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Home My WebLink AboutPC Minutes 2018-05-09MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION Port Angeles, Washington 98362 May9,2018 5:00p.m. REGUIIIR MEETING IN VERN BURTON (SPECI,AI START TTMÐ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice-Chair Hopkins opened the regular meeting at 5:08 p.m. (Chair Schwab was initially absent) ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Pamela Hastings, Andrew Schwab (Chair), Steven Hopkins (Vice-Chair), Amy Powell, Benjamin Stanley Commissioners Absent: David Amoroso, Duane Morris, City Staff Present: Nathan West (Director)Allyson Brekke (Planning Manager), Ben Braudrick (Assistant Planner), Heidi Greenwood (Senior Assistqnt City Auorney) Public Present: Lisa McCoy, Randall McCoy, John Ralston, Eric Evans COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC John Ralston, PO Box 898 Mr. Ralston mentioned that he had attended the recent Think Tank Session with City Council. He felt that the annual Comprehensive Plan amendments are taking away valuable time and resources from the Planning Division Staff He stated that there were other ways to go about the process and to do it this often is unnecessary. He also felt that the temporary housing discussion should go before the Planning Commission before the City Council. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner HastÍngs moved to approve the April 25,2018 minutes. Commissioner Powell seconded the motion. All were in favor. ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS/OTHER BUSINESS 1. Comprehensive Plan Review and Discussion Community and Economic Development Department Director Nathan West introduced the Staff Report for the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Amendment. The regular Comprehensive Plan Update process takes place every 7-10 years, and the last update was performed in 20l6.City Council has asked Staff to revisit the document and has asked the Planning Commission to put it under scrutiny. They have also asked for a review of the Plan's accuracy and determine if the number of policies within the document is justified. Staff will be accepting written comment from the Planning Commission until May 141h. Revisions provided by the Commission will be inputted into the document for the }l4ay 23'd Public Meeting. Director West then asked the Commission if they had any thoughts after a cursory review of the document. (Chair Schwab arrived to the meeting - Vice-Chair Hopkins returned meeting responsibilities to Chair Schwab) Planning Commission Minutes May 9. 2018 Page 2 Chair Schwab asked about several specific selected policies in the document: Chapter 1.14 on Tree City USA status: Was this something that could be left in the plan? Director West responded that the City is doing everything capable to reinstate its Tree City USA status and expects to be reinstated in the Fall. Chapter 2.3 on private property rights: A redundancy in private property rights and takings law. Isn't this taken care of by decisions made by the United States Supreme Court? Chapter 3.10 policies E.02 and E.l0on cluster development and non-strip development seem redundant. Chapter 3.10 policy F.01 should be provided more emphasis Director West suggested that considering the time remaining for this discussion item (before the bike open house session of the meeting begins) Commissioners should comment on larger ideas within the Comprehensive Plan that causes them concern. Otherwise, Staff invites the Planning Commission to submit details comments or edits by the end of the day of Monday, May l4th and Staff will incorporate those in the redlined copy of the Comprehensive Plan that is considered at the May 23d Planning Commission public hearing. Director West invited any other Commissioners to speak bring up larger issues in the remaining time. Commissioner Hastings thought that planning for Climate Change should have more emphasis in the Plan. Also, there should be more in the Plan conceming elderly populations, such as residential development that includes destinations for recreation and commerce in close proximity for elderly to enjoy, such as mixed use development. She also suggested development should include sidewalks so there is a safe path for walkers. Commissioner Hopkins stated that he was a relatively new resident of the community. He felt that the neighborhood map being in the Appendix may not be helpful and/or appropriate. The City has a need for more neighborhood-centric development and wondered how the Comprehensive Plan can help with that effort. There is no neighborhood identity within the community. Commissioner Stanley mentioned that the included neighborhood map did not seem to match what exists or is commonly known in reality, both by boundary and name. Director West responded that neighborhood planning could be the focus in between the larger State mandated Comprehensive Plan updates. Currently, the City is not at that stage of focus. Commissioner Hopkins asked Staff what the City Council saw as implied problems with the Plan's current policies. Director West responded that the Council was concerned with the number of policies in the document. They felt the document should have a more concise vision ensuring measurability that could convert objectives into an implementation matrix. Commissioner Stanley felt that generally, the Plan could have a more exact correspondence between itself and the day-to-day regulations in the Port Angeles Municipal Code. Perhaps there could be hyperlinks to Municipal Code included. He gave the example of building height policies, but no examples of where or how this is implemented in the City. Overall, he felt positive about the Plan's resilience. He has read several Comprehensive Plans from across the United States and Port Angeles is much further ahead than many other communities, even ones that are larger than Port Angeles. He disagreed that there are too many policies included in the Plan. I P lann ing C o mmi s s ion Minu tes May 9,2018 Page 3 STAFF UPDATES None. REPORTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS None. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjoumed at7:00 p.m. after the scheduled Community Bicycle Meeting Ben Braudrick, Secretary PREPARED BY: Ben Braudrick, Secretary Steve Vice-Chair ) J THECrrv ",ï)oRTt GETES vl/ A S H I N G T O N, U.S PLANINING COMMISSION ATTENDANCE AND TESTIMONIY SIGN IN ROSTER PLEASE SIGN IN IF you plan to testify, by signature below, you certify that the testimony given is true and correct under penalty of perjury by the laws of the State of Washington. If you do not plan to testify, your signature only acknowledses your presence atåitîiilË; ,n^EIïä lr., I Name Address Agenda Item # tr' ,t Evu^ S 6tr u 6+) e+ P/ir 14 tt ë'N ,, , /,., ,,'-. >rs (', Lô n¿:Z-- ';> n //1 V