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HomeMy WebLinkAbout102215 CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR SESSION OF OCTOBER 22, 2015 CALL TO ORDER The Port Townsend Planning Commission met in regular session on October 22, 2015, in the Council Chambers at 540 Water Street. Chair MickHager called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners present at roll call were Kirit Bhansali, Nan Evans, Douglas Frick, Rick Jahnke, and Monica MickHager, with Dwight Nicholson and Jack Range excused. Staff members present were Planning Director Lance Bailey, Planning Manager/Senior Planner Judy Surber, and Deputy Clerk Amber Long. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA Prior to the meeting, the Commission was provided with a proposed revised agenda, showing the addition of an item to New Business. Chair MickHager noted for the record that staff made this requested addition after public notice of the hearing was given, but the updated information had been posted on the City's website. Motion: Rick Jahnke moved accept the agenda, as amended. Kirit Bhansali seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - OCTOBER 8, 2015 Motion: Douglas Frick moved to approve the minutes of October 8, 2015. Nan Evans seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT There was no general public comment. PUBLIC HEARING Planning Director's Recommendations on Preliminary Docket for 2016 GMA Periodic Update Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations Chair MickHager read the rules of procedure for the public hearing. No Commissioners declared any financial or property interests in this matter. Planning Commission Meeting October 22, 2015 Page 1 of 4 Staff Presentation: Planning Manager/Senior Planner Judy Surber gave the staff presentation. She informed the Commission that the Joint Growth Management Steering Committee has made a recommendation on population projections that was consistent with staffs recommendation and will be forwarded to Board of County Commissioners for a public hearing. Ms. Surber gave an overview of the process for developing the tables of suggested amendments (Exhibit 4). Staff recommended that Phase II (Critical Areas Ordinance amendments) not be docketed at this time. Ms. Surber noted a proposed change to the language of the first action item on the agenda to reflect this recommendation. She stated that it is a very ambitious docket given the June 2016 deadline. Staff will start with the mandatory amendments, then move to the optional suggested amendments. Amendments that require more time for discussion or analysis may be removed from the docket and addressed later. Public Comment: Scott Walker encouraged the Commission to plan for people, bicycles, and transit, not for cars and traffic. Debbie Jahnke pointed out that the Shoreline Master Program (SMP) does not allow boating at Kah Tai, as suggested in #21 on Table A (Exhibit 4). Staff Response: Ms. Surber explained that the suggestion about boating at Kah Tai came from the public and did not make the recommended docket. Tables A, B, and C in Exhibit 4 contain summaries of the public input. It was suggested that staff add headings to the tables to help clarify what they contain and that staff add a comment specifying that the SMP does not allow boating in Kah Tai. Commission Discussion and Action: Chair MickHager closed the public testimony portion of the hearing. Minor editing/formatting changes were suggested by the Commission. Staff clarified that City Council will not be given the strike-out-and-underline version of the recommended docket; all of the suggested changes will have been accepted. In response to a question, staff explained that the term "food hub" has been used by some local organizations to describe a distribution center for local farmers to bring in food to have it packaged and distributed. Chair MickHager closed the public hearing. First action: There was a question about the word "findings" in the suggested action on the agenda. Staff clarified that items 1-4 come from the Municipal Code, and staff recommends that the Commission include them as findings. After some discussion, the Commission agreed to change the wording of the action as follows: Planning Commission Meeting October 22, 2015 Page 2 of 4 Motion: Nan Evans moved to adopt the findings set forth in the Director's October 15, 2015 memorandum (criteria 1-4 on page 4) and to recommend that Council adopt the 2016 Periodic Update Docket for Phase I as set forth in Exhibit 1. Douglas Frick seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. Second action: Staff was asked about the timeline for this action item and explained that a consultant will be hired in 2016, which decision is based on funding in the budget. Motion: Rick Jahnke moved to recommend that Council process separately the Howard Street Subarea Plan to clarify, supplement, or implement jurisdiction-wide comprehensive plan policies and incorporate the recommendations of the Hovee Economic Feasibility Study. Kirit Bhansali seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. Third action: Motion: Douglas Frick moved to recommend that Council postpone the 2016 Comprehensive Plan annual amendment docket. Nan Evans seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. Fourth action: In response to a question, staff suggested adding a reference to "Exhibit 5." Staff has drafted a resolution for City Council requesting that the City Manager work with Development Services staff on future work programs and include the items on Exhibit 5; prioritization would be determined by the City Manager. Motion: Kirit Bhansali moved to recommend that Council consider items in Exhibit 5 that did not make the 2016 Periodic Update for future work plans. Rick Jahnke seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. NEW BUSINESS Appoint a Subcommittee to Handle the Functions of the Design Review Advisory Committee, in Compliance with Resolution 13-008 Planning Director Lance Bailey gave a brief overview of the history of the Design Review Advisory Committee. Resolution 13-008 allows a subcommittee of the Planning Commission to handle the functions of the Committee. Staff recommended appointing at least three Commissioners to meet in the next couple of weeks and as needed in the future. Staff specifically suggested that Mr. Nicholson be appointed to the subcommittee due to his experience as an architect. Chair MickHager mentioned that she had contacted Commissioners Nicholson and Range earlier in the day about serving on the subcommittee. Chair MickHager asked Mr. Frick to be the third subcommittee member and Mr. Bhansali to be the alternate. Both agreed. The subcommittee will provide a recommendation to the Planning Director. Motion: Kirit Bhansali moved appoint Mssrs. Dwight Nicholson, Jack Range, and Douglas Frick as primary members of a subcommittee to handle the functions of the Planning Commission Meeting October 22, 2015 Page 3 of 4 Design Review Advisory Committee, in compliance with Resolution 13-008, and Mr. Bhansali as an alternate. Rick Jahnke seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. OLD BUSINESS - NONE OTHER BUSINESS - NONE UPCOMING MEETINGS The next regular meeting is scheduled for December 10th. Chair MickHager encouraged Planning Commissioners to attend the City Council public hearing on November 16th. COMMUNICATIONS - NONE ADJOURNMENT Motion: Kirit Bhansali moved to adjourn the meeting. Nan Evans seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 5-0 by voice vote. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:33 p.m. Attest: Pla` ning Commission Chair City Clerk's Office Planning Commission Meeting October 22, 2015 Page 4 of 4