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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03301995 Min Ag . .- . City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 \Vater St., Port Townsend, \VA 98368 206/385-3000 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA Business Meeting March 30, 1995 I. ROLL CALL II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 9, 1995 III. COMMUNICATIONS: Current mail IV. QLD _BUSINESS A - Port Townsend School District #50/ Early Childhood Educatíon çenter - Conditional Use Permit #9411-06 1. Staff Report (Surber) 2. Public Testimony 3. Committee Report· (Erickson/Keith) 4. Commission Discussion and Conclusions V. NEW BUSINESS VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next Scheduled Meetings April 13. 1995 Mabel Jean Stanks, Variance Application #9502-02 (Enarson/Thayer) Judith McKinney, Conditional Use Permit #9503-09 and Variance #9502-06 (Keith/Baird) April 27. 1995 VII. ADJOURN .... r.' . . . -. " ..~ City of Port Townsend Planning Commission 540 Water St., Port Townsend, WA 98368 206/385-3000 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES March 30, 1995 Business Meeting 7:00 PM I. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Chair Lois Sherwood. Other members present were Ernie Baird, Lisa Enarson, Karen Erickson, Cindy Thayer, Ian Keith and Mark Welch. Staff members present were Judy Surber and Sheila Spears. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve the minutes of 3/9/95 was made by Enarson and seconded by Keith. All approved. III. COMMUNICATIONS Appearance of Fairness Doctrine was handed out. Surber reported that The American Planning Association has sent notice of time for renewal for membership. The cost is $60 for each member. She asked if Planning Commission members wanted to continue their membership. After brief discussion the decision was made to not renew but rather have staff copy significant excerpts from the APA Journal and distribute with Planning Commission packets. Planning Commission prefers spending the funds on a nearby workshop. Surber asked if anyone wanted copies of A Short Course in Local Planning. Keith is the only member that doesn't already have one, and said that he would borrow somebody else's. IV. OLD BUSINESS A. Port Townsend School District #50/Early Childhood Education Center Conditional Use Permit #9411-06 Sherwood announced that she would have to withdraw from the proceedings because she is an employee of the School District. Mark Welch also excused himself because his wife is an employee of the School District. Both left the proceedings at this time and the meeting was turned over to Erickson. · · · ~, "~ Planning Commission Minutes March 30, 1995 Page Two 1. Staff Report Surber described the applicant's proposal to establish the Port Townsend School District Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). The ECEC would expand upon the existing educational facilities of Grant Street Elementary School. Proposed improvements include: three double classroom portables, one single classroom portable, office use of an existing residential structure, associated pathways, playground, trails, fencing, utility and street improvements. A slide of Discovery Road and Grant Street was shown and the phases described. A SEPA Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance was issued on 3/1/95, and the mitigation measures agreed to by the applicant were summarized. Under a separate application for a street vacation, the applicant proposes to: 1) vacate that portion of 18 tho Street lying between the westerly line of Grant Street and the westerly line of Sherman Street, and 2) vacate that portion of Hendricks Street lying between the southerly line of Discovery Road and the southerly line of 18th Street. The applicant also proposes to dedicate land along the school district's northern property line for future widening of Discovery Road. City Council approved the street vacation application on 3/20/95. 2. Public Testimony Gene Medina, School District Superintendent, explained the District's perceived need for the ECEC. He said that he is excited about the integrated preschool program and couldn't have done this project without all the help of City staff. Erickson questioned what age is the youngest child in the program. Medina answered three. He explained that the birth-to-three component is a home delivery program so children don't come to school. The parent comes to the center for training. He said that part of the birth- to-three program will be office space. Bob Witheridge, Maintenance Operations Manager stated that one unique aspect of this project is that the trees will be maintained and incorporated into the proposed play areas. 3. Committee Report Keith reported on his site visit and asked why the marked trees were going to be cut. The Madronas and Firs next to the parking area are marked for cutting. If they are cut, it is some distance up to the next trees. He said it seems that some of these ,trees needn't be cut and he is sorry to see any trees in the City cut unless it is absolutely necessary. Witheridge offered that some of the cutting may be because of the design of the site for utilities and buildings and the fact that once excavation begins some undergrowth and roots may be disturbed. · · · , /<.01 Planning Commission Minutes March 30, 1995 Page Three Keith questioned whether it is feasible to keep the road noise level down inside the northern (Head Start) portable since it is positioned so closely to the road. Medina said the portable will be 20 feet from where any expansion of Discovery Road would occur. Also, the portable is more parallel to the road than is shown in the drawing. He said this is the best placement for the portable and the internal sounds will be mitigated. The landscaping is a vegetation screen and buffer. Medina said that all of the issues around the sound impact have been covered. Keith asked if the pick-up and drop-off lane is 50 feet from the current corner or the new one. Medina answered that it is measured from the new corner and that the current pick-up space has been narrowed because of safety. Keith said he thinks stacking will happen with so many cars turning left from Discovery Road. Surber pointed out the modifications and said the loading zone was pulled back slightly from the intersection. Keith questioned the burning of the three existing outbuildings on the site. Medina answered that the Fire Department issued a burn permit because the structures were unsafe. Witheridge stated that there were no composition materials on any of those buildings per the Fire Department. Thayer questioned why the Planning Commission didn't have the revised site plans in their packets, saying that it is hard to make a decision without them. Surber explained, and brought out a large set of revised plans. The revisions were minor (e.g., slight realignment of the northern portable and setback of loading zone). The biggest tree on the site is sprayed to be removed. Keith objects to this. He pointed out the marks on the drawing are not the same as the marked trees at the site. A 26 ft. diameter fir tree is marked to be cut. A condition could be' added that every effort should be made to preserve the trees. Erickson stated her concerns that numbers 5 and 6 in the conclusions should be conditions. Surber explained that in her original draft report she had listed them as conditions but after review by the City Attorney, they were changed to conclusions. Surber said that since this conditional use permit includes improvements in areas subject to the street vacation application approved by Council, this application is dependent upon the applicant's conformance with conditions of that permit. Motion was made by Keith to recommend to City Council for approval of the Port Townsend School District's Early Childhood Education Center, Conditional Use Permit Application #9411-06 and add a condition that every effort be made to save all the trees currently marked to be removed unless the architect thinks that the trees will pose a danger to the children. , ~ · · · . '/'.:- Planning Commission Minutes March 30, 1995 Page Four Discussion by the Planning Commission included directing the project architect to review the trees marked for removal. Suggestion was made to have the architect explain to City Council in a memo rather than make a condition to find out if there is any other way to save the trees that are marked. Another suggestion was made to have staff attach a memo to Council packets expressing the Planning Commission's concern. Without the added condition, Enarson seconded the motion. All were in favor. V. NEW BUSINESS VI. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next Scheduled Meetings April 13. 1995 Mabel Jean Stanks, Variance Application #9502-02 (Enarson/Thayer) Judith McKinney, Conditional Use Permit #9503-09 and Variance #9502-06 (Keith/Baird) April 27. 1995 Gary W. Kennedy, Summary Short Plat #9410-09 VII. ADJOURN Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Enarson. Seconded by Thayer. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM. ~~~ Community Development Assistant