Planning Commission

Millcreek 3932 South 500 East Millcreek, UT 84107 Phone: 385-468-6700 www.millcreek.utah.gov For information regarding Agendas, please visit: www.pwpds.slco.org MEETING MINUTE SUMMARY MILLCREEK PLANNING COMMISSION MANUFACTURING ZONE & COMMMERCIAL ZONE DRAFT PHILOSOPHY WORK SESSION MEETING Friday, June 9, 2017 8:00 am **Meeting minutes approved on June 21, 2017** Approximate meeting length: 2 hours 15 min. *NOTE: Staff Reports referenced in this document can be Number of public in attendance: 0 found on the State and County websites, or from Salt Lake County Planning & Development Services. Summary Prepared by: Tom Stephens Meeting Conducted by: Commissioner Stephens ATTENDANCE Work Commissioners Absent Session Tom Stephens (Chair) x Fred Healey (Vice Chair) x Work Planning Staff & Attorney Absent Shawn LaMar x Session David Carlson x John Brems x Scott Claerhout x John Janson x Mark Mumford x Spencer Hymas x Heather Wilson x Dave Allen x Russ Booth x Discussion began at approximately 8 a.m. Commercial Zone Draft Philosophy Discussion Though posted second on the agenda, the participants at this meeting gave their permission to discuss this agenda item first. The current commercial zones draft rewrite document to date has been based on the philosophy of having broad categories of uses, where a use is acceptable within the stated categories unless specifically prohibited or limited in some manner. The traditional zoning ordinance structure specifically “states”, “lists” or “schedules” acceptable uses in the ordinance. If a proposed used is not specifically stated or scheduled in the ordinance, it is prohibited. The planning commission has been asked to provide a recommendation to the city council as to the underlying ordinance structure it recommends. Participants at this work session discussed the two methodologies and their advantages and disadvantages. The consensus was that the “broad category” structure is appropriate and that a recommendation to the city council will be finalized at its June 21, 2017 public meeting. Tom Stephens stated that he will work up a draft recommendation for the planning commission’s review and any edits at this June 21 meeting. The discussion at this work session on the perceived advantages of the “broad category” methodology and disadvantages – it is more “development-friendly” and more respectful of private property rights. Under the “listed” Millcreek Planning Commission – 2017 – Meeting Summary Page 1 of 3 or “scheduled” use methodology, an unlisted use will result in an automatic declination. Upon declination, if the city wants to grant approval, the ordinance will need to be amended, which is a time consuming and uncertain process. Participants generally agreed that an unintended, unacceptable use might result from using the broad categories methodology, but the diligence and anticipation of future uses can, in most cases, be dealt with by a competent planning staff, planning commission and city council. Also, the trend in professional planning and zoning is to move away from scheduling / listing uses and move toward broad categories and form-based zoning. Light Manufacturing Zone Draft John Janson provided an introduction as respects the reasons for updating the M-1 and M-2 ordinance language. The reasons are multifaceted. The Meadowbrook Small Area Plan envisions light manufacturing as being an integral part of the Meadowbrook area, as it can be made compatible with transit-oriented residential and commercial development. The draft ordinance, with the exception of prohibiting heavy industry and certain blight-related uses, will be broader than the current M-1 and M-2 zone ordinances, as the new ordinance will allow for a wide range of commercial and light manufacturing uses, including “mixed use”. The current M-1 and M-2 ordinance language is very dated, much of it, or all of it, likely having not been updated for 40, 50, 60 years. The consensus of the participants at this meeting is to prohibit heavy manufacturing from this area, as is now allowed under the current M-2 ordinance language, as the Meadowbrook area is currently trending toward high density transit-oriented residential, with heavy manufacturing being fundamentally incompatible due to the environmental impacts arising from such use – noise, light, traffic, emissions, pollutants, etc. and the displacement of commercial uses that will otherwise provide supportive services to residents. It is the goal of the Meadowbrook Small Area Plan to transition the Meadowbrook area to a broad array of uses – light manufacturing, warehousing, high density residential, offices, commercial, etc. In the absence of substantially updating the current manufacturing ordinances, this goal is not possible. Substituting the light manufacturing draft language for the current M-1 and M-2 ordinance language is in fact a re- zone of the properties currently in the M-1 and M-2 zones, as the M-1 and M-2 designations will cease as one unified light manufacturing zone ordinance will govern. The current light manufacturing zone ordinance draft will prohibit future auto recycling, junkyards, used car sales, along with certain other uses. These businesses will become legal non-conforming uses. The draft ordinance requires the manufacturing process be conducted indoors, without the release of light, noise and emissions pollution. The consensus of those commissioners present at this meeting is that stand-alone warehousing is acceptable in the Meadowbrook area, without any size limitation, as the development trends will cause property values to rise to the extent that it will not be economically feasible for large warehouse operations to be sited at Meadowbrook. The consensus of those commissioners present at this meeting is that the draft legally non-conforming use language is appropriate, which is more restrictive than the currently adopted language, which will make it not possible to convert an existing non-conforming use to another non-conforming use, not allow an expansion of the non- conforming use in the absence of bringing the structures into compliance with the building standards. Mixed use discussion – since “mixed use” will be allowed in the light manufacturing zone, a discussion took place as to how much commercial space will be required and where it needs to be situated. The consensus was that the commercial use must be located at the front of the buildings faced the street. The minimum required commercial square footage was discussed, but not decided upon. Millcreek Planning Commission – 2017 – Meeting Summary Page 2 of 3 Self-storage businesses – a discussion was held as respects whether or not the allowable locations for this use will be subject to the same requirements found in the draft commercial zones ordinance draft. It was generally agreed that the same location restrictions will apply. John Janson that he will edit the current light manufacturing draft ordinance, based upon the discussion and agreements reached at this work session and that this updated draft will be posted on the state’s open meetings website and will be included in the meeting packet for the planning commissioners and public for discussion and motion at the June 21 public meeting. Adjourned at approximately 10:15 AM. Millcreek Planning Commission – 2017 – Meeting Summary Page 3 of 3