Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02/16/1994 . . . AGENDA CITY OF PORT ANGELES PLANNING COMMISSION 321 East Fifth Street Port Angeles, W A 98362 Special Meeting February 16, 1994 7:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Meeting February 9, 1994. IV. PUBLIC HEARING: 1. PROPOSED CAPITAL FACILITIES ELEMENT AND PLAN AND OTHER POTENTIAL REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN'S GOALS AND POLICIES. Continued public hearing. V. COMMUNICA TIONS FROM THE PUBLIC VI. STAFF REPORTS VII. REPORTS OF BOARD MEMBERS vm. ADJOURNMENT All correspondence penaining to a hearing item received by the Planning Department at least one day prior to the scheduled hearing will be provided to Commission members before the hearing. Members: Bob Winters, Chair; Cindy Souders, Vice-Chair; Bob Philpott, Orville Campbell; Roger Calls; Carl Alexsnder and Linda Nutter. Planning Staff: Brad Collins, Director; John Jimel'5On, Associale Planner; Sue Roberds, Office Spocialist, David Sawyer. Sr. Planner. . . . PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURE: Spokesmen for the proponents and opponents will be given an opportunity to speak to the request. Information submitted should be factual, relevant and not merely duplication of a previous presentation. A reasonable time (10 minutes) shall be allowed the spokesman; others shall be limited to short supporting remarks (5 minutes). Other interested parties will be allowed to comment briefly (5 minutes each) or make inquiries. The Chairman may allow additional public testimony if the issue warrants it. Brief rebuttal (5 minutes) for proponents and opponents will be heard separately and consecutively with presentation limited to their spokesman. Rebuttal shall be limited to factual statements pertaining to previous testimony. Comments should be directed to the Board, not the City Staff representatives present, unless directed to do so by the Chairman. '. . . MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION Port Angeles, Washington 98362 February 16, 1994 7:00 p.m. I. CALL TO ORDER . Chair Winters called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m. ll. ROLL CALL Members Present: Linda Nutter, Roger Catts, Cindy Souders, Bob Philpott, Orville Campbell, Carl Alexander and Bob Winters. Staff Present: Sue Roberds, David Sawyer, Brad Collins, Larry Glenn, Bruce Becker and Tim Smith. Public: Vici Mclaughlin, Al and Laura Horrocks, Cheryl Baumann, Fred Boch, Bob Cates, Jim Lunt, Lloyd and Kris Flatan, John McCrorie, Bob McCrorie, Phil Eshom, Dan Morrison, Randy Adams, Art Dunker, Susan Feiro, Joe and Barbara Eckert, Gerald Allen, Bill Henderson, Joe Peterson, Charles Foley, Renee Cochran, Ken Schermer, Jim Bunger, Gene Unger, Jerry and Charlotte Hagen, Terry Moore, David Milligan, Rita Addison, Jim Reed, Paul Eyestone, Don McInnes, Debbie Kelly. ID. APPRO V AL OF MINUTES Chair Winters noted that staff had provided the Commission with a revised copy of the draft minutes. Commissioner Campbell moved to accept the revised minutes as presented. Commissioner Nutter seconded the motion, which passed 6 - 0, with Commissioner Catts abstaining. Mr. Collins thanked Sue Roberds for her efforts in preparing the Commission's minutes in such short order as there have been several additional meetings over the past month which have required a very short turn-around time. The Commission expressed its thanks. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS PROPOSED CAPITAL FACILITIES ELEMENT AND PLAN AND OTHER POTENTIAL REVISIONS TO THE DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN'S GOALS AND POLICIES. (This item is continued from the February 2, 1994, meeting.) Chair Winters opened the continued hearing. Brad Collins explained that the material Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page 2 . under discussion is a draft that has been prepared over the past three years by the Growth Management Advisory Committee (GMAC). The GMAC has completed a tremendous amount of work in preparing a thoroughly discussed draft document. The Planning Department has reviewed the document and has offered some modification. Staff recommended modification which adds a number of new policies and a set of objectives to the GMAC draft. The policies and objective are consistent with the GMAC's policy direction and simply supplement those that were provided by the GMAC. Also included is a proposed set of policies submitted by Commissioner Alexander that the GMAC did not have time to review before presentation to the Commission. That submittal is also supplemental, not necessarily a change of direction. Mr. Collins referred to the February 16 Department memorandum explaining some policy differences between the GMAC's recommendation and staff. He then reviewed that memorandum for the audience. Mr. Collins thanked the audience for their interest and participation in the planning process. Chair Winters explained to those present that the public hearing would be closed at the end of the evening's testimony; however, another public hearing is scheduled for the February 23, 1994, meeting, at which time the item will again be under discussion and hopefully a recommendation forwarded to the Council. This action will enable the citizenry to comment on issues of concern raised by the Planning Commissioners prior to the final public hearing. . David Sawyer, Senior Planner, referred to a series of illustrative exhibits (the maps used by the GMAC in their deliberation). The maps showed existing land uses, current zoning of properties in the City, critical areas, vacant lands, the proposed major circulation routes and the proposed Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map. Mr. Sawyer provided a detailed explanation of the uses depicted by the various map exhibits. Larry Glenn, Fire Chief, clarified that acceptable State standards for advanced life support (ALS) emergency response is a maximum of five minutes for urban areas and fifteen minutes for rural areas. Port Angeles holds to the urban standard of five minutes as acceptable. It is impossible to provide an ALS medical response within four minutes in all areas of the City, as proposed in the draft Comprehensive Plan document. The City dispatch personnel provide medical assistance information from the time a call is received for assistance. Chief Glenn requested that the medical response concurrency standards (Pages 68-71 of the draft document) be removed from the document. The City Council set a policy that residential sprinklers will be required for housing developments outside the four-minute response radius, as the City has only one fire station and the potential at this time for a second station in the west end is not likely. It would also be advisable, in order to continue to provide services from the existing station, to reinforce the policy for residential sprinklers for housing developments outside the four-minute response time radius. . Mr. Sawyer reviewed the Planning Department's memorandum outlining the proposed additional policies and objectives for inclusion in the draft document and noted a few additions to that memorandum (February 4, 1994). Chair Winters opened discussion to the public. Planning Commission Minutes FeblUary 16, 1994 Page 3 . Joe Eckert, 120 Lopez, requested clarification of the planning areas boundary shown between Lauridsen Boulevard and Park A venue. Mr. Collins responded that the system is to differentiate between areas of the City defined by major physical features such as ravines, bluffs, and arterials. Ken Schermer, 738 west Sixth Street, represented the Growth Management Advisory Committee (GMAC). He complimented staff on their additions to the Committee's recommendations. He thanked Mr. Sawyer for the outstanding manner in which he provided assistance to the GMAC and for the amount of time he spent in responding to the various needs and concerns of the Committee over the past three years. He provided suggested additional wording to the Transportation Policy section which would encourage the City to designate a U.S. 101 bypass route. He also suggested that additional wording should be included to Item 7, Page 5 (Conservation Objectives) such that open spaces should be preserved. Jim Bunger, 620 South Liberty, is working on long range transportation with the County and the regional transportation policy board. He described a plan which is seen as a means to creating jobs in this area for displaced workers in the logging industry. . Gene Unger, 1401 West Seventh Street, County Director of Public Works and member of the State Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO), presented a handout entitled "Draft Port Angeles Highway 101 Parkway" to the Commission. The proposal is an attempt by the transportation group to address the transportation corridor issues around the Port Angeles area. The group is very pleased with Planning Staff s recommendation for a secondary route to assist traffic flow through the City. The Parkway proposal is a different concept than a bypass. It will accentuate features that will attract tourists and other possible economic resources to the area. Mr. Unger answered questions from Commissioner Souders as to the origin of the proposal. He responded that no public testimony has been taken as yet, although public hearings will be scheduled later in 1994. Jerry Moore, 83 Durrwachter, works in the Project Engineer's Office of the State Department of Transportation, Port Angeles. The concept presented previously by Mr. Unger is a very big issue for the State. The emphasis was not to create a "bypass", because the term is misleading. The Parkway corridor is a more appropriate terminology. A Parkway corridor could be an asset to the City's image, could provide multi-modal features, would not detract from the existing business corridor, but would work in conjunction with that corridor. Working with the Sequim bypass route, the importance of proper corridors serving communities became apparent to him, and those corridors have a large fmancial impact to local residents and the community as a whole. It is important to establish planning for such a use because of the time and resources it takes to develop such a corridor. . Nonna Turner, 3928 Mt. Angeles Road, asked for further clarification as to what the Heart-of-The Hills Parkway concept. She asked why there is no alternate route east of Race Street proposed. Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page 4 . Renee Cochran, 710 Scrivner Road, asked where the Heart-of-The-Hills route is proposed to be. Gene Unger stated that it is essential to recognize that a environmental analysis of alternative routes will have to be completed prior to a route selection. He could not specify a route without that detailed analysis but suggested that a Parkway corridor might be between the Olympic Visitor's Center and Scrivner Road. He added that he has nothing at this time to support a specific route and that he really appreciated the Planning staff's holding the door open for that planning effort in wording proposed for the draft Comprehensive Plan. A Parkway corridor would provide bicycle paths, walkways, vegetation to screen the corridor from residential areas more so than a typical bypass. . Renee Cochran proceeded with her testimony stating that Port Angeles is a destination not a thoroughfare. A bypass is impractical and unneeded for this area. An alternate route at Race Street would require upgrade to the Lauridsen Boulevard bridge and major alteration to the Front and First Street intersections to allow commercial vehicles to turn east and south. Daishowa is constructing a barge unloading facility which will eliminate truck transportation from the ITT Rayonier Mill location, where barges are currently loaded and trucked through town. Log trucks are part of the Northwest look. Why eliminate them completely from Downtown use? The elevation of Scrivner Road is such that it is not safe for heavy traffic use. A bypass located that far south of town will not be used by locals. Fifty-eight percent of the public surveyed felt that Lauridsen Boulevard is the best alternate route. A bypass along Scrivner Road, or a Parkway, will destroy rural neighborhoods. The root of the transportation problem in the City is the circulation to and from the ferry and due to parking in the Downtown. People circle the waterfront area day in and day out in search of parking close to where they are shopping or visiting. The growth rate and traffic in the area do not warrant a bypass. Unless the west end develops dramatically in the next twenty years, a bypass will not be needed. Logging is declining, and that traffic will decline substantially. If it is necessary to mention a bypass, then mention that one may be needed in twenty years. Our tax dollars can be used in many more productive ways than planning for studies and acquiring rights- of-way that we don't need and may never need. Jeff Hooker, 1305 Scrivner Road, stated that Port Angeles does not need a bypass. Scrivner Road will be destroyed if a bypass is developed. There is no need for a Parkway. Barbara Eckert, 120 Lopez, read a letter she then submitted to the Commission regarding objection to the bubble concept for the draft Comprehensive Plan. The vagueness of the flexible concept allowed by the bubble concept will affect property values, she said. Gerald Allen, 4219 Cedar Mill Road, asked that the Scrivner Road neighborhood not be planned for destruction. The area's transportation needs don't warrant a bypass. . Jim Lont, 221 Lopez, read a letter he then submitted to the Commission regarding land use changes in the area between Race and Oak Streets, on Lauridsen Boulevard. He objected to changes in land use which would permit Albertson's or any other large enterprise to construct a super store south of Lauridsen Boulevard. The elementary Planning Commission Minutes Febroary ] 6, ] 994 Page 5 . school use, heavy residential development and possible alternate crosstown route location in the area were cited as a few reasons why such a land use decision would be inappropriate. Cheryl Baumann, 2310 South Chase Street, expressed concern that the area between Oak Street and Peabody Street along Lauridsen Boulevard is designated as commercial in the draft Comprehensive Plan. That area is not designated as commercial in the existing Comprehensive Plan. The depicting of the area with the commercial designation suggests new commercial development could locate in this area. She objected to strip commercial developments in residential areas. Clustering small commercial developments in residential neighborhoods is more responsible. Commercial sprawl on Lauridsen Boulevard when that area is planned for an alternate crosstown route is not desirable. Susan Feiro, 124 Lopez, asked how deep the commercial zoning designation would be in the area south of Lauridsen Boulevard between Oak and Peabody Streets. She asked if it would extend to Oreas Street. The vagueness of the bubble concept is what makes her neighbors uneasy. David Sawyer answered that the bubble concept is being used City-wide. The GMAC's designation in the area that she is concerned about is intended to recognize that the area is currently zoned commercial. It does not take into account any expansion of commercial zoning. He displayed existing zoning of the area by use of an overhead map. . Brad Collins explained strict and liberal interpretation of the Comprehensive Plan policies and map land use designations. Paul Eyestone, 4308 Old Mill Road, asked where a Parkway corridor would end - beyond Olympus? Gene Unger answered that a corridor could begin as far east as Old Olympic Highway traversing south ending at the terminus of the Tumwater Truck Route. He could not theorize further without specific impact and cost studies. Mr. Eyestone thanked staff for its efforts and stated that he appreciates the planning process for future needs. The Commission took a break at 9:00 pm. The meeting reconvened at 9:30 pm. George Wood, 4205 Old Mill Road, urged that specific approval of a secondary traffic route not be given without more specific information. He was concerned that City approval of a Parkway concept would give momentum and tacit approval to such a plan without specific studies to the impacts and needs. .. Al Horrocks, 2410 South Lincoln, reiterated his displeasure with the bubble concept. There should be no flexibility in the area of Lauridsen Boulevard between Oak and Peabody Streets. He expressed concern over the undesignated area between two different designations which does not designate either one or the other designation, particularly in the area of Lauridsen Boulevard between Oak and Peabody Streets. He requested that in that area the undesignated not exist, but a more definite line of demarcation be used. Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page 6 . Ann Murray, 306 Lopez, stated that she is involved professionally in housing in the Port Angeles area and is generally pleased with the work done in the Comprehensive Plan. She asked that language including non-profit representation on a housing task force be included in the draft document (Housing Policy 5, Page 59). Ms. Murray participated in brief dialogue with the Commission regarding housing issues, including cluster housing and single room occupancy uses. In response to Commissioner Philpott, Ms. Murray answered that in her opinion, affordable housing would be housing in the $30,000 to $50,000 price bracket for this area. Terry Manning, 4423 South Doss Road, stated that there is no need for a bypass. Port Angeles needs to bring people to town, not route them around town. Dwight Blato, 4221 South Pillar Road, asked about the approval process of the draft Comprehensive Plan. Chair Winters explained that the process will result in a recommendation to the City Council. Why not consider Lauridsen Boulevard as an alternate crosstown route? . Mr. Sawyer answered that the recommendation states only that an alternate route should be designated but not any particular route. The recommendation also states that Lauridsen Boulevard east of Race will not be considered as an alternate route; however, the recommendation does not eliminate the area west of Race Street along Lauridsen Boulevard. Mr. Collins responded to Mr. Blato by giving an explanation of the transportation planning process at the State level and stated that there should be consistency between local and state transportation plans. Rita Addison, 1111 Key Road, moved to Key Road when Lauridsen Boulevard was proposed as an alternate route. Residency on Lauridsen Boulevard was at times uncomfortable due to the high traffic. She was unhappy that the proposed alternate route her neighborhood once again. The area proposed is a rural neighborhood which would be destroyed if a bypass/Parkway was developed. There being no further public testimony, Chair Winters closed the public hearing. Commissioner announced that an additional public hearing would be conducted on February 23, 1994, 7 pm, City Council Chambers. The Commission and staff discussed how to proceed at this point. It was decided that the Department memorandum would be reviewed and recommendations made on revisions to the draft plan. . Commissioner Catts moved to continue the meeting beyond 10 p.m., to 11 p.m. Commissioner Alexander seconded the motion which passed unanimously. The Commission and staff discussed revisions and wordsmithing on various areas of the draft plan. . . . Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page 7 The Planning Commission concurred with the following proposed revisions as submitted by the Planning Department to the Growth Management Advisory Committee's recommendation of the revised Comprehensive Plan document: Growth Manaeement: Objective: 1:. The City will continue its efforts to comply in a timely manner with the requirements of the State Growth Management Act. Land Use: Goal A. To guide current and future development within the City in a manner that provides certainty to its citizens about future land use and the flexibility necessary to meet the challenges and o'pportunities of the future. Policies A 1. The Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map should be used as a conceptual guide for determining current and long range zoning and other land use decisions. The map's land use designations are intended to show areas where general land use types are allowed. The area between land use designations should be considered an imprecise margin in order to provide flexibiliby in determining the boundary of such areas. When determining appropriate zoning designations for an area near a margin. the goals. policies and objectives of the Land Use Element should take precedence. A2. All land use decisions and approvals made by the City Council and/or any of its appointed Commissions. Boards or Committees should be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and its land use map. Obiective 1. The City will review and revise as necessary the existing Zoning Ordinance. Zoning Map and other development regulations to ensure consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. Transportation Policies B6-7. Alternate cross town route and City truck route improvements should be given a high priority in caDital facility planning. . . . Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page 8 86-7. The City should coordinate with the County's and the Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization's transportation planning efforts. 812/13. Road improvements should on alternate modes of transportation. Objectives 1.. Secondary and primary arterials will be designed with an appropriate balance for moving through traffic and providing local access to uses that front on these arterials. In commercially zoned areas. policies for consolidating access and providing for joint access and maintenance of driveways should be considered. 2. The City will develop a variety of funding techniques available for new development projects to provide mitigation for transportation impacts resulting from new development or redevelopment. The funding techniques could include developer provided right-of-way and partial improvement to the street along the frontage of their property. establishing a road development or trip end fee. use of latecomers agreements. waivers of protest to the formation of LID's and bonding. to name a few. The intent would be to match the technique to the development circumstance in order for the City to fund the transportation improvements that ensure concurrency. Whichever approaches are taken. they must be equitable and proportional to the level of impact. 3. The City will develop road improvement design standards which will include accommodation for pedestrians and non-motorized transportation. even in residential areas. Pedestrian facilities design will be avvropriate for the safety. volume and character of non-motorized/pedestrian traffic in each neighborhood or planning area. 4. The City will phase the implementation of the alternate cross-town route and City truck route in a west to east progression. 5... A study to evaluate options for easterly access across Whites and Ennis Creeks in the vicinity of Golf Course Road will be vrepared. 6. The City will consider a variety of Traffic System Management (fSM) alternatives to increase the existing street system capacity and implement appropriate options as soon as feasible. Such alternatives may include: i!.. Remove parking at controlled intersections to provide auxiliary turn lanes to increase capacity: b. Remove parking during selected periods of the day (Le. noon and PM peak hour) to create additional through land capacity: c. Modify signal timing to re&PQnd to seasonal and/or daily peak: traffic periods to favor major flows and expand the number of signals that are coordinated as part of a system. . . . Planning Commission Minutes Febrouy 16, 1994 Page 9 L. The City will coordinate with the County. RTPO. and State and Federal agencies in the study of a possible future US 101 by-pass. Potential routes to be considered include: East of Race Street. the alternate cross town route (along Lauridsen Boulevard) will not be considered as a future by-pass route. 8. The City will implement street improvements planned to provide access to and improve circulation around the south side of the ai1:pOrt along Lauridsen Boulevard and Ai1:pOrt Road and the west side along Milwaukee Drive to Lower Elwha Road. Utilities & Public Services Policies Dl-2 The City should provide urban services only in areas that are logical extensions of areas which are currently served by such services or needed to implement a specific goal of the Comprehensive Plan. The City should not extend urban services outside the City without annexation. Objectives .L. The City will continue its participation in crime prevention programs. 2. When development warrants. the City should coordinate the efforts for a new fire station to the west with the Port of Port Angeles at Fairchild International Airport. and a station to the east coordinated with Fire District No.2. .l. The City will develop a ohased plan for the extension of urban services. 4. The City will institute a program to promote water and energy conservation techniques in new development. 5. The City will work with the County on the development of a regional watershed management plan for the Port Angeles Regional Watershed. Q.. Recycling programs will be used to reduce solid waste disposal. Housing Obiectives Goal B: .L. The City will work with the housing task force to determine that the sup.v1y of land will be sufficient for all housing needs including but not limited to government-assisted housing: housing for low-income families: manufactured housing: multifamily housing: group homes: foster-care facilities: and single-room occupancies (SRO). . . . Planning Commission Minutes February 16, 1994 Page ]0 b The City will reference and utilize the Clallam County Housing Needs Study and subsequent analyses that update the information in evaluating the type. amount. and location of needed housing. Conservation Obiectives Goal B: .L. The City will work closely with State agencies on further development of regulations and coordinated enforcement of air quality standards. b The City will adopt and enforce adequate regulations designed to maintain and enhance water quality. .l. The City will identify and implement site specific requirements for individual develoDment orooosals to mitigate any negative impacts created by the development. particularly to an area identified as an environmentally sensitive area. ~ The City will adopt and enforce regulations which require all new development to provide adequate stormwater retention/detention facilities necessary to protect water quality. ~ The City will complete an inventory and identification of areas identified as Habitats of Local Importance to assure that important habitat connections are not severed . 6. The City will complete an inventory and identification of wetlands. 7. The City will encourage clustering of residential development where necessary to protect environmentally sensitive areas or avoid hazardous areas. .a. The City will develop a storm water management Plan. ~ The City will develop guidelines to evaluate new development that occurs near scenic resources. 10. The City will develop a Shoreline Master Program that is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and the Shoreline Management Act. 1L The City will establish regulations that promote the preservation of historically significant buildings/sites. . . . Planning Commission Minules February 16, 1994 Page 11 Capital Facilities Policies A7-8. The comprehensive service and facilities plan for streets. bikeways and pedestrian walkways should include a future US 101 by-pass to meet long-term local and regional transportation needs. Obiective .L. The Capital Facilities Plan will be updated on an annual basis and should implement the goals. policies. and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. 2. The City will develop a schedule for preparation and adoption of each required comprehensive service and facilities plan. .l. The City will revise its development regulations as necessary to preserve the right- of-way within an identified US 101 corridor. V. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Chair Winters noted the communications which were delivered to them by staff and which had been discussed earlier during the hearing process. VI. STAFF REPORTS Brad Collins informed the Commission that Tim German had been selected by the City Council as Planning Commissioner to replace Commissioner Catts, upon his resignation from the Commission. Mr. Collins also reported that the Zoning Code Amendment requested by Tim German would again be reconsidered by the City Council at a meeting on March 1, 1994. VD. REPORTS OF THE COMMISSION None. Vill. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 11:15 pm. ~ W9~-J Brad Collins, Executive Secretary Bob Winters, Chair . . . PLEASE SIGN IN CITY OF PORT ANGELES Planning Commission Attendance Roster Meeting Date:\,.:;I".kH ~ 1'0.1 991 s;r:. . . . PLEASE SIGN IN CITY OF PORT ANGELES Planning Commission Attendance Roster Meeting Date: ; .: :.;:::<:.:.:.:(:L:;::::).:::::::.::~DIWSS::.:. :..... eIl-f!-