HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 04/26/1991 �s.
CITY OF M19HI
220 S. Fourth Avenue, Kent, WA 98032
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Telephone (206) 859-3390
PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING PROCEDURES
August 26, 1991
GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. Call to order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of minutes
4. Added items
5. Communications
6. Notice of upcoming meetings
7. Public hearings
PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS
Tracy Faust, Chair, 12/93
Linda Martinez, Vice Chair, 12/91
Gwen Dahle, 12/92
Christopher Grant, 12/91
Greg Greenstreet, 12/92
Albert Haylor, 12/93
Edward Heineman, Jr. , 12/93
Kent Morrill, 12/92
Raymond Ward, 12/91
CITY STAFF MEMBER
James P. Harris, Planning Director
ORDER OF- DISCUSSION
1. The general order of business 1 through 4 is routine and is
handled rather quickly.
2. Communications:
The public may address the Commission Chairman at this time.
Such communication shall not deal with any item that is
scheduled on the agenda as a public hearing item.
Communications may be put on the agenda as an added item by
the Chairman and discussed by the Commission members.
3 . Public Hearings:
Planning Commission public hearings are intended to allow the
public, the staff, and the Commission members to engage in a
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formal dialogue which discloses all pertinent facets of the
subject under discussion. The Commission receives testimony,
conducts an educated exchange among its members, and makes a
recommendation to the City Council. The public hearing is
conducted as follows:
a. Those who wish to speak are requested to sign up ahead of
time. (Sign-up sheets will be circulated prior to the
hearing. )
b. The Chairman will open the public hearing.
C. City staff will present the subject matter. Planning
Commission members may ask questions of the staff at this
point.
d. The Chairman will next refer to the sign-up sheet and
call those who have signed up to come forward to give
their testimony. Each person will be permitted ten
minutes to speak; during a later rebuttal period, they
will be given three minutes of rebuttal time.
e. If a large, complex proposal is before the Commission,
the Chairman may permit a longer testimony period.
f. At the conclusion of testimony and rebuttal, the
Commission Chairman will call for a vote to close the
public hearing and call upon Planning Commission members
to discuss the subject. Commission members may question
staff, those who gave testimony or elicit information
from any person present.
g. At the conclusion of this phase of the hearing, the
Chairman will entertain a motion.
h. Planning Commission approval or denial of a public
hearing item is in the form of a recommendation to the
City Council. The matter will be referred to the Council
which will deal with it on a future Council agenda.
i. If any party is not satisfied with the results of the
Planning Commission's recommendation, it is suggested the
City Council be informed in writing of any objection or
desired modification of the Commission's recommendations.
J . The minutes of the public hearing are being recorded on
the cassette tapes. It is the obligation of all
participants to provide clear and complete testimony.
This will include allowing time for change of tapes and
stating names, titles or positions, offering spelling as
required. Where unusual or technical terminology is
used, spelling will be helpful.
CITY OF MNT
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220 S. Fourth Avenue, Kent, WA 98032
Telephone (206) 859-3390
AGENDA
KENT PLANNING COMMISSION
Public Hearing
August 26, 1991
This is to inform you that a scheduled Planning Commission public
hearing will be held on Monday, August 26, 1991, at 7:00 P.M. in
the Kent City Hall, City Council Chambers.
The agenda will include the following items:
1. Call to order
2 . Roll call
3. Approval of July 22, 1991 Planning Commission minutes
4. Added items to agenda
5. Communications
6. Notice of upcoming meetings
7. Public Hearing:
Planned Unit Development - ZCA-91-1
KENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON AUGUST 26, 1991
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS
I. ISSUE
The Planned Unit Development (PUD) is a provision within the
Zoning Code intended to promote diversity and creativity in
site design and to protect and enhance natural and community -
features. It is a flexible process designed to promote
developments that will be beneficial to Kent citizens.
Current regulations permit PUDs in all zoning districts except
A-1 Agricultural. In all districts, the principally permitted
uses, conditional uses and accessory uses in PUDs are the same
as those in the underlying zoning district with two
exceptions:
A. In single family residential zoning districts (RA and RI)
attached side by side (not vertically stacked)
residential units may be permitted in a PUD.
B. In residential PUDs of ten (10) acres or more, commercial
uses may be permitted. Commercial uses shall be limited
to those uses permitted in the Neighborhood Convenience
District.
At issue is whether the City should encourage the development
of attached units in single family zoning districts as stated
in "A" above.
II. BACKGROUND
In mid-1987, the Planning Commission recommended to the City
Council that a new PUD ordinance be adopted. The Council
referred this recommendation to the Planning Committee. In
April of 1988, the Planning Committee formed a citizen
committee to review the Planning Commission's draft ordinance.
The major recommended changes to the ordinance can be
summarized as follows:
A. Review time shortened. A PUD application can be approved
by the Hearing Examiner without moving on to the City
Council except on an appeal. Also, other land use
processes, such as conditional use permits, may be
consolidated with the PUD review.
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B. Housing mix. The requirement that each residential PUD
consist of all types of housing was dropped in favor of
a density bonus incentive that encourages a mix of
housing types.
C. Density bonuses more refined. The process for
determining residential density bonuses is better defined
and the design objectives of PUDs are clearer than
before.
On July 19, 1988, the Council's Planning Committee unanimously
recommended to the full Council that the PUD Citizen Advisory
Committee's proposed draft of the PUD ordinance be adopted. -
The Council accepted the recommendation on August 16, 1988 and
Ordinance 2802 was adopted.
since the adoption of the new ordinance, one Planned Unit
Development, Dover Place, has been approved and is now under
construction. The development consists of 38 detached single
family homes and common open space.
In June of 1990, the City Council received a petition from the
Responsible Urban Growth Group (RUGG) which requested that the
City Council consider revisions to the PUD ordinance as
follows:
A. Require all housing units be detached, single family
units. No longer allow attached, side-by-side units.
B. Establish a minimum lot size of 7,200 square feet.
On July 16, 1991, the City Council directed the Planning
Commission to look at the Planned Unit Development regulations
in terms of the existing provision that allows attached
townhouses to be constructed in single family zoning
districts.
III. EXISTING PUD REGULATIONS
Purpose and objectives:
Chapter 15. 04.080 of the Kent Zoning Code states: "The intent
of the PUD is to create a process to promote diversity and
creativity in site design, and protect and enhance natural and
community features. The process is provided to encourage
unique developments which may combine a mixture of
residential, commercial, and industrial uses. By using
flexibility in the application of development standards, this
process will promote development that will benefit citizens
that live and work within the City of Kent. "
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The balance of this report will only address the potential of
a PUD in the RA, Residential Agricultural, and R1, Single
Family Residential, zoning districts.
Development standards:
As previously mentioned, the principally permitted uses,
conditional uses and accessory uses of the underlying
residential zoning district apply to the PUD. The PUD
regulations establish minimum development standards for the
following:
Site acreage•
PUDs in RA and R1 districts must be a minimum of 5 acres.
Perimeter building setback:
The minimum perimeter building setback of the underlying
zoning district applies:
RA R1
Front yard: 20 ft. 20 ft.
Side yard: 15 ft. 5 ft.
Rear yard: 20 ft. 8 ft.
Side yard(corner) : 20 ft. 15 ft.
In addition, if a PUD proposed in an RA or R1 district
includes attached units, the Multifamily Transition Area
setback requirements apply:
A. The setbacks relate to the classification of the
adjacent street.
1. On an arterial or collector street, the
minimum setback is 20 feet and the average is
40 feet.
2. On a local access street, the minimum setback
is 20 feet and the- average is 30 feet.
B. If the multifamily proposal abuts a Single Family
zoning district, the setback is a minimum of 20
feet and an average of 40 feet.
Maximum height•
The maximum height of the underlying zoning district
applies--two and one-half (2k) stories not exceeding 35
feet in the case of the RA and R1 zoning districts.
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In addition, if a PUD proposed in a RA or Rl district
includes attached units, the Multifamily Transition Area
height requirements apply:
The maximum height of any structure within a
Multifamily Transition Area shall not exceed two
stories or 25 feet at the minimum setback line.
The building height may be increased one foot in
height for each additional foot of horizontal
setback from the minimum setback line, up to the
maximum limit for the underlying zoning district.
Open space:
Residential PUDs must provide a minimum of 35 percent of
the total site area for common open space.
Minimum lot size:
Planned Unit Developments are not required to meet the
minimum lot size requirements of the underlying zoning
district. In residential PUDs, this provides flexibility
in site design by allowing dwelling units to be clustered
together on smaller lots. Flexible site design aids in
the provision of additional amenities such as common open
space for both active and passive use, preservation of
unique natural features, and on-site storm water drainage
control, among others.
Density•
The density of a Planned Unit Development is determined
by the gross density of the underlying zoning district.
However, the Hearing Examiner may recommend up to 20
percent greater density if the PUD proposal provides
amenities or design features as outlined in the PUD
Density Bonus Standards. Bonuses can be attained with
the provision of active and passive open space, on-site
storm drainage control, and retention of native
vegetation, among others. Density Bonus Standard #6 -
Mixed Housing Types, allows for a two percent density
bonus if a development features a mix of residential
housing types. Single family residences, attached single
units, condominiums, apartments, and townhomes are
examples of housing types.
Additional development standards for street paving widths,
pedestrian circulation, landscaping, signs, view protection,
shoreline use, etc. , are addressed in the appropriate City of
Kent regulations, i.e. , Zoning Code, Subdivision Code,
Shoreline Master Program and the Green River Corridor Special
Interest District.
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IV. ATTACHED DWELLING UNITS
The Report of the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Single Family
Housing (October, 1989) cites "Attached Singles" as a viable
alternative to the detached dwelling in meeting the changing
trends in households and homeownership. These residences earn
the title "attached singles" , rather than multifamily, by
their ability to coexist and/or harmonize with single family
detached homes.
When attached singles are developed as townhouses
(horizontally, not vertically stacked units) , there are ways
to develop them to "fit" within a single family neighborhood.
One method is to design the residence so that it takes on the
character of a large estate home. Multiple entrances and
garages can be offset and/or disguised. Another method is to
make each individual unit distinct by staggering the floor
plans to make it clear from the street where one unit ends and
the next begins.
V. ALTERNATIVES AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT REVIEW
The following is a list of alternatives to the existing PUD
regulations to address the concern over multifamily
development (attached singles) in the RA and R1 Single Family
zoning districts. The alternatives may be considered
separately or in combination with one another. Each of the
alternatives has the objective of meeting the stated purpose
of the Planned Unit Development.
Alternatives A through E assume that the exception allowing
attached dwelling units in Single Family zoned PUDs is
retained and/or modified, while Alternative F suggests the
exception be removed from the regulations.
A. Increase the minimum site acreage for RA and R1 Zoning
Districts.
This alternative would retain the exception allowing
attached dwellings in single family zoned PUDs, but would
reduce the potential for this type of development to
occur. The existing minimum required is 5 acres. If the
minimum site acreage was increased to 10 acres, this
would reduce the number of parcels available for
development of a PUD.
B. Modify the exception to ensure harmony with adjacent
single family neighborhoods.
Sample exception:
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1. In single family residential zoning districts (RA
and R1) attached side by side (not vertically
stacked) residential units may be permitted in a
PUD provided:
a. The number of attached units is limited to 50
percent of the total units, and
b. Attached units are not to exceed four units
per structure.
By limiting the percent of attached singles to occur, the
PUD will attain the scale and character of low-density,
single family neighborhoods, yet provide the desired mix
of housing types to meet a variety of needs.
Limiting the size of structures to contain only two or
three units each minimizes the bulk of structures and
also aids in attaining a low-density, single family
environment.
C. Establish site design guidelines if attached units are
incorporated in single family PUDs.
The existing PUD regulations permit attached units in
single family districts, but the regulations do not
establish guidelines for site configuration if attached
units are going to be incorporated. The Multifamily
Transition Area guidelines begin to address site layout
by increasing the setbacks and requiring the height of
the buildings to be lower at the setback line (the
maximum height of any structure within a Multifamily
Transition Area cannot exceed two stories or 25 feet at
the minimum setback line. )
Example site design guideline for attached units:
1. If the proposed PUD abuts a single family
neighborhood, the attached units shall be limited
to the interior of the lot and shall be screened by
detached units around the perimeter of the PUD.
This type of transition from detached units to attached
is consistent with the general zoning pattern or gradient
of less dense to more dense housing types.
D. In RA and R1 zones, eliminate Density Bonus Standard #6,
Mixed Housing Types.
The existing Density Bonus Standard states that "a two
percent density bonus may be authorized if a development
features a mix of residential housing types. Single
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family residences, attached single units, condominiums,
apartments, and townhomes are examples of housing types.
The mix need not include some of every type. "
This bonus not only encourages the development of
attached units, but also allows increased density, which
may not be appropriate for single family zoning
districts.
E. In RA and R1 zones, develop a new Bonus Standard allowing
attached units and/or increased density when specific
amenities are provided.
Attached dwellings can often be developed at a lower cost
and, therefore, the developer may find it desirable to
provide additional amenities or design features to obtain
this increased density. In this alternative, the
"Exception. All would be deleted and a new Bonus Standard
would be included.
Example Bonus Standard:
In RA and R1 zoning districts, attached units may be
permitted if any combination of the following amenities
or site design features are provided:
1. Additional 10 foot landscape buffer between
attached units and adjacent single family uses
outside the PUD.
2 . Additional 5 percent open space for common use.
3 . The perimeter lots of the PUD to be permanently
retained as single family detached units.
4. Attached units to have staggered floor plans to
emphasize individual units.
F. Remove "Exception - A.". . . . the provision that allows
attached units in single family zones.
This alternative would eliminate any potential for
attached units in RA or R1 zoning districts, possibly
defeating the City's intent to allow flexibility and a
mix of housing types through the PUD regulations.
It is conceivable that with the removal of the exception,
horizontally stacked units (townhouses) would rarely be
considered even with the density bonuses. As the
multifamily residential zoning districts allow vertically
stacked units (which would likely result in a higher
density than horizontally stacked units) , the potential
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developable units permitted outright in the multifamily
residential zoning districts (excluding MR-D) , could
exceed the units attainable through the density bonus for
providing a mix of housing types in a PUD. In such
cases, the developer would be unlikely to build townhomes
if he/she were seeking maximum densities.
G. No change to existing Planned Unit Development
regulations.
This alternative would allow the potential for a Planned
Unit Development to remain as it is presently. A PUD
could occur in all zoning districts (except A-1,
Agricultural) and PUDs in the RA and R1 zoning districts
could incorporate horizontally stacked units (attached
singles) into the development.
H. Eliminate Planned Unit Developments in RA and R1 single
family residential zones.
This alternative would retain the Planned Unit
Development provisions for all multifamily, commercial
and industrial zoning districts within which attached
units could occur. It would, however, eliminate the
potential for providing a mix of housing types through
attached units in the RA and Ri zoning districts, as well
as all of the other advantages of the PUD, including the
preservation of unique environmental features, provision
of more affordable housing, and other amenities like
passive and active open space.
LY/ljh:pudregs.rpt
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