Planning Commission

TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING December 12, 2023 Page 1 CONVENE: 7:21 p.m. PRESENT: Chair Elizabeth Robbins and Commissioners Grace Edwards, Terry Kirkpatrick, Brandon Staff, Michael Tobias, and Anthony Varela. Excused: Commissioner Kelly Von Holtz. Absent: Brian Schumacher. Staff: Planning Manager Brad Medrud and Land Use and Housing Planner Erika Smith-Erickson. CANCEL DECEMBER 26, 2023 MEETING: MOTION: Commissioner Tobias moved, seconded by Commissioner Kirkpatrick, to cancel the December 26, 2023 Planning Commission meeting. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 & TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES NOVEMBER 14, 2023 MOTION: Commissioner Kirkpatrick moved, seconded by Commissioner Varela, to approve the minutes of September 26, 2023 and November 14, 2023 as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. COMMISSIONER’S Manager Medrud reviewed agenda topics scheduled during 2024 REPORTS: meetings. The first meeting in the new year is on January 9, 2024. The agenda includes a briefing on the floodplain ordinance, Hazard ONGOING 2024 Mitigation Plan, and a review of the Transportation Element of the PLANNING Comprehensive Plan. COMMISSION MEETING Commissioner Kirkpatrick asked whether the Transportation Element SCHEDULE: includes public transportation. Manager Medrud affirmed the plan TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING December 12, 2023 Page 2 covers public transportation as well as the addition of a bicycle and pedestrian plan. Transportation and Engineering Assistant Director Mary Heather will brief the Commission on the Transportation Element. Commissioner Kirkpatrick said he perceives the major barrier for the lack of affordable housing in the City as the lack of public transportation. MANAGER’S There was no report. REPORT: PUBLIC COMMENT: There were no public comments. PUBLIC HEARINGS: ORDINANCE NO. Chair Robbins described the public hearing format. O2023-012, FINAL DOCKET FOR 2023 Chair Robbins opened the public hearing at 7:31 p.m. ANNUAL HOUSEKEEPING Planner Smith-Erickson presented the 2023 Annual Development Code AMENDMENTS: Housekeeping Amendments. During 2022 and 2023, staff reviewed information on minor Tumwater Municipal Code (TMC) development code housekeeping amendments for consideration in 2023. The proposed amendments are minor corrections to the City’s development regulations. The TMC establishes a process for development code housekeeping amendments similar to the process for annual Comprehensive Plan amendments. The City Council approved all items on the preliminary docket of proposed amendments for inclusion on the final docket on September 5, 2023. Following the public hearing and the Commission’s deliberation, the City Council will consider the Commission’s recommendation in January 2024. The four proposed amendments include:  Undergrounding Utilities Requirements - Clarifies the requirement that new and existing electrical power, telephone, cable television, fiber optics and other transmission lines shall be installed underground. Any deviation would be addressed through the process in TMC Chapter 17.28 Deviation from Requirements. Planner Smith-Erickson reviewed proposed new language.  Town Center Mixed Use Subdistrict First Floor Uses - Code Section to be amended: TMC 18.23.050 – TC Town Center Zone District – Development and design standards. The proposal is specific to properties fronting main streets. The intent of the TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING December 12, 2023 Page 3 Town Center Mixed Use subdistrict is to create a pedestrian environment with first floor land uses that generate pedestrian activity. The proposal clarifies uses allowed on the first floor of commercial and residential developments along main streets in the Town Center Mixed Use subdistrict. Uses added include professional services, medical clinics, child day care centers, and child miniday care centers. The difference between child day care center and a child miniday care center is the number of children in attendance per the requirements in state law.  Manufactured Home Parks – Open Space Requirements – The current code does not require manufactured home parks not subject to land division to provide open space. The requirement would apply to any new development or substantial redevelopment of an existing use with five or more dwelling units.  Building Heights Over Sixty-Five Feet for Specific Industrial Uses - Establishes a conditional use permit process for specific industrial uses that exceed 65 feet in the LI Light Industrial and HI Heavy Industrial zone districts. Planner Smith-Erickson cited the specific sections of the code to be amended. A proposal must meet nine minimum conditions for consideration of a height increase. The next steps following the public hearing are a briefing to the General Government Committee on the proposed amendments followed by a Council work session on January 23, 2024, and consideration by the Council on February 6, 2024. There was no public testimony on the four proposed Housekeeping amendments. Chair Robbins closed the public hearing at 7:46 p.m. MOTION: Commissioner Tobias moved, seconded by Commissioner Varela, to recommend the City Council approve Ordinance No. O2023-012; Final Docket for 2023 Annual Housekeeping Amendments. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. ORDINANCE NO. Chair Robbins described the public hearing format. O2023-002, FINAL DOCKET FOR 2023 Chair Robbins opened the public hearing at 7:51 p.m. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Planner Smith-Erickson briefed the Commission on the Final Docket of AMENDMENTS: the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendments. The docket includes two City-sponsored amendments comprised of the 2024-2029 Six-Year Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) and the Old Highway 99 Corridor Plan. TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING December 12, 2023 Page 4 Old Highway 99 is a major transportation corridor connecting the City of Tumwater to south Thurston County communities. Commercial and residential use levels have increased in recent years extending peak commute hours and lengthening vehicle wait times. The Old Highway 99 Corridor Study documented that the corridor from 73rd Avenue to 88th Avenue should be widened to five lanes, two of which would be motor vehicle lanes in each direction and a bike lane. The study recommended a two-lane roundabout at Henderson Boulevard and 88th Avenue. At 93rd Avenue, the study calls for the installation of a single lane roundabout. Project stakeholders recommended the replacement of existing signals with roundabouts to add capacity along Old Highway 99, improve operations and travel times, reduce high-severity crashes, and significantly reduce intersection queues. The Old Highway 99 Plan is the next step in the Capitol Boulevard planning process. From 2011 through 2013, the City working with consultants and members of the community developed a plan for the Capitol Boulevard corridor focusing on the areas between Israel Road and M Street. The City requested feedback on the Old Highway 99 corridor in the fall of 2020. The five main improvements recommended by the community included bicycle lanes, sidewalks, reduced traffic congestion, intersection safety, and street lighting. Planner Smith-Erickson presented the proposed 2024-2029 Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) amendment. The purpose of the CFP update is to address Growth Management Act (GMA) requirements to update the City’s six-year Capital Facilities Plan with new data and analysis and confirm implementation actions every two years. The update reflects changes in the City since the last update of the CFP as part of the 2021 Comprehensive Plan Amendment. The CFP is an element of the City’s’ Comprehensive Plan and contains a list of capital projects with estimated costs and proposed funding methods. The City Council approved the Final Docket on February 21, 2023. Staff from several departments reviewed the previous six-year CFP and determined specific amendments to update the plan. The Commission received briefings on the proposal on July 11, 2023, and August 8, 2023. Manager Medrud advised that staff received a phone inquiry from a representative from the Washington State Department of Transportation. He advised the representative of the public hearing date and deadline for submittal of comments. No other comments were received by staff. TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MEETING December 12, 2023 Page 5 Commissioner Tobias asked about the status of conversion of septic tanks to City sewer in the City and within the urban growth area. Manager Medrud advised that it is an ongoing process. If a septic system is failing, staff works with the property owner to coordinate a sewer connection if a connection is possible. In some cases, the City has been working with larger and older areas to support conversion with some grant funding sources. Commissioner Varela asked whether the Old Highway 99 Study addressed traffic backup as expansion of the lanes would only encompass some areas along the highway rather than the entire highway. Manager Medrud responded that the study considered expansion of the highway through the lens of projected growth over the next 20 years. Expansion was not an issue identified based on the current level of growth. There was no public testimony. Chair Robbins closed the public hearing at 8:02 p.m. MOTION: Commissioner Varela moved, seconded by Commissioner Kirkpatrick, to recommend approval of Ordinance No. O2023-002; Final Docket for the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendments to the City Council. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. NEXT MEETING The next meeting is scheduled on January 9, 2024. DATE: ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Tobias moved, seconded by Commissioner Varela, to adjourn the meeting at 8:05 p.m. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net