HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-14-2009
CITY OF
` PLANNING & COMMUNITY
RN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
= WASHINGTON
SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
MINUTES
1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Nancy Backus called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. in the Council
Chambers located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn,
WA. Committee members present were: Vice Chair Nancy Backus and Member Rich
Wagner. Chair Lynn Norman was excused.
Staff members present included: Mayor Pete Lewis, Director Cindy Baker, Assistant
Director Kevin Snyder, Principal Planner Elizabeth Chamberlain, Principal Planner Jeff
Dixon, Senior Planner Chris Andersen, Building Official Rick Hopkins, Parks, Arts &
Recreation Director Daryl Faber and Planning Secretary Renee Tobias.
Also present were: Wayne Osborne.
II. ANNOUNCES AND AGENDA MODIFICATIONS
Agenda modification added Item II.C, September 1, 2009 Minutes and Item V.A,
Ordinance No. 6266 to the agenda.
III. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Minutes - August 24, 2009 *
B. Minutes - August 25, 2009 *
C. Minutes - September 1, 2009
Member Wagner moved to approve the Consent Agenda; Vice Chair Backus
concurred.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 2-0.
IV. ACTION
A. Ordinance No. 6266 - Title 15 (Buildings & Construction) Amendments
Current code, adopted July 2, 2007, contains regulations and standards for the
permitting, enforcement and oversight of building construction with a maximum permit
period of two years with no extension opportunity. Ordinance No. 6266 authorizes the
Building Official authority to grant one or more extensions of time, for periods not more
than 180 days each for permits issued after July 2, 2007. The applicant must show
justifiable cause for the extension and submit the written request seven days before
the permit expiration. This request pertains only to the building and not the
development of the land.
Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 14, 2009
Assistant Director Kevin Snyder noted that for the 2009-2010 period, several hundred
permits will potentially expire. The currently economic conditions are making it difficult
for some permit holders to complete their projects within the allowable permit period.
The City has received numerous requests for permit extensions.
Building Official Rick Hopkins reported that the proposed amendments are consistent
with the new building code language of the International Business Code (IBC). Mr.
Hopkins confirmed that the administrative time for the review of the extension will be
minimal and there will be no additional costs for the applicant.
Staff confirmed that the plat, building plans and code approved at the time the permit
was originally issued will remain in effect for the project. Any structural changes
requested in the written extension would require new building plans and the project
would then need to meet the current code and requirements.
Member Wagner moved to recommend to City Council adoption of Ordinance No.
6266; Vice Chair Backus concurred.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 2-0.
V. DISCUSSION
A. Barrier Free Playground
Barrier Free playgrounds take all disabilities into account. The playgrounds connect
the pathways, add play features throughout the site and address the most important
feature, the ability for all children of all abilities to play side-by-side.
Parks, Arts & Recreation Director Daryl Faber reported that the project cost estimate
is $300,000 with $75,000 of in-kind donations. Several grant applications will
be submitted, which include an application to Wal-Mart, Home Depot and a$75,000
grant to the King County Youth Sports. Staff are also looking at other fundraising
opportunities with service groups. The non-profit revenue is being funneled through
the NW Parks Foundation and donations have been received for the playground.
The Barrier Free Playground Design Committee is comprised of numerous
community leaders as well a special education instructor/coordinator for the Auburn
School District, local physical and occupational therapists, and a member of the
Teen Council. A separate Design Committee is beginning concept drawings that will
focus on motion as well as sensory stimulation. Director Faber shared examples of
surfacing products for the fall zone of the playground and pathways.
Director Faber stated that each school within the Auburn School District is
considering in-school fundraising campaign led by the special need classes as well
as other Club's as part of October's National Disabilities Month. The funds raised
will go towards the playground. Committee suggested that staff look for volunteers
from the physical therapy and sports medicine senior class projects.
The construction timetable is estimated to be May 2010 for the ground preparation
and June 2010 for construction.
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Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 14, 2009
B. Chapter 18.46 (Temporary Use) Amendments
The draft amendments to Chapter 18.46 provide an administrative approval process
for temporary uses without requiring full compliance of the development standards
for the applicable zoning district. Assistant Director Kevin Snyder noted that the draft
amendments are consistent with the direction provided to staff by the Committee and
the Planning Commission during their special joint meetings held on August 4, 2009
and August 11, 2009. He stated that the Planning Commission reviewed the
proposed amendments and held a public hearing on September 9, 2009. The
Planning Commission approved by positive motion vote to forward the amendments
as recommended to City Council for consideration and adoption action
Staff provided the Committee with an overview of the draft amendments as
recommended by the Planning Commission. Mr. Snyder stated that the most
important element in the draft amendments is a shift in orientation away from
Hearing Examiner review and approval of temporary uses, to an administrative
review and approval by the Planning Director. He indicated that the current process
can be fairly onerous for relatively short-term uses.
Committee asked about non-profit fundraisers and events and whether all such
events would require a Temporary Use Permit. Mr. Snyder clarified that such events
for commercial uses would require a Temporary Use Permit, but that if a site is
normally used for similar purposes, it would typically not. Staff will add additional
amendment language that clarifies this.
The Committee requested that a definition of temporary needed to be added that
clarifies the meaning for each type or use or permit. Additionally, the term personal
use storage containers in Section 18.46.070.A.2.c also should be defined.
Committee and staff discussed how the proposed regulations would apply to mobile
venders and temporary storage of buildings. The duration of the temporary uses
would be determined by the length of permit, which would be 180 days unless
otherwise specified. Staff indicated that general language would be added at the
beginning of the chapter to specify the time limit of Temporary Use Permits.
The Committee reviewed the proposed changes and provided feedback and
direction to staff. Staff will update the amendments and bring back to Committee in
ordinance format for action on September 28, 2009 with consideration by the full City
Council scheduled for October 5, 2009.
C. Administrative Use PermitlConditional Use Permit Amendments
Senior Planner Chris Andersen stated that the draft amendments for administrative
and conditional uses reflect the direction provided to staff by the Committee and the
Planning Commission during their special joint meetings held on August 4, 2009 and
August 11, 2009. Planning Commission reviewed the proposed amendments and
held a public hearing on September 9, 2009.
The draft amendments are essentially organized into two groups: process
amendments relating to Chapter 18.64, and individual zoning districts and
processes. Mr. Andersen presented the Chapter 18.64 amendments first, and stated
that these amendments clarify the process requirements for administrative and
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Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 14, 2009
conditional uses. Conditional uses would be very similar to the current process;
Conditional Use Permits would continue to be a Type III permit decision that would
go to Hearing Examiner for public hearing and final decision, and appeals of the
Hearing Examiner decision would go to superior court.
Administrative uses would be a Type II process consistent with ACC Title 14, with
additional provisions in two areas. First, two additional public notice requirements
have been proposed based on the previous input of the Committee and the Planning
Commission; the Notice of Application notification mailing radius would be increased
to 500 feet for uses in R-C Residential Conservancy Zone and all commercial and
industrial districts; and the public notice would be posted on the City's website.
The second additional provision is that the Planning Director or designee would
either make the final decision which would be appealable to the Hearing Examiner,
or would forward the application to the Hearing Examiner per Section 18.64.020 for
the Hearing Examiner to hold a public hearing and make the final decision. The
Hearing Examiner's decision could be appealed to Superior Court. The Planning
Director's decision to forward an Administrative Use Permit application to the
Hearing Examiner would not be appealable.
Mr. Andersen provided a summary of the individual zoning district amendments. He
noted that the amendments contain a new use in commercial zones regarding hours
of operation for commercial businesses that abut a residential zone; and that as
proposed, any such business operating outside of the hours 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
Monday through Saturday, or 9:00 am to 10:00 pm on Sunday, would be subject to
an Administrative Use Permit. Staff explained that these hours correspond to the
hours for the City's existing construction noise regulations.
The Committee proposed that an additional use called scientific research be added
for the EP Environmental Park District. Mr. Snyder stated that the EP District
amendments being reviewed at this meeting have been drafted narrowly to focus on
the administrative and conditional use aspects of the district. A more comprehensive
set of amendments is currently being developed to implement the EP District work
program. Staff will include the new use be included as part of the more
comprehensive EP District amendments being developed.
It was questioned that the 10 feet of landscaping required in the RO District may be
too wide in this zone. Principal Planner Elizabeth Chamberlain stated that the
amendments to the RO District regulations adopted earlier in the year for residential
conversions allow for the use of existing landscaping when it meets the intent of the
Landscape Code. Mr. Snyder stated that the amendments currently proposed to
Chapter 18.50 are focused on the administrative and conditional use provisions of
the chapter only, and that a more detailed review and update of the Landscaping
Code was planned for later in Phase 2 of the Code Update. Member Wagner felt that
the width maybe should be 5 feet and indicated that he was comfortable with
addressing this in the more detailed review of that chapter later in the year.
Mr. Snyder reiterated that as with the temporary use amendments, staff will update
the administrative and conditional use amendments and bring back to Committee in
ordinance format for action on September 28, 2009 with consideration by the full City
Council scheduled for October 5, 2009.
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Planning and Community Development Committee Minutes September 14, 2009
VI. INFORMATION
A. Director's Official Decisions and Report
Director Baker reported on a recent official decision where the City used the State
Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for a permit application where the surrounding
residential neighbors may be exposed to excess noise. The applicant was amenable
to the conditions placed on their application.
B. PCDC Status Matrix
There were no changes to the matrix.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Planning and Community
Development Committee, Chair Norman adjourned the meeting at 6:17 p.m.
APPROVED THISJg-~-N DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2009.
KCYLNN 'baiwa -f N v
Nancy 'IT s, Vice Chair nee S. Tobias, Planning Secretary
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