HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2014-06-26 Minutes - Public Hearing - 2015 Comprehensive Plan: Parks, Recreation and Open Space Element / Roles and Responsibilities / Community Image and Identity ElementsCity of Tukwila
Planning Commission
Planning Commission Public Hearing Minutes
Date: June 26, 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, Miguel Maestas, and Nhan Nguyen
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
Motion: Commissioner Hansen made a motion to approve the 5/22/14 minutes. Commissioner
Alford seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Chair Strander called_the public hearing to order at 6:40. She swore in those wishing to provide
testimony.
Rebecca Fox, Senior Planner, Department of Community Development, gave an overview of the
Comprehensive Plan Update. She explained how often it is updated, the purpose for updates, State
requirements and deadlines, and basic priorities. She also gave a schedule of upcoming elements to be
reviewed between June and the end of the year.
Chair Strander opened the public hearing.
Planning Commission Public Hearing - Case Number L14 -033, Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Comprehensive Plan Element
Dave Johnson, Superintendent, Parks and Recreation, gave an overview on this new element. He said the
City Council adopted a Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan (PROS) this February, and that the PROS
plan was developed during a 12 —15 month process. He said there was a lot of community involvement
and engagement and the results were very pleasing.
Planning Commission Public Hearing - Case Number L13 -0062, Community Image and Identity
Element
Carol Lumb, Senior Planner, Department of Community Development, gave an overview. She said this is
a chapter that focuses on a sense of place in community image and identity. The chapter has been changed
quite a bit since the community has changed since 1995 and some topics in the chapter have been moved
to other sections of the plan. A new section has been added that promotes healthy living and access to
nutritious food.
PC Public Hearing Minutes
June 26, 2014
Planning Commission Public Hearing - Case Number L13 -0055, Roles and Responsibilities
Rebecca Fox gave an overview of this element that deals primarily with the social environment rather
than the physical environment. It addresses the roles the City has and the responsibilities it takes for the
community, including making sure that basic needs of the community are met. The element also
describes providing safety and community, communicating through its programs and actions, reaching
out to diverse communities to increase engagement by all residents, and realizing the City's role in the
region through partnerships.
Public Testimony:
Alma Villegas, Community Program Director, Global to Local, suggested language for each of the three
elements. The following is a small excerpt of the letter she read. "In the spring of 2014 Global to Local
and Forterra in partnership with the City participated in a pilot program called Community Connector's to
reach out to typically under represented populations residing in Tukwila. Based on the input received
from the community " Ms. Villegas' letter provided recommended revised language and some
additional language, for the Community Image and Identity; Parks, Recreation and Open Space; and
Roles and Responsibilities Elements.
Monica Davalos, a citizen testified (Alma Villegas interpreted the following for Ms. Davalos) she said
she has lived in Tukwila for almost nine years and has felt that it is very difficult to get information
having to do with the City. She said she had had no way of connecting with the City, but now as a
Community Connector she has more information on topics of interest, such as the City of Tukwila's
Comprehensive Plan. She and Osman Egal are both Community Connectors. Through the Community
Connector program, she and Osman have been able to speak with their respective communities about City
activities and how to be involved. They have formed a link with the City of Tukwila that didn't exist
before. Ms. Davalos is a resident of Tukwila and supports the Community Connector Program because
she feels it is very important to keep giving information to the community and continuing to have a
connection with Tukwila..."
Commissioner Mann asked Ms. Davalos how she feels connected, what changed, and how she heard
about the Community Connector; Ms. Davalos responded (translated by Ms. Villagas) "the way this has
changed for me, before we would receive information by mail and we didn't know what to do with it and
how to communicate with the City. Through the Community Connector program she received
information that she has been able to share face to face with her community in order to create an interest
with them about City topics. She learned tools for sharing information from Global to Local. Ms.
Davalos answered additional questions for the Commission.
Commissioner Strander asked for a brief overview on Global to Local. Ms. Davalos said Global to Local
is a health initiative and explained how the organization was formed.
Osman Egal, a citizen said he has lived in Tukwila for 15 years and he loves where he lives. He said they
come from a different background and a different culture, and that he would like to have different food
and meat available to purchase and a halal restaurant in the community.
Commissioner Nguyen asked Mr. Egal for clarification.
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June 26, 2014
Hyojin Whitford requested that lot size be decreased to 6,000 square foot from the current 6, 500 square
feet.
Maxine Anderson, a citizen who has lived in the community for 50 years, asked the Commission to
recommend to the City Council that they put a hold on any building permits for any oversize houses until
the Commission has had a chance to review the Housing element of the Comprehensive Plan
The public hearing was closed at 7:25.
The Planning Commission deliberated.
The following changes were made during the walk through of the Elements:
Park, Recreation and Open Space
Page 1 - No change
Page 2 - Correct typo
Page 3 - In the first paragraph, in the last sentence, add the word "Local" before King County and a
comma after King County.
Page 4 - No change
Page 5 - Paragraph 1,3' line down add the word "to" in front of happen.
In the paragraph under access awareness, 2nd sentence change the word "particularly" to
"particular"
Page 6 - Under Sustainable maintenance remove the word "is"
Pagel - Nochange
Page 8 - Add 6.1.12, new language to read, "Maximize potential and capacity of existing Parks and
Recreation resources to offset existing future demand"
Page 9 - No change
Page 10 -No change
Page 11 - Correct typo
Page 12 - 6.3.2 strike "and a small -town residential style of architecture ".
Page 13 - No change
Page 14, 6.4.6 add the word "parks" after recreation and after opportunities, add. "To meet community
needs ".
Pages 15 -18 No change
Page 19- 2nd to last bullet spelling correction from "practicable" to "practical"
Page 19 - 4d' bullet, after the word "sources" add "including public- private partnerships"
Motion: Commissioner Hansen made a motion to approve changes to Case Number L14 -033 and forward
them to the City Council. Commissioner Maestas seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Community Image and Identity Element
Page 1 - No change
Page 2 - 2nd sentence insert a space between "the" and "importance"
Page 3 - Correct typo
Page 4 - line nine after community add, "Including a culturally appropriate and language - specific
approach that engages all members of its population"
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June 26, 2014
Page 4 - Fifteen lines down from the top, after "involved talked with" insert the following language, "the
City's diverse residents via culturally and language - specific Community Connectors who helped
residents"
Page 4 - The Planning Commission was in consensus to not include the last sentence under the Cultural
Diversity section, recommended by Ms. Villegas as follows- change "efforts" to "process" and
add: ", such as the work done with Forterra and Global to Local to establish `Community
Connectors. —
Page 4 - insert space 4d' sentence down, between "year" and Strategic"
Page 5 - The paragraph beginning with "Seeking to expand access to healthy food..." has been revised to
read,
"The City seeks to expand access to healthy food and provide job training opportunities. The
City will continue to provide use of the Tukwila Community Center's facilities by programs that
empower community members by equipping them with hands -on vocational training to gain
their footing in the food industry. In the process, the participants, such as refugees and
immigrants, become integrated into local communities and economies.
Page 5 - just before the section labeled "Commercial Development and Urban Design" in the last line add
a space between "identifiable" and "boundary"
Page 7 — Under "Community Image" section, 4d' sentence correct the spelling of "about."
Goal 1.1
Page 8 - Policy, 1.1.1, revised language follows;
Encourage the creation of locations and facilities where residents of all ages and cultures can
gather for activities and events, such as public markets, parades and festivals that are
representative of the City's diverse population.
Policy 1.1.2, revised language follows;
Strengthen the image and character of Tukwila's distinct areas and neighborhoods.
Policy 1.1.5, delete
Page 9 -Under Implementation Strategies 2nd from last bullet revised to read,
Support residential neighborhood identity where appropriate.
Goal 1.2
Policy 1.2.4, A new policy - "Actively promote community engagement of the City's diverse population
via non - traditional methods such as the Community Connector Program ".
Motion: Commissioner Alford Moved to continue the meeting to 10:00 PM. Commissioner Hansen
seconded and all were in favor.
Goal 1.3
Under Implementation Strategies, next to last bullet revised language follows;
Expand the linguistic and cultural competencies of the City Council, staff, Commissions and other city
representative groups through recruitment, training and hiring.
Under Healthy Living - Implementation Strategieslst bullet, 1st sentence, replace the word "establishing"
with "participating in"
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June 26, 2014
Motion: Commissioner McLeod made a motion to approve the Comprehensive Plan Updates to
the Community Image and Identity Element as revised, and forward to the City Council
for their review. Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Roles and Responsibilities
Additional language added under safety and security, revised language follows;
Perceived or actual lack of safety and security can hinder both individual and community development
and feelings of well- being. Increasing the City's collaboration with the whole community around these
issues, will help efforts to reduce and prevent crime while enhancing the overall sense of safety and
security. Security also extends to emergency planning for natural and manmade emergency events, such
as earthquakes, terrorism or the effects of climate change The City anticipates and has planned for these
types of situations through efforts such as its Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, and
Continuity of Operations Plan. Strategies that enhance public safety and security will ultimately
strengthen the community.
Under Policies, Implementation Strategies, bullet added, language follows;
Reduce the City's direct carbon emissions through specific steps, such as use of LED bulbs, lower
emission fleet vehicles, solar panels on City facilities, energy conservation and other actions.
Page 9 - Reflects language in the Community and Image Identity Element, "Expand the linguistic and
cultural competencies of the City Council, staff commissions and other city representative
groups through recruitment, training and hiring."
Motion: Commissioner Alford made a motion to approve the Comprehensive Plan Updates to the
Roles and Responsibilities element as revised, and forward to the City Council for their
review. Commissioner McLeod seconded the motion and all were in favor.
Director's Report:
• The Planning Commission members' request for a City email address was approved. Staff has
application forms available.
Adjourned: 9:45 PM
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
Planning Commission Secretary
Adopted: 7/24/14
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