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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05131993 ", ' , " , City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 \Varer Sr., Porr Townsend, WA 98368 206/385.3000 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA (Revised) Business Meeting May 13, 1993 I. ROLL CALL 7:00 PM II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 29, 1993 III. COMMUNICATIONS A. Current Mail IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Ordinance Amendment Relating to Planned unit Developments 1) Staff report (Bloomfield) 2) Public testimony 3) Commission discussion and conclusions B. Townsend Business Park, Planned unit Staff report (Bloomfield) Public testimony Committee report (Erickson/Thayer) Commission discussion and scheduling meeting of continued Port 1) 2) 3) 4) Development V. NEW BUSINESS A. Following is a list of upcoming Planning Commission agenda items and proposed meeting dates for your consideration: May 27 Port Townsend Business Park Decision Gateway Workshop June 10 Port Townsend School District, Early Childhood Development Center - Conditional Use Permit June 17 (Special Meeting) Arterial Street Plan Workshop June 24 Gateway Workshop Bill Schwilke Rezone July 1 (Special Meeting) Arterial Street Plan Public Hearing . , Planning Commission 540 \Vater St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 ¡, . . City of Port Townsend · Planning commission Minutes May 13, 1993 I. ROLL CALL Chair Lois Sherwood called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Other members present were Mark Welch, cindy Thayer, Lisa Enarson, Ernie Baird and Karen Erickson. Bob Rickard's absence was excused. Also present were staff members Darlene Bloomfield, Michael Hildt and Sheila Spears. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 29, 1993 Motion was made by Thayer to approve the minutes of 4/29/93. Seconded by Baird. All were in favor. III. COMMUNICATIONS A. Current Mail: PT2020 results (compilation) · IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Ordinance Amendment Relating to Planned unit Developments 1) Staff report (Bloomfield) Hildt stated for the record that this hearing is being held at the chapel at Fort Worden rather than City Hall because of the carnival outside of City Hall window and the shortage of parking. Notice of the change in location of this hearing was made with the Leader (published 5/12/93) and the Peninsula Daily News. Also the doors at city Hall were posted and a person was at the door with directions. Sherwood, Thayer and Enarson, after explaining their individual situations, disclosed possible conflicts of interest to the Port Townsend Business Park PUD and asked if anyone objected to their participating in the hearing. Nobody objected and they remained. Bloomfield said that this ordinance amendment is more of a correction to clarify that the existing code already considers other developments, not just residential developments, as planned unit developments. A SEPA determination has already been made. · Erickson asked about the limitations on actions statement. Hildt explained that it means a limit of 30 days for filing an action and said that this is typical language. 2) Public Testimony: None If'''''·. i,c",. ....." r% Ii, . >~ VVp'èC\J; [(J . {pA/~'? ~ " · · · Planning commission Minutes for May 13, 1993 Page Two 3) Commission Discussion and Conclusions Motion to recommend approval of the ordinance amendment was made by Sherwood and seconded by Baird. All were in favor. Sherwood pointed out a typo in Chapter 30 of the parking code on page 137. The table should be 17.30. B. Port Townsend business Park, Planned unit Development 1) Staff Report (Bloomfield) Bloomfield explained that Commission members have been forwarded all of the information that the City has received (exhibits) that were forwarded to Council for SEPA, and some additional comments - letter from Bart Phillips and letter from the applicant responding to some concerns in the first draft staff report. The Commission now has a second draft which is a revision to the first one, with underlined text showing new information. Most of the new text is in the Conditions section of the staff report and the applicant and staff have talked about those and are in agreement. She stated that the applicant (Lee Wilburn) is in the audience. Bloomfield gave an explanation of the proposal for office and light industrial uses to be situated on 35 acres near the corner of McPherson and Sims Way. She said that the applicant would not have to follow normal setbacks for R1A zoning as long as the intent of the code is met. Bloomfield said the parcel is vacant and has a 16" water line running through it. This will be a four-phase development. Howard Street would be used for the construction entrance. Cliff Street would be the first public access street to be developed, with turn lanes developed for both north and southbound turns on Sims Way. The build-out may not be maxed. Height limits next to residential areas would be 25 feet. All other height limits would be 35 feet. Eight-foot high fences would be allowed between the project and neighboring residences. The applicant will participate in the water pressure system for the whole region and has agreed to discuss his contribution to this. Bloomfield explained the proposal for private streets. Sherwood asked if there is a specific reason why the applicant will be providing privately maintained streets. Wilburn said the private road situation came out of a meeting held with the City. Maintenance and upkeep of roads has plagued the City for some time and the financing is somewhat illusive. Wilburn said that what they have done is provided for the maintenance and upkeep. They have taken that cost from the City and tried to incorporate that with the project so the actual tenants will be paying for the infrastructure that they use. Bloomfield said that the SEPA checklist went to City Council and a determination was made May 3, 1993. Due to a minor ex parte '. · · · " Planning commission Minutes for May 13, 1993 Page Three conversation the City Attorney asked the Council to reconsider the SEPA checklist on Monday, May 17. Lee Wilburn, President of Vantage Properties and general partner of Port Townsend Business Park summarized the proposal saying that it will be buffered from the residential area and that trees will be transplanted from the center of the site (rather than using nursery plants) to establish a buffer. He said they will re-vegetate dense underbrush similar to the vegetation found in the area in an effort to preserve native species. The proposal provides for a five-acre park in the center of the Business Park which will have a year-round pond that provides detention for stormwater. Neighbors will be able to entêr the park through a trail system. Also, a basketball court will be open to the public. Trails have been relocated based on comments from neighbors. Wilburn said that North Sound Bank opened Cliff street and the Business Park will use it as a second entrance. This removes the need for extending Howard Street through the Businêss Park. Also it will keep business park traffic off of 9th and McPherson Streets. The commercial development will be buffered from the existing neighborhood. Improvements will be made at all the major intersections from the Hill Top Tavern to John's Auto Parts. Howard street will be the truck entrance and Cliff Street will be the auto entrance. There will be lighting for the trails, streets and busses. There will be an on-site recycling center. The Business Park will make a significant contribution to the City water system (pressure). He said this is a very long-term investment and the anticipated build-out is expected to be approximately 17 years. Welch asked for clarification on the drawings on phasing. Wilburn explained that building will start with buffers before the on-site construction. Phase A will be on Sims Way and Phase B will be behind the houses on McPherson street. 2) Public Testimony: None 3) Committee Report (Erickson/Thayer) Thayer commended the applicant for the complete and legible packet of information. Erickson said that no matter how many questions she had, the answers were all in the paperwork. Thayer asked if thê streets would be built to city standards. Wilburn said that except for one parking situation the streets would meet or be above city standards. Thayer asked for the reasoning behind allowing metal buildings only on certain lots. Wilburn explained that metal buildings will only be allowed where there are substantial buffers because of aesthetics. He explained that they want a business park feel rather than a warehouse. , , · · · Planning commission Minutes for May 13, 1993 Page Four Thayer asked if construction on the site is meant to be prohibited on national holidays in addition to weekends. Bloomfield said there will be some fine tuning to that condition. Hildt explained that in order for the City to be assured that the conditions imposed by the City will be binding on all the property owners within the PUD they will be included in the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's). Wilburn is in agreement. Erickson asked about any specifics on parking. Wilburn said they have allowed space with limitations on some areas. He said the quantity is there, but will be more specific when building applications are made. Thayer asked if there is a Washington Administrative Code (WAC) that requires the City to provide adequate water pressure to its residents and if it is fair to have the applicant pay for the improvements to the pressure system. Hildt said that the Washington state Department of Health requires 30 psi continuous pressure. The City is moving forward with the standpipe to solve the low pressure system in this area. It is not considered such a problem that it warrants interim action. Most of the site is believed to have adequate pressure. It is only where the altitude is higher in Phase B where it is anticipated that there is substandard pressure and that is why the financial contribution was agreed to before going into Phase D. An appropriate balance between all tax and rate payers is the purpose in doing it this way. Wilburn said they are doing a financial analysis with the investors to address whether there is enough financing for the project to go forward. He said the City needs to be assured that it won't be a white elephant and that a rêport will be coming to staff in the very near future. Erickson expressed concern that since the Business Park is a first-class operation the association dues might be too costly. She asked how the costs and amenities compare to the Port. Wilburn said that preliminary budget figures on maintenance spread over the 35-acre project and by doing it in phases will make it possible without pricing themselves out of the market. He said his company has equipment available already that helps keep the costs down. 4) commission discussion and scheduling of continued meeting Sherwood asked if the burning restrictions are meant to protect the surrounding residences saying that in a parcel this size it is the Commission's feeling that on-site burning would not be damaging to the surroundings. Wilburn said that it is too expensive to grind on site and they will have to retain enough fuel to burn a stump pile. Sherwood said that a stump pile · · · Planning commission Minutes for May 13, 1993 Page Five cannot burn down by night fall. Enarson said that it is very unreasonable to be so specific on the wind. Bloomfield said that city council is able to modify its earlier environmental determination if the recommendation from the Planning commission says to do so and also the applicant can make his own request to make the changes. Enarson asked if the applicant has a concern with the burning restrictions. wilburn said he does and would like to burn on the site subject to safety. Thayer expressed that the burn restrictions are redundant since a burning permit is required. Enarson commended the applicant for using native species but questions restrictions on specific trees. She asked if Red Maple and Scarlet Oak are considered drought resistent. She said that she believes they are not and that Scarlet Oak and Silvêr Linden are not common here. Wilburn said they are relying on a landscape architect and will ask where this information came from. In response to a question from Erickson, Wilburn said it has been established that there is not a wetland on the parcel. Enarson said she likes the idea of a broader curb cut to provide for better access to commercial parking lots. Wilburn described the field trip they took to come up with the access and parking and maneuvering spaces they have provided. Wilburn said that time is crucial and that they need to do the grading this summer. Bloomfield said that the grading condition can be worked out before the Planning Commission makes its rêcommendation to City Council. wilburn explained that they need to do the pond for drainage and get the property to flow into it. The material from the pond cut is going to be used to bring some of the other up so that flow will drain into the pond. He said they won't be constructing any buildings at this time. This would only be grading. Staff and the applicant will work this out and bring recommendations to the next Planning Commission meeting. Motion to continue the public hearing to May 27, 1993, was made by Welch and seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. Hildt said that at the May 27 meeting, testimony will be taken only on new information. The meeting will be held at City Hall. Mike Mallon expressed concerns about noise, smoke and dust, and said that he would like to speak to the developer about it. He said he hasn't read the staff report yet. He asked for clarification that he can têstify at the May 27 hearing. ~ · · · ~ Planning commission Minutes for May 13, 1993 Page six V. NEW BUSINESS Commission agreed to the list of upcoming Planning Commission agenda items and proposed meeting dates. Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Erickson and seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m. Sheila Spears Planning & Building Assistant