Land Use & Environment Committee

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Land Use & Environment Committee Information: 360.753.8244 Thursday, September 15, 2016 5:30 PM Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Hankins called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: 3 - Chair Julie Hankins, Committee member Clark Gilman and Committee member Nathaniel Jones OTHERS PRESENT Assistant City Manager Jay Burney Public Works Director Rich Hoey Water Resources Director Andy Haub Assistant City Engineer Steve Sperr Senior Planner Sophie Stimson Senior Program Specialist Michelle Swanson Community Planning and Development Deputy Director Leonard Bauer Senior Planner Joyce Phillips Downtown Liaison Mark Rentfrow Office Specialist/Minutes Recorder Stacey Rodell 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 4.A 16-0997 Approval of August 18, 2016 Land Use & Environment Committee Meeting Minutes Ms. Rodell indicated there was an error in the minutes: page 3 last bullet under Continuing ONNA discussion items, change CNA to Coalition of Neighborhood Associations. The minutes were approved as amended. 5. COMMITTEE BUSINESS 5.A 16-0759 Bike Corridor Pilot Project Update City of Olympia Page 1 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes September 15, 2016 Committee Ms. Swanson indicated people have asked for an easier way to get around Olympia by bike. In 2014, the City Council funded a pilot project of a Bike Corridor. The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) worked with City staff to identify possible routes for the pilot project. Late in 2014, the City Council provided additional direction that the pilot project should connect to the downtown. In early 2015, the BPAC recommended the pilot project route. The route connects the eastside neighborhood to downtown, from Lions Park to Sylvester Park. Most of the bike corridor has been built. Parts of it have been built with interim materials, like paint instead of concrete. The City would like to make it permanent later, when funding allows. What remains to be finished is the section between Sylvester Park and 7th & Jefferson, which is hinging on the intersection at 7th & Jefferson. The City built intersection improvements on the east side of that intersection, and the developer of the Franklin Lofts project will build the intersection improvements on the west side as part of their frontage improvements. The developer has indicated the frontage improvements will be completed in the fall. Public outreach included: · Three videos were created which were posted to the City’s Facebook & Twitter pages. These videos were reposted by the Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Contest and Walk & Roll, a program to encourage kids in Thurston County to walk or ride bikes to school · Hosted 8 stakeholder meetings · Held an open house before the project began and a lunchtime drop-in session recently on the potential future routes · Bike corridors were mentioned in two utility inserts, including on the cover of the July/August edition · News releases were sent out. The Olympian carried four stories, which were all positive, and Ms. Swanson was interviewed on MIXX 96’s “It’s your community” with Dick Pust. · Flyers were distributed to all local bike shops and every business and residence along the route were contacted · Posters were placed at the library, Twinstar (5th & Eastside), and Avanti High School · Hosted a kickoff event in June, which was well-attended Community feedback: · 90% positive feedback received · A survey was created in one of our online tools, the Bike Corridor Story Map, and was still open at the time of the meeting. The response to the question, “Do you feel like you know what a bike corridor is?", over 96% answered yes. The response to the question, “Would you like to see more Bike corridors in Olympia”, over 93% answered yes. Again, the goals of this project were that people would know what a bike corridor is, and we would know if people wanted us to build more of them. · Based on the feedback we’ve received through all of our outreach efforts, we City of Olympia Page 2 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes September 15, 2016 Committee think people understand what a bike corridor is and they support moving forward with additional routes. · There have been a lot of requests for protected bike lanes and other improvements to bike infrastructure that are beyond the scope of this effort Next steps: · Working with the BPAC on choosing the order in which to build the future routes, based on the results from this outreach · Amending planning documents to include the future routes, which will help make us eligible for grants · Adding projects to future Capital Facilities Plans The end goal with this process is to amend the bike master plan to include additional potential future routes. This will allow the City to seek grant funds to build them and make the pilot project permanent. Discussion: · Tabulating use of the Plum St. Bicycle Corridor · North/South protective bicycle route · Alternate forms of data collection regarding corridor use · Positive user feedback on the Plum St. Bicycle Corridor The discussion was completed. 5.B 16-0981 Sign Code Update Public Participation Plan Ms. Phillips presented an overview on the sign code update. The City has not updated its sign code in several years. The existing sign code can be confusing to understand by businesses and the public, and can be challenging to administer for City staff. The Community Planning and Development (CP&D) Department had been considering updating the sign code for several years in order to increase clarity. In June 2015, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision related to temporary signs in the Reed et al v. Town of Gilbert, Arizona (Reed v. Gilbert) case, which provided direction to cities, towns, and counties regarding regulation of signs, particularly for temporary signs, in regard to content and freedom of speech. Because of the Supreme Court ruling it is imperative that the City update or rewrite its sign code. In addition, there have been changes in the sign industry and newer types of signs are becoming more common. The City should consider these signs and determine how to address them. The updated sign code will be streamlined and simplified and will address related court cases. A Request for Proposals has been issued for a consultant with expertise to assist City staff on certain aspects of the sign code update. Sign codes usually include a wide variety of interests. Ms. Phillips presented a project schedule and public outreach plan. Discussion: City of Olympia Page 3 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes September 15, 2016 Committee · Improved enforcement of sign codes · Aesthetics · Creating a more simplified and flexible code · Public outreach and education The discussion was completed. 5.C 16-0760 2016 EDDS Update Mr. Sperr presented a briefing on the proposed 2016 update to the Engineering Design and Development Standards (EDDS). The EDDS guide the design and construction of transportation, drinking water, reclaimed water, sewer, storm water, and solid waste collection systems. They are also the technical interpretation of the City’s Comprehensive Plan and various utility master plans. The City Engineer is responsible for approving and administering the EDDS. On May 19, 2016 staff briefed the Committee on 51 proposed topics to address in this year’s update to the EDDS. That briefing included an overview of the EDDS, highlights of proposed changes, public involvement, and a communication plan. On June 21, 2016, a similar presentation was made to the full City Council. Since those briefings, staff has developed, and continues to develop, draft language and drawing changes to address this year’s topics. Staff has also begun the process of reaching out to interested parties by contacting them directly and providing the entire list of proposed changes on the City’s website. Staff will also be providing more specific information on the proposed changes to both the Utility Advisory Committee and the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Mr. Sperr presented an updated schedule for this process. Discussion: · Public outreach timeline The Committee unanimously recommended that staff forward the proposed 2016 EDDS Update to City Council and schedule a public hearing to receive public comment. 5.D 16-0761 Update on Regional Septic Conversion Strategy Mr. Haub reported the Cities of Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia, and Thurston County are working on a strategy to help connect onsite septic systems (OSS) within the urban growth area to municipal sewer. He provided an update on the regional work effort as well as Olympia’s ongoing Septic-to-Sewer Program. The 16,000 OSS in use by residents of the three local cities and urban growth areas pose a threat to public and environmental health. However, converting to municipal sewer systems is challenging. Approximately 1,980 septic systems are within the City limits. Another 2,180 are located in Olympia’s urban growth area. City of Olympia Page 4 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes September 15, 2016 Committee In April 2016, City Council directed staff to continue work on a regional conversion strategy. Over the past few months, staff has met with Lacey, Tumwater, and Thurston County staff to better define the strategy and respective roles. While many questions remain, the strategy will focus on regional coordination and local implementation. The strategy will acknowledge the unique dynamics in each jurisdiction. In August, the Mayors of the three Cities sent a letter to the Thurston County Commissioners requesting support for the strategy and the Cities' approach. Meanwhile, the City of Olympia continues to support OSS conversions through the Septic-to-Sewer Program. Additionally, Olympia restricts the installation of new onsite systems to very limited circumstances. Olympia encourages and financially supports conversions: · Seven properties converted from septic to sewer in 2016 to date. Olympia’s average since 2009 is 13 systems per year. · Later this year, residents will be able to pay their City general facility charge and LOTT capacity development charge over time. · Funding is available to construct a limited number of city-financed sewer extensions in future years. · Olympia sends postcards to remind septic system owners to inspect and pump their OSS. Postcards are mailed to about one-third of OSS owners each year. Next steps with the regional strategy include continued discussion with the County Commissioners and scoping a public education campaign. The campaign will help explain the risks of urban OSS and the potential conversion strategies. Discussion: · Public outreach and education · Jurisdictional involvement The information was received. 6. REPORTS AND UPDATES Mr. Rentfrow presented an update on the Downtown Project 2016 Initiatives. · Waste Management · Strategic Partnerships · Pedestrian Way-finding · Marketing Partnerships · Downtown Strategy · Alcohol Impact Area · Alleyway Lighting · Trash Compactor · Artesian Commons Event Programming · Community Collaboration · Downtown Ambassadors City of Olympia Page 5 Land Use & Environment Meeting Minutes September 15, 2016 Committee 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m. City of Olympia Page 6