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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2020-10-22 Minutes - Public Hearing - Tukwila International Boulevard Interim Zoning Code RevisionsDate: Time: Location: Present: Absent: Staff: Protocol: Agenda: City of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor Department of Community Development - Jack Pace, Director CITY OF TUKWILA PLANNING COMMISSION (PC) PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES October 22, 2020 6:30 PM Virtual meeting via Microsoft Teams Vice Chair Louise Strander; Commissioners Dennis Martinez, Sharon Mann, Karen Simmons, Dixie Stark, and Andrea Reay Chair Heidi Watters Department of Community Development (DCD) Deputy Director Minnie Dhaliwal, Planning Supervisor Lynn Miranda and Planning Commission Secretary Wynetta Bivens Minnie Dhaliwal explained the protocol for the virtual meeting. She also went over the purpose of the continuation. Continuance of the April 23, 2020 Public Hearing on Zoning Code Amendments. Adopt Commissioner Mann disclosed that she received an email from Greg Minutes: and Vanessa Zaputil regarding corrections to two of the three motions in the 9/24/20 minutes. Commissioner Mann moved that the recorded minutes be reviewed, and the minutes be adopted at the next meeting. Commissioner Stark abstained due to absence on 9/24/20. Commissioner Martinez seconded the motion. Motion passed. Upon review of the recording, the two motions were revised to verbatim motions. Vice -Chair Strander opened the public hearing for: CASE NUMBER: L20-0015 PURPOSE: Consider zoning code amendments restricting or prohibiting certain auto - oriented and lodging uses currently prohibited by Ordinance 2620, to implement the Tukwila International Boulevard (TIB) element of the Comprehensive Plan. LOCATION: Neighborhood Commercial Center (NCC) and Regional Commercial (RC) zones in the TIB study area Lynn Miranda, Planning Supervisor, DCD, gave the presentation for staff. She said the intent of the public hearing is for the PC to continue deliberations on the April 23 public hearing on the amendments to Table 18-6, Land Uses allowed in the NCC and RC zoning districts in the TIB study area to replace the need to renew the moratorium on auto -related services and lodging uses. This will ensure that future development in the TIB area is consistent with and supports a walkable TIB District as envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan. Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov PC Public Hearing 10/22/20 Page 2 She said in April there were some concerns about the difficulty regarding providing notice of the hearing to the public during the pandemic. She said for tonight's virtual hearing and virtual on- line open house held on October 20'h staff put extra effort into notification. The code requires notification of occupants and property owners within 500 ft. and to publish notice in the newspaper, which was done. Additionally, 11,300 post cards were mailed to all existing businesses, residents, and property owners located in the City excluding Southcenter, Tukwila South and properties located in the Manufacturing Industrial Center (MIC) zone which is mainly Boeing. Emails were sent with post cards attached to a list of 337 interested parties with a sentence in five different languages that said, "this information is very important to your community please ask someone to translate for you." She noted that an earlier incorrect draft of the postcard was put in the staff report, but she assured the Commission that the correct postcard was mailed out. Staff also hand delivered notification flyers to all the business in the RC and NCC zoning district in the TIB study area on Thursday October 15th. She explained the intent of the open house was to answer questions on the interim proposed changes so that people could be well prepared for tonight's hearing and the upcoming City Council public hearing. Four people attended the open house and one person had difficultly joining but staff was able to help her successfully participate on-line. She provided a brief overview of items covered in April. She talked about what planning efforts have been happening in the TIB area to date, the kinds of changes the City has been proposing to the City's zoning code and why. In 2015, the City Council adopted a 20 -year vision for the area that called for transforming the TIB from a highway serving regional traffic to more of a walkable main street with businesses serving the residences located nearby. The long-term vision also called for new houses and commercial uses at more urban density within walking distance of the TIB Light Rail Station. In 2017, the City, in partnership with the Congress New Urbanism (CNU), held a 3 -day community workshop on how to make the vision happen. There were two key actions recommended to the City Council after the workshop, 1) the rechannalization of TIB to add on - street parking and bike lanes to slow down traffic and improve safety for all uses and to provide parking for businesses by their front door, and 2) update the zoning standards code to attract and support the types of new development that create a walkable main street. In 2017, the Council adopted a moratorium that prohibited any new auto oriented and lodging uses or expansion of the existing uses so the type of development wouldn't occur that would conflict with the vision for TIB safe and walkable main street. Explanation was provided of other intents of the moratorium. Ordinance 2620 was renewed by Council in July, and the PC recommendations on the interim zoning code amendments are needed now for the Council to adopt them prior to expiration of the current moratorium in January 2021. Staff s Recommendations A walkthrough was provided of staff's recommended changes to the land use table, which are listed on page 17 of the October 17, 2020 staff report. It was noted that no changes are being proposed for the allowable densities, heights, parking standards or other development standards affecting building size or lot design, which will be brought to PC and City Council at a later date. Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov PC Public Hearing 10/22/20 Page 3 The PC asked clarifying questions. Written Public Testimony Lynn Miranda read the written public comments received prior to 5 PM, on 10/22/20 from the following individuals: - Jimmy K - Brian Kennedy - Rune Harkestad - John McCullough, McCullough Hill Leary, ps., for Sterling Realty Organization (SRO) Minnie Dhaliwal, Deputy Director, facilitated virtual public testimony. Virtual Public Testimony Adul Yusef, General Manager, Eastside for Hire, thanked the Commission for their service and staff for taking note and doing a good job with outreach for this hearing, and for the continuation of the April 23rd public hearing. He said in April they were in support of the TIB changes taking place and even though they were not aware of the moratorium they would have not opposed it. He said the COVID virus caused a lot of change to their business, and they are 90% down. Therefore, they rented out their shop for auto repair, and at the time were not aware of the moratorium. He said he met with David Cline the City Administrator and Jack Pace, and they tried to help but were unable to because of the moratorium. He said they told him about tonight's hearing, where he could address the issue. He requested temporary use of their property for auto repairs for a couple of years, which he said they cannot do under the current code. He asked for a chance to mitigate the problem while things are coming back from COVID. He asked the Commission to take that into consideration. He said that the City Administration have shown them tremendous respect and looked into every possible way that they could accommodate them. He said nobody could have anticipated that the world would change this much, and that they would need to use the property for auto repair. He asked the Commission to take note when making their recommendations to the City Council and to accommodate their needs because the moratorium was not designed to punish those businesses there but to make the community and TIB better. Traci Granbois said she encourages the commission to support the alternative proposal and allow existing uses of the businesses to continue. Chris Vandyke, Eastside for Hire, Assistant General Manager, said he wanted to echo Adul Yusef's comments and underscore that businesses have been entirely turned upside down as of the Governor's stay at home order on March 13 or 15. He said they have taken a body blow and they don't know how much time it will take to recover, to put them back in the position where the long range plans for the company are back in place. He said they are the largest minority Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov PC Public Hearing 10/22/20 Page 4 owned business on the west coast with about 600 drivers and they are completely shut down. He said they are scrambling for things to get better and they need time to get back on track. He said however the Commission decides to go forward they need flexibility in the grandfathering of existing uses. He said there is a legal dispute issue regarding whether the repair shop has been in use continually. He said they would like to continue in the use for a limited time period so the City can continue with its long use plan. And that COVID has upset their plans and makes it much less possible to not just accommodate the plan for the district improvements but to be a cooperative part of the plan. There were no additional public comments. Vice -Chair Strander gave the Commissioners the opportunity to ask clarifying questions. PC Questions / Comments See the attached table for a detailed list of comments, and questions the PC requested that staff return with answers. Vice -Chair Strander closed the public hearing. A meeting was scheduled for November 5', and at that time staff will provide the Commission with answers to their questions. Then the PC will deliberate on the amendment proposals before them. Director's Report Adjourned 9:30 pm Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens Planning Commission Secretary Adopted: 11/5/20 Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov