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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAP 2011-02-14 Item 2B - Discussion - Manufacturing Industrial Center Work Plan Study (CM I Lq \l= City of Tukwila Jim Haggerton, Mayor y2 906 INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Haggerton Community Affairs and Parks Committee FROM: Nora Gierloff, Deputy DCD Director DATE: January 31, 2011 SUBJECT: Manufacturing Industrial Center Study Process ISSUE Should we expand the public outreach efforts for the Manufacturing Industrial Center (MIC) Study? The original work plan (Attachment A) reviewed by Council included public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council as well as a stakeholder survey process. BACKGROUND The Department of Community Development work plan includes a study and update of Tukwila's Manufacturing Industrial Center and SEPA Planned Action as part of our periodic review of Comprehensive Plan policies. Manufacturing Industrial Centers are designated areas in which the region aims to preserve and enhance concentrated manufacturing and industrial activity. To be eligible, a city commits to discourage incompatible land uses within MIC boundaries. Tukwila's Comprehensive Plan vision for the MIC supports "existing and future industrial activity to maximize employment and economic benefits to the people of Tukwila and the region." The City has periodically received requests to revise its industrial land policies and codes, either to remove land from industrial designation or to allow a wider range of uses in the Manufacturing /Industrial Center. We have received two Comprehensive Plan Amendment applications for 2011 that affect the MIC area, one to add property to the designation and one to remove it. Staff has completed a detailed background report on the current conditions in the MIC area. The report entitled, Tukwila Manufacturing Industrial Center Comprehensive Plan Update Background Report, dated October 2010 was included in your January 3, 2011 Council packet. City staff briefed the Planning Commission and Tukwila International Boulevard Action Committee (TIBAC) on the information contained in this Report. DISCUSSION The public involvement process for the MIC study has begun. The public has been notified of the study via the City of Tukwila website, the Hazelnut and the "Tukwila Reporter," with a call for expression of interest in receiving information and becoming involved. All businesses, property owners and tenants in and adjacent to the MIC were sent a postcard informing them that study materials were posted on the city website, encouraging them to take an online survey and offering the opportunity to join an email update list. Three responses were received to the survey that was posted on the website. Staff contacted selected business owners and stakeholders via a letter to request their participation in a questionnaire pertaining to their operations in Tukwila. Staff has continued to contact businesses via telephone, and is conducting interviews either in- person, or via telephone according to the business' preference. To date we have been able to conduct twenty interviews and will be compiling the themes into a summary issues and opportunities paper. W:\2011 Info Memos \M IC_Public_Process_Alt.doc 1 3 INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 At their briefing Planning Commission (PC) members expressed concern that these efforts may not be sufficient to gather all viewpoints and concerns. They have suggested that a committee or workshop process outside of the planned public hearings would complement the individual interviews that staff has undertaken to date. Staff has developed the following options for expanding public involvement in the process. 1. Public Workshops: We could reach out to those who have indicated an interest in the MIC Study process by joining the email list or participating in the survey process and invite them to one or two workshops to review and comment on the Issues and Opportunities summary memo. A notice would also be posted on the website. The limited time commitment for this option may increase the numbers of those willing to participate. It has taken a considerable amount of staff time to recruit the survey participants, even though the time required is approximately 20 minutes and they choose the time and type of the interview. 2. Meetings with a Stakeholder Group: An alternative would be a stakeholder committee similar to that used for the Sign Code update. The composition of that 8 member group was: 2 City Council members 1 Planning Commission member 3 Residents 2 Business Representatives In order to keep the committee at a workable size (no more than 10 plus staff) we would need to limit the number of committee members to a subset of those stakeholders who have participated so far. We suggest the following composition: 2 City Council members 1 Planning Commission member 2 Residents 4 Business Representatives /MIC Property Owners Staff would work with the CC to develop a resolution specifying the review process, staff would work to recruit interested parties and the Mayor would appoint the members. We would hold work sessions to review and comment on the Issues and Opportunities memo and develop a recommendation to the PC. 3. Move Straight on to the Planning Commission: In this option the PC would serve as the citizen review body and comments would be accepted through the public hearing process. This would allow us to move forward most efficiently and still provide multiple opportunities for public input and involvement. Whichever process is chosen we would hold a PC hearing and PC work session(s) to develop a set of recommended updates. This would be followed by a City Council hearing and possibly Council work sessions. RECOMMENDATION The Committee is being asked to make a recommendation on the above alternatives and forward the issue to the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 28'2011. ATTACHMENT A. MIC Study Work Plan 1 4 W:\201 1 Info Memos \MIC_Public_Process_Alt.doc MIC Study Work Plan Clarify study goal: Purpose Update information pertaining to MIC Consider economic activity, development and development codes in the MIC in light of the Comprehensive Plan's vision for the MIC that supports "existing and future industrial activity to maximize employment and economic benefits to the people of Tukwila and the region," and perceived pressure on the MIC to allow non- industrial uses to locate /expand Recommend modifications /actions as indicated 4 Quarter, 2010: Background Materials and business survey to website Prepare mailing to property owners, tenants (300 x 2) Letter /postcard announcing study, possible issues. Request involvement via online survey, email list. Identify and contact interview candidates Short list of possible business contacts o Boeing o Sabey o KCIA o Jorgenson Forge o Museum of Flight o Aviation High School o USPS o Group Health o McCormick and Schmick's Catering o Trucking firm o Other smaller property owners/businesses Groups o Representative of Realtors o Agency such as ECOSS, Duwamish Transportation Management Association (TMA) o Tribe (Muckleshoot, Duwamish) o TIBAC o Friends of the Hill Interview businesses individually, either in person or by phone as business desires— C: \temp\XPGrpWise\Work P1an1.21.11.docAttachment A 15 1 Quarter, 2011 Request guidance re public review process (i.e. stakeholder Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, etc.) Depending on direction from City Council, form Manufacturing Industrial Center advisory group or use other public outreach body (i.e. Planning Commission) or hold workshop. Prepare summary of issues, concerns, possible action based on responses from interviews 2 3 rd quarters, 2011 Depending on direction from City Council, hold meetings or workshop for stakeholders and public with clear, focused agenda including data, results of interviews. Introduce alternatives Present results to designated public outreach body, Planning Commission, CAP and City Council. Request guidance. Revise alternatives from feedback Planning Commission hearing, recommendation City Council review, action C: \tenmp\XPGrpWise \Work Plan1.21.11.docAttaChment A 16