HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2023-08-24 Minutes - PROS (Parks, Recreation and Open Space) Element Review / Draft Code Amendment ReviewAllan Ekberg, Mayor
Department of Community Development - Nora Gierloff, AICP, Director
CITY OF TUKWILA
PLANNING COMMISSION (PC)
MINUTES
Date: August 24, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Hybrid Meeting - via Microsoft Teams / public, in -person attendance, Council
Chambers, 6200 Southcenter Blvd, Tukwila, WA 98188
Call to Order
Chair Sidhu called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
Roll Call
The PC Secretary took roll call.
Present: Chair Apneet Sidhu, Commissioners Louise Strander, Dennis Martinez, Alexandria
Teague, and Martin Probst
Excused
Absence: Vice Chair Sharon Mann
Staff: Director Nora Gierloff, American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), Department
of Community Development (DCD); Long Range Planning Manager Nancy Eklund,
AICP, DCD; Senior Planner Neil Tabor, AICP, DCD; Isaac Gloor, Associate Planner,
DCD; and PC Secretary Wynetta Bivens
Approval of Minutes
Commissioner Martinez made a motion to adopt the 7/27/23 Minutes. Commissioner Probst seconded
the motion. Motion carried.
Written General Public Comments
No submittals.
Unfinished Business
None
New Business
a. Parks and Recreation Open Space Element Review
Nancy Eklund, Long Range Planning Manager, AICP, DCD gave the presentation for staff and
invited Pete Mayer, Director, Parks and Recreation (also currently servicing as interim Deputy City
Administrator, Administrative Services) to provide comments on the Parks Element.
Under the Growth Management Act (GMA), the Parks Element is a required element. In addition,
the Parks and Recreation (Parks) Department regularly develops a separate Parks, Recreation, and
Open Space (PROS) Plan, which Parks regularly updates. The PROS Plan was most recently
updated and adopted by the City Council in 2020. During the update of the PROS Plan, an
extensive public outreach effort identified a range of issues and priorities to be addressed; these
Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
8/24/23
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have been updated in the Parks Element to correspond to the PROS Plan. The goals and policies in
the existing Parks Element are the same as those listed in the PROS Plan. Any new policies that
appear in the Parks Element have been added to comply with the requirement that regional policies
from the King County Countywide Planning Policies and Vision 2050 also be included. Nancy also
passed out a detailed inventory of city parks as requested by a commissioner and noted that the
inventory portion of the element would be updated to include a summary of this data.
The Parks Plan also includes greyed -out text pertaining to implementation strategies. The Parks
Department will be updating this list to identify how they will be implementing policies in the plan,
who will be involved in that effort and on what time schedule. The expectation is to complete the
list over the next few months and this addition will be presented to the PC later this year or in early
2024.
Director Mayer and Director Gierloff addressed clarifying questions for the PC. Director Mayer
said that he appreciated the collaboration of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission and
those members who have participated to date, those who will continue to be actively involved and
those members providing insight as a part of the internal processes. Parks was fortunate to have
such a comprehensive PROS Plan, which has made it easier to mirror for the Parks Element.
b. Draft Code Amendment Review
Neil Tabor, Senior Planner, AICP, DCD presented jointly with Isaac Gloor, Associate Planner,
DCD. Neil introduced the discussion, noting that the proposed code amendments were necessitated
by recent legislation adopted by the 2023 legislature, as well as to correct errors identified in the
code and to clarify code and comprehensive plan amendment processes. He noted that this was a
good time to undertake some of the needed amendments since it would allow staff to break up some
of the anticipated amendments necessary over the next year and a half as the Plan is amended. Staff
will be very busy with the Comprehensive Plan updates during that time.
Isaac Gloor addressed the first item, pertaining to HB1337 that requires all jurisdictions in the state
to adopt very specific regulations regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). He went over some
of the requirements of the bill and provided comparisons to the current requirements in the Tukwila
Municipal Code. Additionally, he went over areas of non-compliance with the upcoming state law.
Staff is recommending holding a public hearing and adopting the updates since the requirements are
so specific without much room for nuance. It will preserve future PC review time for some of the
more complex reviews including the Comprehensive Plan Update. He walked through the draft
code amendments provided in the packet and identified work necessary to comply with recent state
legislation pertaining to ADUs:
- The owner occupancy section was removed since it is no longer allowed.
- The definition of ADUs was changed to include the state -mandated language regarding
"primary unit."
- Allowing the number of ADUs per lot to go from one to two per lot.
- Increasing the maximum size allowance from 800 sq. ft. to 1,000 sq. ft.
- Changed the maximum height for detached ADUs to be up to 25 ft., consistent with the
current requirement for detached ADUs above a garage.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
8/24/23
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- Keeping the prohibition on ADUs short term rental limit to less than 30 days.
- Updating the table for parking requirements to reflect ADU parking requirements there,
rather than in the section of code specifically addressing ADU development.
Staff addressed several clarifying questions from the PC.
- Commissioner Stander asked, "in order to accommodate some of the mandates, will the sites
still be able to accommodate the landscaping requirements." She said she would be
interested in getting a report on tree mitigation. Staff indicated that tree removal
requirements would not be affected by this proposal and that they would still need to be met.
Neil Tabor went over additional topics, including requirements to comply with previously passed
state law, address errors identified in the code, and integrate suggestions for cleaning up processes.
These included:
- Parking Near Transit Requirements
- A Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations Amendment Process
- Home Occupation Standards
- Wireless Provisions
- Variance Requirements for Lot Area
- Amending Footnote Referencing Tukwila South Residential Design Manual
There will be a public hearing on these updates on September 14`h
Director's Report
- On September 14th, there will be a Design Review and a Comprehensive Plan Amendments
public hearing.
- Staff will hold a Comp Plan open house at Foster High School on September 20th, 5:30 to
8:00 p.m.
- On October 5th, there will be a second Special Meeting of the PC, pertaining to land use and
housing.
- Director Gierloff and Mayor Ekberg will be interviewing several candidates to fill the vacant
PC position and are hoping the new commissioner will be onboard and able to begin on
September 28th.
- Regarding PC meetings:
- Commissioners were asked to please communicate with the PC Secretary regarding
meeting attendance; staff need to know, especially for public hearings.
- PC will meet on the holiday schedule in November and December on the second
Thursday of the month.
- The PC will be seeing the Parks Implementation Strategies at a future meeting. The state is
requiring that, at the five-year mark, the city demonstrates the progress it has made on policy
implementation.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
8/24/23
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Commissioner Martinez reported that he attended the Habitat for Humanity tour on August
loth and complimented them on putting 12 middle housing units on a long narrow section of
land. He encouraged the PC to attend such events if there is an opportunity in the future.
Director Gierloff noted that there would be an opportunity to see the development at the
opening of the Renton Habitat for Humanity site on August 26, before occupancy.
Adjourned 7:45 p. m.
Commissioner Probst moved to adjourn; Commissioner Martinez seconded the motion. All were in favor
of adjourning.
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
PC Secretary
Adopted: 9/14/23
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov