HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2016-11-10 Minutes - Public Hearing - TMC Chapter 18.52 Landscaping Code Update / SEPA Application
City of Tukwila
Planning Commission
PLANNING COMMISSION (PC) MINUTES
Date:
November 10, 2016
Time:
6:30 PM
Location:
Council Chambers
Present:
Chair, Sharon Mann; Commissioners, Mike Hansen, Louise Strander, Brooke Alford,
Nhan Nguyen and Dennis Martinez
Absent:
Vice Chair, Miguel Maestas
Staff:
Nora Gierloff, Deputy Director; Carol Lumb, Senior Planner, Andrea Cummins, Urban
Environmentalist and Wynetta Bivens, Planning Commission Secretary,
PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING
CASE NUMBER: L16-0012, 2016 Landscaping Code Update
APPLICANT: City of Tukwila
REQUEST: Repeal TMC Chapter 18.52, Landscaping Code and adopt a new TMC
18.52, landscaping regulation chapter to implement Comprehensive Plan
policies
LOCATION: City-wide
Chair Sharon Mann
called the meeting to o at 6:30 and swore in those individual testifying.
Chair Sharon Mann
opened the public hearing.
Carol Lumb
, Senior Planner, Department of Community Development gave the presentation on the
proposed new landscaping chapter, TMC 18.52. The current landscaping code was adopted in 1999, after
a major revision to the Comp Plan. Since then the Comp Plan has gone through another major revision.
As part of that process the City adopted new goals and policies that relate to landscaping and urban
forestry and necessitated updating the regulations to implement the goals and policies. To help with the
Comp Plan update the City Council appointed the Tukwila Tree and Environment Advisory Committee.
The Committee also worked on and help shape the Draft Landscaping Chapter. The Committee was made
up of representatives from the City, Planning Commission, City Council, members of the community and
industrial and commercial property owners. There was additional background provided explaining how
the Draft Landscaping Chapter was shaped. The following will be affected by the landscape chapter,
commercial development projects, and non-residential projects in the single-family district, such as
religious institutions and schools.
Staff entered into the record two emails, received on 11/10/16, from Puget Sound Energy, regarding the
Landscaping Code, and from Don Tomaso, the City’s Fire Marshal, regarding a tree ordinance comment.
Copies of the emails were handed out to the PC.
Staff walked the PC through the review of the recommended Draft Landscaping Code noting new and
revised changes, as well as review of the two comment letters. Questions were addressed, and additional
revisions made to the draft code.
Page 2
Public Hearing Minutes
November 10, 2016
Extensive discussion items:
Preventative upkeep of community gardens on the street front of the property. There is no enforcement
process,
but staff suggested when spring comes contacting the property owner to make sure they are going to use
the community garden.
There was extensive discussion concerning tree maintenance expectations and responsibilities in the
public right-a-way. The consensus was to remove section 3b, on page 16 and to return at a later date
with Public Works to pursue this issue during the tree ordinance review. Commissioner Strander stated
when this issue comes back to the Commission that she would be interested in hearing comments from
the City Attorney on the issues
Additional Recommended Revisions:
18.52.030 and 18.52.020 will swap positions.
18.52.030, a2, page 13, scrubs, insert comments from the Fire Department, add new sentence,
“The tree scrub will provide 4-foot clearance when mature and adjacent to any fire hydrant or
Fire Department connection.” (Nora has language, may want to use her language) Staff will check
with the Fire Department regarding a question raised on the Neco code and potentially add
language to address the utility cabinet.
18.52.060, A9, replace “Director” with “staff”.
18.52.060, page 19, A10, Take the comments from Puget Sound Energy and remove, “dust and”
18.52.070, B28, add including best management practices for daily timing of irrigation to
optimize water infiltration and conservation at the end of the sentence (Nora has language, may
want to use her language)
18.52.100, pg. 26, B2, penalty, change, “any person fells to comply” to “any property owner who
fells to comply.”
There was no public testimony.
The public hearing was closed.
The Planning Commission deliberated.
Commissioner Alford
made a motion to approve staff’s recommendation and the seven additional
recommendations and forward the Planning Commission’s recommendations to the City Council for their
review. Commissioner Hansen seconded the motion. All were in favor.
Adjourned: 8:32 PM
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
Planning Commission Secretary
Adopted: 3/2/17