HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-07-2010PLANNING COMMISSION
July 7, 2010
MINUTES
1. 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. Commission Members present were: Chair Judi Roland, Vice
Chair Kevin Chapman, Ron Copple, Joan Mason, Wayne Osborne, and Dave
Peace. Commission Member excused were: Michael Hamilton, Bob Baggett.
Staff present included: Principal Planner Jeff Dixon and Administrative Support
Clerk Tina Kriss.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. June 8, 2010
Commissioner Copple moved and Commissioner Peace seconded to approve
the minutes from the June 8, 2009 meeting as submitted.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0
III. PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comment
IV. PLANNING DEPARTMENT REPORT
Principal Planner Dixon provided the Planning Commission the following
department report:
Development Services Manager Jeff Tate will start employment with the City on
July 12. Jeff will be managing the code enforcement engineering, permit and
building divisions of the Planning and Development Department.
Chair requested an organizational chart for the Planning and Development
Department to better understand how the current structure is set up. Mr. Dixon
stated he would provide Commission with an organizational chart.
Commissioners and Principal Planner Dixon discussed the operation of the City's
new customer service center and Mr. Dixon explained the advantages of
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 7, 2010
customers stopping in one location to get their questions answered and the
ability to access multiple staff due to their close proximity.
Chair asked Mr. Dixon if he could make arrangements for the Planning
Commission members to tour the new facility. Mr. Dixon stated a tour could be
arranged prior to or after a scheduled meeting.
City expects to break ground on the demolition of the Marvel building and the
widening of Division Street in August.
Commissioners asked how many buildings there were at the Marvel site and Mr.
Dixon answered there is three buildings although it appears there is one and only
the Marvel building is proposed to be removed.
V. PUBLIC HEARINGS
No items for public hearings
VI. NEW BUSINESS
A. 2010 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Changes
Principal Planner Jeff Dixon provided an updated 2010 Comprehensive Plan
Amendment Docket (spreadsheet) to replace the original which was provided to
Commission with the packet.
Mr. Dixon provided the following updates and information to the Comprehensive
Plan Amendments application request:
• 2010 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket includes updates by the
City and a private application;
• Spreadsheet Page 1, City-Initiated Text Amendments, includes the four
school district's capital facilities plan incorporated into our comprehensive
plan;
• Routine update to the capital facilities plan are shown in Item # P/T- 5,
page 2;
• Clean up actions affecting policies within the Comprehensive Plan,
Environmental Chapter 9, P/T-6 through P/T-11, will be done;
• Appendix B would add a City prepared document referencing Greenhouse
Gas Inventory;
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• Spreadsheet Page 3 and 4, chapters 2, 3 and 5 are all changes pursuant
to a private text amendment. The City staff is evaluating these requests to
identify the pros and cons to make a staff recommendation;
• The series of maps at the end of the document would be revised to
recognize the 2009 annexation of portion of the Mary Olson Farm making
them current to the Auburn City boundaries.
Commission stated the language in P/T-7, Policy EN-9 seems confusing and
asked if it should state "Rural use". Mr. Dixon stated he feels it should read
"Change: "for rural uses" to "residential conservancy" in this policy saying where
septic use may be appropriate".
Mr. Dixon explained the private comprehensive plan amendment request on
behalf of Mosby Farms seeking to develop an agricultural farm stand on the
property that is in the City by Auburn west of the Black Diamond Road and SR-
18 interchange zoned RC, Residential Conservancy. The current zoning
regulations don't allow farm stands in that zone which is why they applied for
comprehensive plan and zoning changes.
Mr. Dixon described each of the requested policy changes. Some dealt with
broad subject areas such as acknowledging the contributions by businesses that
provide educational and historical value to the City and add to the City's
community character. They are also proposing changes to Chapter 3, Land Use,
and would like to supplement existing policies to acknowledge agricultural
support uses as appropriate to be located in the Residential Conservancy zone.
Mr. Dixon stated Policy LU-27 is a request to add text to this policy to
acknowledge it is appropriate to change properties zoning from Residential
Conservancy to CN, Neighborhood Commercial. The City wants to have further
discussions with the applicant because the types of changes they are requesting
would affect all areas zoned Residential Conservancy. Those large areas as well
as other southeast Auburn areas such as the Hidden Valley and Mountain View
have the Residential Conservancy zoning also so the City would need to make
changes on an area-wide basis and be careful how it affects other properties.
Mr. Dixon explained the applicant also proposes policy changes to Chapter 5,
relating to capital facilities, Policies CF- 21A & 27A, stating under what
circumstances properties could be allowed to be served by a private well, or
something other than a public water system and by a private septic system rather
than a public sewer system. Mr. Dixon stated the location of the property is a
considerable distance from any sewer or water lines and they would need to go
to the King County Health Department for well and water approvals as well as
septic design approval.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 7, 2010
Member Chapman asked if community members in the neighborhood have ever
complained about commercial uses in the neighborhood and how much of the
property can be used for commercial purposes. Mr. Dixon stated he believes
Mosby Farms has been leasing or renting that property over the last several
years for agricultural production and is not aware of any complaints or concerns
from the neighborhood.
Mr. Dixon recognized that the applicant is seeking to intensify the use beyond the
agricultural stand through zoning but the City would look for there to be some
controls on how to conduct it and make sure they would go through the
environmental review process for the activity they are proposing and the traffic
operations before authorizing its use.
Commission asked if the City knew how many months of the year the applicant
might operate the stand? Mr. Dixon stated the application does not identify but
likely be year around and the City would be analyzing this information as part of
their future approvals.
Member Osborne indicated they will likely close the old farm stand location when
they open this location and Mr. Dixon agreed that seems likely.
Chair asked if they would be bringing in other products to sell or just their own
and Mr. Dixon stated that is another piece of information the staff will be seeking
from the applicant. Mr. Dixon stated the City would also need to see if we would
put limitations on the zoning regulations as to a percentage of outside sales are
allowed verses what Mosby grows on their own farm and sells should the
comprehensive plan amendments be implemented.
Mr. Dixon informed the Commission that staff will provide Commission with a list
of pros and cons to assist them in the review of comprehensive plan amendment
changes.
Mr. Dixon then explained the tentative schedule for the comprehensive plan
amendments and informed the Commission that staff will be meeting in two
groups should transportation plan changes be added to the docket. If we receive
the request for transportation plan changes early we will look at them with the
Comprehensive plan amendment changes and if they arrive late they will be
looked at in a second group.
Mr. Dixon stated the study session we are having now with the comprehensive
plan amendment application requests are quite extensive but we will provide
more detailed information to present in September at the next meeting. Mr. Dixon
stated he will be providing more detailed information on the private application
request and Mosby Farms request in the September meeting due to the summer
schedule.
He reminded the Commission that their decision is a recommendation that then
goes to the Planning and Community Development committee and ultimately the
full Council for their consideration, discussion and ultimately action.
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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes July 7, 2010
VII. OTHER BUSINESS
No other business items.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Planning Commission, Chair Roland
adjourned the meeting at 7:48 p.m.
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