City Planning Commission

PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, 2022 HELD VIA ZOOM & IN PERSON AT CITY HALL Planning Commission Members Present: Richard Siler, Dale Robbins, DG Garcia, Tim Olsen Stephen Ramirez & Paul Brown Adjunct Member(s) Present: Jim Baumker Absent: Joe Mann Staff Present: Lisa Key, Amy Mullerleile, Megan Edwards & Kathy Cummings Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 4:02 p.m. Roll Call: A quorum of members was present. Absences: Commissioner Siler moved to excuse Commissioner Mann’s absence, seconded by Commissioner Brown. This motion carried unanimously. Review of Agenda & Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Siler moved that the October 12th, 2022, minutes be approved, seconded by Commissioner Robbins. The motion carried unanimously. Public Hearing: Director Lisa Key presented on five proposed amendments to the City’s development regulations and Comprehensive Plan, including: Building Height Definition, Manufactured Home Limited Use Requirements, Comprehensive Plan Maps, Zoning Map, and amendments to Parking Standards. Director Key discussed what the current definition is in the City’s Development Code for building height, noting that this definition is not consistent with International Building Code. The proposed updated definition for building height includes a clearer definition for what qualifies as a grade plane as well as where the beginning of the measurement starts for the overall height. Director Key discussed the requirements for placing a manufactured home on an individual lot, which includes the construction a garage or a carport; stating that the removal of this requirement provides a more equitable standard for those choosing to live in a manufactured home, since there is not a comparable standards for site built housing. Director Key discussed changes to the Comprehensive Maps, including the annexation of the Central Valley School District property, recently completed City arterials and new land use designation to the Meadowwood Technology Campus. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 1|5 November 9th, 2022 Director Key discussed changes to the Zoning Map including the Meadowwood Technology Campus and Central Valley School District annexation. Director Key discussed the proposed amendments to the current parking standards in the City Development Code. Director Key emphasized that the ITE Parking Generation Manual was used as a reference for determining appropriate revisions to the parking standards. Commissioner Brown asked for an example of Specialty Housing in addition to how parking was calculated for Chapels and Churches with various uses. Commissioner Brown also noted a spelling correction in the parking standards. Commissioner Siler opened the public hearing for public comments. Public Comment: Jim Frank, speaking on behalf of Greenstone Corporation discussed his concerns with the proposed amendment to the Building Height definition within the River District. Director Key stated that the definition changes are to the building height and grade plane, with no changes to height limits. Jim described how the River District Specific Area Plan codes are different from the International Building Codes and the reasoning to keep them separated. Jim stated that this amendment will be restrictive to townhomes being constructed with daylight garages, therefore the River District should be excluded from this proposed amendment. Jim Frank also mentioned his concerns with the proposed parking standard amendments due to the River District being a walkable community. Additionally, Jim was concerned with the proposed reduction in school bicycle space requirements, tandem parking for multi-family development and how the proposed parking amendments will affect shared parking with new commercial development. Director Key stated that the building height definition is focused more on areas with topographical challenges, such as Legacy Ridge. Additionally, Director Key stated that the City embraced some of the River District’s shared parking standards in proposed amendments to the City’s Development Code. Commissioner Garcia asked if there were any objections to the existing parking standards and if the standards were approved previously, why wouldn’t the City allow for the existing parking standards to remain until the full build-out of the River District. Director Key clarified the reasoning for the proposed changes to the parking standards. Additional questions were asked and answered. Commissioner Siler closed the formal hearing and proceeded to deliberations on the Criteria for Approval. Criteria for Approval: Manufactured Home – Limited Use Requirements: Criteria for Approval: • The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is not detrimental to the public welfare. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 2|5 November 9th, 2022  • The proposed amendment is warranted by a change in economic, technological and/or land use conditions. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to correct an error. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to clarify meaning or intent. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to provide for a proposed use that was not previously addressed. • The proposed amendment is deemed necessary as being in the public interest. Recommendation: • In the matter of an amendment to the City of Liberty Lake Development Code to remove the requirement for manufactured homes on individual lots to have carports or garages, the City of Liberty Lake Planning Commission does hereby recommend to City Council that the amendment be approved. Commissioner Baumker moved to approve. Commissioner Robbins seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed unanimously with seven Commissioners in favor. Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments: Criteria for Approval: • The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is not detrimental to the public welfare. • The proposed amendment is warranted by a change in economic, technological and/or land use conditions. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to correct an error. • The proposed amendment is necessary to clarify meaning or intent. • The proposed amendment is necessary to provide for a proposed use that was not previously addressed. • The proposed amendment is deemed necessary as being in the public interest. Recommendation: • In the matter of Case No. LUA2022-0009, an amendment to the City of Liberty Lake Comprehensive Plan 2015 – 2037, to update Comprehensive Plan Maps to include property annexed by Ordinance No. 278, to include land use designation of “R-2” (Mixed-Residential) for that recently annexed property, and to reflect the land use designation change of the MTC property from “I” to “M-2” as established by Ordinance No. 285, the City of Liberty Lake Planning Commission does hereby recommend to City Council that the amendment be approved. Commissioner Baumker moved to approve. Commissioner Olsen seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed unanimously with seven Commissioners in favor. Zoning Map Amendments: Criteria for Approval: • The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is not detrimental to the public welfare. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 3|5 November 9th, 2022  • The proposed amendment is warranted by a change in economic, technological and/or land use conditions. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to correct an error. • The proposed amendment is necessary to clarify meaning or intent. • The proposed amendment is necessary to provide for a proposed use that was not previously addressed. • The proposed amendment is deemed necessary as being in the public interest. Recommendation: • In the matter of Case No. LUA2022-0010, an amendment to the City of Liberty Lake Municipal Code 10-2A-5, to update the City of Liberty Lake Zoning Map to include property annexed by Ordinance No. 278 with the zoning designation of “R-2” (Mixed- Residential), to reflect the zoning designation change of the MTC property from “I” to “M- 2” as established by Ordinance No. 285, and to reflect the zoning designation change of the Centennial Property from both “P” (Public/Semi-Public Institutional), and “M-2” (Community Center Mixed-Use) to only “M-2”, the City of Liberty Lake Planning Commission does hereby recommend to City Council that the amendment be approved. Commissioner Robbins moved to approve. Commissioner Olsen seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed unanimously with seven Commissioners in favor. Building Height Definition: • The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is detrimental to the public welfare. • The proposed amendment is not warranted by a change in economic, technological and/or land use conditions. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to correct an error. • The proposed amendment is necessary to clarify meaning or intent. • The proposed amendment is not necessary to provide for a proposed use that was not previously addressed. • The proposed amendment is not deemed necessary as being in the public interest. Recommendation: • In the matter of an amendment to the City of Liberty Lake Development Code adopting a revised definition of “building height” and incorporating it throughout zoning district regulations, the City of Liberty Lake Planning Commission does hereby recommend to City Council that the amendment be not approved. Commissioner Brown moved to not approve. Commissioner Baumker seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed with six Commissioners in favor of not approving, and one Commissioner against. Commissioner Garcia motioned to rescind the previous vote to not approve the building height amendment and instead approve with modifications by removing River District Chapters 10-2C-8B, 10-2E-8B, and 10-2I-8B from the proposed amendments. Commissioner Olsen seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion did not pass with six Commissioners against and one Commissioner in favor. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 4|5 November 9th, 2022  Commissioner Olsen motioned to rescind the vote to recommend denial of the proposed amendment and remand the matter back for additional Planning Commission workshops in future meetings. Commissioner Garcia seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed with seven Commissioners in favor. Amendments to Parking Standards: Criteria for Approval: • The proposed amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is not detrimental to the public welfare. • The proposed amendment is warranted by a change in economic, technological and/or land use conditions. • The proposed amendment is necessary to correct an error. • The proposed amendment is necessary to clarify meaning or intent. • The proposed amendment is necessary to provide for a proposed use that was not previously addressed. • The proposed amendment is not deemed necessary as being in the public interest. Recommendation: • In the matter of LUA2022-0014, a city-initiated proposal to amend vehicle and bicycle parking standards in the City of Liberty Lake Development Code and the River District Development Regulations, the City of Liberty Lake Planning Commission does hereby recommend to City Council that the proposed amendments be modified to eliminate amendments to River District Vehicle and Bicycle Parking Standards reflected in Exhibit B, and that the amendments proposed in Exhibit A be approved. Commissioner Olsen moved to approve. Commissioner Robbins seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken. The motion passed with seven Commissioners in favor. Secretary’s Report: Director Key introduced Paul Brown as a new Planning Commissioner as well stating that Kimball Bighorse should be approved as an Adjunct Commissioner at the November 15th City Council meeting. Planning Commissioner Reports: Commissioner Siler volunteered to present the outcomes of the proposed five amendments at City Council’s November 15th meeting. Citizens Comments: No citizen comments were provided. Adjournment: Commissioner Siler adjourned the meeting at 6:20 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Page 5|5 November 9th, 2022