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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11302000 Min ""I11III ~~ ~ CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES November 30, 2000 1. CALL TO ORDER Vice Chairman Larry Harbison called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. II. ROLL CALL Other members answering roll were Jerry Spieckerman, Jim Irvin, Frank Benskin, Christine Ota and Karen Erickson. Bernie Arthur was excused. Also present were BCD staff members Jeff Randall and John McDonagh. III. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA A question was raised regarding election of officers. It was determined to place the item under Unfinished Business. Ms. Erickson made a motion to accept the agenda as amended. Mr. Irvin seconded the motion. All were in favor. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Spieckerman made the motion to approve the minutes as written, and Ms. Erickson seconded the motion. All were in favor. V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Election of Officers: CHAIRMAN-Ms. Erickson nominated Larry Harbison for Chairman. Ms. Ota seconded. Nominations ceased and Mr. Harbison was elected Chairman. VICE CHAIRMAN-Ms. Ota nominated Mr. Spieckerman for Vice Chairman. Ms. Erickson seconded. Nominations ceased and Mr. Spieckerman was elected Vice Chairman. VI. NEW BUSINESS LUPOO-055 - Conditional Use Permit Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission Dining Hall/Multipurpose Facility at Fort Worden State Park and Conference Center Mr. McDonagh discussed Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation for the Conductional Use Permit to allow construction ofa new, modern, esthetically designed 18,106 square foot, 600-person capacity dining halVmultipurpose facility that would fit in well with the Forth Worden Campus. He Planning Commission Minutes Page 1 November 30,2000 .... pointed out that the replacement facility that would nearly double the original facility would require expanded parking immediately around the dining facility to bring the total from 50 current parking spaces to 75. Other satellite parking areas available are within 150 to 200 feet of the dining hall. The site is zoned public open space (P/OS). Construction of the dining halVmultipurpose facility is not clearly defined in the zoning code. The best definition of this type of facility, and fits in very well with they way it operates right now, is a conference center. A Conference Center is a Type III Use Permit and requires a conditional use permit and approval by the Planning Commission. Mr. McDonagh said the Commission recommendation would be forwarded to Council for final approval, modification or denial. The project was given some initial public notice to neighbors within 300 feet at the end of August, and at that time no comments from the general public were received. SEP A review was conducted on the project and resulted in a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance, Exhibit E. During the SEP A Threshold Comment period, BCD received two letters, Exhibits F and G. Exhibit F was a letter from the Washington State Department of Ecology with no specific requirements on the project, but requested the applicant consider the use of recyclable/recycled or salvaged materials in construction of the new facility. Exhibit G, a letter from Mr. Raymond Nelson, probably was the most important and resulted in the addition of a condition to the Findings and Conclusions. The letter questions the appropriateness of the area along the southern boundary of the park in Exhibit C, currently a grassy area with some trees, showing it incorrectly listed as existing informal event parking and approximately 204 parking spaces. When this came to attention, the State Parks concurred, to their and BCD's embarrassment, that they had not noticed it earlier and were amenable to including a condition that specifically stipulates this parking area will not be part of the proposal. (See Condition B under recommendations on Page 8.) CORRECTION: > Condition B, Page 8. Remove question mark and leave as Exhibit D. Mr. McDonagh discussed CUP Criteria. Regarding Criteria E, he noted there were no specific policies and goals in the Comprehensive Plan drafted for Fort Worden. He stated Staff feels the dining hall project does not conflict with any of the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan and is therefore consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Spieckerman asked if this new building would affect the National Historic Register standing at Fort Worden. Mr. McDonagh replied that it would not at all affect that standing. Mr. Irvin asked regarding a parking standard. He observed that they could park all over campus for one facility; if there is another one, why can't they park all over as well? He asked if there is a hard and fast criteria and if the 75 spaces are the only part of the project they have to consider. Mr. McDonagh asked Mr. Richard Brown, Architect for Washington State to reply. Mr. Brown noted that parking has been a lightning rod from the beginning. Mr. McDonagh interjected that in a pre-application meeting, one of the things BCD mentioned was they really needed the State to clearly show what parking was available at Fort Worden and how this project would comply with it. He said they know there is quite a bit of parking but did not know if it had been quantified and asked that they provide some sort of parking inventory that shows where people park now, whether formal or informal parking. He said that the State Parks took that one step further and looked at what they want to improve in the parking areas over the future and presented that rather than actually doing a count. After receiving Mr. Nelson's letter, they put Mr. Nelson in touch with Mr. Brown, and subsequently the area in question was deemed inappropriate and taken off the table. Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 November 30, 2000 Mr. McDonagh noted other parking areas. He stated they want to be clear that with this project they are really looking at the dining hall and the immediate area around it, and if there will be enough parking when this facility is operating to accommodate what the parking codes and standards set forth. Mr. Spieckerman said he was not sure he agreed with the 150 feet, approximately 300 parking spots, and his concern was that this is a multi-use area. If you have other facilities full of people, they will be parking in addition to those who have a big event at the dining hall itself He asked if it had been addressed that if you have people who may have been there 4-5 days for an event and the cars are well- parked, and then someone wants the dining hall for dinner for 500 people. Mr. Brown pointed out the dilemma at Fort Worden. One of the strongest attributes is the pedestrian experience at the Fort -- cars are one of the biggest oppositions. He spoke of having to meet codes and the need to accommodate parking for the disabled. He pointed out problems, e.g. parking near the chapel, and said they do not want 300 cars in one spot. He discussed appropriateness/ inappropriateness of parking as brought up in Mr. Nelson's letter. Mr. Brown pointed out the state's document was for internal purposes and has started the discussion with Mr. Nelson's comments, and others, about the park as a whole. He indicated that because it was in there, and because it is now part of the document, right in the text that parking should be eliminated, they don't have any problem with that, because they don't intend to include it. He said, however, he would like to steer away from this discussion going into park-wide parking solutions. Mr. McDonagh asked Director of Fort Worden State Park, Mr. Jim Farmer to speak. Mr. Farmer spoke of shared parking. He indicated that if the Fort is full, and they cannot serve the needs to bring in a banquet, they would not allow a contract. He noted the military did not build Fort Worden for cars. They have had to look at traffic while they have been developing and that they are developing a parking plan that will change where people park. Mr. Farmer and Mr. McDonagh both reiterated that parking at the dining hall facility is the only parking now under consideration. There was no public testimony. The meeting turned to Commission discussion. COMMISSION DISCUSSION: Ms. Erickson asked regarding requirement for parking spaces within 300 feet. Mr. Randall explained that Port Townsend Municipal Code (PTMC) 17.72 provides requirement for off street parking, and PTMC 17.72.140 for joint use of parking lots. He spoke of requirements for a binding agreement and some limitations. Mr. Randall said this case involves a single owner and a binding agreement would not be necessary. The mix of uses and peak demands probably would not occur at the same time for all those uses; distance for this use would be parking within 500 feet. Mr. Harbison spoke of clarification in Condition B. Mr. Randall said there should be some conclusion; is there adequate off street parking for this facility? Mr. Harbison stated there were 75 plus spaces; Mr. Irvin affirmed it well in excess. Mr. Brown answered Ms. Erickson's question concerning parking within 500 feet, that they have made no other changes. Mr. Benskin brought up cQngested parking at the entrance of the park. Mr. Farmer stated there are no good answers to parking at the chapel; it has been under consideration for a long duration. Mr. Farmer indicated they will have to move ahead at some point, but it is not part of this dining hall consideration. Mr. Randall referred to lodging buildings and needing to determine how many spaces are available for joint use, and perhaps directing Staff or the State Parks to provide approximate numbers of Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 November 30, 2000 spaces available with 500 feet. Mr. Spieckerman said he had no problem with parking, but with the scale of the map it is hard to determine. He suggested clarifying the legend. Mr. McDonagh suggested they could be directed to add to the final parking plan, parking spaces and uses within a 500-foot radius of the dining hall. Mr. Brown stated concern with providing new exhibits. It was suggested a requirement be added to #4 on Page 9, prior to issuance of the building permit. Mr. Harbison asked if there were consensus. CONSENSUS: > Change #4, Page 9 to include, "Prior to issuance of a building permit, a final dining hall parking plan showing joint use parking available within a 500 foot radius to meet requirements ofPTMC 17.72 . . ." > Correct typographical error on Page 8 to read," ... operation of the dining halVmultipurpose facility . . ." Mr. Benskin asked about the letter from the Department of Ecology regarding recycling. Mr. Brown pointed out it is a form letter and noted they are recycling where appropriate. Mr. McDonagh showed drawings of the proposed building. Esthetics and attributes of the building were discussed. Mr. Brown stated the building is broken into four different rooms for four separate functions. He stated the dining facility can accommodate 500 and stressed that the dining facility is the health of Fort Worden. Mr. Farmer indicated the governor's budget is to be released December 20th. The State Parks Commission made this a very high priority in their capital plan; if they can't have the dining hall, they will have to change the needs to meet how they can run the place. Mr. Randall pointed out that to the legislators it is key that Fort Worden pay for itself Mr. Randall referred to Condition E on Page 11 and asked that they have the ability to change the requirement that the Conditional Use Permit is valid for the 3 years. If the State Parks sees the possibility that submittal of a building permit might not occur in 3 years, and with the ability the Planning Commission and City Council has, the time be extended to six years. Consensus followed discussion. CONSENSUS: > Amend Condition E, Page 11 to read, " . . . the CUP shall expire within six years of the effective approval date, an extension granted pursuant to PTMC 17.84, ..." SECOND VOTE Mr. Spieckerman Approve LUPOO-055 Conditional Use Permit Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission Dining Hall/Multipurpose Facility at Fort Worden State Park and Conference Center as amended and recommend City Council approval of the Conditional Use Permit Mr. Irvin UNANIMOUS, 6 in favor MOTION Planning Commission Minutes Page 4 November 30, 2000 AMENDMENTS: > Page 8, Condition B under Recommendations. Remove question mark. > Page 8, Condition D under Recommendations. Change to " . . . operation of dining haW multipurpose facility . . ." > Page 9, #4, Change to include "Prior to issuance of a building permit, a final dining hall parking plan showing joint use parking available within a 500-foot radius to meet requirements ofPTMC 17.72 . . . " > Page 11, Condition E. Change to read, " . . . the CUP shall expire within six years of the effective approval date, an extension granted pursuant to PTMC 17.84, . . ." Mr. Brown spoke of his work statewide and commended BCD staff noting their professionalism. He said he was given impacting ordinances upfront, and the parking issues that required adjustment were addressed. He said they are an exceptional staff Chair Harbison stated they appreciate that the staff is doing an exceptional job. VII. UPCOMING MEETINGS Mr. Randall reported there was nothing planned for December, and no meetings were scheduled. Ms. Erickson noted she would probably be unavailable the second week of January, and Mr. Irvin reported he would also need to be excused January 25th. VIII. COMMUNICATIONS Mr. McDonagh distributed documents to the Planning Commissioners. He discussed a meeting he had recently attended where the Governor of Maryland was speaking on smart growth. Mr. Benskin also added, "working where you live." IX. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Mr. Spieckerman and seconded by Mr. Irvin. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Larry Harbison, Vice Chair Sheila Avis, Minute Taker Planning Commission Minutes Page 5 November 30, 2000