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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2012-01-26 Minutes - Code AmendmentsCity of Tukwila Planning Commission Planning Commission (PC) Minutes Date: Januai 26, 2012 Time: 6:30 PM Location: City Hall Council Chambers Present: Brooke Alford, Chair, Thomas McLeod, Vice Chair, Commissioners, Louise Strander, David Shumate, and Jeri Frangello Anderson Arrived: Commissioner, Mike Hansen arrived at 6:35 PM Absent: Commissioner, Aaron Hundtofte Staff: Nora Gierloff, Deputy DCD Director, Minnie DhaliNval, Planning Supentirisor, and Wynetta Bivens, Planning Commission Secretai Chair Alford opened the public hearing at 6:3(_) PM. Minutes: Commissioner McLeod made a motion to adopt the December 15, 2(_)11 minutes. Commissioner Strander noted one correction and seconded the motion. The motion Avas unanimously approved. Correction: Commissioner Jeri Frangello- Anderson, ivas absent at the 12/15/11 meeting. PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING CASE NUMBER: L12 -001 APPLICANT: City of Tukwila REQUEST: A series of proposed housekeeping code amendments ranging from code clarification to policy decisions about allowed uses and development standards. LOCATION: City wide Minnie Dhaliwal, Planning Supervisor, Department of Community Development presented the staff report. She gave a brief overview on the proposed code amendments. Similar housekeeping code amendments were last updated in 2009.The current meeting and legislative approval process was explained. Also, background and history was provided on the proposed code amendments, discussion followed. PROPOSED CHANGES: Site Saecific Rezones The State law requires only one public hearing for quasi judicial site specific rezones, which typically also involve changes to the Comprehensive Plan map, as the Zoning and Comprehensive Plan maps are identical in Tukwila. However, the City is currently holding two public hearings and several Council Committee meetings. The city attorney has advised that the process needs to be changed to meet the State law. Therefore, staff is asking the Planning Commission to make a decision between Option 1 Option 2b as drafted in the 1/27/12 PC packet. Staff is recommending option 1. There was extensive discussion on the proposed options, and potential revisions to the proposed language. Page n of 4 PC Hearing Minutes January 26, 2012 ACTION: Option 1 Staff was asked to provide the Commission with more information and clarification on what the role of the Commissioners is pertaining to giving, gathering, and sharing information in a public meeting, and whether option 1 will involve making a recommendation to the City Council by the Planning Commission. Single Familv Design Standards Entered into the record was a public comment letter by Sandra Kruzie, Tukwila resident, that was received on January 26, 2012, and it was handed out to the Commissioners at the public hearing., In 2004, the Zoning Code was amended requiring the same design standards for homes built on site and manufactured homes. In response to a citizen complaint staff briefed the Community Affairs and Parks Committee (CAP) in October 2011, regarding different options of regulating the bulls and size of single family dwelling units. This was in response to a complaint regarding houses being built that are too large in their neighborhood. The committee gave staff directions to amend the method of calculating building height on sloping lots. Recently, another Tukwila resident raised an issue with the City Council regarding the current design standards, which prevent the replacement of a single -wide manufactured home with a much better manufactured home, as it did not meet some design standards. The current standards require all homes to have a minimum roof pitch of 5:12 and the front door to face the street. After discussion on this issue, the PC approved Option 1: ACTION: Amend the Single Family Design Standards to allow the replacement of a single wide mobile home with a newer and larger manufactured home, a one -time allowance. Staff will draft some qualifying language addressing what the community is gaining from allowing this waiver. PUBLIC TESTIMONY: Gary Singh, Developer, expressed concern with changing the building height rules that have been in effect for a very long time. He said the City has slopes, which will dramatically change the size of the houses with the new method of calculating building heights. Mr. Singh asked if Attachment G could be looked into. He talked about building height comparisons of the surrounding cities: Kent, Renton, and Burien, stating they allow 35 ft. structure heights and Tukwila is 5 ft. lower than the other three cities. He said that he wonders why Tukwila wants to lower the building heights more. He said he thinks that the 30 ft. limit is great but if it is changed, it's going to create a lot of complications. Mr. Singh said if someone can build a bigger house, he wonders why it is not allowed. Staff noted that in 2007, the City Building Official looked at the referenced Attachment G, Explanation was given on Tukwila and the methods of calculating building height by surrounding cities. Commissioner Alford stated that Tukwila does have homes that are built out of scale, and that they distract from the community. She said efforts should be made to respond to the land and the surrounding community. Staff walked through the proposed changes listed in Attachment F and Attachment L The PC discussed and approved staff s proposed recommendations with the following changes: Page 2 of 4 PC Hearing Minutes January 26, 2012 Attachment F; Page Correct the name of the park to Duwamish Hill Preserve. Page 5: Building Height, add the word "at" to state that the different grade planes be of intervals at least 15 feet. Page 6: Add the phrase "or its successor" after Department of Early Learning. Page 8: Landscape Plan Requirements section, add the following clarifying language -"dead or dying trees as determined by a certified arborist" Page 8: Loading Space Requirement section Eliminate this section Page 9: Filing of Plans section, change the word "restriping" to "reconfiguring with some thresholds, such as adding new spaces, changes to landscaping islands and fire lanes. Discussion of the proposed changes related to manufacturing uses listed under Attachment I followed. The discussion focused on the following use that is permitted in C /LI zone, "Manufacturing, processing and /or assembling of electrical or mechanical equipment, vehicles and machines including, but not limited to, heavy and light machinery, tools, airplanes, boats or other transportation vehicles and equipment Commissioner Alford asked, "Why are manufacturing uses that have significant potential for causing environmental pollution, such as noise, smoke, and dust, permitted in the Commercial Light Industrial (C /LI) area." She said, "It doesn't seem appropriate for the zone. Ms. Dhaliwal stated that she looked into this matter filrther to understand what the category means, where it is allowed, and what the legislative intent was when it was adopted in 1995. She said it is a permitted use in C /LI, HL MIC /L, MIC/H zones, and is a conditional use in TVS. It is likely that it was permitted due to some existing business. It is a broad category and the scale of products being manufactured could be small or big under this zone. Ms. Dhaliwal stated if the other Commissioners felt this was an issue that they could consider the following options: 1. Recommendation that the vehicle, auto and boat manufacturing be moved to a Conditional Use in C /LI. If this option is selected then there should be a provision that before it goes to the City Council there is additional notice provided to the property owners of this zone informing them of the options. This would allow property owners a chance to weigh in at the City Council public hearing. Leave as staff has written. 3. No change at this time, and look at it more comprehensively later. She said in the past there was some sensitivity to making decisions that caused existing businesses to become non conforming, and that should be taken into consideration, and proper notice be given before making any changes that exceed the purview of housekeeping code amendments. Nora Gierloff, Deputy DCD Director, commented that the mildest approach -,with the least impact -,would be Page 3 of 4 PC Hearing Minutes January 26, 2012 to make it a Conditional Use, which would allow some additional control for nevv uses but it would not make any existing uses non conforming. Ms. Dhaliwal said that if the Commission wants to make a recommendation to the City Council, then she suggests notify iug the property owners in the C /LI zone, and holding a public hearing on the proposed change. Commissioner Alford asked for the other Commissioners opinion on the issue. Discussion on this issue continued during deliberation. There were no additional comments. The public hearing was closed. The PC deliberated. At the next meeting, staff will provide the PC with a memo of the requested information on the Site Specific Rezones, Option 1, with an attached ordinance of all of the other proposed changes. The PC will complete deliberation on the revised ordinance, and then make a recommendation to forward to the City Council. The Commission took a vote regarding notifying property owners that the PC would be holding a public hearing to change vehicle and boat manufacturing to a Conditional Use in the C/1-1. Four Commissioners were in favor, Commissioners Strander and Hansen were opposed. CONTINUANCE: The hearing will be continued to February 23, 2012, at which time staff will return with more specific ordinance language. Staff will also send out a notice to the property owners in the C /LI on the proposed changes to manufacturing uses and inform them of the public hearing continuance on February 23 DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Anthony Ritch, Regional Senior Vice President, Westfield, is tentatively scheduled to attend the February 23 meeting and provide an update on the mall. Work continues on the TUC Plan, staff is not certain it will be ready to bring back to the PC in February. A training opportunity was shared with the PC, if interested they can contact Nora, or Evie Boykan, Tukwila Human Services Program Manager to RSVP. Greater Youth Involvement, community outreach,- Staff said they are unable to take on this project at this time, and asked if anyone would be interested in taking on this project, and developing a proposal to be submitted to the Mayor. Nora asked to be notified if anyone is interested. Staff inquired whether the link to review their PC packet on laserfiche electronically is sufficient, or whether they would also prefer to have a packet mailed to them. Submitted By: Wynetta Bivens Planning Commission Secretaiy Adjourned: 9:22 PM Adopted: 02 /23/12 Page 4 of 4