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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecial 2013-09-09 Comprehensive Plan - Attachment B3 - SouthcenterComprehensive Plan Update Comments from July 2013 Work Sessions SOUTHCENTER Issue (highlighted in underline where possible) Comment Date /Source Staff comment /analysis /options Concern /Issue Area /Policy 1 Vision Statement. 1st bullet. Suggested revision: A high density area with housing and regional employment; Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 2 Figure 10 -1 (Clean Version): Fix typo: Tukwila'as Urban Center (Southcenter) Boundaries. Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 3 Policy 10.1.2 Public & Private Investment. Suggested revision: PrivatePublic and PublicPrivate Investment. Both privatePublic and Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. publicprivate investment shall be aimed at facilitating an encouraging growth and redevelopment in Southcenter. 4 Policy 10.1.3 Tukwila Urban Center (Southcenter) Districts. Council wanted to add 1 sentence "purpose" for each district. Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 The district concept in the goals & policies were intended to be broad, since they are "coming ahead" of the more detailed subarea plan and revised code. However, additional text could be added (see below) to 10.1.3. Alternatively, if Fig. 22 (10 -1 in clean version - map showing districts) is too confusing without an explanation, could remove districts from map. Figure is really intended just to show Southcenter area boundary. Recommendation: Revise the Figure to remove Districts and only show Southcenter boundary. 5 Staff Possible revision to Policy 10.1.3. Tukwila Urban Center (Southcenter) "Districts." Southcenter encompasses a relatively large area containing a wide variety of uses. To create a more coherent urban form and enhance the Center's long -term competitive edge within the region, guide development and change to create distinct areas, or districts, where the character, forms, types of uses and activities benefit, complement, and support each other. The Regional Center District will continue to infill and intensify with more retail, services, and entertainment uses. The Transit - Oriented Development District will provide more compact and vibrant mix of housing, office, lodging and supportive retail and service uses. The Pond District will provide an area of higher density mixed use development oriented towards Tukwila Pond. Commercial Corridor District willl continue to feature auto - oriented retail and services similar to existing patterns of development. Workplace District will continue to provide a wide range of distribution, warehouse, light industrial and big box retail, with incremental infill by office and other complementary commercial uses, similar to current development patterns. 6 Policy 10.1.4 Tukwila Urban Center (Southcenter) Residential Uses. Suggested revision which will support regional housing policies in urban centers: To preserve eu-r Tukwila's existing Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. neighborhoods and to provide a diverse set of housinq alternatives and locations, a large percentage of the City's future housing needs will be accommodated in the urban center. Residential development is encouraged in proximity to water amenities or within walking distance of the Sounder commuter rail /Amtrak station or the bus transit center, subject to design standards and incentives. 7 Policy 10.1.4 Implementation Strategies, 2nd bullet. Suggested revision: Development regulations that allow appropriate building heights, parking, and access within each district. Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 8 Policy 10.1.4 Implementation Strategies, 8th bullet. Suggested revision: Design Review standards to enforce quality landscape,_ pedestrian access, and design. Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 9 Policy 10.2.1 Implementation Strategies. Suggested NEW bullet: Look for opportunities for pocket park developments. Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 10 Policy 10.2.1 Implementation Strategies, 2nd bullet. Add NEW sub - bullet: Promote the use of shade trees. Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 11 Policy 10.2.2 Implementation Strategies, 1st bullet. Suggested revision: Coordinate with the City Public Works Department to create a Street Network Plan that establishes a finer grained system of public and private streets and pedestrian corridors for Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. the Southcenter area and requires development to share in the cost of providing themnew streets. 12 Policy 10.2.3 Site Development. Suggested revision of 2nd bullet: supporting motor vehicle; and transit service, while giving Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. non - motorized traffic equal importance. Page 1 of 3 SOUTHCENTER Comprehensive Plan Update Comments from July 2013 Work Sessions Issue (highlighted in underline where possible) Comment Date /Source Staff comment /analysis /options Concern /Issue Area /Polic 13 Want stronger language regarding providing safe pedestrian pathways internal to a site, including being able to walk from a parked car to a building in a large parking lot, as well as through a large parking lot from the sidewalk to a building. Proposed policy language does not go far enough in providing this direction. Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 Recommendation: Add NEW Policy 10.2.4. Pedestrian Accessibility. Ensure that pedestrians have safe, convenient, and comfortable paths from adjacent public ways to key building entrances. This could include utilizing driveways or internal streets with sidewalks for access to primary entrances, or by providing clearly marked pathways through large parking lots from the public sidewalks and from parked cars to key building entrances. There should be minimum interruption to the pedestrian pathway by driveways and other vehicular conflicts. Renumber subsequent policies accordingly. 14 Policy 10.2.3 Site Development. Suggested revision of 2nd bullet: Move reference to Figure 10 -6 to NEW Policy 10.2.4 Pedestrian Accessibility (see above). Figures better illustrate concepts of new policy. Staff Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 15 (New) Policy 10.2.4 (see above) - Implementation Strategies. Suggested NEW bullet: Develop design standards for parking lots Robertson. 7.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. that encourage walking to, from, and between properties. 16 Policy 10.2.4. Suggests the following revision: Siting and orientation of buildings and parking lots should shall create an Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 & separately on 8.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. environment that is conducive to walking in the northern part of the Southcenter area, particularly in the area between the Mall, the bus transit center, Tukwila Pond, and the Sounder Commuter rail /Amtrak Station. 17 Policy 10.2.4 - Implementation Strategies. Show the link to the subarea plan for the first bullet: Over the short to midterm, focus public and private investments and regulations on properties fronting Baker Boulevard between the Mall and the Sounder station. Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 When the draft Plan, development regulations, and design manual is presented to the Council, staff will highlight this section. 18 Policy 10.2.7 Parking - Implementation strategies. 2nd bullet. Concern about the use of the concept "transit tradeoffs" in "Investigate alternative parking strategies such as shared parking, transit tradeoffs, etc." Is this something that the City wants to encourage now? Other CC comments were that it should be left as is since this is a long term plan. Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 19 Policy 10.2.8 Building Design, 3rd bullet. Suggested revision: Provide quality landscape treatment that emphasizes shade trees. Robertson. 8.27.13 Recommendation: Make the proposed change. 20 Policy 10.2.10 Economic Development - Implementation Strategies. Concern that these implementation strategies will be considered "binding" if adopted. Discussion occurred regarding how these are suggested strategies providing direction for future actions. Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 From the Comp Plan Preface: "Implementation strategies are representative approaches to policy implementation aimed at achieving goals. Implementation strategies noted throughout the Plan are not exhaustive. In addition to those strategies listed, other strategies may be use in the future." The strategies listed in the Plan were identified by ECONorthwest as recommended steps to successfully implement the Comp Plan and Southcenter Subarea Plan. Recommendation: Keep as is 21 Policy 10.2.10 Economic Development - Implementation Strategies. Provide alternative wording for the following strategy that suggests instead of implying requiring priority. "Identify Robertson. CC worksession 7.30.13 Recommendation: Identify projects necessary to catalyze economic development and give them first high priority for funding when considering public investment in the Urban projects necessary to catalyze economic development and give Center. them first priority for public investment." Page 2 of 3 SOUTHCENTER Comprehensive Plan Update Comments from July 2013 Work Sessions Issue (highlighted in underline where possible) Comment Date /Source Staff comment /analysis /options Concern /Issue Area /Policy 22 Policy 10.2.2 Streets, Streetscape, and Pedestrian Environment. Segale properties supports the goal of a finer grained street grid referenced at 10.2.2 but believes that the implementation strategy that "requires developmment to share in the cost of providing new streets" conflicts with RCW 82.02.020. Ms. Balint referenced Policy 10.2.2 (on page 13 of the TUC), which states the City wants a finer grain street grid system, rather than the current "mega blocks." Segale agrees with the goal; however they would like the policy changed as one implementation strategy is to find a way to require development to pay for the cost of the street grid system. She pointed out that RCW 82.02.020 would not allow the City to require development to pay. Pursuant to RCW 82.02.020, development can only be required to make dedications of land or to pay fees or charges if the dedication, fee or charge is a direct result of impacts of the development. Simply wanting a finer grain street system is a policy and not a capacity or level of service issue. If a finer grain street system is a goal, the City may need to make policy decisions regarding how that can be implemented if they are not able to pass the cost on to development. Balint. CC Hearing 8/12/13 The language at RCW 82.02.020 states that this section does not preclude dedications of land or easements within the proposed development or plat which the ... city ... can demonstrate are reasonably necessary as a direct result of the proposed development or plat to which the dedication of land or easement is to apply." Under the proposed Zoning Code standards new streets in the Southcenter area would either be constructed voluntarily through incentives (18.28.050) or required only if "an individualized assessment by the DCD Director determines that the improvements are reasonably necessary as a direct result of the transportation impacts of a proposed development." (18.28.030 B 1). Recommendation: Leave as is. PSRC Comments 23 VISION 2040 calls for each regional growth center and manufacturing /industrial center plan to establish housing and employment growth targets and mode split goals for the center. The growth targets should be consistent with the adopted growth targets for the city as a whole. Recommendation: Add the following to the Transportation Element: The City's six yearmode split targets for the Urban Center are 65.7% drive alone trips and 34.3% non -drive alone trips, as defined in the city's GTEC Plan. Within the Urban Center, the City will also try to meet its GTEC goals with a targeted Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) rate of 13.05. (Comment is also repeated in Transportation Element) Page 3 of 3