Planning Commission

TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING DECEMBER 10, 2024 Page 1 CONVENE: 7:28 p.m. PRESENT: Chair Elizabeth Robbins and Commissioners Terry Kirkpatrick, Gina Kotek, and Brandon Staff. Excused: Commissioners Grace Edwards and Anthony Varela. Staff: Community Development Director Michael Matlock, Planning Manager Brad Medrud, Housing and Land Use Planner Erica Smith-Erickson, and Associate Planner Dana Bowers. COMMISSIONER ANTHONY Chair Robbins advised of Commissioner Varela’s planned departure VARELA from the Commission at the end of the month. She acknowledged THANK YOU: his service on the Commission. A reception for Commissioner Varela will follow at the end of the meeting. CHANGES TO AGENDA: There were no changes. COMMISSIONER’S There were no reports. REPORTS: MANAGER’S REPORT: Commissioners provided self-introduction for the benefit of Associate Planner Dana Bowers, who recently joined the City. Manager Medrud updated the Commission on the status of various projects. A revamped schedule is in progress for the periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan. PUBLIC COMMENT: Commissioner Kotek introduced Amanda Schuyler, a participant in the Thurston County Leadership program. PUBLIC HEARING: ORDINANCE NO. O2024-008, Chair Robbins reviewed the process for the public hearing and for GENERAL COMMERCIAL receiving public testimony. RESIDENTIAL MIXED USE AMENDMENTS: Chair Robbins opened the public hearing at 7:41 p.m. Manager Medrud reported the scope of the ordinance is narrow with the intent to modify the General Commercial Chapter of the Tumwater Municipal Code to allow for high intensity mixed use residential uses within the General Commercial zone district. The City currently allows limited types of residential uses in the General Commercial zone district. General Commercial is intended for high intensity commercial uses. Residential uses are allowed only to a limited extent. The focus of the proposal is on multifamily residential TUMWATER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING DECEMBER 10, 2024 Page 2 uses up to five stories, which is currently allowed as a conditional use within the district. An example is the new Kingswood development near the I-5 freeway. The City intends to expand that level of intense uses as well as adding a mixed use component to avoid attracting only residential uses. The proposal would allow multifamily residential structures of a minimum density of 40 dwelling units per acre as part of a mixed use development either as part of the same building (first floor commercial uses) or part of the development on the same site. Additional requirements are included for mixed use development to ensure a component of both non-residential and multifamily residential uses that meet particular conditions (minimum density) and that a specific percentage of the development is a commercial use. The request is to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council of Ordinance No. O2024-008 following the public hearing. The department issued a SEPA Determination of Non-Significance and no comments were received from the public. PUBLIC TESTIMONY: With being no public testimony, Chair Robbins closed the public hearing at 7:47 p.m. MOTION: Commissioner Staff moved, seconded by Commissioner Kirkpatrick, to recommend approval of Ordinance No. O2024- 008 to the City Council. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. NEXT MEETING DATE: The next meeting is scheduled on January 14, 2025. The next regular meeting on December 24, 2024 was cancelled. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Tobias moved, seconded by Commissioner Kirkpatrick, to adjourn the meeting at 7:49 p.m. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services @ psmsoly@earthlink.net