Planning Commission

CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Minutes - Final Planning Commission Wednesday, February 5, 2020 7:00 PM Harrigan Centennial Hall I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Present: Chris Spivey (Chair) Stacy Mudry, Randy Hughey, Kevin Knox (Assembly Liason) Absent: Darrell Windsor (Excused), Victor Weaver (Excused) Staff: Amy Ainslie, Scott Brylinsky, Andy Corak Public: Connor Nelson, Valerie Nelson, Jeremy Plank, Savanah Plank, Richard Wein, Henry Colt. Chair Spivey called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. II. CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA III. CONSIDERATION OF THE MINUTES A. PM 20-02 Approve the January 15, 2020 minutes Attachments: 01-Jan 15 2020 FINAL M-Hughey/S-Mudry moved to approve the January 15, 2020 minutes. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. IV. PERSONS TO BE HEARD V. PLANNING DIRECTOR’S REPORT Ainslie began her report by updating the commission on the status of the short term rental report, which was sent out on January 17th, and was due back on February 17th. She stated that the Planning Department received around 20-30 of these back to date, which was around a 50% response. Ainslie the noted that the community short term rental survey was online, and would be advertised in the newspaper and over the radio during the subsequent weeks. Ainslie updated the commission on the status of the tiny house ordinance and the McGraw rezone previously approved by the commission would be discussed by the assembly at its next meeting on February 11th. Ainslie stated that she had travel plans, and would be out of town the following week. Brylinsky presented on current status of the No Name Mountain consultants research, and noted that the stakeholder survey was in progress, and that focus will first be on the quarry and rock in the area. He stated that the next public meeting was scheduled in March. VI. REPORTS CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 1 Planning Commission Minutes - Final February 5, 2020 Brylinsky gave a brief update to the committee regarding the No Name Mountain consultants Jones & Jones, and stated that they had made a few determinations, including that the first steps of the project should involve the historic quarry studies, and that the highest value piece of the project was the waterfront land. Brylinsky also stated that the next public meeting was scheduled in March, and that the consultants were soliciting input for a list of knowledgable stakeholders in the project. VII. THE EVENING BUSINESS B. CUP 19-20 Public hearing and consideration of a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 103 Kramer Avenue in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property is also known as Lot A, Horvath Subdivision. The request is filed by Matthew and Sidney Kinney. The owners of record are Matthew and Sidney Kinney. Attachments: CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Staff Report CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Aerial CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_STR Density CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Floor Plan CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Photos CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Plat CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Renter Handout CUP 19-20 103 Kramer STR_Application Ainslie noted in the staff report that this property is well situated for a rental, with lots of parking, good access, and with a vegetation buffer between neighbors. The applicant planned to manage the rental, which was available April through October, and had already passed a health/life/safety exam. Staff recommended approval. Matt and Sidney Kinney, the applicants, were present telephonically, and stated that they were looking for income potential, and had available space during the summer. Hughey asked the applicants if the property was currently a long term rental, to which they answered no. Spivey stated he had minor concerns about density, but said this could be mitigated. M-Mudry/S-Hughey moved to approve a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 103 Kramer Avenue in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property was also known as Lot A, Horvath Subdivision. The request was filed by Matthew and Sidney Kinney. The owners of record were Matthew and Sidney Kinney. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M-Mudry/S-Hughey moved to adopt the findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. C. CUP 19-21 Public hearing and consideration of a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 3009 Halibut Point road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property is also known as the Northwesterly portion of Lot U, US Survey 2751, Sitka Small Tracts Group. The request is filed by Charles and Theresa Olson. The owners of record are Charles and Theresa Olson. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 2 Planning Commission Minutes - Final February 5, 2020 Attachments: CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Staff Report CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Aerial CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_STR Density CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Floor Plan CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Photos CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Plat CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Renter Handout CUP 19-21 3009 HPR STR_Application Ainslie described the proposed rental, and noted it was a single family residence with two dwelling units. The owner occupied upstairs was the primary residence and the conditional use permit pertained to the downstairs unit. Ainslie described the premises as well buffered with adequate parking, and noted that the dwelling passed the health, life, and safety inspection. Staff recommended approval. Applicants Charles and Theresa Olson were present telephonically. Charles Olson noted the proposed short term rental unit was originally designed as a mother-in-law apartment, but was unoccupied. Due to the access and design, the unit did not lend itself to being a long term rental. Hughey asked the applicant if the property was a long term rental, to which Olson stated no. M-Hughey/S-Mudry moved to approve a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 3009 Halibut Point road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property was also known as the Northwesterly portion of Lot U, US Survey 2751, Sitka Small Tracts Group. The request was filed by Charles and Theresa Olson. The owners of record were Charles and Theresa Olson. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M-Hughey/S-Mudry moved to adopt the findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. D. CUP 19-22 Public hearing and consideration of a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 2160 Halibut Point Road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property is also known as Lot 1, Vonrekowski Subdivision. The request is filed by Charles and Theresa Olson. The owners of record are Charles and Theresa Olson. Attachments: CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Staff Report CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Aerial CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_STR Density CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Floor Plan CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Photos CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Plat CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Renter Handout CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Application CUP 19-22 2160 HPR STR_Public Comment CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 3 Planning Commission Minutes - Final February 5, 2020 Ainslie described the short term rental located directly off of Halibut Point Road near Sandy Beach, in a stand-alone single family residence located on a large lot, with good parking and setbacks from the highway. Ainslie stated that this property had a good buffer with neighbors, one of whom provided a letter of support for the conditional use permit. This property already passed a health, life, and safety inspection. Applicants Charles and Theresa Olson were present telephonically, and stated that they wanted to use the property as a rental in the summer to offset costs, and that it was otherwise used by them for project space. Staff recommended approval. M-Mudry/S-Hughey moved to approve a conditional use permit for a short-term rental at 2160 Halibut Point Road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district. The property was also known as Lot 1, Vonrekowski Subdivision. The request was filed by Charles and Theresa Olson. The owners of record were Charles and Theresa Olson. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. M-Mudry/S-Hughey moved to adopt the findings as listed in the staff report. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. E. ZA 20-02 Public hearing and consideration of a zoning text amendment to Title 22 of the Sitka General Code to add a definition of bulk retail, and make bulk retail a conditional use in Industrial zones. The request is filed by Jeremy and Savanah Plank. Attachments: ZA 20-02 Plank Bulk Retail ZMA_Staff Report ZA 20-02 Plank Bulk Retail ZMA_Draft Ordinance ZA 20-02 Plank Bulk Retail ZMA_APA Glossary Excerpt ZA 20-02 Plank Bulk Retail ZMA_Applicant Materials Ainslie stated that this zoning amendment had two parts: the definition of bulk retail, and the zone in which it can be used. Ainslie stated that bulk retail was present as a use in the city code use table, and noted that it was allowed in C-1 and C-2 zoning, and conditionally in the large and general island zones. Ainslie noted bulk retail did not currently have a definition in the code. Ainslie stated she used the definition provided by the American Planning Association to form the proposed amendment language. Having defined bulk retail, Ainslie stated changing bulk retail from a prohibited to conditional use in industrial areas was the second feature of this zoning text change, and noted the Industrial zone allowed for the sale of building, hardware, and garden materials, bulk forest/agricultural products, fuel, etc to the general public and/or other retailers in a warehouse setting. Ainslie noted that there were three things in common between what the code allowed in industrial zones, and the proposed changes: Items sold are used in other industrial activity, sales generate low to moderate traffic, and retail currently allowed in industrial zones is not aesthetically sensitive. Ainslie stated that staff considered bulk retail to be conducive to industrial zones, the conditional permitting allowed for case-by-case review of the zoning change, and the codified definition provided ease of administration. Staff recommended approval. Applicants Jeremy and Savannah Plank were present. Mr. Plank stated he recently opened a bulk goods store, which required a warehouse setting allowing for pallet transport of large quantities of goods. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 4 Planning Commission Minutes - Final February 5, 2020 Richard Wein provided public comment regarding the importance of retail diversity and affordability. He stated his support for the proposal. M-Hughey/S-Mudry moved to approve the zoning text amendment to Title 22 of the Sitka General Code to add a definition of bulk retail, and make bulk retail a conditional use in Industrial zones. The request was filed by Jeremy and Savanah Plank. Motion passed 3-0 by voice vote. F. MISC 20-02 Discussion/Direction on the No Name Mountain/Granite Creek Master Plan stakeholder outreach Attachments: Stakeholder Survey Special Projects Manager Scott Brylinsky provided an update on the progress of Jones & Jones consultants on the No Name Mountain master plan. Brylinsky explained that the consultants were looking for abundant and diverse public input, which was needed for success. Brylinsky requested that the Planning Commission, as well as the general public, provide contacts for knowledgeable parties and stakeholders to Jones & Jones, as they needed as much local input as possible. Brylinsky stated that he planned on circulating a questionnaire/survey to the public, with hopes of obtaining additional feedback. Richard Wein spoke up during public testimony, and stated that Sitka had a great deal of experienced individuals and local knowledge, and that it was important to continue to add layers of information to the process. Spivey suggested distribution of the survey via local businesses. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Seeing no objection, Chair Spivey adjourned the meeting at 7:38 PM. CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Page 5