HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning 2023-06-22 Minutes - Middle Housing / Economic Development / Transportation Element / Community Engagement PlanAllan Ekberg, Mayor
Department of Community Development - Nora Gierloff, AICP, Director
CITY OF TUKWILA
PLANNING COMMISSION (PC)
MINUTES
Date: June 22, 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, Vice Chair Sharon Mann, Commissioners Louise Strander,
Dennis Martinez, Alexandria Teague, and Martin Probst
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, Senior Program Manager Cyndy
Knighton, Transportation, Public Works (PW), Economic Development Administrator
Derek Speck and PC Secretary Wynetta Bivens
Approval of Minutes
(Initial discussion focused on an item that was added to the agenda at the request of City
Administration and was not available at the time that agendas were emailed or mailed out to
Commissioners. The planned presentation was mailed to commissioners on 5/25/23.)
Vice Chair Mann moved to amend the 5/25/23 minutes pertaining to the first item under New
Business on the updated agenda, a presentation regarding the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority
(PSRFA) given by Mayor Ekberg and Fire Chief Brian Carson. Ms. Mann stated that the
presentation of this agenda item was political in nature and that the discussion should not be
included in the minutes, in the same way the general public comments provided by an audience
member who also spoke were not included. She moved to strike everything pertaining to the PSRFA
presentation. Commissioner Stander seconded the motion. The PC voted, Commissioner Sidhu
abstained from voting due to being absent, Commissioner Teague abstained from voting because she
joined the meeting after the presentation, and Commissioner Probst opposed. The motion carried as
amended with three in favor.
Written General Public Comments
No submittals.
Unfinished Business
None
Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
6/22/23
Page 2
New Business
1) Transportation Element Update
Cyndy Knighton, Senior Program Manager, Transportation, PW, began the presentation to update the
PC on the Transportation Element. She explained that the Transportation Element is the document in
the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) that helps guide transportation for the next 20 years. She noted
that an extensive update was adopted in 2005 which established current baselines for such things as
level of service standards for roadway intersections and road compacity. This new update will
provide a more complete look at transportation, including the local road safety plan, and will
determine where to focus funding (i.e., on safety, etc.). They will be considering the following goals:
Equity, Safety, Connectivity, Adaptability and Climate Justice in developing the Plan.
Public Works (and their consultants) have established draft transportation element goals and are
looking at existing conditions. They will then look at where they are going from there and anticipate
future conditions. This analysis will require them to start working on the policy and performance
metrics to address future transportation needs for residents, businesses, and visitors, etc. The
Transportation Plan will be modified throughout the year and guided by required fiscal restraints.
They will develop a draft plan (of projects and programs), and then present it to the PC, and then to
the City Council to be adopted.
Tinotenda Jonga, Transportation Consultant, Fehr, and Peer, presented information on existing
conditions and identified needs for the transportation element. Based on the needs the consultant
identified, and those identified during community outreach, the Plan will consider the land use of the
12 distinct neighborhoods; as well as the transportation facilities available for various modes of
travel: pedestrian, bicycle, transit, auto, and freight facilities, were identified.
Emily Alice Allhart, AICP, Transportation Consultant, Fehr, and Peer, presented the feedback
received at outreach events held in Spring 2023, as well as from the online survey and webmap. She
said that a lot of the public feedback confirmed or reiterated the goals and priorities identified
previously by City staff. She also provided a summary of the interactions with the in -person events
and focus groups. She stated, in response to a PC inquiry, that translation was provided in multiple
languages.
Ms. Knighton concluded the presentation with an overview of the schedule, with the next steps to be
completed to have the Transportation Element adopted by the deadline, December 2024. They will be
circling back to the communities from whom they've heard comment earlier. She noted that they
would be focusing on getting a draft plan to the PC at the Feb 22, 2024, meeting. They plan to
present the draft element to the Council for adoption in Spring 2024.
2) Economic Development
Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator, gave the presentation. He provided some
background information, which stated that, for many years, there was no economic Development
plan/strategy. In 2022, the Council provided funding to develop an "Economic Development
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
6/22/23
Page 3
Strategy". The strategy was originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022, but that did not
occur. To integrate into the Comprehensive Plan, the Economic Development Strategy will be shaped
into an economic development plan/element. The Strategy and the Economic Development Element
will be essentially the one document. He will get feedback from the Council PCD committee, then
integrate those comments, and bring back a draft to the Planning Commission in Fall 2023.
The Economic Element of the Comp Plan will be updated. A PC member asked when the last
Economic Development Plan was completed; discussion transpired, and other questions were
addressed. Mr. Speck provided a summary of various outreach engagements and the results, some of
which he said they contracted with community groups to administer. He said nothing stood out from
the input received; there was a lot of different interest stated, such as quality of life, equity, gathering
place, property crime and services to help people. He said there is a disconnect because some services
requested are already in place, such as education, training, etc. He would like to put more resources
towards informing residents of what is currently available. He said he did not hear comments or
requests for more casinos, or more revenue generators. He noted that the consultant is creating topics
for some focus groups, which they anticipate completing invitations by mid -July. He asked the
consultants to conduct interviews with some key stakeholders, such as some of the very large
property holders.
3) Tukwila Middle Housing
Neil Tabor, Senior Planner, DCD, AICP, presented on updating the Middle Housing Project, for
which the city has a grant from the Washington Department of Commerce. He explained the
connection to the update of the housing element of the Comp Plan and how it allows the city to
analyze upcoming legislative requirements and informs a better view of the current market and the
subsequent code changes that would support viable middle housing products. Staff will offer further
briefings on racially disparate impacts (RDI) that have occurred from past practices, as well as from
existing code, and how the city can better address those impacts going forward. He gave an overview
of the project timeline, engagement updates, feasibility analysis, and racially disparate impacts
evaluation.
Work on the Middle Housing will end this summer. The consultant, MAKERS, will continue to
refine several elements of their housing work in the next few months. Discussion occurred regarding
the various categories of unit types, financing goals, and key themes, such as a summary of realistic
opportunities for homeownership occurring when housing is available at a range of prices. In
particular, the discussion was focused on how certain recommendations would meet the market and
the outcomes of sensitivity testing, and limit impacts to communities at risk of displacement.
MAKERS will conduct feasibility analysis on middle housing types, incorporating input from the
Tukwila Community received to date. Examples were shown of one- to four -unit housing types, and
the baseline requirements set by the State Legislature was discussed. He also noted some focus on
home ownership options to consider. Also noted was the need for market calibration, and a summary
of how much the housing market has changed in recent years.
The question was raised as to whether there has been any follow up outreach with some of the
developers of townhomes recently regarding their process and were there any stumbling blocks to
development. A suggestion was made to invite developers to a PC meeting since PC will be making
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
6/22/23
Page 4
some decisions on such projects. Staff noted that several developers had been interviewed as a part
of the grant.
Updates were provided on the engagement processes, online platform, racially disparate impacts,
affordability, impacts to renters of color, white renters, and cost burden renters, or renters who spend
more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
Next steps and discussion transpired on the following three questions:
- What is important to learn from sensitivity testing?
- What areas of zoning codes seem most promising to update?
- What outcomes should be strived for?
Following are some of the PC feedback and questions:
- The missing piece is the middle housing- we need to find ways to help and to add more housing.
- Cluster LDR housing - look at tester housing and the code to allow more.
- Have more Cottage style housing for affordability.
- Nice new townhomes that are organized, have parking, and are clean, are acceptable.
- The question was raised, when someone builds a small house in the back of their property would
it be reviewed by the Police Department for crime prevention and inquiry was made on Fire
Department access?
4) Public Outreach Plan
Nancy Eklund, AICP, Long Range Planning Manager, DCD gave the presentation. Staff are
conducting an outreach program that is an equitable and inclusive process and obtain feedback from
those who currently live, work, play, worship, etc., in Tukwila, and those that aren't here today, but
would like to be in the future. Staff are making a concerted effort to reach specific community based
organizations that may have not participated in Comp planning activities in the past. Ultimately, we
want to make Tukwila attractive to all existing and future community segments. As such, staff are
holding meetings with a lot of different segments of the community: students, religious organizations,
community groups, city boards and commissions, etc. They are reaching out by tabling Parks and
Recreation activities, etc., over this summer, and will also be providing specific groups with the
opportunity to hear more about the Plan. When the Middle Housing grant funding that is funding a
lot of the support to Community based organizations for coordinating their input expires, staff will
seek other ways to engage with these groups.
The PC members were asked for their thoughts on what specific organizations they thought should be
contacted for their input. Ms. Eklund noted staff had presented the draft outreach plan to the City
Council. She noted that, as feasible, outreach materials will be translated.
The PC suggested the following outreach efforts and groups:
- Hold events with food.
Hold a summit for businesspeople at local hotels.
Engage with the Chamber of Commerce.
Engage with Lam's Seafood and Seafood City.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
PC Meeting
6/22/23
Page 5
- Work with Starfire Center on a Saturday or Sunday.
She said reaching out to all parts of the community will balance and complement the input received
from the business community, and those who are historically more comfortable participating in City
planning activities. She said they want to be as broad as they can in their outreach. The next phase is
to work with the community to interpret what was said and then start to develop a draft.
Director's Report:
- Director Gierloff informed the PC that Clifford "Cliff" Cawthon, Advocacy and Policy Manager,
Habitat for Humanity Seattle -King & Kittitas Counties extended an invitation to the PC to look at
some habitat projects that are middle housing types. She asked the PC if they would be interested
in pursuing it and received confirmation of interest so she will investigate it and follow up with
PC. Staff will try to identify a date that would work for the tour and the PC.
It was announced that Max Baker and his wife had a baby boy.
And she addressed a question pertaining to Tukwila South and the interest expressed in a
Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) at that site. She mentioned other groups that had also
expressed interest in that area.
Director Gierloff asked if the Commission was ready for a motion to adjourn, and Commissioner
Martinez seconded that idea; the Commission approved adjourning the meeting.
Submitted by: Wynetta Bivens
PC Secretary
Adopted: 7/27/23
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov