Land Use & Environment Committee

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Land Use & Environment Committee Information: 360.753.8447 Thursday, October 23, 2014 5:30 PM Council Chambers 1. ROLL CALL Present: 3 - Chair Steve Langer, Committee Member Jeannine Roe and Committee Member Julie Hankins OTHERS PRESENT City Manager Steve Hall Assistant City Manager Jay Burney Community Planning and Development Director Keith Stahley Deputy Director Leonard Bauer Principal Planner Todd Stamm Downtown Liaison Brian Wilson Downtown Ambassador Program Manager Rob Richards Parks, Arts, and Recreation Director Paul Simmons Parking & Business Improvement Area Boardmember Sarah Adams 2. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3.A 14-0992 Approval of September 25, 2014 Land Use and Environment Committee Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 4. COMMITTEE BUSINESS 4.A 14-1003 Shoreline Master Program Update -- Comments Received by Department of Ecology Mr. Stahley gave an overview of the Shoreline Master Program (SMP). Washington’s Shoreline Management Act (SMA) requires each city and county to adopt and administer a SMP approved by the Washington Department of Ecology. These programs include local goals, policies, development regulations, and standards. The Committee concurred they have no further comments regarding the master program that was submitted to the Department of Ecology. The suggested direction will be presented at the Council meeting October 28. City of Olympia Page 1 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes October 23, 2014 Committee Mr. Stamm commented it is customary to receive decisions from the Department of Ecology within 30 days. The discussion was completed. 4.B 14-0981 Annual Annexations Briefing Mr. Stamm gave a briefing on the annexation of areas such as Friendly Grove and Ward Lake Park. He mentioned the process of annexation feels very fast to property owners. Therefore, before formally beginning the process, exploration by the City is recommended. Mr. Hall advised staff to begin the conversation with property owners potentially affected by annexation to seek informed consent. Discussion: - Are there additional small areas we should explore for annexation? - How will annexation affect revenue? - People who live on Cooper Point Road have expressed a desire to be in the City limits to vote. - What impact will the annexation of residential areas have on the City's budget? City residents Philip and Therese Hulbert, who own two properties near Yelm Hwy and Henderson Blvd, said they, along with five neighbors have applied with Thurston County for rezoning. They applied for the area to be zoned at multi-family up to 18. Current zoning for the land is allocated for single families of 4-8 people. Due to the urban growth of the location and popular Yelm Hwy and Henderson Blvd intersection, the Hulberts feel the area should be zoned at a higher density so they applied for multi-family zoning of 18 people. They were asked if they are interested in becoming part of the City rather than the County and/or both. Since there are advantages to being in the City, the residents expressed interest. Mr. Hall encouraged the Hulberts to speak with staff in Community Planning and Development. The Committee encouraged staff to proceed with exploring annexation of appropriate small areas on the City's borders, first by contacting service providers, and second through communication and meetings with residents, businesses, and property owners in those areas. Staff will report back to the Committee in six to twelve months. The discussion was completed. 4.C 14-1011 Artesian Commons Fence Mr. Simmons gave a presentation on Artesian Park expectations, including the goal to reduce and eliminate destructive behavior, violent behavior, and illegal drug use. He mentioned that change will not happen overnight. Mr. Wilson gave an update on the PBIA-funded mural. The mural will take two weeks to install. He introduced the fencing at the Artesian Park and said a decision regarding City of Olympia Page 2 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes October 23, 2014 Committee the basketball hoop installation will not be made until a decision is made about fencing. A discussion ensued regarding the proper fencing height, style, and layout. Discussion: - Concern that the fence is uninviting. - Concern that mobile food units (MFUs) will not come to the lot. - Addressed the need for a barrier between the well and park for safety. - The advantages of a fence to prevent vandalism at night. - The possibility of renting a chain link fence to test the effectiveness of a fence. - The idea fencing enhancements such as blue waves will help it look inviting. The Committee decided to install a six foot temporary fence on both sides of the park to test limiting access. The pilot will run through the end of December. In the meantime, less expensive fencing and art enhancements will be researched. The discussion was completed. 4.D 14-0887 Community Planning and Development (CPD) Work Program Update Mr. Bauer gave a status report on the three-year work program presented at the January 2014 City Council retreat. He outlined the work program which consists of two parts: 1. Annual Baseline (i.e. ongoing services and programs) 2. ‘Discretionary’ Planning Projects Annual baseline projects include review of development project applications, support of advisory committees, urban forestry, housing and community development block grant programs, proactive initiatives to community development, and planning administrative support. Discretionary planning projects include all long-range planning projects, such as the comprehensive plan update and implementation strategy (i.e. Action Plan), downtown plan, and subarea plans. Some work items have been completed. Others have been delayed based on City Council direction or City partners’ schedule changes. There have also been several projects added due to successful grant applications and state mandates. The overall work program fits within the department’s current budget and staffing resources. The report was completed. 4.E 14-1008 Status Reports and Updates Mr. Wilson provided an update on the City’s Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program for downtown Olympia. A request for proposals has been sent out and two public information meetings are scheduled for November 29 and 30. All building and business owners are invited. Staff has been contacted from several building owners regarding prospective projects. Deadline for submission is December City of Olympia Page 3 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes October 23, 2014 Committee 1 at 5:00 p.m. Mr. Wilson updated the Committee on the historical alleyways project. The City received a 2014 Thurston County heritage grant to paint a mural in the alleyway between Popinjay and Hot Toddy. A call for artists was released and a jury selected Ira Coyne as the artist. The mural will feature imagery and information about the historic SS TJ Potter Steamship. The Downtown Ambassador Program is currently accepting applications to fill the ambassador vacancy. The report was completed. 5. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:36 p.m. City of Olympia Page 4