Planning Commission

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION CITY OF BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON THURSDAY PUBLIC HEARING 7:00 P.M. December 18, 2014 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS Video-taped www.cob.org CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Tom Grinstad, Chairman of the Planning Commission. ROLL CALL: Tom Grinstad, Jeff Brown, Garrett O'Brien, Ali Taysi, Phyllis McKee, Steve Crooks and Cerise Noah Present: Tom Grinstad, Jeff Brown, Garrett O’Brien, Ali Taysi, Phyllis McKee, Steve Crooks and Cerise Noah Absent: Staff Present: Greg Aucutt, Assistant Director; Kurt Nabbefeld; Senior Planner; Kathy Bell, Planner II and Heather Aven, Recording Secretary. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - None to approve 15 MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: David Cunningham stated that there are several illegal second units (ADU's) in his neighborhood. He stated that several neighbors have made the City aware of their concerns; however, there continues to be a lack of enforcement. He suggested that as decisions are made regarding how to make the city a better place, the way that enforcement will occur should also be considered. Mike McAuley, Port of Bellingham Commissioner, commented on airport growth. He expressed concern about growth continuing in the north-end of the City due to the impacts of airport noise. Clayton Petree addressed the Commission on the Comprehensive Plan Update Growth Alternatives. He discussed the Berk Report and noted that although there would be demand for housing within the city, it will not be exclusively multi-family. He indicated that in his opinion, there is no data that supports the mix of one single-family unit to every five multi-family units. He spoke to senior housing preferences in the Berk Report and noted that 71% of them prefer single-family units. He provided additional statistics and pointed out that we currently have a shortage of all housing types. PUBLIC HEARING: Introduction to the update of the Subdivision Ordinance, Title 18 of the Bellingham Municipal Code. STAFF PRESENTATION Kathy Bell explained that this meeting was meant to be an introduction to subdivisions. She provided some history on how subdivisions came into existence, how they have changed over the centuries and how they exist within the City today. She reviewed the different types of subdivisions - Lot Line Final Copy - 1 Adjustment, Short Plat Final Plat, and the two different kinds of Binding Site Plans. She also discussed the relevance of lots and blocks, infrastructure improvements and the subdivision process. Kathy Bell discussed the "pipe-stem lot" subdivision, and pointed out that the primary function of the "pipe-stem" is to provide legal frontage for sewer / water and street. She noted that the pipe-stem area does not currently count towards meeting the overall density requirement of the specific lot. She emphasized that this subdivision occurs because there is no flexibility in the regulation that every lot must have street frontage. Kathy Bell reviewed the existing challenges with Title 18 including, the lack of updates; inconsistency with State law; processes which are not clearly defined; lack of performance-based regulations; and the lack of coordination with the other sections of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC). Kathy Bell reviewed the different public outreach efforts as well as the resulting action items that will be discussed in further detail at subsequent meetings. She also talked about the 8 process goals and the process objectives that have been identified by staff. There was a brief discussion about the city's role in the covenants that may be recorded with the subdivision plat. Staff explained what they are referring to when they use the term "performance-based incentives". PUBLIC HEARING OPENED April Barker encouraged the city to include the school board in the different conversations related to residential infill. She stated that this might help prevent infill from overloading the neighborhood schools, and it might assist them in planning for additional educational needs. She discussed solar security and how that will be affected by the subdivision of lots and the development of ADU's. She also commented on urban farming, and explained how large lots, which are challenging to infill on, could be used for this valuable commodity. She also encouraged the Commissioners to review the neighborhood plans before making their recommendations. Bill Geyer shared the history of young George Washington. He stated that at its core, the purpose of a subdivision ordinance is to mesh what the property owner wants to do on their property with how they work with the common utilities the public owns. He advised the Commission of their role in this process. He explained that unit yield is the actual number of units you can develop on the property, not the number of units that would be allowed. He also discussed the cost of development verses the price of the new home. Bill Geyer reviewed all of the different policies / regulations that the City has adopted since GMA was adopted in 1990 and how that has affected the amount of buildable land. He advised the Commission that they need to base their recommendations on the Comprehensive Plan since the subdivision ordinance is, in fact, a development regulation. He provided four metrics for the Commission to consider as they review the subdivision ordinance: 1) Will the ordinance improve the unit yield? 2) Will the ordinance lower or raise the cost of a new lot as it relates to the home price? 3) Will this ordinance increase the average density within the single-family zones city-wide? 4) Will this ordinance increase or decrease the housing forms that can be built in Bellingham? Ralph Black suggested that the Commission consider holding a round-table work session with those citizens that work with the ordinance every day. He shared some of the challenges that have been realized when working with the current subdivision ordinance. He stated that greater flexibilities need to Final Copy - 2 be part of the new ordinance, so that subdivisions can do a better job at meeting market demand at the time of development and blending a mix of housing into the neighborhood, rather than all of the same housing types in one area. He would like to see the opportunity to provide more flex-space, for those that work from home. David Cunningham expressed concern about the idea of separate meetings with builders / developers. He pointed out that green-field development is different from infill development, in that the most likely outcomes of infill is increased density, higher traffic and a lower quality of life in the neighborhoods. Louise Bjornson expressed concern about the quality of life in the existing older neighborhoods. She noted when zoning is stabilized, the public responds by fixing up their homes and improving their neighborhoods. She referenced some of the changes that the City of Olympia passed in their SSB 5567. She noted some of the neighborhoods, Cordata, Alderwood and Birchwood do not have adequate parks and open space and have high percentages of free/reduced lunch. She expressed concern about how the changes to the subdivision ordinance will impact the Birchwood Neighborhood, and asked the Commission to protect all the neighborhoods. Tim Cornwell noted that he is encouraged that the process is happening. He stated that the perspectives of both the Association of Realtors and property management companies, could be beneficial since they can see it from both sides. PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED Kathy Bell read an excerpt from The Subdivision and Site Planning Handbook, by David Liktokin & Carole Walker. COMMISSION QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION: Garrett O'Brien pointed out the Title 18 does a lot of redirecting to other areas of the code and suggested that one of the ways to move forward might be to separate what the City has administrative review over (verses Department of Ecology, etc...) and focus on the goals first. Ali Taysi was wondering how the updates to the other code sections would be handled. Kathy Bell stated that all changes would be made to those sections at the same time to eliminate inconsistencies in the Code. She pointed out that this could mean those sections of the code would be moved into Title 18. Garrett O'Brien suggested that identifying those pieces of the ordinance that are not subject to making changes to other titles should be added as one of the goals. Steve Crooks would be interested in hearing from the builders / developers and other interested parties to find out what they feel works and doesn't work. There was general consensus that the project goals, including Commissioner O'Brien's suggestion, and the process objectives are a good way to guide how the process is moved forward. Final Copy - 3 OLD / NEW BUSINESS: Greg Aucutt proposed a change to the way public hearings are held, by granting the public an additional opportunity after staff has responded to their comments, to clarify or correct the record. He emphasized that this will not be an opportunity for new items to be presented. ADJOURNED: 9:45 p.m. NEXT MEETING: January 8, 2015 Minutes prepared by: _____________________________ Heather Aven, Recording Secretary Minutes edited by Planning Commission members and various Planning Staff. Final Copy - 4