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HomeMy WebLinkAbout081125 City Council Workshop Meeting (with Planning Commission) MinutesCITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING OF AUGUST 11, 2025 CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL The City Council met in a regular workshop meeting with Planning Commission August 11, 2025 in Council Chambers at 540 Water St, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Mayor Faber called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. Councilmembers present at roll call were David Faber, Amy Howard, Monica MickHager, Neil Nelson, Owen Rowe, Ben Thomas, Libby Wennstrom, and City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues. Staff members present were Public Works Director Steve King , and Assistant City Engineer Jeff Kostechka . Planning Commissioners present at roll call were Lois Stanford, Rick Jahnke, Robert Doyle, Stephen Mader, Viki Sonntag, with Andreas Andreadis, and Samantha Bair -Jones excused. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT (REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA) James Kelly spoke about The Wall that Heals event. DISCUSSION ITEMS Comprehensive Plan Update- Transportation (Planning Commission and Council) Public Works Director Steve King and Assistant City Engineer Jeff Kostechka presented the PT Sustainable Street Plan which included Presentation Purpose, Acknowledgements, Context, Context- Crescendo of Planning, Relationship to Other Plans, Honoring Previous Goals and Policies, Past Meetings and Events, Why PT Sustainable Streets Plan?, Relationship to Land Use and Housing, Historic City Plats, Plat Integrity Compromised, Plat Integrity Sustained, Housing Opportunity - Comp. Plan Focus, Relationship of Rights of Way and Open Space Preservation, Preservation of Open Space and Trail Corridors, People Prosperity Planet Tour Guide, Street Outcomes (This), Relationship to Street Network and Fiscal Sustainability, Cost of Infrastructure and Tax Burden, Active Transportation, Emergency Access and Evacuation Route Planning, Minimizing streets and addressing redundant streets, Basis for Plan Formation -Review of How Plan was Created, PT Sustainable Streets Plan Development- GIS layers, Historic Plats Drive the Plan Development, Cappy's Excluded from Streets Plan- Preservation Area, Results, Results- Emergency Access Planning, Application of PT Sustainable Plan, August 11, 2025 City Council Page 1 of 3 Application- Predictability for realtors, sellers, buyers, builders, property owners, everyone, Allows development of streets standards, Application- Development Review, Application- Functional Plan Updates, Application- Redundant Streets, Application- Open Space and Trails Planning, Application- Role in Comprehensive Plan, Next Steps, transportation demographic survey, and Summary. In response to Council and Planning Commission's clarifying questions staff explained 776 acres, 375 acres of undeveloped open space, 14th street, locally designated as arterial, total acres of Right of Way and un-platted land, secondary access on Jackman St, bollards on secondary access, conceptual vs. actual routes, level of detail incorporated into Comprehensive Plan, emergency access dotted lines, how to handle negotiations during permit process, existing and future local access, concept future land use map, street frontage, building on short side process, property owner responsibility, abandoning streets, transportation demographic survey, goals/policies/action in transportation element, drywells, goals for public transportation and specific plans, and how public can express concerns. Jeff Kostechka provided the 2025 Active Transportation Plan which included Non - Motorized Transportation Plan, Current Stakeholder Group Members, Purpose and Goals, Active Transportation, 2011 Non -Motorized Plan Map, 2010 Non -Motorized Plan, Why Update the Plan?, Existing Conditions, Future, Future with Balanced Sustainable Streets and Active Transportation Plans, What We Plan For Matters, Sustainable Transportation, Change With Time, Community Outreach, Online Survey, Online Survey -Areas of Concern, LTS (Level of Traffic Stress), LTS (Level of Traffic Stress) -DRAFT, Infrasturcture Hierarchy, ADA Routes, Connected Routes, Shared Vision, Comprehensive Plan Changes, 2016 Comprehensive Plan, ADA and Connected Routes, SE ADA and Connected Routes, Shared Streets SB 5595, Trails, Trail Map, and Summary of 2025 Active Transportation Plan. In response to Council and Planning Commission's clarifying questions staff explained timing of September 22 open house, ADA priority routes in relation to walking, colors and lines on maps, electric bicycle mph, horse traffic, Sims Gateway Transportation Project, and agenda items. Public comment: Dylan Quarles spoke about fair housing impact fees. Jason Victor Serinus spoke about statement at end of Comprehensive Plan, appreciation for staff, 10mph transportation concern, and magical thinking. Tom Bull spoke about Lynnsfield community/housing development concerns, and regular bike speeds. Kelly Bretsky spoke about Lynnsfield community and traffic concerns. In response to public comment staff explained development process, who pays for roads during development, and impact fees. Discussion ensued around Planning Commission review and suggestions, reediting, Challenge/Opportunity review, policy section editing, maps, appreciation for staff, strategic vs. reactive, postponing public comment, parking challenges re: Park and August 11, 2025 City Council Page 2 of 3 Ride, Hwy 20 traffic and Dept of Transportation, sensibility on introduction, glossary of definitions, Capital Facilities- Library, Port Angeles airport, next Planning Commission meeting, and 2009 Transportation Functional Plan. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:03pm. Attest: Alyea Rodrigues City Clerk August 11, 2025 City Council Page 3 of 3