Planning Commission

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Planning Commission Contact: Todd Stamm 360.753.8597 Monday, November 17, 2014 6:30 PM Room 207 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 1.A ROLL CALL Present: 9 - Chair Max Brown, Vice Chair Kim Andresen, Commissioner Jessica Bateman, Commissioner Roger Horn, Commissioner Missy Watts, Commissioner Judy Bardin, Commissioner Darrell Hoppe, Commissioner Jerome Parker, and Commissioner Carole Richmond OTHERS PRESENT Community Planning and Development Deputy Director Leonard Bauer Associate Planner Amy Buckler 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 14-1116 Approval of November 3, 2014 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved as amended. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT - None 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS Ms. Buckler provided a CD with data from 74 prior Downtown planning studies. She gave an update on downtown development of the new Obsidian coffee and sandwich shop project. Mr. Bauer announced the reassignment of Ms. Buckler to the Land Use and Environment Committee. She will work with them on Downtown planning and Associate Planner Stacey Ray will be the new Olympia Planning Commission (OPC) liaison, with Principal Planner Todd Stamm as primary staff support in the interim. The Commissioners applauded Ms. Buckler and expressed their appreciation for her City of Olympia Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 17, 2014 Planning Commission work over the years. 6. INFORMATION REQUESTS Mr. Bauer gave a report at Commissioner Horn's request on Council progress and anticipated timeline for adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Hoppe requested the Design Review Board concerns he has reported to staff be shared with the entire Planning Commission. Ms. Buckler will provide that information to the Commissioners. 7. BUSINESS ITEMS 14-1117 PUBLIC HEARING on Proposed Scope of Actions for Neighborhood Centers Ms. Buckler discussed input received from the recent property owner mail out survey, on site interviews with business owners, and comments from OlySpeaks.org. She discussed results concerning the most prevalent obstacles which include complex regulations, the high costs of development, and threshold for low density population business viability. Other concerns were garbage/recycling; problems of low visibility; vehicle parking; safety concerns including vagrancy and crime; noise pollution; site garbage; and American with Disabilities Act accessibility. She stressed the importance of keeping the conversation ongoing about what is most desirable and outlined recommended future actions. Discussion: - Request for the most recent public input. Chair Brown invited the public to focus their comments on areas of greatest personal importance and opened the public hearing at 7:08 p.m. Bonnie Jacobs, 720 Governor Stevens Ave, and a member of the Wildwood Neighborhood Association discussed a recent article in The Olympian about the Wildwood Center and the use of the word "underutilized". She said she believed that term was inaccurate and supported continuing efforts to create a mixed use diverse neighborhood center with adequate parking. She addressed successful past efforts by neighborhoods to stop projects they found undesirable and encouraged the Commission to maintain community involvement. Megan Walsh, 3505 26th Ave NE, emphasized the importance of this planning to evolve and remain flexible. Sherry Goulet, 3516 Pifer Rd, questioned the wisdom of proceeding with neighborhood centers before a Downtown plan is formulated. She believes Downtown projects will impact how the neighborhood centers develop and spoke in support of neighbor decision-making on what is desirable in neighborhoods. City of Olympia Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 17, 2014 Jay Elder, 1018 Olympic Ave NE, expressed appreciation for the OlySpeaks.org process. He discussed problems arising when dictating how and what can be developed is too prescriptive and supports Downtown planning before proceeding with neighborhood center development. Chris van Daalen, 3203 Lorne St SE, discussed the pattern of successful development in Portland and the potential in Olympia to do something similar. He spoke in support of a focus on neighborhood input and the sub area planning process. He emphasized noncommercial aspects in addition to commercial aspects for opportunities of place making activity. Zena Hartung, 3240 Centerwood Ct SE, spoke about her experience living in many different neighborhoods in Olympia. She expressed concern about past zoning changes giving churches placement on many corners which now limits several areas for development. She inquired about the Downtown plan process and supports emphasis on Downtown planning before neighborhood center development. Lynn Schneider, 1924 Burbank Ave NW, spoke in favor of reducing barriers to neighborhood development and said downtown and neighborhood planning can occur simultaneously. Zach Smith, 3505 26th Ave NE, a property owner in multiple locations, spoke about the development of a subdivision on Lilly Road and the impact it had on his well. He described how unmitigated impacts are forced on the community with costs passed on to the property owner. He questioned who bears the real costs for higher density. Walt Jorgensen, 823 North St SE spoke in support of the Commission's involvement in policy development for neighborhoods. He discussed past zoning practices which have led to current situations and the impacts of traffic on neighborhoods. He supported neighborhoods as deciding bodies for changes and the potential of the Coalition of Neighborhoods Associations (CNA) to take an even greater role. The public hearing was closed at 7:43 p.m. with written comment open for submission until 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2014. Discussion: - Neighborhood Association involvement by those members of the public at the meeting. - City budget considerations have restricted Downtown Planning. - Recommendation to Council for criteria changes to Land Use Map for movement of neighborhood centers to areas designated by neighborhoods. - Commission goal of neighborhood centers has always been to vest direction and area designation planning in the neighborhoods. - City can only allow uses, designs and sizes of buildings, not who owns and operates them. - Property owners of potential sites must be questioned and involved in the process. - Ideal would be to proceed from the general to the specific regarding the Downtown City of Olympia Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 17, 2014 Plan, but the Commission does not generate the agenda for Council. - Possibility and importance of continuing input by the public at the next Planning Commission meeting. - Sub area planning process and how the neighborhood initiates changes. - Place making, working with churches, and all the comments are critical to thinking about how to further the development of neighborhood centers. The public hearing was held and closed. 8. REPORTS Leadership Team: Chair Brown gave a report. He encouraged Commissioners to attend the Land Use & Environment Committee meeting December 12, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. Liaison Assignments: Commissioner Hoppe gave a report on the Design Review Board meeting about the Briggs apartment complex and also discussed some problems with utility placement he perceives as problematic. Commissioner Bateman announced neighborhood association meetings and a minimum wage debate on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at St. Martin's University. Commissioner Parker announced he will be out of town during the next Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting and Commissioner Horn may attend in his absence. Other relevant meetings attended: Vice Chair Andresen attended the General Government Committee meeting. Chair Brown announced an open house on the Community Renewal Area December 3 and 4, 2014. Commissioners Bardin and Horn attended the CNA meeting and Commissioner Bardin discussed the conversation about signage in neighborhoods. Commissioner Richmond gave a report on the Utilities Advisory Committee (UAC) meeting. Commissioner Horn was invited by Councilmember Cooper to attend the Council Finance Committee meeting. He shared his conversation with the Committee about Planning Commission recommendations to the Capital Facilities Plan and Policies. Vice Chair Andresen announced a meeting on low impact development Thursday November 20, 2014. The nominating committee of Commissioners Bateman, Watts, and Vice Chair Andresen reported on interviews with Commissioners. Chair Brown is interested in City of Olympia Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 17, 2014 continuing to serve as Chair. Commissioner Bateman is interested in serving on the leadership team, Commissioner Richmond is interested in the finance subcommittee, and Vice Chair Andresen is interested in continuing to serve as Vice Chair. Chair Brown thanked the leadership team with special appreciation to Commissioner Horn for all of his outstanding work. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m. City of Olympia Page 5