HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2014-06-24 Minutes - Work Session - 2015 Comprehensive Plan: Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element / Roles and Responsibilities / Community Image and Identity ElementsCity of Tukwila
Planning Commission
Planning Commission Worksession Meeting Minutes
Date: June 24, 2014
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
Present: Chair, Louise Strander; Vice Chair, Mike Hansen; Commissioners, Thomas McLeod,
Brooke Alford, Sharon Mann, and Nhan Nguyen
Absent: Commissioner, Miguel Maestas
Staff: Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director; Rebecca Fox, Senior planner; Carol Lumb, Senior
Planner; Dave Johnson, Parks and Recreation, Superintendent; and Wynetta Bivens,
Planning Commission Secretary
Correction: Commissioner Strander said she would like to amend the minutes. She wants the minutes
to reflect the question she asked regarding the status of the inventory that the City's
preparing of the privately and undeveloped land referenced on page five dash twelve of
the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space element. She asked when and where the
information would be available.
TOPIC: Updates to the Comprehensive Plan Parks and Recreation and Open Space,
Community Image and Identity, and Roles and Responsibilities Elements.
OPENING
Nora Gierloff explained the meeting process for the elements coming before the Commission over the
next several months. A worksession will be held on the fourth Tuesday of the month to discuss staff's
proposed changes, and for the Commission to ask questions, and to make or think about changes they
would like to make A public hearing will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month to allow public
input. After the hearing, the Commission will make recommendations that will be forwarded to the City
Council.
DISCSUSION
Rebecca Fox gave an overview of the Comprehensive Plan Elements update process, which has to be
completed by 6/30/15. The Comp Plan's basic priorities are: 1) improve and sustain and improve
neighborhoods; 2) redevelop and reinvigorate Tukwila International Boulevard; 2) , Increase industrial
and manufacturing jobs along East Marginal Way and in the Manufacturing/ Industrial Center; and 4)
developing a thriving Urban Center in the Southcenter area. As the plan is updated the priorities of the
2012 Strategic Plan will be to incorporate. During the process staff has made the effort to reach out and
involve and engage the community on different elements and topics.
Parks, Recreation and Open Space Elements (PROS)
Dave Johnson, Parks and Recreation Superintendent and Jonathan Pheanis, Consultant, MIG, provided an
overview on Parks, Recreation and Open Space. This element takes different pieces from other elements
and consolidates them into one PROS element. The main priorities and ideas are adapted from the PROS
Plan, adopted in February, 2013. There was extensive community involvement from the public to
PC Minutes
June 24, 2014
identify needs during the PROS plan's development. The following objectives were addressed; habitat
projects, creating environments and opportunities to showcase diversity, inclusive environments, mobile
programming, creating affordable access to services, healthy people and places, and maintaining parks,
and long term sustainability.
Commissioner Alford Requested to - Add language RE: Urban Agriculture and the City's support of it in
other elements. She also raised the issue of planted corridors to attract and assist bees.
Commissioner Nguyen asked about a Dog Park recommendation.
Commissioner Mann requested that on page 4, the last paragraph before the sentence, "A large site
acquisition could " have more emphasis on "better arrangement, management and improvement of
existing parks ". She explained that maintaining existing parks should be a higher priority than acquiring
new properties.
She also Requested - Adding "Education and Community Involvement" to the Implementation section to
encourage a culture of stewardship.
Commissioner Alford requested that "small-town residential style architectures" be deleted from
Page 12, 6.3.2,
Recess - at 7:45 PM
Re- convened at 7:50
Community Image and Identity
Carol Lumb gave an overview on Community Image and Identity, which focuses on sense of place and
community identity topics. Staff is proposing to change the original title in the chapter from "Community
Images" to "Community Image and Identity ". Re- arrangements have been made, and portions of the
chapter were moved to the Natural Environmental, Shoreline, and Transportation Corridors sections.
New topics have been added and new headings with some sub - sections under issues. Also the policies and
goals from the Strategic Plan are reflected in the chapter. Staff is asking the Commission to consider
whether the policy that mentions "Small- town" policy number 1.1.1 should be deleted.
Commissioner Mann Commented on policy 1.1.3, which separately identifies specific neighborhoods
within the City. She said it is a great idea for some neighborhoods but a bad idea for other neighborhoods.
Roles and Responsibilities
Rebecca Fox gave an overview on Roles and Responsibilities, which deals with the social environment,
and the role that the City takes toward the community. It addresses meeting basic needs.
Rebecca explained that the policy for safety and security was expanded to include emergency
management and the policies about flood management were moved from the Utilities section. She said
that the Roles and Responsibilities element includes policies that stress communicating with clarity to the
entire community, and reaching out to diverse communities in order to increase engagement in City
affairs. In addition, the element emphasizes clear government processes, the importance of the City's
regional partnerships, and the benefits of increased regional collaboration.
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June 24, 2014
Commissioner Alford referenced policy 15.1.10 and whether there are strategies for the City to reduce
their own carbon foot print and lead by example.
Staff said the City has adopted some specific policies from the Utilities element that could be referenced.
In addition, Tukwila has signed the Mayor's Agreement on Climate Change, and is a partner in the King
County City's Climate collaboration, which addresses more ambitious goals than taking specific actions.
Commissioner Mann asked for clarity on policy 15.1.16.
She also said that the strategies on page 9 were more inclusive to the immigrants and exclusive to other
residents. She said strategies and programs should be all inclusive in all areas of the plan.
Staff said this policy was taken directly from the Strategic Plan but that it could be broadened. Ms. Fox
said that she appreciated Commissioner Mann's comment and suggested changing the language to specify
the "entire community ".
Commissioner Nguyen suggested placing a stronger emphasis on the "underrepresented community.
Commissioner McLeod suggested removing the word "immigrants" from policy 15.1.16, in order to
emphasize that good relations with the police were desired for the entire community. The Commission
was in consensus.
Commissioner Hansen said Commissioner Mann's comment was a good one and the language is
sprinkled throughout the document, which is something to think about before Thursday.
Staff said they want the language to be appropriate and clear.
Commissioner Nguyen said that he appreciated staff's intention to place extra emphasis on the extra
communication to folks who may not understand English readily.
Commissioner Mann also requested that the policy is inclusive to the senior citizen community.
Commissioner Nguyen requested staff look into where all emergency management is included in other
chapters.
Staff suggested adding language referencing the other functional plans to the narrative so it is clear that
additional work has been done on emergency management.
Staff will return with language for the areas requested by the Commission.
Adjourned: 8:45 PM
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
Planning Commission Secretary
Adopted: 7/24/14
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