HomeMy WebLinkAbout032725 Special Session City Council (Joint PC Meeting) Meeting Packet
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL SESSION AGENDA
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 540 WATER STREET
Special Session Meeting
City Council to join Planning
Commission 6:30 p.m. March 27,2025
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I.Call to Order
II.Roll Call
III.Acceptance of Agenda
IV.Approval of Minutes: February 27, 2025
V. General Public Comment (For items not on agenda- Limited to 5 minutes per person.
Please begin by stating your name and address. General public comment is not a public
hearing. Comments made during this time will not be part of a hearing record.)
VI.New Business:
A. Discuss Comprehensive Plan Open House
Proposed Action: Discussion Only. No action requested.
VII.Old Business:
A. Continuing discussion of tools for the Comprehensive Plan
Proposed Action: DiscussionOnly. Continue reviewing the draft document
grouping policies by topic.
i. Mixed-Use goals and policies
ii. Parks and Recreation goals and policies
iii. Staff Responsibilities goals and policies
iv. Consistency goals and policies
v. Community Direction Statement
vi. Public Comment
VIII. Upcoming Meetings:
Thursday, April 10, Planning Commission Meeting continuing discussion of
existing and draft goals and policies in relation to goals set by the preliminary
docket. Expected focus on transportation system, rights of way, streets, non-
motorized transportation, trails, and ferry transit
Thursday, April 24, Joint Planning Commission and City Council Meeting
continuing discussion of existing and draft goals and policies in relation to
goals set by the preliminary docket
Thursday, May 8, Planning Commission
IX. Communications
X. Adjourn
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL
SESSIONOF FEBRUARY 27, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
The Planning Commission met in special session with the City Council on February 27,
2025, in the City Council chamber at 540 Water Street. Chair Rick Jahnke called the
meeting to order at 6:30pm
ROLL CALL
Commissioners present at roll call were Andreas Andreadis, Samantha Bair-Jones, Bob
Doyle, Rick Jahnke, Stephen Mader, Viki Sonntag, and Lois Stanford.
City Council was called to order at 6:45.
Council members present at roll call were Monica MickHager, Owen Rowe, Ben
Thomas, and Libby Urner Wennstrom.
Staff members present were Public Works Director, Steve King, Planning and
Community Development Director, Emma Bolin, Long Range Planner, Adrian Smith,
and Deputy City Clerk, Lonnie Mickle.
ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA
The agenda was accepted by consensus.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Galen Goodwick discussed the future of homes for the working class residence in the
city. Pete Langley mentioned taxes and alternative housing. Gary Rieger discussed
underutilized lots, the city manager’s pay and smaller homes. Jude Rubin asked what
the Climate Action Committee and the Planning Commission would do with both the
food security and climate resiliency layer map and how to help the farms and food
producers in the city.
Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin responded to public
comments.
NEW BUSINESS
Reviewing Current Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies
Planning and Community Development Director, Emma Bolin and Long Range Planner,
Adrian Smith reviewed the Policies in the Adopted Comprehensive Plan. Adrian Smith
introduced the SCJ Alliance consultant, Bill Grimes. The Long Range Planner recapped
how each of the different reports and checklists work together. Thisportion of the
presentation covered the growth management report, the housing needs assessment,
land capacity analysis, the income band analysis, the racially disparate impacts
analysis, and the adequate provisions checklist.
Council members and Commissioners discussed the income band analysis, land use
analysis, subsidized housing, the inclusion of the risk displacement map, and the
barriers to housing.
Emma Bolin and Adrian Smith continued the presentation with the adopted land use
map, a comparison between the zoning map and the land use map, the required future
land use map, and how other cities changed their maps.
Discussion ensued about changing the city’s maps, growth of the city, and simplifying
each different map.
Steve King mentioned the different processes to change maps, and the ability to
generalize zoning codes to have more allowances for changes.
Bill Grimes summarized the community engagement. Mr. Grimes mentioned refining the
community statement, and the policy for community direction.
Discussion ensued about the goals for the encouragement of higher density residential
development within the City limits with gradual phasing outward from the urban core,
the consideration of the need to adopt and implement a right-to-farm ordinance in order
to protect agricultural uses in certain residential zones, and the assurance of a wide
range of housing opportunities throughout the entire community, while preserving and
creating distinct residential neighborhoods.
The Council members and Commissioners discussed the encouragement of higher
density residential development in areas where the existing development patterns or
terrain are conducive to walking, bicycling, and frequent transit service, and the
dispersion of multi-family housing and special needs housing throughout the City
rather than in isolated developments.
The Commissioners and Council members then discussed the development of housing
by designating and zoning smaller multi-family residential districts in many locations and
encouraging building design and landscaping that will help housing blend into or
improve neighborhoods.
They also discussed pursuing strategies to discourage nonlocal traffic through
residential neighborhoods and to plan adequate off-street parking to encourage
narrower streets in new and redeveloped residential areas.
Adrian Smith presented goals and policies for housing.
Discussion ensued about providing an adequate supply of housing for residents of all
income groups, including sufficient housing affordability to low and moderate income
groups, ensuring that implementing regulations allow experimentation in newer forms of
residential development where clustering, density bonuses, and other incentives help to
achieve affordable housing and open space goals, encouraging accessory dwelling
units (ADUs) and other innovative techniques for providing affordable housing, and
considering permitting affordable housing "demonstration projects" in which
development standards may be negotiated without sacrificing public health and safety,
in order to provide lower cost housing.
The Commissioners and Council members discussed the city’s community driven
development, the work being done in partnership among various levels of government
and with other public and private agencies to address the city’s housing needs, and the
consideration of all available local, county, state, and federal funding opportunities and
private resources in the development of affordable housing and the participation in
region-wide coordination of affordable housing related plans and programs.
They also discussed alternative organizational structures that may improve our ability to
meet affordable housing goals, the encouragement of clustering and small lot PUDs in
order to retain open space and promote the construction of affordably priced attached
single-family houses, and the recognition that an adequate supply of affordable housing
is directly linked to economic development.
The Council members and Commissioners then discussed promoting a balanced,
affordable, reliable, convenient, and efficient transportation system that supports the
Land Use Element and Community Direction Statement of the Port Townsend
Comprehensive Plan to ensure that transportation system improvements are compatible
with adjacent land uses, the provision of a transportation systemthat enhances
neighborhood development and infill, and to coordinate with affected agencies to design
regional transportation systems to support urban growth within designated urban growth
areas.
They also discussed developing a comprehensive Transportation Demand Management
program and other incentives to improve the efficient use of the transportation system
and to achieve Port Townsend’s land use objectives.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to discuss at this meeting.
UPCOMING MEETINGS * THURSDAY, MARCH 13, PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF TOOLS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, INCLUDING EXISTING GOALS AND POLICIES IN RELATION TO GOALS
SET BY THE PRELIMINARY DOCKET. * WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, PUBLIC
WORKSHOP ON IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS * THURSDAY, MARCH 27,
PLANNING COMMISSION & CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING ON DRAFT GOALS
AND POLICIES RELATED TO HOUSING AND DENSITY, AND ON
IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS. * THURSDAY, APRIL 10, PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF EXISTING AND DRAFT GOALS AND
POLICIES IN RELATION TO GOALS SET BY THE PRELIMINARY DOCKET
COMMUNICATIONS
There was no communication for this meeting.
ADJOURN
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:08 pm.
Attest:
City Clerk's Office
To which
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Last updatedLogin email(optional)(optional)City Limits?packet)commentwhich one.characters or less.Hearing?Hearing?
Mon Mar 24
2025 The city has developed a comprehensive plan to concentrate on its own goals, not the ones
09:55:00 stated by those of us who live in town. The city has fixations that don't align. We want to
GMT-0700 maintain open space, small town atmosphere and low cost housing. Not "in filling" and not
(Pacific Live in Port General zoning changes to encourage scattered pods of businesses and high density housing. Maybe
Daylight Townsend Planning public a few hand selected groups ere consulted on the pods. But, as usual, the city was sneaky. Comprehen
Time)City Limits Commission commentPods were another surprise. Please be more transparent. Listen better. Yessive plan.
Stop building developments on arable land. If you must allow cute little eco friendly politically
correct developments build it on forest land not on farming land. We can always grow new
Sun Mar 23 trees but we will never get back the land taken on F. St or the old Namora place. Just because
2025 it hasn't been used for farming in a long time doesn't mean that it should be wasted. Often
08:20:00 cited as a inspiration for such building The Pattern Language book specifically states never
GMT-0700 build on good farm land.
(Pacific Live in Port Agenda As I have said before, the rest of the world houses many of its citizens in multi story Comprehen
Daylight Tony Townsend Planning item Comprehensive apartment buildings. They are much more efficient than Single Family Dwellings which are sive Plan
Time)GoldenbergCity Limits Commission specificPlanextradinarily wasteful. Just drive around and look at the scrap piles on new housing.YesUpdate.T
To which
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to submit this Public the Public
updated(optional)(optional)Limits?Council commentwhich one.form until your comment is 2350 characters or less.Hearing?Hearing?
In this case, written content should be congruent with the 5 minutes allowed for this special session. This fast tracking of the Comprehensive Plan
feels like an effort to minimize public input that is contrary to stated desires of City and Council.
Specifically, ignoring the results of earlier town meetings whose consensus was the preservation of the city golf course as open recreational space,
preserving and enhancing the Camas Prairie, and not allowing new proposed housing to erode this important ecological and cultural prairie remnant.
This prairie fragment should be celebrated and venerated. To illustrate the importance of prairie conservation, there is a major conference in Tacoma
April 14-17 focusing on conservation and protection of the Oak-Prairie ecosystems (of which the golf course prairie is a floristically rich example) from
SW BC to Northern CA.
Farming and open space needs to be protected. In the event of the overdue major earthquake, some projections show our area being cut off for
several months. Local food security is critical. Vacant land tax is something to be opposed as open space enhances the quality of urban life and
ameliorates climate change. When we approached the City 25 years ago about having a nursery on this property in city limits, it was enthusiastically
Thu Mar endorsed as it was their desire to preserve open space. This is consistent with the original Direction Statement in the Comp Plan which was intended
27 2025 as an inviolable guide for future generations of city planners, council members, planning commissioners and citizens. This should be considered at
08:55:00 the level of a city constitution and not subject to change or amendment. The proposed rewriting of this directive removes the original language to Special
GMT-Kelly@farrLive in protect the unique quality of life and the character of Port Townsend and replaces with nothing that includes this original protective intention. Session
0700 eachesbotPort Finally, the commercial node at Hastings and Howard should be discouraged. It is near the city limits, is less than two miles to commercial center including
(Pacific anicalconTownsenAgenda where QFC is, and such nodes are are unlikely to offer a profitable situation for commercial businesses based on the proposed future density of the Comprehe
Daylight Kelly servancy.d City item Comprehensive city. We are not a major metropolitan center like Seattle where such commercial hubs are viable. nsive Plan
Time)DodsonorgLimits City Council specificPlanThank you for your consideration.Yesreview
Dear Planning Committee and City Council Members, thank you for the opportunity to provide input and feedback in yesterday's Open House. The
proposed changes to address the shortage of affordable housing and reduce emissions through greater housing density and mixed-use nodes all point
to a significant increase in development.
Besides the requirement to reduce emissions, WA State's climate change mandate also requires communities to become more resilient. When
considering development, which would allow for greater population density, I think we must emphasize the essential role of urban agriculture. We are
very lucky to have several farms and community gardens within our city limits. The food grown on this land, makes the community more resilient to
potential future food shortages due to climate change. Any change in the City's policies, must protect, support and encourage urban gardening and
farming.
I would also like the Planning Committee to consider the importance of native habitat restoration and conservation. Green spaces in general, but
especially forests mitigate climate change. The more trees we cut and the more roads, buildings and houses we build, the more vulnerable the
community becomes. I would like to see protections and support for any land, which restores and conserves native habitat included in the city's
comprehensive plan.
Thu Mar
27 2025 I understand that affordable housing must be built. However, developments such as Richmonds homes on Cook Ave. and the current project near
08:55:00 Goodwill, have eliminated many acres of forest. How do such developments serve the residents of this community?
GMT-Live in
0700 Port Finally, I would like to point out that the farms, fields, forests and beaches are what makes Port Townsend such a beautiful place. While revising the
(Pacific TownsenAgenda comprehensive plan, please make it a priority to preserve the natural beauty of our community.
Daylight d City item Comprehensive
Time)Limits City Council specificPlanThank you for reading/listening.
Thu Mar Hello, I am a PT resident. I have lived here since 1977, and am currently retired.
27 2025 I, like many others, am concerned for the state of our country and our democracy. I am concerned that my livelihood on Social Security is in jeopardy,
07:21:00 as I am sure many others in town are. It leads to more concerns for my town and community and the ability to afford rising costs here. It seems a good
GMT-Live in time to pull in, to not overextend ourselves and spend funds that we are not even sure we have. Is it possible to rethink all the "big plans" we have on
0700 Port the table for a more sensible approach ... perhaps a wait and see approach? Can we all just step back and take care of what we have right now? There
(Pacific laflores99TownsenGeneral are plenty of things we could just tend to without adding new projects. Please, consider the option of doing No big projects until we understand more
Daylight @yahoo.cd City public of what is coming, or not coming from the current administration? I ask you to step back, take care of our locals, protect what we have and love, do
Time)Lisa FloresomLimits City Council commentless and do it better. Thank you.No
I am nineteen, and I have lived in PT my entire life. Though I am currently attending college far away from my hometown, I intend to return to this place
that I love. As a college student, I am studying the complex interactions between environment, politics, and communities. If there is one thing I have
learned, it’s that these relationships are nearly always framed as a fight between economy and environment, between jobs and ecosystems, between
industry and health.
In PT, I have seen variants of these familiar narratives play out over the course of my lifetime: farms vs housing. Open space vs development. Density vs
climate resilience.
But I reject this narrative. I reject that we must choose between economic security and climate resilience. I reject that we must choose between a
town with affordable housing and sustainable food systems. I believe in a future with both—a future where families will be able to live here, a future
that continues to celebrate our agricultural heritage.
We are facing a climate crisis whose effects are far-reaching, catastrophic, and destructive. This disaster will touch everyone, everywhere. We must
begin the work of creating a community that is resilient, interconnected, and strong in the face of these drastic changes. Luckily, we are already well
on the path to this vision.
We are surrounded by small, local agricultural systems—farms that feed us, contribute to the economy, and promote the health of this community.
Supporting agriculture within our city limits is critical on the path forward. Urban farms tend to be some of the most viable; they are interconnected
Thu Mar with local economies, they are visible, and they are inextricably tied with local food systems. To secure a viable future, we must protect, promote, and
27 2025 expand these farms, both within city limits and beyond.
07:06:00
GMT-Live in My generation has inherited a climate crisis that we can only begin to repair, and a country that consistently prioritizes economic gains over the health
0700 hazelwindPort of its people, its environment, and its future. I urge you not to fall into this way of thinking. For all of the young people in this community, I hope you will
(Pacific storm28@TownsenAgenda defend agriculture, defend farming, defend the fundamental character of this place—and in doing so, defend our future.
Daylight Hazel gmail.cod City Planning item Comprehensive
Time)WindstormmLimits Commission specificPlanNo
I am writing to request that Urban Agriculture, Resilient Local Food Systems, and Ecosystem Services (on both urban farms and private homes) be
prioritized in the Climate Action strategic focus of the Comprehensive Plan.
As Port Townsend's population continues to grow, securing nutritious and affordable food will become an increasing challenging. If the majority of
this food demand is met by shipping in food from elsewhere, the city's collective greenhouse gas emissions will rise. The Climate Action focus aims to
decrease, not increase, greenhouse gas emissions. Prioritizing food infrastructure and agribusinesses that are already in the city is a logical way of
addressing our collective carbon footprint.
Climate change also brings with it an increase in random weather events and natural disasters. A local, diverse food system will help the city of Port
Townsend remain resilient in the face of these events. The nature of farming in the city produces many small, diverse farms. This diversity helps
ensure food production in the face of change and disasters; it should be protected and prioritized.
Lastly, Urban Agriculture has two unique benefits. The first is that it already exists in Port Townsend, which is a presence that many cities and counties
are fighting to establish. We should be drafting language to protect this valuable presence that we are lucky enough to already benefit from. This
presence improves the quality of life of our residents and creates jobs. There is room in this town for both affordable housing and Urban Agriculture
and future residents will thank us for securing both.
Thu Mar
27 2025 The other unique benefit of Urban Agriculture and hyper-local Food Systems are that they are connected to multiple focus areas of the Comprehensive
06:42:00 Own a Plans; meaning we can feed two birds with one seed by prioritizing Urban Farms. Urban Agriculture, Local Food Systems, and Ecosystem Services
GMT-Business 7A: Continuing affect Port Townsend's Climate Impact, create Economic Development, can be incorporated into Mixed Use Areas, and are a quality use of Open
0700 in Port discussion of tools Space.
(Pacific cruisingcliTownsenAgenda for the
Daylight Hailey mate@gmd City Planning item Comprehensive I urge you to write language into the Climate Action portion of the Comprehensive Plan that strengthens Port Townsend's commitment
to Urban
Time)Lampeail.comLimits Commission specificPlan Agriculture, Local Food Systems, and Ecosystem Services between now and 2045.No
Port Townsend should preserve open space for Urban Agriculture
PT will become more resilient in the future by taking steps to address Food Security.
Food security requires a robust support of Food System Infrastructure by both the community (buy local!) and the policies and ordinances of the city
A vacant land tax, as requested by the City (as their #1 priority!) from the WA Legislature, could be weaponized to penalize people farming and
Wed Mar gardening on lots in town
26 2025 The projected population growth being used by the City and the County will require both jurisdictions to support and preserve Food System
21:48:00 Infrastructure.
GMT-Work in Small farms in our City contribute jobs and have economic benefits.
0700 Port WA has mandated that Assets such as Urban Farms and Gardens be strengthened in this update.
(Pacific nancyisraTownsenAgenda Increased urban density does not enhance our resilience, but does increase our vulnerability.Comp
Daylight Nancy el@yahoo.d City item Port Townsend has long been contributing to its food security and should continue to do so in 2045.Plan
Time)IsraelcomLimits City Council specificWAThere is room in this town for both working class housing and Urban Agriculture and the future residents will thank us for securing both.YesUpdafte
Climate Resilient Food Systems go hand in hand with the elimination of Food Deserts. Detroit was a food desert until they bulldozed down blocks of
homes to make room for huge community gardens. https://www.detroitagriculture.net LA measured every wall, alley, and rooftop possible to grow
fresh food in the urban area because they didn’t plan ahead for when the city was all paved or built upon. When you’re hungry any amount of
accessible food is appreciated even if grown on a curb. Even our young PT farmers working the farms are using the Food Bank to keep fed. Business
Climate Change needs to be recognized and prepared for as much as Climate Resilience.
Last year in the PT School District, 14,000 pounds of fresh food was delivered to the school meal program. It was grown on site and then walked across
the parking lot into the kitchens. That means low carbon for transportation, carbon sequestered into the soil, water retained and channeled during
droughts and storms, the air is cleaner, soil is organic and not filled with pesticides, keeping water run off in the Sound clean. Excess apples from
nearby back yard orchards were made into 1600 pounds of applesauce for students. Every day young taste buds are being converted to love the taste
Wed Mar of freshly prepared food vs. pizza and chocolate milk that was served 20 years ago. And then there is the pure joy of watching a garden grow from seed
26 2025 to harvest. People stop All. The. Time. And ask about the garden and how Farmer Neil is able to produce so much food. (5,000 pounds from that 100-
16:54:00 70ft. Space)
GMT-Work in
0700 Port If half the population of PT (5000 people) each grew 10 feet of something… that would mean miles of additional food to stretch the cost of the paid for
(Pacific maryclareTownsenGeneral food coming out of the farms. Miles of food that could be shared with a neighbor. Miles of knowledge on how to sequester carbon, water run off, and
Daylight hunt@gmd City Planning public turn hard packed dirt into soil. Our town would become a mecca for being an oasis of fresh food and possibly a blue zone for a large number of
people Climate
Time)Mary Huntail.comLimits Commission commentWashingtonliving over 100. YesResiliancy
I share the concern of many in our community that additional taxes on vacant land in PT is absolutely the wrong solution for the very real problems of
affordable workforce/starter housing and emissions. Such a policy would have several negative outcomes and runs counter to WA State's resilience
requirements, especially when it comes to agriculture and food security. The Comp Plan is the way PT is supposed to declare our resilience goals, in
coordination with the county. Let's do that.
While the City is rightfully focused on increasing housing density and associated emissions reductions, we are missing the larger reality of what the
future holds - more frequent and more diverse crises. PT and JeffCo's food systems must be prepared for earthquakes, fires, political chaos, regular
supply chain disruptions, and more. No one is coming to save us for a very long time in most of those circumstances.
Add to that the inverse relationship between increased density and resilience - the larger our population gets, the more unstable our food security
becomes.
An additional tax on vacant land will fill the City coffers quickly, both with said taxes and the additional taxes on the large custom second and third
homes for retired wealthy people that will be built as a result. That is how individual vacant lots get developed in our city. But we can't eat money. And
once we use up our stock of ag land, that's it. Why accelerate a process that happens organically over time anyway? Most of the people that hold
vacant land are elderly, which implies turnover relatively soon anyway. We should be focused on high density, multistory housing in the retail cores
and transportation lines, while allowing vacant land just as we have for centuries for ag, conservation, and recreation. I fully support increasing zoning
Wed Mar density - that's where we'll get real traction.
26 2025
12:42:00 We need to balance these priorities of the whole system, not just focus on housing and emissions. They are irrelevant without food and a food growing
GMT-Live in culture, which thankfully we still have here. Let's continue to build a food culture, a climate-friendly culture, and an economically just culture
0700 Port Comp Plan; simultaneously. We can have it all. But please don't put a tax penalty on vacant land. We'll all regret it.
(Pacific ian.hannaTownsenAgenda proposed vacant
Daylight @gmail.cd City item land tax; lack of Thank you, Comp
Time)Ian HannaomLimits City Council specificresilienceIan HannaYesPlan
Food security requires a robust support of Food System Infrastructure by both the community (buy local!) and the policies and ordinances of the city
A vacant land tax, as requested by the City (as their #1 priority) from the WA Legislature, could be weaponized to penalize people farming and
Wed Mar gardening on lots in town
26 2025 The projected population growth being used by the City and the County will require both jurisdictions to support and preserve Food System
12:28:00 Infrastructure
GMT-Work in Small farms in our City contribute jobs and have economic benefits
0700 Port WA has mandated that Assets such as Urban Farms and Gardens be strengthened in this update
(Pacific simplytrusTownsenGeneral Increased urban density does not enhance our resilience, but does increase our vulnerability
Daylight t@yahoo.d City public Port Townsend has long been contributing to its food security and should continue to do so in 2045
Time)Lexi KochcomLimits commentWAThere is room in this town for both working class housing and Urban Agriculture and the future residents will thank us for securing bothNo
I am concerned with the direction our city planning commission is taking. Port Townsend is not stagnant, we are a vibrant community with many new
and innovative businesses. We do not want to develop in the way that Sequim, Poulsbo or Silverdale has developed. We do not want box stores or
outside big business. Our local businesses make our community what it is.
Thoughtful community oriented development is crucial to the values of this community and this is the reason that people want to be here and to move
here. It is important to keep a value on open space supporting our local ecosystem which includes wildlife, plants and humans (yes humans need
undeveloped open space too), place a priority on retaining trees rather than removing them. When lots in my Fort Worden neighborhood were
developed in the last few years the run off from them now floods the storm drains when it rains or in another case washed out the road, because the
trees and understory are no longer slowing and retaining the rainfall.
Wetlands, forest, understory all help to maintain a place that is livable and more resilient. This is even more apparent as extreme weather takes place.
It is important that we support, maintain, or even grow the farming that is able to take place in our community, in fact WA mandates that we
strengthen resiliency such as gardens and farms. Penalizing open space with higher taxes would threaten our small farmers. Resiliency is important,
Wed Mar food system resilience is crucial. Second homes should be taxed instead of open space and farmland.
26 2025 Housing development needs to be thoughtful and integrative not mass produced by a big business. Eco-Village and Tree Tops Community (Ebony
11:45:00 Street) are examples of thoughtful denser housing development. Albatross Way on Cook Avenue is not the kind of development we want, it is not
GMT-affordable for low/mid income residents, not co-existing with anything that already exists in that part of town, neighborhood, community or nature.
0700 What does it add to the community/town?
(Pacific neliajoshGeneral
Daylight Nelia @gmail.cPlanning public The reason we have such a vibrant amazing, desirable town now is because of all of the community involvement in the city plan in the 1990's. Taking
Time)SwayzeomCommission commenttime to involve the community and to listen to their comments is important.No
Mon Mar
24 2025
09:55:00
GMT-Live in
0700 Port The city has developed a comprehensive plan to concentrate on its own goals, not the ones stated by those of us who live in town. The city has
(Pacific TownsenGeneral fixations that don't align. We want to maintain open space, small town atmosphere and low cost housing. Not "in filling" and not zoning changes to
Daylight d City Planning public encourage scattered pods of businesses and high density housing. Maybe a few hand selected groups ere consulted on the pods. But, as usual, the Comprehe
Time)Limits Commission commentcity was sneaky. Pods were another surprise. Please be more transparent. Listen better. Yesnsive plan.
To which Board,
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updatedemail(optional)(optional)Limits?tone.submit this form until your comment is 2350 characters or less.Hearing?Hearing?
Council packet)
Hello! I urge the Planning Commission, City Council, City planners, and all others involved in the Comprehensive Plan update to consider
urban agriculture (as well as vacant land used for gardening, farming, and ecological habitat) as important parts of the Climate Element of
the Comp Plan. An increased population will require not only additional housing, but a robust, urban agriculture system as a way to build
resilience in the face of climate change.
Washington has mandated that the Comp Plan update include a Climate Element. And while increasing housing density is one important
part of the way to fulfill this element, another equally important path is to expand our urban agricultural systems. (Thereby reducing food
miles and greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing food security!) Furthermore, as more housing becomes available, the need for
business opportunities for our new community members also increases - urban agriculture creates jobs while addressing our town’s
carbon footprint at the same time!
Port Townsend has many established Community Assets (including agricultural food systems and community gardens), and has the
opportunity to support so many more! Please do not penalize people who are, or would like to, maintain these assets through farming and
gardening by implementing a tax on vacant land. Not only to they “check the box” on helping fulfill the Climate Element of the Comp Plan,
they also truly provide resilience for our small community in the face of an uncertain climate future.
Thu Mar
27 2025 I strongly believe that Port Townsend has room for both working class housing and urban food systems. Please include language in the
09:46:00 City Climate Element of the Comp Plan that increases PT’s commitment to urban agriculture - future residents will thank us for securing both
GMT-Council - shelter and food!
0700 Live in Planning
(Pacific Port Agenda CommissWarmly,
Daylight Meghan Townsend Planning item ion
Time)MixCity Limits Commission specificMeetingMeghan MixYes
3/21/25 Draft
Policy Themes
Table 1 Policy Themes
Framework Organized by Theme
Policy
Table 2 Growth and Development
Public Engagement
Zones
Residential
Commercial
Manufacturing
Housing
Affordable Housing
Use
-
Mixed
Downtown
Resources
Historic
Employment
Business
Marine Trades
Public Services and Facilities
Funding
Level of Service
Water
Wastewater
Stormwater
Solid Waste
Transportation System
The
Rights of Way
Streets
Motorized Transportation
-
Non
Trails
Bus Transit
Ferry Transit
Parking
Electricity and Energy
Telecommunications
Parks and Recreation
enance
Maint
Natural Resources
Pollution
Climate Change
Fossil Fuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Technologies
Staff Responsibilities
Consistency
Code and Permitting
Fort Warden PDA
New College and Port Townsend School District
