City Council - Planning Committee

City of Bellingham Planning Committee Minutes July 26, 2021, 1:00 PM Mayor Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members, Lisa Anderson, Chair www.cob.org/council Daniel Hammill, Hollie Huthman All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA, unless otherwise noted. Call to Order Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Committee Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Committee Member Hollie Huthman, At-Large Council Standing Committee Meetings Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote in the order shown below: Planning Lisa Anderson, Chair Daniel Hammill, Hollie Huthman 23061 1. Report on the Status of the City's Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance p. 3 Lisa Anderson introduced the summary of the ADU ordinance. Greg Aucutt, Assistant Director with the Planning and Community Development presented a review of the ADU's rules and guidelines. In 2018, the City allowed detached ADUs. The ordinance required Council's review when one of the following thresholds was reached; by December 31, 2025, two hundred detached accessory dwelling units (D-ADUs) permits citywide were issued or, the City issued twenty-five D-ADU permits in any one neighborhood. The Sunnyland neighborhood has met the threshold of twenty-five D-ADU permits being issued. Planning Committee Minutes Page 1 July 26, 2021  He requested Council's approval of the following actions: Confirm the City's continued support of D-ADUs in all residential zones. Direct staff to bring back a draft ordinance with a range of amendment options intended to improve ADU standards, permitting process, affordability, and consistency with state legislation. Such options should include but not be limited to those listed above. Dan Hammill moved to direct the Planning Commission to consider changes to the ordinance that would direct staff to draft an ordinance that changes the type 2 process to type 1 as outlined on page 125. MOTION CARRIED 2-1, Lisa Anderson opposed. Dan Hammill moved to direct the Planning Commission to consider changes that would remove the owner occupany requirements and bring up the AMI (Area Median Income) to 80% in the ordinance. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Dan Hammill moved to direct the Planning Commission to consider changes that would remove the parking requirement and encourage development of a parking stall if possible. MOTION CARRIED 2-1, Lisa Anderson opposed. Dan Hammill moved to direct the Planning Commission to consider changes to the park impact fees that are assessed at one-half the multi-family rate to one quarter and include the transportation impact fees are assessed at a reduced rate. MOTION CARRIED 2-1, Lisa Anderson opposed. Dan Hammill moved to direct the Planning Commission to consider an ordinance change that increases the height construction to go as high as 25 feet. MOTION CARRIED 2-1, Lisa Anderson opposed. Lisa Anderson moved to recommend to the Planning Department to submit to the Planning Commission an idea and possibility that adopts preapproved plans based on size of lot development that would reduce cost of development. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:54 PM. Planning Committee Minutes Page 2 July 26, 2021