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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 02/07/1989 KENT CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE February 7, 1989 4:00 PM Committee Members Present Planning Staff Present Judy Woods, Chair Charlene Anderson Steve Dowell Kathy McClung Jon Johnson Fred Satterstrom Dan Stroh City Administration Other City Staff Dan Kelleher, Mayor Jim Harris, Acting City Administrator Norm Angelo Jim Hansen Sandra Driscoll Bob Hutchinson Others Present Carolyn Lake Larry Webb Eric Campbell Jim & Leona Orr Robert Stettner AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEMO PROJECT red Satterstrom iterated that affordable housing is a 1989 City Council Target Issue. He had worked on a study of affordable housing and visited the H.U.D demonstration projects in Lacey and Everett. Each community is responsible for establishing guidelines within which to develop affordable housing. The project involves a negotiation process whereby the City, the developer and H.U.D define the rules that are unique to each community. He views this meeting as a forum for raising the issues; a future session can address establishing guidelines for the demonstration project. Kathy McClung displayed the plans submitted to the City for the demonstration project. The proposal is for 36 lots on two parcels totalling 7 . 8 acres. Lot sizes range from under 6000 sq. ft. to over 9000 sq. ft. Special consideration is required in the areas of undersized lots and decreased development standards relating to lot widths, curb and gutter, street widths, turning radii, etc. Because this area was recently annexed to the City of Kent, staff is concerned that approving this demonstration project would open the door for other requests for similar consideration. Adjacent to the southern portion of the property are three plats which were platted in King County prior to the area's annexation to Kent. Those lot sizes range from 6200 sq. ft. to over 16, 000 sq. ft. (King County allows lot averaging. ) In addition, the City of Kent presently has almost 200 lots of single family residences in the review stage, so this type of housing is increasing. Related to the decreased development standards, staff is concerned about the combination of rolled curbs and narrow street widths. People will park up in rolled curbs on both the side with the sidewalk and the side without. In Addition to thereby creating a circulation problem, including a safety issue related to emergency access, the rolled curb without the sidewalk is not ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE ,4INUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 1989 equipped to handle the weight of vehicles, will deteriorate and cause maintenance problems. The Engineering Department stated that with rolled curbs, the street sweeper pushes dirt onto the sidewalk. Ms. McClung believes a project with similar density and including open space and other amenities for the public can be accommodated through the existing P.U. D. ordinance. Ms. McClung added that the projected $3,000 cost savings may not be enough to make a difference on affordability. Upon checking with realtors, staff learned that new homes in the Cherokee Bay area average $85, 000 to $90, 000 and depending on the area of Kent, generally range from $85, 000 to $100, 000. The proposed "affordable housing" project projects prices of $85, 000 to $95, 000. Staff is willing to work with the developer regarding an affordable housing project and requests that the developer consider a project within the requirements of the existing P.U.D. ordinance. City Attorney Driscoll stated her office had not had an opportunity to review the project. She added that any time the City has to waive requirements, it needs to examine its authority to do so and the legal ramifications involved. Bob Stettner of H.U.D. stated that affordability is a relative term that -elates to what is affordable for a given family. The project reviewed by taff is a proposal only. H.U.D. is seeking a resolution from the City Council which expresses a willingness to work with H.U.D. and look at the City's land development standards in order to develop an affordable housing project which meets the needs of the City of Kent and is marketable by the developer. Several meetings will occur between City representatives, H.U.D. and the developer to finalize a project that is worthy of consideration. H.U.D. does not intend to modify the Uniform Building Code and H.U.D. will guarantee that any dollar savings will be passed dollar for dollar to the consumer. H.U.D. documentation indicates that the average cost of housing in the City of Kent is $115, 000. This proposal is looking at the $85, 000 range to determine what flexibility is available to reduce the cost of housing in Kent. After evaluation of the project, H.U.D. and the City would be looking at adopting into the code the flexible standards allowed in the affordable housing project. King County will need approximately 12 , 500 housing units between 1980 and 1990. Eric Campbell, architect, passed around a map of what realtors call the "Kent area;" that is Area 330. It includes a northern boundary of 192nd St, southern boundary of about 288th, eastern boundary at Highway 18 and western boundary at Highway 181 (e.g. , it includes the Covington area) . In this area, there are presently only 6 homes available which are below the $90, 000 price range. There are approximately 50 homes under construction which fall in the $90, 000 to $100, 000 price range; all else is above those ranges. With the present market and without the joint venture with H.U.D. the proposed project would place homes in the $99, 000 to $110,000 price range. Keeping -urrent zoning, the homes would fall within the $110, 000 to $130, 000 price 2 ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE AINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 1989 range. Mr. Campbell believes the narrow lot widths will become standard. He presented to staff statistical data which indicated that in the past year 69 homes had sold in the $80,000 to $90, 000 price range and there are only 6 homes available now in that range. He also presented data which showed new homes available within the $90, 000 price range and those above that range. Mr. Stettner stated Kent could choose whatever savings they could go along with at the present time, would be able to review the project and would then decide if there was interest in pursuing a second phase with perhaps more flexibility. Councilman Johnson is not as concerned with the decreased lot size as he is with the narrow streets (safety problem?) and landscape islands that can have maintenance problems and that might become parking areas. In response to Councilman Dowell, Mr. Campbell stated that the price paid for the proposed development area allowed an opportunity to become involved in this venture with H.U.D. ; should the project not occur, he will develop the land in the normal manner. Acting City Administrator Harris stated that since this is a Council Target Issue, it behooves the City to explore this affordable housing concept. Councilman Dowell believes a resolution has some binding focus and he does not think a resolution is needed in order to review the concept. Mr. -atettner stated the resolution is a national approach to the affordable ousing project and does not obligate the City to go forward with the project. Chairwoman Woods would like a resolution drawn up for the February 21 Planning Committee meeting at which time a decision can be made on whether to move this issue forward to the City Council. Fire Chief Angelo would like the resolution to reflect the fact that a new Uniform Building Code is being adopted by the state. He welcomes the opportunity to discuss consequences and risks related to delivery of service to the proposed project area. Mayor Kelleher welcomed any information H.U.D. could provide to the committees being established on housing and he hoped H.U.D. was aware of the work the Planning Department has done on affordable housing. MAYOR'S TASK 90-CR- COMMITTEES ON HOUSING - FOR INFORMATION ONLY Fred Satterstrom stated Mayor Kelleher had requested that the Planning Department develop a work program and budget for three committees on housing whose tasks would be as follows: 1) Conduct a needs assessment for public housing, particularly senior housing. 2) Examine zoning and other City regulations as applied to special populations, e.g. , developmentally disabled or T.R.Y. homes 3) Examine ways to encourage single family residential development a) Permit process and City regulations applied to single family development b) Review 1985 Affordable Housing Study 3 ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 71 1989 Staff will present a work program and proposed budget at the Planning Committee meeting of February 21. Fire Chief Angelo expressed a desire that discussion in the committees consider possible trade-offs for flexible regulations, e.g. , if a developer is allowed to change hydrant spacing perhaps the City could get a trade-off of a sprinkler system. COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY AND CITY OF KENT Fred Satterstrom stated the Housing Authority has requested that the City of Kent enter into a Cooperation Agreement with them to allow one unit of low- rent housing in the City. The H.U.D. form of the agreement was included in the agenda packet. The Housing Authority has a specific site in mind to purchase for this low-rent housing. The Planning Department recommends that this issue be forwarded to the full Council at their meeting tonight. Mayor Kelleher showed a picture of the house the Housing Authority desires to purchase. It is located in the South Park area at 716 3rd Avenue S. He reviewed major items of concern which are outlined in the agreement: 1) Housing authorities under state law do not pay tax, yet they will be provided service. 2) Section 4B states that if the Housing Authority deems it necessary and reasonable, the City will agree to vacate whatever streets the Authority asks to be vacated; if sewer lines need to be relocated, the City will pay for the relocation. Section 4C agrees that the City will waive any building codes that may be necessary, within the law; the City will change the zoning of the parcel and surrounding parcels if the Housing Authority asks for it. Mayor Kelleher suggested that the Housing Authority, along with the agreement, may elect to certify to the City in writing that for this house they do not need any streets vacated, any utilities moved, any zoning changed or any codes waived. City Attorney Driscoll stated that even if the City can lawfully waive any requirements, there is concern about liability. The letter from the Housing Authority will certify that the Cooperation Agreement will apply only to this project and that the sections discussed above will not be applicable in this situation. This letter would alleviate some of the legal concerns regarding those sections and should minimize the City's liability. Mayor Kelleher stated that a motion could be worded so that the Mayor would be authorized to sign only after review and approval by the Law Department. Councilman Dowell MOVED that the Planning Committee recommend to the Council that the City refuse the offer. The motion died for lack of a SECOND. `ouncilman Johnson MOVED to recommend to the Council that the Mayor be 4 ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 1989 authorized to sign the Cooperation Agreement. Chairwoman Woods SECONDED the motion. Councilman Dowell stated that the Cooperation Agreement was a legal contract with very difficult language and some catches in it. There has been very little public notice of this and he doesn't think that the public has had an opportunity to be involved in it. He is concerned that approving this contract will preempt the work of the Mayor's Committees on Housing. Mayor Kelleher responded that the Housing Authority's fund reservation would not allow them to wait until the work of the committees was completed. He had not considered that the committees would be examining whether Housing Authorities would be allowed to purchase property within the City of Kent. Chairwoman Woods stated that the Rental Rehab Subcommittee (Jean Archer, Carol Stoner and Judy Woods) had dealt with the rehab of a number of low- income rentals in North Park and South Park; in South Park there are a number of facilities that have guaranteed they have a certain number of Section 8 rentals. Fred Satterstrom stated that although he sympathizes with Councilman Dowell 's concerns, this contract deals with only one unit of 13,000 units in the City of Kent. Mr. Satterstrom does not believe approval of this agreement would be a significant action in terms of numbers. Councilman Johnson stated the ^ity would not be looking at an overall policy of addressing low-income ousing which would be the concerns of the committees; the City would be considering one house only. He agreed that if this was an overall policy decision, one would need to step back and look at a broader approach. The motion carried with Councilman Dowell voting no. Mayor Kelleher stated there is no difference between Section 8 housing and the program of the Housing Authority. The programs work the same way; applications are made to the same office; the income requirements in many cases are the same; the formula for rent is the same. The City of Kent has Section 8 housing throughout the city; the difference in this proposal is that the Housing Authority will own the building. The Mayor believes public input is important. He added that one of the first things that SEPA looks at in any project is whether it is significant enough to be regulated. The Mayor believes this would not be considered a significant project. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:25 PM. 5