HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-05-2009
*
*
ATV~s-BU Il~l ~I PLANNING COMMISSION
WASHINGTON May 5, 2009
~ MINUTES
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Council Chambers located
on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, WA. Commission
Members present were: Chair Judi Roland, Bob Baggett, Ron Copple, Peter Di Turi,
Michael Hamilton, and Joan Mason. Vice Chair Kevin Chapman and Commissioner Dave
Peace were excused.
Staff present: Assistant Planning Director Kevin Snyder, Senior Planner Chris Andersen,
Assistant City Attorney Steve King and Planning Secretary Renee Tobias.
Also present: Gil Cerise, Project Consultant with ICF Jones & Stokes, Garrett Huffman,
Master Builders Association, Jeffrey D. Mann, Apex Engineering, Jeff Johnston and
Bernard Johnston.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
No meeting minutes for approval.
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
No comments
IV. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT
Assistant Planning Director Kevin Snyder presented the background and four key
objectives of the code updates.
. Respond to the change in the City Council's role in the quasi-judicial decision-making
process for land use and development review process by updating regulations and
standards to insure that community goals and expectations are addressed. ,
• Improve the readability of the development regulations and design standards to make
them easier for property owners, developers, and City residents to use.
. Update the development regulations and design standards technical content to address
known issue areas and better support the City's development review and quasi-judicial
decision process.
. Ensure that the development regulations and design standards are coordinated and
consistent with Auburn's Comprehensive Plan and other state land use and
environmental requirements.
Senior Planner Chris Andersen briefly reviewed the exhibit list and noted that no SEPA
comments were received during the public notice period. Exhibit 11, which contains a
summary table of the latest revisions to Title 17, was distributed to the Commissioners. Mr.
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
May 5, 2009
Andersen reviewed the staff recommendations from Exhibit 11 and answered
Commissioners' questions. Other than scrivener errors, the following changes were noted:
Chapter 17.04 - Definitions
• 17.04.025 - Alley will be added to the chapter Table of Contents.
Chapter 17.04.400
• Staff will confirm whether United States Geological Service (USGS) or National
Geodetic Survey (NGS) should be used.
Chapter 17.12.080 - Release of improvement guarantee
• Staff will insert cross reference to Title 13 at the end of subpart B.
Chair Rowland recessed the meeting at 8:14 p.m. for approximately 5 minutes. The meeting
reconvened at 8:18 p.m.
Chair Rowland opened the Public Hearing at 8:18 p.m.
V. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Amendments to Title 17 (Subdivisions) of the Auburn City Code
Jeff Mann, Apex Engineering, 2601 S. 35th St, Suite 200, Tacoma, WA stated he has
had the privilege to serve on the Code Working Group and applauds the work that staff
have done. Mr. Mann offered the following comments and suggestions.
17.06.010.F - Boundary Line Adjustments. Mr. Mann suggested changing the wording
from "becomes conforming" to "more confirming".
17.12.010(6) - Final (Plats) Subdivisions. This section requires that a certificate of
improvement or bond be in place before the final plat can be filed. Mr. Mann suggested
allowing the applicant to file the final plat while completing improvements. City would
still have the leverage, but it would allow developers to start the review process. Mr.
Mann suggested striking this entire item from the requirement for application of final
plat.
17.14.080. - Minimum Improvement Requirements for Recording of Subdivisions and
Short Subdivisions. The City has added a minimum number of improvements so
basically the City is requiring that everything be installed except for the last lift of asphalt
and sidewalks.
17.26.040 - Clustering in residential zones outside urban separators. Mr. Mann
presented two plat drawings. The first drawing shows that with current R-5 zoning, 43
lots were achieved at an average of 8,549 square feet per lot. The second drawing
shows that with the proposed clustering RS-5, 55 lots would be achieved. However, the
second drawing does not show the required 25% open space in addition to the critical
areas and associated buffers. If the required 25% open space of the non-constraining
land was shown, he would lose all the lots he gained. Mr. Mann believes the open
space requirement takes away the amount of developable land. Mr. Mann envisioned
Page 3
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
May 5, 2009
clustering as allowing units in constrained lands to be moved into unconstrained lands
to obtain an increase in units.
Chair Roland asked staff to provide information on the items that Mr. Mann brought up;
Mr. Andersen responded with the following.
17.06.010.F -Boundary Line Adjustments. Staff would be supportive of amending the
language to read "more conforming" as proposed by Mr. Mann.
17.12.010(6) - Final (Plats) Subdivisions. Staff have been in consultation with Public
Works staff who have crafted proposed language in regards to Certification
requirements. The intent was that the project would either be substantially completed to
the point, if not certified, prior to being allowed to apply for final approval. With regard
to where that level might occur, staff will continue to work with Public Works who are the
staff experts on infrastructure and other required improvements. Intent was to provide a
more flexible approach with regard to what improvements needed to be complete so as
not to unduly constrain the application for final approval.
Mr. Mann clarified for the Commissioners that he was asking that Item B.6 be deleted.
He suggested that an applicant be allowed to apply for final plat, with both the City and
developer knowing that there were items in the process of completion. Staff will consult
with the City Engineer and Mr. Mann to develop other options for consideration and
bring back to the public hearing on May 2009
17.26.040 - Clustering in residential zones outside urban separators. Staff will look to
re-evaluate open space and critical area buffers requirements. Staff will consult with
the City Engineer and Mr. Mann to develop other options for consideration at the May
2009 public hearing continuance.
Garrett Huffman, Master Builders Association (MBA), 335 116th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA
98004 stated that he has been a part of the Code Working Group from the beginning.
Mr. Huffman commented that he does not think that any developer would use
clustering, that there is no value to it. He suggested putting open space requirements
into the critical area buffers. Unless this is done, Mr. Huffman stated that developers
would not be able to obtain the number of units to make clustering worthwhile. The
point of clustering is to get the lot yield and still have the critical areas on site so in the
end, everyone has the environmental value from the wetlands and the builders gets the
units out of there and the costs are affordable. Otherwise the builder has to absorb the
costs for those units they can't build on.
Chair Rowland closed the public hearing at 8:47 p.m.
Due to further editing needs on the Title 17 and staff review, it was a consensus of the
Commission to postpone voting on Title 17 until Thursday, May 2009.
Commissioner DiTuri moved and Commissioner Copple seconded to continue the
meeting to Thursday, May 2009.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0.
Page 4
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
May 5, 2009
VI. OTHER BUSINESS
None
VII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Planning Commission, Chair Roland
adjourned the meeting at 8:50p.m.
Page 5