HomeMy WebLinkAbout082725 Planning Commission Minutes
CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF AUGUST 27, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
The Planning Commission met in Special Session on August 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.
Staff members present were Public Works Director, Steve King, Planning and
Community Development Director, Emma Bolin, Planning Manager, Jacob Gates, Long
Range Planner, Adrian Smith, and Deputy City Clerk, Lonnie Mickle.
Climate Action Committee members present were Cindy Jayne, and Kate Chadwick.
ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA
The agenda was accepted by consensus.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – JULY 10, 2025
The minutes for July 10, 2025, were accepted by consensus.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Resident Cindy Brock spoke about adding forest and trees to the climate resilience
plan.
OLD BUSINESS
Update on Draft Economic Development, Climate Resilience, and Parks Recreation and
Open Space Elements (Joint Discussion with Climate Action Committee)
Climate Resilience
The Staff, Commissioners and the members of the Climate Action Committee discussed
regenerative agriculture in the climate element, the relationship of regenerative
agriculture to climate resilience, food securities, greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation
of agriculture for climate change, irrigation water, stumbling blocks to the
Comprehensive Plan, windstorms, the climate commitment act, wild fires, evacuation
models, and the conservation of the forest and trees.
The group then discussed greenhouse gas emissions, emission targets, implementing
the emissions plan, the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the effect of
the city’s natural environment on the public health, windstorms, community gardens,
Department of Health, evacuation management, street circulation plan, and the
preservation of the city’s water and trees.
Economic Development
Public WorksDirector, Steve King and Long Range Planner Adrian Smith presented the
economic development elements.
Staff discussed the city’s tax revenue, the city challenges from the decreasing workforce
and aging population, local household income, the Glen Cove area, the global
challenges, policy initiatives, local education, the city’s creative economy, the city’s
tourism, short term, midterm, and long-term science for the comprehensive plan, and
artistic housing.
Discussion ensued about the city’s creative district, lower cost housing, the success of
local artists on local housing cost, urban agriculture, and the city’s social drivers.
Draft Parks Recreation and Open Spaces
Staff members discussed locations of parks in neighborhoods, level of service for this
element, all the different areas that will be included in the research for this element,
Laurel Heights, homeowners’ associations, land trust, and barriers to get to parks.
Adrian Smith asked if there should be a more detailed level of service for parks listed
with the element or should it be located with the capital facility element. The Long
Range Planner also discussed the Commissioner’s upcoming meetings.
Steve King gave the reasoning behind level of service.
Commissioners discussed written open agreements to the public, the dedication of land,
the distance from parks in neighborhoods, the health care industry, insurance
payments, housing element, the goals, and policies of the climate element.
NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business for this meeting.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
* MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION
WORKSHOP. EXPECT DISCUSSION OF DRAFT CLIMATE RESILIENCE ELEMENT
AND PARKS RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT * THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 11, PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING. EXPECT
DISCUSSION OF HOUSING ELEMENT AND MIDDLE HOUSING REGULATIONS. *
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 25, PLANNING COMMISSION
ADJOURN
Attest:
City Clerk's Office