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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-03-22 PC Agenda Packet AGENDA PLANNING COMMISSION 321 East Fifth Street March 22, 2017 6:00 p.m. I. CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance led by Chair II. ROLL CALL III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regular meeting of February 22, 2017 IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS/ACTION ITEMS None V. STAFF UPDATES Municipal Code Amendments Update VI. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 1. Ethics Training 2. Planning Commission Elections VII. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC VIII. REPORTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS IX. ADJOURNMENT C OMMUNITY & E CONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION Port Angeles, Washington 98362 February 22, 2017 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Members Present: David Amoroso, Matt Bailey, Duane Morris, Elwyn Gee, Andrew Schwab, Steven Hopkins Members Absent: One Vacancy Staff Present: Allyson Brekke, Ben Braudrick, Nathan West, Heidi Greenberg Public Present: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Gee opened the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. and Commissioner Schwab led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner Bailey moved to approve the January 25, 2017 minutes. Commissioner Schwab seconded, all were in favor. PUBLIC HEARINGS/ACTION ITEMS 1. Title 2, 14, 16, and 17 Municipal Code Amendments (Continued) Chair Gee asked staff for an update on the staff report for proposed municipal code change amendments. Planning Manager Allyson Brekke presented the Staff Report for proposed amendments to Titles 2, 14, 16, and 17 of the Port Angeles Municipal Code. Director Nathan West acknowledged and address a response to two written public comments that came in after the January 25th meeting and were related to Part 2 of the code changes. The first was from Mr. John Ralston and the second from Bruce Emery of Greencrow Corporation. Director West made it clear that the meeting on February 8 that was canceled due to inclimate weather was posted on the Council Chambers as being continued to February 22, 2017. Chair Gee reopened the public hearing, and lacking public comment, closed the public hearing. Commissioner Morris asked that Staff revisit the sign code. Traveling throughout town, he felt that there was a real problem with both the amount, and the type of signage. Director West responded that changes in signage code would require major rewrites to the code, but that it was the intent of Staff to make changes to the sign code in the future. Commissioner Morris asked about the need for more than one definition under the definition of “lot” in 17.08.002 PAMC. He felt that the intent of different portions of that definition could get Planning Commission Minutes February 22, 2017 Page 2 lost if it wasn’t pulled out and given its own section. Planning Manager Brekke responded that it could be done. Commissioner Morris asked about 17.14.080.C PAMC and the dimensional requirement for non-landscaped area. Planning Manager Brekke responded that as a result of the 2016 stormwater requirement PAMC amendments that there was a need for a unified section of code specifically for landscaping requirements. Commissioner Morris agreed. He pointed out that 17.14.040 numbering needed to be updated to allow for the changes. Director West responded that before the draft code is codified it receives a final edit to ensure consistency. Commissioner Morris asked that residential uses should be encouraged in the commercial zones. Director West responded that residential uses were allowed in each commercial zone and encouraged by staff, but that it could be at times cost prohibitive to convert commercial space into residential. He added examples of access and fire codes as high costs for older buildings. Planning Manager Brekke added that new definitions for apartments, apartment buildings, and mixed use, as well as parking requirement relaxation for residential uses would promote more diversity and accessibility in the built environment. Commissioner Hopkins addressed Mr. Ralston’s written comment about the need for owner occupancy in accessory dwelling units in regard to RS-9 and RS-11 zones. Planning Manager Brekke responded that staff had discussed the land use differences in the RS-7 and low density single family zones and the character differences. Enforcement is a challenge in any part of the code. Staff had discussed approaching the local real estate organization. Commissioner Amoroso asked the reasoning behind the owner occupation of lower density single family zones. Director West responded that in as high of a tourism market as Port Angeles has, that it was important to make many different types of affordable housing available. Planning Manager Brekke add that there is a correlation between rental properties and short term rental properties. It’s important to note that some who own accessory residential units might realize a potential for the creation of a short term rental. Having an owner onsite would assist in remedying this issue, but she made it clear that staff was open to any of the Commissioner’s suggestions. Staff could be directed to look at the number of ARU’s and there locations. Commissioner Bailey commented that, although public comment from the development community was relating to the restrictive nature of the code changes, but he felt they were related. He read the Attached Letter “A” concerning PAMC 14.36.090 - Removal of Prohibited Signs into the record. Director West felt that it was important gaining consensus by the Commission on how to proceed with these specific code changes to PAMC 14.36. Commissioner Schwab felt that there was a lot of merit to what Commissioner Bailey had said. He felt that it might be better to address the sign code in its entirety. Commissioner Morris asked what prompted what reasoning staff had for making changes to this specific piece of the sign code. Planning Manager Brekke responded that a lot of the Planning Commission Minutes February 22, 2017 Page 3 proposed amendments were in response to non-conformity, and this portion of the sign code addressed non-conformity. Commissioner Hopkins stated that he agreed with Staff’s suggestion that extended stay rentals should be changed to short term rental. He thought that the proximity portion of human services might conflict with many users’ needs to have those different uses in close proximity to each other. He suggested that facilities of a similar type might be allowed adjacent each other if they are not serving the same purpose. Planning Manager Brekke replied that this situation had come up in staff discussion and that in other communities had developed campus type situations where transportation could provide access and residential uses would be less negatively affected. These changes could be on the horizon and would need larger zoning changes and public involvement. .Director West stated that those types of uses could be placed together in the City’s overlay zones. Commissioner Schwab state that he felt owner occupied properties with accessory residential units should be stricken from the changes because the land use area of those changes is so small Chair Gee stated that he had lived in two different cities with vastly different sign codes, and that each community is different. Commission discussion ensued. Commissioner Schwab made a motion to approve staff recommendations as presented with exception of making no changes to chapter 14.36.090, and the removal of requirements for owner occupancy in Section 17.94/95 development standards for an accessory residential unit. Commissioner Hopkins seconded, all were in favor. STAFF UPDATES Director West let the Commission know that on the previous might the City Council approved a resolution move forward with an update of the Countywide Planning Policy. A committee had been given direction to move forward no later than 60 days since the county approved their resolution two weeks previous. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC None REPORTS OF COMMISSION MEMBERS Commissioner Bailey mentioned that he was glad to see interest in an airline returning for regular service. Planning Commission Minutes February 22, 2017 Page 4 ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Morris moved to adjourn. Commissioner Schwab seconded. The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Ben Braudrick, Secretary Elwyn Gee, Chair PREPARED BY: Ben Braudrick 02/22/17 PC Minutes Attached Letter "A" BYLAWS of THE CITY OF PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON PLANNING COMMISSION (Amended January 25, 2017) ARTICLE I - NAME Section 1. Name The official name of the organization shall be “The City of Port Angeles, Washington, Planning Commission.” ARTICLE II - OFFICIAL SEAT Section 1. Official Seat The official seat of the Planning Commission shall be in the City Hall of Port Angeles, Washington, 321 East Fifth Street, and meetings shall be held there except on such occasions and at such times as the Commission may, by a majority vote of those present at any regular, recessed, or special meeting, otherwise direct. ARTICLE III - OFFICERS Section 1. Officers The elective officers of the Planning Commission shall consist of a Chair and Vice-Chair. Section 2. Nomination and Election of Officers Nomination of elective officers shall be made from the floor at the annual election meeting which shall be held at the last regular meeting of March of each year. The election shall follow immediately thereafter. A nominee receiving a majority vote of those present at the election meeting shall be declared elected. Section 3. Terms of Officers The term of office for elective officers shall begin in April and shall continue for a term of one year. Elective officers shall not serve consecutive terms in the same office. Section 4. Vacancies in Offices Vacancies in elective offices shall be filled immediately by regular election procedure for the unexpired portion of the term. Section 5. Duties of Officers (a) Chair The Chair shall preside at all meetings and public hearings of the Planning Commission and shall call special meetings when he/she deems it necessary or is required to do so. He/she shall appoint all committees, shall be an ex-officio member of each, without the power to vote. He/she shall sign the minutes of Planning Commission meetings and all 2 official papers and plans involving the authority of the Planning Commission which are then transmitted to the City Council. The Chair shall have the privilege of discussing all matters before the Planning Commission and voting thereon. He/she shall have all the duties normally conferred by parliamentary usage on such officers and shall perform such other duties as may be ordered by the Planning Commission except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, in other Planning Commission regulations, or in City Ordinances. (b) Vice-Chair The Vice-Chair shall assume the duties and powers of the Chair in his or her absence. If the Chair and Vice-Chair are both absent, the Planning Commission members may elect a temporary chair by a majority vote of those present at a regular, recessed, or special meeting, who shall assume the duties and powers of the Chair or Vice-Chair during their absence. (c) Executive Secretary The Executive Secretary is a staff appointed position. The Executive Secretary shall keep the minutes of all regular, recessed, and special meetings of the Planning Commission; such minutes shall be approved by the Planning Commission. He/she shall also keep the minutes of Planning Commission committee meetings when requested to do so. He/she shall give notice of all regular and special meetings to Planning Commission members, shall prepare with the Chair the agenda of regular and special meetings, shall serve proper and legal notice of all public hearings, and shall draft and sign the routine correspondence of the Planning Commission. The Executive Secretary shall maintain a file of all studies, plans, reports, recommendations, and official records of the Planning Commission and perform such other duties as are normally carried out by a secretary and as the Planning Commission may determine. ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS Section 1. Regular Meetings: Time and Place Regular monthly meetings shall be held on the second and/or fourth Wednesdays of each month beginning at 6:00 P.M. in City Hall except as otherwise designated by the Planning Commission. Per Section 2.36.040 of the Port Angeles Municipal Code, the Planning Commission shall hold at least one regular meeting in each month for nine (9) months of the year. Any change in the hour, date, and place of regular meetings shall be given wide publicity for the convenience of persons having business before the Commission. When the regular meeting day falls on a legal holiday, the replacement date will be designated by the Planning Commission with notice posted to the public per the Open Public Meetings Act. Section 2. Recessed Meetings Any regular meeting may be recessed to a definite time, place, and date by a majority vote of the Planning Commission members present at the meeting. 3 Section 3. Special Meetings Special meetings may be called by the Chair or Planning staff with approval of the Chair. Section 4. Cancellation of Regular Meetings In the event it is necessary to cancel a meeting due to lack of agenda issues, Planning staff will contact the Chair and each Commission member prior to the meeting and will provide notice to the public per the Open Public Meetings Act . Section 5. Notice of Meetings Notice of all regular and special meetings shall be given by the Executive Secretary to the members of the Planning Commission in accordance with current RCWs. Notice of all regular meetings shall be provided at least 4 days prior to a regular meeting. Notice to members of the Planning Commission and to members of the public of all special meetings shall be provided at least 2 days (48 hours) prior to the special meeting. Land use notices shall be provided according to Section17.95.140 PAMC. In addition to the provision of the notice of all special meetings to the members of the Planning Commission, notice shall be provided to each local newspaper of general circulation in the City of Port Angeles and to each local radio station serving the City of Port Angeles. Said notice shall be transmitted electronically or mailed at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting specified in the notice. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting and the business to be transacted by the Commission. The meeting agenda for the next regular meetings shall be closed on Monday at the close of business five (5) days prior to the next regular meeting of the Planning Commission except that urgent matters may be inserted on the agenda later at the discretion of the Chair. Petitions and communications from the audience and matters brought to the meeting by the Planning Staff and Commission members, which are not on the agenda for the meeting, may be received and discussed at the meeting. However, no official action may be taken on any matter at a Planning Commission meeting which is not included on the agenda for that meeting or which has been added to the agenda after it has been received by the Planning Commission members except that this requirement may be suspended at any meeting by the unanimous vote of the members present at the meeting. Section 6. Order of Business - Regular Meeting for Administrative, Routine, and Hearing-Type Matters (a) Call to order by Chair (b) Roll call (c) Approval of minutes of preceding meeting (d) Public hearings/Other business (e) Communications from the Public (f) Staff Updates (g) Reports of Commission Members (h) Adjournment 4 Section 7. Order of Business - Regular Meeting for Discussion of Matters Related to Comprehensive Planning (a) Call to order by Chair (b) Roll call (c) Approval of minutes of preceding meeting (d) Staff Updates for current business (e) Reports from Planning Commission members and committees (f) Communications from audience (related to comprehensive planning only) (g) Communications from Planning Commission members (h) Adjourn Section 8. Operational Guidelines (a) All requests and applications on zoning, annexations, and vacations will be tabled if the applicant or an authorized representative is not present at the hearing on the request or application. (b) All requests and applications will be tabled if all essential information is not provided to the Planning Department staff by Friday, five days prior to the regular Wednesday meetings of the Planning Commission for timely analysis and inclusion into the Commissioners information packets. (c) All requests and applications requiring legal opinion or interpretation will be tabled until the Planning Commission has received an opinion or interpretation from the City Attorney. (d) The Commission shall act as a body in making its decisions and in announcing them. (e) Willful misrepresentation of information pertaining to a request or application will void that request or application upon discovery of the misrepresentation. (f) The Planning Commission will not commence a new hearing after 10 P.M. unless agreed upon by the Planning Commission. Section 9. Public Hearing Procedure (a) Chair introduces the discussion item orally and outlines the public hearing procedures to be followed during the public hearing process. The Chair then reads qualifying questions to the Commissioners regarding the Appearance of Fairness and Conflict of Interest Doctrines and opens the public hearing. (b) Planning Staff presents a staff report and provides a recommendation. Commissioners are permitted to ask the Chair or staff any relevant questions about the application. The public hearing will be opened with a brief explanation of the procedures to be followed (c) The spokesperson for proponents in the audience shall be given an opportunity to speak in favor of the application. Information submitted should be factual, relevant, and not merely duplication of previous presentation(s). A reasonable time (10 minutes) shall be allowed the spokesman; others shall be limited to short supporting remarks (5 minutes). Each person speaking shall give his or her name, address, and nature of the interest in the 5 matter. The Chair may allow additional public testimony if the issue warrants it. Any data presented shall be retained by staff and marked as an exhibit. (d) The spokesperson for opponents in the audience shall be given an opportunity to speak against the application. Information submitted should be factual, relevant, and not merely a 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). Each person speaking shall give his or her name, address, and nature of the interest in the matter. The Chair may allow additional public testimony if the issue warrants it. Any data presented shall be retained by staff and marked as an exhibit. (e) Other interested parties shall be allowed to comment briefly (5 minutes) or make inquiries. (f) There can be a brief rebuttal (5 minutes) for proponents and opponents each heard separately and consecutively, with presentation limited to their spokesperson. The rebuttal shall be limited to factual statements pertaining to previous testimony. The Chair may allow additional public testimony if the issue warrants it. (g) The public hearing is closed. Commissioners voice their considerations and pose any relevant questions through the Chair. Specific questions may be posed through the Chair to a particular speaker to clarify testimony previously presented. (h) Motion for disposition is presented and an action taken. Section 10. Quorum Four members of the Planning Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the taking of official action. Section 11. Motions Motions shall be restated by the Chair before a vote is taken. The names of the members making and seconding a motion shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Section 12. Voting Any action taken by a majority of those present, when those present constitute a quorum, at any regular, recessed, or special meeting of the Planning Commission shall be deemed and taken as the action of the Commission except that any proposed change of the Zoning Map must be approved by a majority of the total membership of the Planning Commission. Voting on amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Map, all matters requiring a public hearing before the Planning Commission, and all matters referred to the Planning Commission by the City Council shall be by the vote of each member and shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Section 13. Staff Reports On all matters considered by the Planning Commission, the report and recommendations, if any, of the Planning staff shall be presented to the Commission and shall become part of the formal record of the action and recorded in the minutes of the meeting. 6 Section 14. Conflict of Interest and Appearance of Fairness Any member of the Planning Commission who has an interest in any matter before the Commission that would or could tend to prejudice his or her actions thereon, shall so publicly indicate this fact and shall abstain from voting or participating in any way in the Commission's action on that matter. Section 15. Attendance Attendance at regular meetings and executive sessions is expected of all Commission members. Any members anticipating absence from an official meeting or executive session shall notify the Chair or Executive Secretary in advance. Any absence may be excused by the Commission, even for an extended period, provided the absence is approved in advance. Section 16. Parliamentary Procedure Parliamentary procedure in Planning Commission meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised unless it is specifically provided otherwise in these Bylaws, in other Planning Commission resolutions, in City Ordinances, or in the State of Washington Planning Enabling Act (Chapter 35.63 RCW). Section 17. Public Nature of Meetings and Records All regular, recessed, and special meetings, hearings, records, and accounts shall be open to the public provided, however, executive sessions may be held by the Commission as provided in RCW 42.30.110. ARTICLE V - COMMITTEES Section 1. Establishment of Committees The Planning Commission may establish such standing or special committees as it deems advisable and assign each committee specific duties or functions. Each standing committee shall consist of 3 members. No standing or special committee shall have the power to commit the Planning Commission to the endorsement of any plan or program without the plan or program submitted and approved by a quorum of the Commission. Section 2. Appointment and Terms of Committee Members The Chair of the Planning Commission shall appoint the members of each standing or special committee and shall name the chair of each committee. The members of each standing committee shall be appointed at the first regular meeting in July for a term of one year. Special committees may be appointed at such times and for such purposes and terms as the Planning Commission approves. Section 3. Committee Vacancies Vacancies on committees shall be filled immediately by the Chair of the Planning Commission for the unexpired portion of the term. 7 Section 4. Meetings of Committees The committees shall meet at the call of the committee chairman; in addition the Chair of the Planning Commission shall also have the authority to call a special meeting of any committee at any time and upon such notice as he/she may specify. The Planning Staff shall issue notice of committee meetings at the request of a committee chair or the Planning Commission Chair. Section 5. Quorum and Voting The majority of the members appointed shall constitute a quorum of all committees. The affirmative vote of a majority of the committee membership shall be required for the adoption of a matter before the committee. ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS Section 1. Amendments These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by the affirmative vote of five (5) members of the Planning Commission provided that the proposed amendments have been submitted in writing at a previous meeting. Amended January 25, 2017 As amended: 2/23/76; 8/23/78; 5/23/79; 1/19/88; 3/16/90; 4/25/90; 4/29/90; 6/23/93; 1/12/94; 3/24/2004; 5/08/13; 01/25/2017