for land generally located
north of 37th Street SE, east of A Street SE, west and east of D Street SE and
south of 32"d Street SE.
CPM 22 - To amend the Comprehensive Plan from "Light Industrial" to "Light
Commercial" for land generally located south of the White River, north of Oravetz
Place SE, east of A Street SE, and west of Oravetz Road SE. CPM/Area 22 is
presently designated "Light Industrial" and is approximately 5.52 acres. The
surrounding land use designations are "Open Space" and "Public/Quasi-Public".
The properties to the west are designated "Light Commercial", however the city
is proposing a change to "Public/Quasi-Public" (CPM#4). The existing use on
site is light manufacturing of precision plastic components. The proposal is
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City of Auburn Committee of the Whole July 31, 2006
intended to make the land use designation for Area 22 a less intense
designation, as the property is adjacent to the White River and schools, and
there is no direct access to A Street SE. Area 22 is also the only "Light
Industrial" designated property within the vicinity.
CPM 23 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Heavy Industrial" and "Light
Industrial" to "Downtown" for land generally located west of C Street NW, east of
H Street NW, south of 4tH Street NW, and north and south of West Main Street.
Area 23 is designated "Heavy Industrial" and "Light Industrial". This area
consists of a variety of land uses ranging from a Waste Management solid waste
facility to non-conforming single family residential. The surrounding land use
designations include "Downtown" to the east, "Heavy Industrial" to the north,
"Public/Quasi-Public" and "Office Residential" to the south, and "Open Space" to
the west. The intent of the proposed land use designation is to bring a mixture of
land uses under one designation and promote development compatible with the
adjacent urban center and adjacent environmental park. Area 23 is an extension
of Auburn's Downtown and the proposed land use change to "Downtown" is
logical to create an even block that extends to H Street NW.
CPM 24 - To amend the comprehensive plan from "Public and Quasi-Public" to
"Heavy Commercial" for land generally located west of I Street NE, south of 30tH
Street NE, and east of Auburn Way North. The property is owned by the City.
CPM 25 - To amend the Comprehensive Plan map designation from "Heavy
Commercial" and "Moderate Density Residential" to "Liq~ht Commercial" for land
generally located south of Stn Street SE and north of 17 Street SE and between
A and B Streets SE within Auburn city limits. Area 25 is currently designated
"Heavy Commercial" and "Moderate Density Residential". The surrounding land
use designations include "Heavy Commercial" and "Moderate Density
Residential".
Demonstration of Citizen Online Services
Information Services Director Rempher demonstrated the following on-line
services: police reporting (Coplogic), red light photo enforcement, business
license renewal, inspection requests, citizen requests for service, and parks
registration.
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City of Auburn Committee of the Whole July 31, 2006
There being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 7:35.
Summary Prepared by:
Dan Ile Daskam, City Clerk
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