Planning 2012-08-23 Minutes - Public Hearing - TMC 18.28 Tukwila Urban Center

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PC Public Hearing Minutes August 23, 2012 something that is missing in Tukwila neighborhoods. Several of the Commissioners were in consensus that it would be favorable to have such local gathering places in Tukwila. Commissioner McLeod said he thinks there should be more of this type of gathering place around Starfire, and this district is right next to Starfire. Commissioner Alford made an inquiry on the freeway frontage corridor, street tree spacing pointing out it is not consistent with other street tree spacing, and wanted to know what the basis for the difference is? She said that she does not want the area neglected in street tree planning. Design Manual Staff addressed a question Commissioner Alford raised regarding the basis for parking requirements. Commissioner Mann asked if there are incentives built in the plan to do structured parking rather than surface parking. Staff said that there are some incentives in the Sign Code, for some signs, but that there is not anything otherwise. Commissioner Mann asked if staff could think of ways to provide incentives for people to create structures that are appealing. Commissioner Alford was in agreement. Commissioner McLeod asked whether it matters where businesses locate their front doors. Commissioner Mann explained why she is in favor of having store fronts facing the sidewalks. Commissioner Mann asked if there is a plan to facilitate the parking other than a parking lot at the Transit center. She also asked who is going to maintain the required landscaping. She said she wants to make sure this is addressed. She said she thinks the City should be more proactive to promote getting new business, and list it in the plan. Commissioner McLeod said he wants the plans to have looser standards and for it to be inviting to developers. He said the economic study completed in 2003 concluded that the plan was overly regulatory in nature and not economically feasible, and another study in 2009 drew the same conclusion. He said the vision was to have the buildout of the plan completed by 2031 and it's a third of the way there. Commissioner McLeod said that he really wants to encourage staff to loosen the standards, or do whatever it takes to make the plan economically feasible so there is not a third report concluding the plan is not economically feasible. He stated that we want to entice and invite business to Tukwila instead of adhering to the current standards or Tukwila will lose businesses to other Cities. Next Steps Incorporate changes in the matrix format. Provide the Planning Commission with a public review draft. Make a recommendation to City Council. Director's Report: Nora discussed the email she sent to the PC regarding the APA State Planning Conference. Nora told the PC that there will be an application for Tukwila Village and a quasi- judicial Design Review is coming to the PC for review eventually. Nora reminded the PC to keep in mind when they have their quasi- judicial hat on that they will need to be careful about opinions they express, people they talk to, and outside information that they gather once it becomes a valid application. Nora handed out a list of the upcoming work plan and projects that will be reviewed by the PC. Submitted By: Wynetta Bivens Planning Commission Secretary Adjourned: 9:30 PM Adopted: 8/23/12 Page 5 of 5