HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-07-2009
TYOF
PLANNING COMMISSION
AUBU '
WASHINGTON May7,2009
MINUTES
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Judi Roland called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. in the Council Chambers
located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburri, WA. Chair
Roland stated that this meeting is a continuation of the Planning Commission meeting
held on May 5, 2009, where the Commissioners reviewed Title 17, Subdivisions. The
Commissioners had additional questions after the public hearing was closed on Title 17,
Subdivision, and asked staff to return with this additional information.
Commission Members present were: Chair Judi Roland, Bob Baggett, Ron Copple,
Peter Di Turi, and Joan Mason. Vice Chair Kevin Chapman and Commission Michael
Hamilton 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.
Commissioner DiTuri moved and Commissioner Mason seconded to re-open the
public hearing for Title 17, Subdivisions
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0.
II. PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT
Staff distributed a memo, marked as Exhibit 12, with recommended modifications to title
17 (Subdivisions). Staff noted that the plat data drawings distributed by Jeff Mann of
Apex Engineering on Tuesday, May 5, 2009, are marked as Exhibit 13A and 136.
Senior Planner Chris Andersen reviewed Exhibit 12 with the Commissioners. Staff
revised the recommendation for Chapter 17.26.030, stating that critical areas and buffers
would count towards the 50% open space requirement in urban separators. Chapter
17.26.040, relating to Cluster Subdivisions, the buffers would count towards the 25%
open space requirement; the critical areas would not. At the Commissioners' request,
staff will clarify the wording in the amendment that the critical areas are not included.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
May 2009
III. PUBLIC HEARING - Title 17 Subdivisions
Chair Roland opened the Public Hearing at 7:15 p.m. related to Title 17
(Subdivisions) amendment of the Auburn City Code.
Jeff Mann, Apex Engineering, 2601 S. 35th St, Suite 200, Tacoma, WA appreciated
Commissioners' and staff time in looking at the comments he made at the previous
hearing on May 5, 2009. The comment on open space and clustering (above) will go a
long way to gain back some of the lots that would be lost if the buffer was not allowed in
the calculation.
Garrett Huffman, Master Builders Association (MBA), 335 116th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA
98004 stated concern with the critical areas not being allowed in the open space 25%
requirement proposed in Chapter 17.26.040.E.9. The way the amendment is currently
written, developers will not be able to attain four units per acre. Mr. Huffman
recommends pulling the entire section.
Chair Roland asked staff how other jurisdictions are regulating cluster subdivisions.
Senior Planner Chris Andersen stated that via ICF Jones & Stoke consultant, other
jurisdictions were reviewed in respect to what they were counting towards land that
could be credited for density. There was a variety of regulations and calculations.
Consultant Gil Cerise, ICF Jones & Stoke, stated that this proposed language is similar
to the City of Kent, who has both urban and non-urban separators.
Chair Roland asked Mr. Huffman if he had any further comments. Mr. Huffman
suggested that all critical areas and buffers be part of the calculation for required open
space in the non-urban separators. Mr. Huffman further suggested allowing developers
to pay into a park impact fund. Rather than having a small open space on site, thus
making the lot closest to the space less valuable, put the money towards a larger park.
This would allow the builder to use clustering and the City gets density.
Chair Roland closed the public hearing at 7:26 p.m. related to amendments to Title
17 (Subdivisions) of the Auburn City Code.
Commissioner DiTuri moved and Commissioner Copple seconded to recommend
approval of amendments to Title 17 Subdivisions of the Auburn City Code with the
following modifications:
1. Revise the Table of Contents in Chapter 17.04 (Definitions) to add Alley and Area of
Special Flood Hazard and delete One Percent Flood Hazard Area and Responsible
Official;
2. Revise Section 17.04.400 USGS to read: "USGS" means United States Geological
Survey;
3. Revise Section 17.12.080 to remove the staff comment and replace with the
following: "This shall be consistent with the facility extension provisions of Title 13
(Water, Sewers and Public Utilities);
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
May 2009
4. Revise Chapter 17.14 (Improvement Requirements - Subdivisions) to specify the
chapter title at the beginning of the Chapter;
5. Revise the Table of Contents for Chapter 17.14 (Improvement Requirements -
Subdivisions) to strike to be deleted Section 17.14.030 (Drainage Plans) and
renumber the table of contents accordingly;
6. Revise Section 17.24.010.A to specify the deletion of the word "for' in front of the
word "lease";
Revise Section 17.06.010 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission;
8. Revise Section 17.12.010 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission;
9. Revise Section 17.14.015 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission
10. Revise Section 17.14.080 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission;
11. Revise Section 17.26.030 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission;
12. Revise Section 17.26.040 per the staff recommendation contained in the May
2009 staff memorandum to the Planning Commission; and,
13. Proposed wording to Section 17.26.030.D.8(a), last sentence will read, "For
purposes of this section, critical areas shall not be included as part of the required
open space. However, on-site critical area buffers shall be permitted to be
calculated as part of the required open space."
Commissioner Copple questioned if the definition for USGS, in item 2, was corrected at
Commissioner DiTuri's previous request. Staff understood the question to be whether
USGS stood for US Geodetic Survey and not regarding National Geodetic Survey
(NGS); staff will research which is the correct agency.
Commissioner DiTuri moved and Commissioner Mason seconded to amend the motion
to revise the wording, based upon the staff clarification of the National Geodetic Survey
reference, to Title 17.
MOTION TO AMEND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0.
MOTION ON FULL MOTION, WITH AMENDMENT, CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
6-0.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
May 2009
IV. PUBLIC HEARING - Title 18 Zoning (Residential)
Senior Planner Chris Andersen presented the background and four key objectives of the
code updates. He noted that the Title 18 amendments before the Commissioners are
related to residential zoning. The remaining chapters would be revised as part of Phase
II of the Code Update project.
• 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. Exhibit 11, which
contains a summary table of the latest revisions to Title 18, was distributed to the
Commissioners, along with revised Title 18 Zoning revisions. Mr. Andersen reviewed the
staff recommendations from Exhibit 11 and answered Commissioners' questions. Other
than scrivener errors, the following changes were noted:
Chapter 18.02.090 - Zone Boundary Interpretation
• Item G - Staff will add the word "property" to first sentence; "When the city
vacates a street or alley, the vacated property will be zoned consistent with the
adjacent property it is being vacated to."
Chapter 18.04 - Definitions
• Staff will add a definition for condominium
Chapter 18.04.110 - Apartment (definition)
• Staff will add to definition that apartments may be used for rental purposes
Chapter 18.04.497 - Impervious surface
• Staff will delete the last two sentences; not part of a definition.
Chair Roland adjourned the meeting for approximately 5 minutes at 8:38 p.m.
Meeting was reconvened 8:45 pm
Staff continued the review the staff recommendations from Exhibit 11 and answered
Commissioners' questions.
Staff reviewed Chapter 18.49 - Flexible Development Alternatives and answered
Commissioners' questions.
Chair Roland opened the Public Hearing at 9:11 p.m. related to amendments to
Title 18 (Zoning) of the Auburn City Code.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
May 2009
Jeff Mann, Apex Engineering, 2601 S. 35th St, Suite 200, Tacoma, WA applauds staff on
the incredible work that has been done. A lot of ideas from the Code Working Group,
such as the tables and development standards, have been reflected in the amendments.
Mr. Mann is looking forward to seeing how the tables and development standards will
work "on the ground".
Mr. Mann indicated that Chapter 18.06.030, Residential Zone Development Standards,
ties into the Exhibits 13A and 13B that he submitted on March 4, 2009 to the
Commissioners. Specifically addressed are R-5 and R-7 zones and the issue of
minimum density. Using R-5 standards, the net acreage of 16 acres (Example 13A)
yielded 43 lots which are a gross density of 2 units per acre and a net density of 2.6.
The proposed minimum net density of 4 units is not achieved. To achieve 4 units, it
would require approximately 65 units on site.
On Exhibit 13B where clustering in R-5 is used with smaller lots of 6,000, even going
down to 4,500 sq. ft. lots, the yield is only 55 lots, which is only 3.43 units per acre. Mr.
Mann stated that to reach the minimum density that is proposed, narrower and smaller
lots need to be allowed. Another alternative is to eliminate the minimum lot requirement.
In response to Commissioners' question, Mr. Mann indicated that the same issues with
R-5 would occur in the R-7 zone. As shown in Exhibit B, by using 4,500 - 6,000 sq. ft.
lots, the yield is 55 units with 3.34 units per acre.
Chair Roland asked staff to provide information on the items that Mr. Mann brought up;
Mr. Andersen responded with the following.
Staff reviewed the sites exampled in Exhibit 13A and 1313; it does appear that the buffer
areas are larger than the sensitive areas that they are protecting. Staff is proposing the
buffers would not be used to calculate minimum density, but would be used only for the
maximum density. An amendment would be needed for Chapter 18.02.65 to remove
buffers from minimum density calculations.
Mr. Mann said the developer would only yield so many units on net area, without some
relaxation of lot area and lot width. It would be difficult to achieve the density that the
proposed code is setting.
Legal advised that the Commissioners can recommend that Council look further into this
issue rather than recommendation to approve proposed amendments.
With regards to density and lot yield issue, staff stated that the tool kit approach allows
developers to select the tools that would work for their property. Mr. Mann had
presented exhibits with two scenarios - a base zoning with a particular yield and one with
a clustering scenario with a higher yield. Staff felt that even higher yields could be
achieved with a flexible development alternatives approach that could allow 135% to
150% depending on the total number of points.
Chair Roland offered Jeff Mann the opportunity to respond. Mr. Mann asked if it was the
City's intent that any development should use the flexible development standards to
meet density. Staff responded that for minimum density, the flexible development
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
May 2009
alternatives would not. Staff recommends not counting buffer areas for the calculation of
minimum densities. Staff could refine and would be happy to work further with Mr.
Mann.
Garrett Huffman, Master Builders Association (MBA), 335 116th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA
98004 stated that the proposed code provides a recommendation to achieve basic
density but does not provide the tools to get there. Mr. Huffman suggested that the
recommendation to Council be that both sides should have an acceptable outcome. He
noted that growth targets are being updated and urban centers will be required to take
on more density than those cities not considered urban or suburban. Mr. Huffman
encourages Commissioners to provide options to the City Council that will allow a
minimum of four units to the acre and allow other considerations; preference being for
smaller lot sizes and narrower lot widths to achieve density.
Regarding Chapter 18.31.200.L. - Director Authority and Findings, Mr. Huffman
proposed changing "all of the following conditions exist" (line 6) to read "all applicable
conditions exist". This gives the Director discretion to waive any conditions that do not
apply to the specific property. Staff concurred with the recommendation.
Chair Roland closed the Public Hearing at 9:43 p.m. related to amendments to
Title 17 (Subdivisions) of the Auburn City Code.
Commissioner Peace moved and Commissioner Copple seconded to recommend
approval of Title 18 as revised in Exhibit 11 with the following additional revisions.
1. Chapter 18.02.090 (page add word "property" be added to Section G;
2. Chapter 18.02.65 add amendment to remove buffers from minimum density
calculations;
3. Chapter 18.04 - add definition for condo;
4. Chapter 18.04. 110 identify that apartment may be a rental; and
5. Chapter 18.31.200.L. - changing "all of the following conditions exist" (line 6) to read
"all applicable conditions exist".
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0.
V. OTHER BUSINESS
Staff noted that Phase II of the code update will begin in June 2009 and scheduled for
completion in September 2009.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Planning Commission, Chair Roland
adjourned the meeting at 9:52 p.m.
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