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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07091992 Ag Min ... . . . t Ci ty of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA (Revised) Business Meeting I. ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None III. COMMUNICATIONS: Current mail IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Variance Application #9205-01, Elizabeth Berman 1. 2. 3. 4. Staff report (Bloomfield) Public testimony Committee report (Erickson/Maag) Commission discussion and conclusions B. Short Plat Application #9204-01, Andrew and Erica Thurston 1. Staff report (Bloomfield) 2. Public testimony 3. Committee report (Thayer/Rickard) 4. Commission discussion and conclusions V. NEW BUSINESS VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next Scheduled Meetings Wednesday. July 15. 1992 Joint Public Hearing (Planning Commission and City Council) * Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance July 9, 1992 7:00 PM Thursday. July 16. 1992 Planning Commission Recommendation on Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance * No public testimony taken Thursday. August 13. 1992 Sign Code Ordinance Amendment - Public Hearing VII. ADJOURN y -~ Do you wish to If yes, indicate present testimony? topic. YES NO NAME (please print) ADDRESS í!t/(.,id l - ,") , ~ ,\ IJ~l 1, (vt f la\~l v'~ ,g¡ .0 ) 1- ( () 5rléJ rJ let u- o o (> (J. ß,~ s.-¡ L..., ì,!~".,.,., ,c)..., I L7H_.. o œ '3 po 1 I I P~,~q 1"1 ~ lof "iIh ~ (h n 'r ~ ì p'fJ $i/blhY)~~Y) ~ o r4f œ( o o I /}~} ~rÞ 9(~ L~ Sr ~l'3 ~d, 5T o 'E o o o 1=(0 tÀ. \- ~.~~ f5i ~ o VI:(' r ¡' <Ilvt Ç'c.,... f'/l Z-çl:b- o o o 0 o 0 ) tJ 0 o 0 o 0 ·0 0 - -.#_..... .·,p·c·_·~,-_·.~_··,_., -- . . . , City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 Planning Commission Minutes for July 9, 1992 I. Roll Call Chair Lois Sherwood called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Other members present were Karen Erickson, Cindy Thayer and Bob Rickard. Staff members present were Darlene Bloomfield and Sheila Spears. Members absent were Ernie Baird, Mark Welch and Randy Maag. II. Approval of Minutes: None III. Communications Citizen letters from Olsen and Prouty, Sign Code memo from Hildt, Memo to Department of Ecology Shorelarids from Jenks and Hayden concerning the Bay Vista II project. Bloomfield asked the Commission to consider setting a hearing for a possible Sign Code Amendment. The Commission set a hearing date of August 13, 1992. If no new business is scheduled, July 30 will be scheduled as a Commission vacation. IV. OLD BUSINESS Cindy Thayer disqualified herself from the Berman hearing in the appearance of fairness. Lois Sherwood explained that the Commission is within the bylaws and does have a quorum because four members were present when the roll was taken. A. Variance Application #9205-01, Elizabeth Berman 1. Staff report (Darlene Bloomfield) Darlene read the Findings of Fact and Conclusions. 2. Public Testimony Applicant Liz Berman clarified that one of the drawings submitted with the application should not have been submitted. It is not relevant. She requested that she be allowed to use residential setbacks and didn't have anything to add to the staff report. Nobody spoke in opposition to the variance. Public testimony closed. --.-......... " . I. . . Planning Commission Minutes for July 9, 1992 Page Two 3. Committee Report (Erickson/Maag) Karen Erickson gave the committee report and the only concern expressed was that the side set back should be the same as others in the area. The proposed setbacks are the same as those used in residential zones. Commission verified that 10' from the corner is the side setback and there is a 20' setback from the front. Rickard asked if notice requirements included posting the site. Darlene explained this would be done for the City Council hearing. Motion made by Rickard to recommend approval to City Council on the Elizabeth Berman Variance application #9205-01. Seconded by Erickson. All were in favor. B. Short Plat Application #9204-01, Andrew and Erica Thurston Cindy Thayer returned to the hearing. 1. Staff Report (Darlene Bloomfield) Thayer asked for numbering of the exhibits explaining that the exhibits they already have are numbered and the ones received tonight are not. Darlene explained the exhibits and circulated the only copy of the original Ware short plat. Bloomfield read the Findings of Fact and Conclusions which recommends approval as conditioned, and talked about the draft Findings of Fact and Conclusions for denial. She stated that the Commission has an original site plan of the proposed plan which includes relocation of the cul-de-sac. She corrected Finding of Fact number 4 to be a 4" instead of a 6" water main, and added two more conditions. The Commission asked what the time requirement is before the short plat subdivision can be subdivided again. Ms. Bloomfield stated that the minimum time required prior to resubdividing is 5 years and this particular one was done 10 years ago. Ms. Bloomfield circulated copy of the final Gruver short plat, exhibit 7, showing existing water and sewer lines. All the water lines in the Ware plat are currently 4". The proposal is that it be converted to 6" from the turnaround heading west leaving the Ware plat and crossing the Gruver plat. At the request of the Commission, Darlene clarified numbers 4 and 7 in the Findings of Fact. 2. Public Testimony Applicant Andy Thurston clarified that the site is located next to the Laurel Grove Cemetery, not the Redmans Cemetery. He said he went into this thinking there was a 6" water main but instead it is a 4" main, and said he will do what needs to be done for that. He explained that the drawings indicate several different ways setbacks could be met and that the private easement can still be counted in measurement for setbacks. He explained these on the drawings. Mr. Thurston asked for questions and requested questions be asked of him after public testimony. -~ - . . . r Planning Commission Minutes for July 9, 1992 Page Three He said he has three letters from existing neighbors which indicate willingness to see the project go forth. Sherwood said Planning Commission already has them in their packets. Allen Edward Beach spoke in opposition to the proposal, explaining he had sold some lots with view lines. His opposition is to blocking the view corridor. He asked for more sensitivity towards views that are rapidly disappearing. He read a letter from Neighbor Mrs. Knatzer, and gave it to Darlene to include in the record. Dick Walker spoke in opposition to the proposal, saying he doesn't live in Port Townsend but owns a lot in the neighborhood. He said he was attracted to the area because of its uniqueness and the view, and hopes that the area remains undeveloped in order to maintain the views. Rose Prouty spoke in opposition to the proposal, saying that the development will lower property values and she doesn't want to lose the large open spaces and the view of the water. Dennis Harris, who owns lot 1 of the Ware short plat, said that he did not receive notice of the short plat application. Notice had been sent to the previous owner whose name was still on record at the Courthouse. Rickard said there is very visible notification at the site and a large turnout this evening shows that people were notified. Mr. Harris agreed it was a reasonable oversight. Karen Rafnel, Mr. Harris' wife, said they found out about the hearing from their realtor and a neighbor. She came to the hearing prepared to address movement of the turnaround, saying that now what is presented tonight is an entirely different proposal than what was noticed. She requested 21 days to respond to this new proposal. She said they bought a view property that was protected with an easement access road and that their house was built for the existing view. Barbara Bogart spoke in opposition to the proposal. She sold the property to Harris and Rafnel. She said that the turnaround was a given unbuildable spot that the neighbors counted on. She suggested dividing the plat into larger and fewer lots, and suggested we will be back here again in 5 years because lot 4 will be divided again. Nancy Slater said that her letter is on file stating her objections. Applicant Thurston answered questions. He apologized to Harris and said that his source of addresses came from the Courthouse. He explained the placement of the houses he intends to build and said that if neighbors were promised a guaranteed view over his private property - that was an incorrect promise. He said that he guaranteed a view corridor to someone he sold to by recording a restrictive covenant. He said he is not maxing out the property but is showing normal density, and said that some of the surrounding lots are much higher density than what he is proposing. Mr. Beach asked why Thurston doesn't sacrifice a specific lot for a view corridor. Public testimony closed. e . . . Planning Commission Minutes for July 9, 1992 Page Four 3. Committee Report and Discussion (Thayer/Rickard) Rickard requested update to Port Townsend Municipal Code be distributed, (18.38.120 pg 292 modified in 1992 under ordinance). Thayer expressed that she had a number of concerns, many of which have been dealt with tonight. She said the only way to protect a view is through a deed document. She explained that some of these lots are going to lose their views because of fir trees that will grow and block views in the future. She said it is hard to understand why the cul-de-sac was originally put there when the short plat was approved 10 years ago. No findings of fact were done then. She questioned the logistics of the 6" water line that will be going in. A line doesn't exist in Cleveland St. now, so questioned the water loop proposed by the City Water Superintendent. She wants to listen to the old Planning Commission tapes to see what the reason was for putting the cul-de-sac where it is, but questions whether this really has any bearing on the decision they need to make on the current proposal. Rickard said that it is up to a buyer of a piece of property to understand what s/he is getting when buying a piece of property. A restrictive covenant is needed in order to protect a view. He said the neighbors have not done this and Mr. Thurston has every right to apply for a short plat. Rickard said that he would be really hard pressed to find any justification for denying the application, and doesn't see anything in the Municipal Code which would allow the Commission to deny. Thayer said she wondered about moving the turnaround north so that the building site would be moved south. Karen Erickson asked that all Planning Commission members have updated versions of the Municipal Code. Commission suggested that the applicant and neighbors talk about moving the turnaround to the north so that no building would be possible adjacent to Ware Lot 2. If a compromise could be reached between all of the owners in the current Ware short plat, then there would be less contention. The neighbors, the Fire Chief and Public Works would all have to agree to moving the easement for the turnaround. Commission requested that the applicant submit an updated thorough completed plan in time to go to the neighbors so they have enough time to review it. Rickard explained that this doesn't go to City Council; what Planning Commission decides is the final decision. He asked that the public inspection file be up to date for the neighbors to examine by August 7. Darlene will get together a vicinity map with utilities lines for the next meeting. Commission questions why a 6" water line needs to be taken to Cleveland Street, when there is no line at Cleveland. Motion was made by Rickard to continue the Thurston Short Plat Application #9204-01 to August 13, 1992. Seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. Approved. ~-_....,- . . . Planning Commission Minutes for July 9, 1992 Page Five List of items Planning Commission wants ready to review for the August 13 hearing are: Complete information by July 22 by Darlene. Notification to neighbors does not need to go by certified mail. Cindy Thayer to listen to old Planning Commission tape. Update Municipal Code books for Planning Commission. 6" water line verification. Update staff report with corrections presented 7-9-92. V. NEW BUSINESS: None VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS Scheduled meeting for August 13, 1992, for Sign Code Ordinance Amendment and Thurston Short Plat public hearings. VII. ADJOURN Motion to adjourn was made by Rickard. Seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. Meeting adjourned at 9:50 PM. Signed, xILtu~ Sheila Spears Planning & Building Assistant ---«'."""'" .4