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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05211992 Ag Min ~- ... Planning and Building Department 540 Water Street, Port Townsend, W A 98368 206/385-3000 e City of Port Townsend PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA Workshop Meeting I. ROLL CALL May 21, 1992 7:00 PM II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of March 26, 1992, and April 2, 1992 III. COMMUNICATIONS: Current mail IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Review of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance, Draft 7 e V. NEW BUSINESS VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next Scheduled Meetings Thursday. May 28. 1992 Workshop meeting - Review of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance, Draft 7 Thursday. June 11. 1992 Rosewind Planned Unit Development (#9106-04), Continued Public Hearing (Committee: Welch/Baird) Wednesday. June 24. 1992 Joint Public Hearing, (Planning Commission and City Council) *Public testimony taken on Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance, Draft 8 Thursday. June 25. 1992 Planning Committee Recommendation on Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance *No Public Testimony taken Thursday. July 9. 1992 Variance Application #9205-01, Elizabeth Berman _ VIII. ADJOURN ~ .... (11 . . e ~ ~ City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA May 21, 1992 IV. OLD BUSINESS A. REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS ORDINANCE, DRAFT 7 1. INTRODUCTION (Dave Robison) 2. ENFORCEMENT POWERS (Dennis McLerran) 3. REASONABLE USE EXCEPTION 4. USING MAPS FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES 5. RELATIONSHIP TO SEPA PROCESS AND POLICIES 6. NOTIFICATION PROCESS AND APPEALS 7. BUFFER WIDTHS 8. DENSITY TRANSFERS 9. LARGE LOT PROVISIONS to. OTHER QUESTIONS - -- . ~. " City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 Planning Commission Minutes for May 21, 1992 I. ROLL CALL Chair Lois Sherwood called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Other members present were Ernie Baird, Karen Erickson, Cindy Thayer, Randy Maag and Mark Welch. Staff members present were Dave Robison, Michael Hildt, City Attorney Dennis McLerran, and Sheila Spears.- City Council members present were Sheila Westerman and Cindy Wolpin. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 26, 1992 and April 2, 1992 Motion was made by Cindy Thayer to approve the minutes as written. Seconded by Karen Erickson. All were in favor. III. COMMUNICATIONS: None IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Review of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Ordinance, Draft 7 1. Introduction: Dave Robison pointed out the additional agenda and introduced City Attorney Dennis McLerran, saying that Dennis wants to address the trepidation about the new city attorney reviewing the ordinance that had already gone through a lot of study by staff, Planning Commission and citizens. McLerran said he doesn't want to undermine that work and that staff has tried to be consistent with format and issues that have been done so far. McLerran said that staff tried to build on and strengthen draft 6 and that this document is a lot stronger than it was before and that some areas focus more on the legal side. He tried to make a distinction between legal and policy issues. Robison suggested that McLerran be given as much time as possible because he cannot attend the Planning Commission meeting next week. Next week Robison will review pre- construction and pre-application processes. Robison gave a quick overview of the map status. 2. Enforcement Powers: McLerran addressed legal issues and said that if we have a regulation we need to be in a position to enforce it. Civil penalties for - e e Planning Commission Minutes May 21, 1992 Page Two violations can be stiff. Stiff fines is a good leveraging device to get compliance. Civil penalties can potentially be cumulative. The standard of proof in criminal cases is much more difficult than in civil cases. He said that these are the kinds of tools that a good solid ordinance will have. 3. Reasonable Use Exception: McLerran explained that an applicant for a City permit to develop or use real property which is located in an Environmentally Sensitive Area may apply to the Director for modification of environmentally sensitive area development standards. Discretion can be used by the Director on an individual basis when all measures cannot be met. 4. Using Maps for Regulatory Purposes: Robison explained that using maps will lower the need for staff to go to the site on individual cases. It would be too costly for staff to have to visit each building site. McLerran explained the administrative ability of the maps saying they are a convenience to the administrative process. He said that information for updating maps could come from citizens and the permitting process. Concern was expressed by a citizen that our map could eventually cover the entire city and thereby cause urban sprawl out into the county where perhaps they have mapped differently. Robison explained that the county and the city are closely aligned in their mapping process. Karen Erickson left the meeting at 8:30 PM. 5. Relationship to SEP A Process and Policies: McLerran explained that this is more of a policy issue than a legal issue. He said that if an exempt SEP A is in an ESA, then it is no longer exempt. 6. Notification Process and Appeals: McLerran said that an appeal should hold up the permit process. 7. Buffer Widths: Robison explained that WETSW AC is looking into whether buffer areas are sufficient, in the interim. 8. Density Transfers: McLerran explained that the provisions are designed to provide incentives for the preservation of wetlands and wetland buffers, flexibility in design, and consistent treatment of different types of development proposals. e e e '" , ~ « Planning Commission Minutes May 21, 1992 Page Three 9. Large Lot Provisions: McLerran talked about how to deal with the issue of old plats, and small lots on those plats. One policy option available is to change minimum lot sizes. Exceptions would be made for existing lots which are smaller on date of adoption. This is exactly what happened when Port Townsend adopted the zoning ordinance. to. Exemptions: McLerran talked about which activities would be exempted from the provisions of this ordinance and the administrative rules. V. NEW BUSINESS: None VI. NEXT SCHEDULED MEETINGS: See agenda VIII. ADJOURN Motion was made by Baird to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Thayer. All approved. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 PM. Signed, ~~ Sheila Spears Planning and Building Assistant