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Home My WebLink AboutPlanning 2013-06-27 Minutes - Public Hearing - Comprehensive Plan: Natural Environment Element / Shoreline Element City of Tukwila Planning Commission Planning Commission Hearing Minutes Date: June 27, 2013 Time: 6:40 PM to 8:30 PM Location: City Hall Council Chambers Present: Thomas McLeod - Chair, Louise Strander - Vice-Chair, Brooke Alford, Mike Hansen, Sharon Mann, and Miguel Maestes Absent: Cassandra Hunter Staff: Nora Gierloff - Deputy DCD Director, Carol Lumb - Senior Planner, Sandra Whiting – Urban Environmentalist Chair McLeod called the meeting to order at 6:40 PM. Motion: Commissioner Mann made a motion to approve the 4/25/13, 5/21/13 and 5/23/13 minutes. Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion and all were in favor. Planning Commission Hearing – Natural Environment Comprehensive Plan Element Chair McLeod opened the public hearing for case L12-049 and Carol Lumb gave an overview of the materials, public comments and update process for the Natural Environment Element update. She described how conditions and regulations have changed creating the need to update the goal and policy language. The City convened a Tree and Environment Advisory Committee which met over 9 months to make recommendations about the Natural Environment Element and address new areas of concern. Sean Albert, a member of the Tree and Environment Advisory Committee, testified as a citizen and resident of Tukwila. He wanted to emphasize that as a citizen and property owner he also has an investment in Tukwila’s environment. It is not only developers and businesses who have a financial interest in the City’s regulations. He is opposed to clear cutting undeveloped property. Commissioner Mann asked a question about whether the language at 4.13.1c made it clear that the goal of tree retention would not be interpreted to reduce the number of buildable lots created. Ms. Lumb suggested additional language to clarify the point. NG Page 1 of 4 06/27/2013 C:\Users\ana-l\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\7IXUFMDY\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes (3).docx\\DEPTSTORE\DCD Common$\Planning\Planning Commission\Minutes\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes.docx PC Work Session Minutes Commissioner McLeod closed the public hearing. Planning Commission Hearing – Shoreline Comprehensive Plan Element Chair McLeod opened the public hearing for case L13-027 and Carol Lumb explained that only the narrative text of the Element was being amended during this process. The goals and policies were updated during the 2011 Shoreline Master Program update. Any changes to those areas would require review by the Department of Ecology. She next gave an overview of the materials and update process for the Shoreline Element update. She described how conditions and regulations have changed creating the need to update the narrative language. No public testimony was given so Commissioner McLeod closed the public hearing. Planning Commission Deliberations – Natural Environment Element The Planning Commission asked clarifying questions about the following: how tree values would be determined; how fines would be enforced; requiring financial guarantees for landscaping mitigation; how the regional housing targets mesh with the desire for tree retention; Seattle City Light’s comments; pruning of trees for utilities; the condition of air quality in Tukwila, particularly in the Duwamish corridor; tree canopy goal for the urban center and Tukwila South area; programs to clear ivy from public areas such as parks; the amount of impervious surface in the City; planting standards for trees; hiring an arborist – how this would work and how it would be funded. The Commission considered and approved the following motions: Moved by Commissioner Mann, seconded by Commissioner Maestas, to amend policy 4.13.9, found on page 30 of the strikeout/underline version of the Chapter, to add “schools” to policy 4.13.9. Policy would read schools “Collaborate with other government, non-profit organization, and private sector entities to promote urban forest management and restoration. (new italics language shown in ) Motion carried 6-0. Moved by Commissioner Mann, seconded by Commissioner Hansen, to amend the second bullet of the Implementation Strategies for Wetlands/Watercourses/Fish and NG Page 2 of 4 06/27/2013 C:\Users\ana-l\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\7IXUFMDY\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes (3).docx\\DEPTSTORE\DCD Common$\Planning\Planning Commission\Minutes\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes.docx PC Work Session Minutes Wildlife Habitat, to add parks staff to the recommendation. The Implementation Strategy would read: and “Develop guidelines and provide training to surface water, street maintenance  and parks staff in best management practices for work in sensitive areas.” (new italics language shown in ) Motion carried 6-0. Moved by Commissioner Mann, seconded by Commissioner Hansen, to amend Policy 4.13.1 b. to add “or trees that interfere with underground or overhead utilities” so that the subsection would read: or trees that interfere with underground or overhead utilities “except for hazard trees , prohibiting removal of any tree four inches or larger in diameter at breast height (dbh) on all undeveloped property without an approved development or other italics land use permit. (new language shown in ) Motion carried 6-0. Moved by Commissioner Mann, seconded by Commissioner Hansen, to amend Policy 4.13.1 b. to add “to provide the opportunity to preserve some healthy trees during development, while still accommodating the allowed density for each site” at the end of the subsection so that the subsection would read: “except for hazard trees or trees that interfere with underground or overhead utilities, prohibiting removal of any tree four inches or larger in diameter at breast height (dbh) on all undeveloped property without an approved development or other land use permit to provide the opportunity to preserve some healthy tres during development, while still accommodating the allowed density for each site. italics (new language shown in ) Motion carried 6-0. Motion: Commissioner Hansen moved that the PC approve the recommendation on the Comprehensive Plan updates made by staff to the Natural Environment Element along with the four amendments approved by the Commission. Commissioner Maestas seconded and the motion carried 6-0. Planning Commission Deliberations – Shoreline Element The Commission asked questions of staff regarding water dependent uses – the types of uses the might be appropriate in the shoreline area; the presence of parcels along Tukwila International Blvd. that are quite small and fall completely in the shoreline NG Page 3 of 4 06/27/2013 C:\Users\ana-l\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\7IXUFMDY\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes (3).docx\\DEPTSTORE\DCD Common$\Planning\Planning Commission\Minutes\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes.docx PC Work Session Minutes buffer – how development can proceed on these lots; and, how to determine setbacks in the shoreline jurisdiction. Commissioner Maestas proposed adding language to the third sentence of the second paragraph under Goals and Policies, page 5 of the strikeout/underline document, to clarify that restoration includes removal of invasive plants – the sentence would read: They recognize the value of the river as a natural resource by encouraging restoration, including removal of invasive plants , of wildlife habitat and native riverbank vegetation, italics including tree planting. (new language shown in ). Motion: Commissioner Maestas moved that the PC approve the text revisions to the Shoreline Element recommended by staff with the addition of his amendment noted above. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Alford. The motion carried 6-0. H ANDOUTS E-mail from David Bayard, Seattle City Light and comments on Natural Environment Element E-mail from Kory Kramer, Forterra Minutes By: Nora Gierloff, Carol Lumb Adopted: 11/14/13 NG Page 4 of 4 06/27/2013 C:\Users\ana-l\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\7IXUFMDY\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes (3).docx\\DEPTSTORE\DCD Common$\Planning\Planning Commission\Minutes\6-27- 13PC_Hearing_Minutes.docx