HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2017-10-26 Minutes - Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
City of Tukwila
Planning Commission
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
Date:
October 26, 2017
Time:
6:30 PM
Location:
Council Chambers
Present:
Chair, Miguel Maestas; Vice Chair, Nhan Nguyen; Commissioners, Mike Hansen,
Brooke Alford, Sharon Mann, Louise Strander, and Dennis Martinez
Staff:
Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director; Minnie Dhaliwal, Planning Supervisor; and Wynetta
Bivens, Planning Commission Secretary
Chair, Maestas
called the public hearing to order at 6:37 PM.
AdoptionCommissioner
Strander made a motion to adopt the 9/28/17 minutes
ofMinutes:Commissioner
Martinez seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Chair Maestas
swore in those wishing to provide testimony and opened the public hearing.
PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW
I.STAFF PRESENTATION
Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director, gave the presentation for staff. She provided background,
requirements, and information on the housing action policy list, the summer outreach, survey
response, and gave an overview of staff’s seven policy recommendations and alternatives. She said,
the Commission’s recommendations to staff will be translated into an ordinance, which they will
bring back to the Commission for their review, before taking it to the City Council. Staff also
addressed questions for the Commission.
II.PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Margaret Bratcher
, citizen, was supportive of all three ADU options. She said she is glad the
City has taken this on and she appreciates the work the Commission has put into this.
Roger Lorenzen
, citizen, said the lot size and the height restriction is a huge problem. Further,
square foot restrictions would almost eliminate any possibility for older homes to incorporate all
the restrictions, and water run off needs, as well as the need to add sprinklers. He suggested a
process utilizing architectural review for the non-conforming projects. He said, if the process is
too restrictive it doesn’t make sense to do any of this.
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Public Hearing Minutes
October 26, 2017
Lauri Garris,
rental property owner,expressed concern regarding impact fees, and height
restrictions; she suggested the height be raised to at least 30 sq. ft.She also suggested making the
process easy for the citizens.
Sandra Gadd
, citizen, was in favor of decreasing the lot size to allow more ADUs in Tukwila and
allow people to stay in their homes. She requested consideration be given to reversing the roles,
such as owners use their small bungalows as the ADU and build a larger structure for their
primary residence. She also expressed concern with her rental property that has two kitchens, and
how the ADU changes would affect her ability to rent the house, without it being owner occupied.
Nadine Morgan
, rental property owner, expressed concern with affordable housing, and said the
ADU rules would be very useful. However, said the Airbnb rules have impacted the area. And
you can get much more money renting on a daily basis than monthly, which should be taken into
consideration. If Airbnbs are allowed, she requested they consider having a month or longer
rental restriction; and a hotel/motel tax; and limit neighborhoods they can be located.
Robert Anderson
, property owner, requested that the City act in the interest of people that are long
term residents. He was in support of the alternative suggestion of reversing the use. He said he wanted
to emphasize the 6500 sq. ft. lot developments are causing parking impacts.
Berry Becker
, builder, is supportive of the idea, and likes trying to make affordable housing, and
allowing people to get extra income. He said the 20-ft. height limit is tight and that the same standards
are needed as any addition on a house. He said, keep it as simple as possible by staying close to the
existing code. And there should not be any additional hook-up fees.
Todd Smith
, citizen, expressed concern with sewer and water. He was supportive of attached ADUs but
said if ADUs need a side sewer it’s going to be real expensive for a small building. He said the fire code
may be a real stickler, and another meter may be needed for which there isn’t capacity. Also, if the height
for ADUs are reduced, then the single-family height should be reduced.
III.DELIBERATION / MOTIONS:
Recommendation #1: Begin allowing detached ADUs
Commissioner Alford
moved to approve the recommendation with the following two amendments, as
proposed by Commissioner Mann.
1)If the unit is over a garage allow a building height limit up to 25-sq. ft.
2)Increase the maximum square footage to 1000 square feet.
Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Commissioner Strander opposed.
-Commissioner Strander said she did not have enough information on the impacts that detached
ADUs would have on the City and the neighborhoods. She was not in support of Recommendation
#1 because she does not have enough information. She also said she would like to see an Airbnb
policy.
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Public Hearing Minutes
October 26, 2017
Recommendation #2: Increase the percentage of the house that can be occupied by an attached ADU.
Commissioner Alford
moved to approve staff’s recommendation.
Commissioner Mann seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.
Recommendation #3: Reduce the lot area requirement from 7,200 square feet to 6,500 square feet.
Commissioner Mann was not in support of staff’s recommendation. She said it would be a discomfort to a
lot of residents. Commissioner Strander was in consensus.
Commissioner Maestas said he is supportive of staff’s recommendation because it would allow residents
to take advantage of ADUs and create additional housing in the region. Commissioner Nguyen was in
consensus.
Commissioner Alford
moved to approve staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Nguyen seconded the
motion. Motion passed 5 to 2. Commissioners Strander and Mann opposed.
Recommendation #4: Retain the owner occupancy requirement
There was extensive discussion, following are some of the issues discussed:
- The length of time an owner must reside in the home to be considered owner occupied;Mann
-The definition of owner occupancy; Mann
-Denial of owners to rent their unit in their absence; Mann and Nguyen
-The length of time an owner must reside in the home before they are allowed to rent it in their
absences; Nguyen and Alford
-Whether an owner should be allowed to rent out their personal unit when they are not residing
in the unit; Mann, Nguyen, and Alford
-Request, the Commission consider the detachment and square footage suggestions; Hansen
-Do other Municipalities have a policy in place for renting owner occupied units? Maestas
-The fairness of the proposed amendments; Nguyen
-Add a hardship exemption, if approved owners will be allowed to rent both units; Mann
-Whether proposed amendments to the recommendation is infringing on people’s rights to their
privacy; Nguyen
-Whether the Commission has the authority to makethe proposed decisions; Nguyen
Commissioner Mann
moved to amend staff’s recommendation to read, “in order to have an ADU one
unit must be owner occupied.” Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to 3.
Commissioners Alford, Nguyen, and Maestra were opposed.
Recommendation #5: Retain parking requirements
Commissioner Mann moved to retain the current parking requirements. Commissioner Strander
seconded the motion.
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Public Hearing Minutes
October 26, 2017
Commissioners Maestas, Alford, Hansen, and Nguyen opposed. Motion Denied.
A second motion was proposed by Commissioner Alford.
Commissioner Alford
moved to approve recommendation alternative B, which was to allow a waiver
of the second space for ADUs over 600 sq. ft. if the ADU is located on a block with on-street parking.
Commissioner Nguyen seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 to 3. Commissioner Mann,
Strander, and Martinez opposed.
Recommendation #6: Provide an amnesty period for registration of illegal ADUs
Commissioner Alford
moved to approve staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Mann seconded the
motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.
Recommendation #7: Do not create a residential occupancy limit in the Zoning Code
Commissioner Mann
moved to approve staff’s recommendation. Commissioner Martinez seconded
the motion. All were in favor. The motion Passed.
IV.ACTION ITEM:
-Staff will work with the City Attorney and develop an ordinance based on the Planning
Commission’s policy recommendations, which will come back to the Commission for
review.
V.ADOPT BY-LAWS
MOTION:
Commissioner Alford moved to adopt as presented. Commissioner Hansen seconded the
motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.
VI.DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
rd
-The November meeting will be on the 3 Thursday of the month (11/16/17)
-It was Commissioner Alford’s last meeting on the Board. Nora Gierloff presented her
with a plaque and thanked her for her service. Commissioner Maestas and Mann also
made comments.
-Mayor Ekberg said he wanted to personally thank Commissioner Alford for her service
on the Commission and all the multiple things she has done in the City. He also
thanked the rest of the Planning Commission Members for their service.
ADJOURNED:
9:35 PM
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
Planning Commission Secretary Adopted: 11/16/17