HomeMy WebLinkAbout062216 Kanieski, Charley & Liz Hoenig Kanieski - Post-docket June 20,2016
Attn:Judy Surber
Port Townsend Planning Commission
250 Madison Street
Port Townsend,WA 98368
Dear Commissioners,
We would like to provide the following comments on the City's Draft Comprehensive Plan Update. We own a
small business here Port Townsend, employing 7 people in family wage jobs. Our firm provides tax andfinancial
services to small business clients. We care about the environment,the local economy, and the social and
political fabric of our community.
We have a number of general comments on the document that we would like to share, and then some specific
comments.
General Comments
* We think the document would be much more readable and clear, if there was a consistent level of detail.
Some sections have a high level of detail, including specific action items or implementation language, and
other do not. The Comprehensive Plan should have an overall balance in terms of level of detail for different
area of the document.
* We own a commercial building at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler, in one of the proposed mixed use areas.
As we understand it, the mixed use centers concept is outdated, and it is not proven' to work in our
community or any other community as a specific zoning requirement, Instead—we suggest looking at new
and different, more flexible models of zoning in these areas to help stimulate appropriate business and land
use development.
We suggest the following additions, changes to these specific sections:
How will the plan be implemented?
Practices, staffing decisions, customer service, and internal city policies will be evaluated to encourage
and enhance the climate and relationships with the business community, especially those providing
family wage jobs.
Predictions for the Future
* include climate change and need to respond appropriately, following climate change report
recommendations.
* Include stormwater utility in the listing,of municipal services,
* Expand description of types of businesses to attract beyond retail and maritime (based on Howard
Street Study)
Uncertainty of Assumptions
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We are a community surrounded by water at the marine shoreline. Take a proactive, not reactive
approach to sea level rise now, There is little uncertainty within the 20 year planning framework that it
is our community's desire to protect Water Street and the infrastructure along the shoreline. Make
planning for sea level rise a priority for the City, fund planning and analysis,and actions through the
City's Stormwater Utility (to focus on impacts of sea level rise and storm surges on high priority
community infrastructure (like Water Street) and upgrade the city/regional stormwater system). Work
collaboratively with the Port, WA state ad,'bthers on further engineering analysis of options to protect
our waterfront. A,,jo
Land Use Element
0 Add Howard Street Corridor Feasibility Study to list of relevant documents guiding future development.
0 Policy 2-3-2. Implement climate change strategies through the City's Storm and Surface Water Utility to
manage sea level rise and storm related issues predicated to accompany climate change.
0 Add an environmental policy that speaks to the protection of marine shorelines, bluffs, and intertidal
areas such as eelgrass beds.
* 3.7—Wildlife habitat in urban area can be small patches as well as corridors. Best Available Science for
urban wildlife preservation should be referenced. Collections of small, interconnected patches
(especially forested areas for small mammals and songbirds) may be more useful and practical than
corridors.
Permit processing
The very first policy should focus on customer serve and a culture of supporting and encouraging certain
business sectors if family wage jobs are a high priority, Focus on streamlining and improving the process,
and getting to a yes or no as quickly and efficiently as possible with consistency. No need to mention
environmental regulations here explicitly,they are one of many. From what we hear, this is a significant
issue with attracting and retaining businesses within the community—put some innovative attention to
these policies.
Transportation
0 Add a policy to evaluate a Transportation Benefit District to fund needed projects.
Economic development
We would: like to see a strategic approach to business development in Port Townsend. That means
identifying the types of family wage businesses we already have successfully operating here now, and
developing specific strategies to retain them, and build on those successes by attracting similar or
complementary business types.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft plan.
Cha/ry Kan2eski Liz Hoenig Kanieski
2
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