HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2013-06-24 A - SPECIAL JOINT WORK SESSION: INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUMTO:
City of Tukwila
Jim Haggerton, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
Mayor Haggerton
Members of the City Council
Members of the Planning Commission
FROM: Jack Pace, Director, Dept. of Community Development
BY: Carol Lumb, Senior Planner
Sandra Whiting, Urban Environmentalist
DATE: June 14, 2013
SUBJECT: June 24, 2013 Joint Planning Commission /City Council Work Session
Comprehensive Plan Update— Natural Environment Element
ISSUE
The Tukwila Tree and Environment Advisory Committee has completed its work reviewing the
goals and policies for the Natural Environment Element of the Comprehensive Plan. Resolution
1767, which established the Committee, states the Committee "shall have an opportunity to
discuss their recommendations at a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission ".
BACKGROUND
The Council adopted Resolution 1767 on May 21, 2012 establishing the Tukwila Tree and
Environment Advisory Committee. The role of the Committee was to advise the City on the
development of new goals and policies related to the urban forest and to recommend revisions to
the current goals and policies that apply to the City's streams, wetlands, geologically hazardous
areas and other sensitive areas. The Committee began meeting in September, 2012 and
concluded its work in May, 2013. Over the course of nine months, the Committee heard
presentations on the benefits of trees, the Tree Canopy Assessment prepared by Davey
Resources, and the City's current sensitive area, tree and landscape regulations and was provided
a variety of reading material related to urban forestry to assist in their review of the Natural
Environment Element.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the work session is for the Planning Commission and City Council members to
hear a presentation on the work of the Tree and Environment Advisory Committee. Staff and the
Committee will make a joint presentation to summarize the Committee's recommendations and to
provide commentary on the Committee discussions that led to their recommendations. To assist in
preparing for this meeting, a number of materials are attached to this memo:
1. Natural Environment Element — Strikeout /Underline: this is the current Element from the
Comprehensive Plan with text revisions and Tree and Environment Advisory Committee
recommended goals and policies. Staff has included a number of explanatory comments in
this version.
2. Natural Environment Element — Formatted: this is a clean version of the Natural
Environment Element with all Committee recommended revisions accepted.
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3. Natural Environment Element Background Report: this document contains more detailed
information on the regulatory environment for sensitive areas and urban forestry.
4. Staff Report to Planning Commission on Natural Environment Element: this staff report is
for the public hearing to be held on Thursday, June 27, 2013.
5. Tukwila Urban Tree Canopy Assessment - Executive Summary: the full Tree Canopy
Assessment, including maps, can be found under the March 13, 2013 meeting at:
http://www.tukwilawa.gov/dcd/treepolicy.html.
6. Screen Shot — Tree and Environment Policies page of City Web Site: this will provide a
listing of all the materials provided to the Advisory Committee, includes recordings of most
of the meetings (there were a couple technical glitches with recording several meetings)
and the reading materials provided to the Committee. In the interest of saving paper, we
have not provided copies of these articles /documents as some are quite lengthy. Copies of
the PowerPoint presentations viewed by the Committee are also posted on the web page.
These materials are found at the same location as above:
http://www.tukwilawa.qov/dcd/treepolicy.html
7. Copies of Meeting Memos from staff to the Advisory Committee and Meeting Notes from
the Advisory Committee Meetings — September, 2012 through May, 2013.
8. Copies of correspondence received from individuals who provided comments to the
Advisory Committee during the course of their work (letters /emails from Daryl Tapio, David
Shumate and Brooke Alford).
RECOMMENDATION
The joint work session is an "Information Only" meeting. The Planning Commission is scheduled to
hold a public hearing June 27, 2013 on the Natural Environment Element, as recommended by the
Tree and Environment Advisory Committee.
Attachments:
1. Natural Environment Element — Strikeout /Underline
2. Natural Environment Element — Formatted
3. Natural Environment Background Report
4. Staff Report to Planning Commission on Natural Environment Element
5. Tukwila Urban Tree Canopy Assessment - Executive Summary
6. Screen Shot — Tree and Environment Policies page of City Web Site
7. Meeting memos from staff to Advisory Committee and Meeting Notes —
September, 2012 through May, 2013
8. Correspondence received by Committee
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