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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09101992 Ag Min 'i' . . e .J " City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA Business Meeting I. ROLL CALL II. APPROV AL OF MINUTES: August 27, 1992 III. COMMUNICATIONS: Current mail IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Variance Application # 9208-01, James McCarron 1. 2. 3. 4. Staff report (Bloomfield) Public testimony Committee report (Welch/Erickson) Commission discussion and conclusions B. Subdivision Ordinance Amendment 1. Staff report (Bloomfield) 2. Public testimony 3. Commission discussion and conclusions V. NEW BUSINESS VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next Scheduled Meetings September 24. 1992 October 8. 1992 October 29. 1992 Andrew Thurston, Short Plat Application (Thayer/Rickard) VII. ADJOURN September 10, 1992 . . , f . . City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 Planning Commission Meeting of September 10, 1992 I. ROLL CALL Chair Lois Sherwood called the meetîng to order at 7:00 PM. Other members present were Ernie Baird, Karen Erickson, Cindy Thayer, and Bob Rickard. Also present were staff members Darlene Bloomfield, Kit Perkins and Sheila Spears. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: August 27, 1992 Motion to approve minutes of 8-27-92 was made by Rickard and seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. III. COMMUNICATIONS Bloomfield introduced Kit Perkins, Planner. Perkins is replacing Rick Sepler in the City's Planning and Building Department. Bloomfield reported that she had talked with John Merchant about the walkway at the sewage treatment plant construction site. Merchant said that school busses are coming down Kuhn Street so kids wouldn't have to walk along the street to get to the bus. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Variance Application #9208-01, James McCarron Sherwood excused herself from the proceedings because of appearance of fairness. Erickson proceeded to conduct the meeting. 1. Staff report (Bloomfield) Bloomfield read the draft Findings of Fact and Conclusions of the Planning Commission recommending approval of the setback variance. 2. Public testimony Applicant McCarron questioned the condition that he shall receive a certificate of occupancy from the City within one year of the date of approval, saying that he is intimidated by that time period. He listed SEP A as one of the stumbling blocks and said that he cannot easily comply with the one year limit. McCarron said he is trying to keep the project at only one level because of access and aesthetics. He is trying to put together a project that will work and said that is why he wants an easily accessible medical clinic instead of condominiums on the site. He acknowledged problems with .,.,'-,.-.. ._",-'~,""" . . . c . . Planning Commission Minutes of 9-10-92 Page Two crosswalks and other problems that will evolve, and that he cannot have access from Sheridan Street. McCarron said that the need for a medical clinic is there and he asked for reconsideration of the one-year time restriction. He said that a two-year time frame would be reasonable. If a two-year time frame is not granted, McCarron said that he may withdraw his proposal at this time. Commission asked for an explanation of the sidewalks on the drawings. Bloomfield said that the applicant will be able to complete the application with better plans after the variance is granted. Dick D' Agostino, Hospital Commissioner, requested approval of this variance saying there is great need for physician office space. He also agreed with applicant that one year is not enough time and would like that stipulation removed. No one spoke against the application. Public testimony closed. 3. Committee report (Welch/Erickson) In Welch's absence the committee report was given by Erickson. Erickson suggested that the wording in number one of the conditions be changed from commercial building to medical clinic. She said that according to the way the report is written there is no way to extend the one-year time limit and asked if there was a way it could be extended if there was still interest in the project at the end of one year and something was being done to keep the project alive. Bloomfield said she will look up why one year was put in the conditions and forward that language for city council approval. She said that the time starts after SEP A and city council approval. 4. Commission discussion and conclusions Concerns were expressed by the Commission about the drop off zone, foot traffic being interrupted with cars going into the clinic, the sidewalk situation, and poor visibility at the intersection of 9th and Sheridan Streets. This is opening the door to different setbacks along Sheridan Street between commercial buildings and homes. This may also happen in the future across the street -looking at the future for setbacks in that area. Suggestion was made to design the project so that the parking is away from the street and people will not have to walk across the parking lot to go to the hospital. McCarron said that the building is not designed at this point. Commission and applicant agreed that the there are alternatives to how to situate the building and parking at the site. The issue tonight is only the setback. McCarron said there are no sidewalks now and that foot traffic tends to be on the other side of Sheridan Street. Conditions recommended by the Commission: a) when the project goes forward, if a case can be made that it cannot be done with the setbacks, then there should be options; b) modify I _41 . . . ~ ~ ';" Planning Commission Minutes of 9-10-92 Page Three wording in condition #1 to be "health care building", c) clarify a 15 foot setback on 9th Street (add this as condition #2 and spell out in findings); d) eliminate the condition that says the applicant shall receive a certificate of occupancy from the City of Port Townsend Planning and Building Department within one-year of the date of this approval; e) Renumber second condition in draft to #3. Motion to recommend approval with Commission changes was made by Thayer. Seconded by Baird. All were in favor. Commissioner Sherwood returned to the meeting. B. Subdivision Ordinance Amendment 1. Staff report (Bloomfield) Bloomfield distributed a letter to the Commissioners from Andy Thurston in support of the proposed ordinance changes. She explained the proposed changes and stated that they are in conformance with RCW's. 2. Public Testimony: none 3. Commission discussion and conclusions Motion to recommend approval, as revised by City Attorney and Commission, of these amendments to the Port Townsend Municipal Code was made by Rickard. Thayer seconded. All were in favor. V. NEW BUSINESS: None Motion to adjourn was made by Erickson. Seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM Æk~ Sheila Spears Planning and Building Assistant