HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 01/11/2010 (3)
ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
January 11, 2010
Committee Members Chair Jamie Perry, Les Thomas, Deborah Ranniger
In Perry’s absence, Elizabeth Albertson attended, and Thomas presided over the meeting,
calling the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ranniger MOVED and Albertson SECONDED to approve the Minutes of November 9,
2009. Motion PASSED 3-0.
2. TUDOR SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL RECOGNITION-RESOLUTION
Neighborhood Program Coordinator Toni Azzola introduced Marilyn Nelson and Joe Kemp,
who co-chair the newly formed Tudor Square Neighborhood Council.
Azzola stated that Tudor Square neighborhood is located southeast of Home Depot and
consists of 162 homes and the boundaries are north by Southeast 267 th Place, to the east by
114th Avenue Southeast, to the south by Southeast 270 th Street and South 270th Court, and
to the west by 110th Avenue Southeast.
Azzola stated that with the inclusion of Tudor Square, the City will have recognized 18
Neighborhood Councils thus-far.
Albertson MOVED to recommend Council adopt the proposed resolution which recognizes the
Tudor Square Neighborhood Council, supports its community building efforts, and confers all
opportunities offered by the City’s Neighborhood Program. Rannig er SECONDED the Motion
which PASSED 3-0.
3. BUILDING & LAND DEV PERMIT EXPIRATION EXTENSIONS [SCA-2009-2]
Principal Planner Matt Gilbert stated that in 2008 and 2009 the Council passed two
ordinances in an attempt to alleviate issues associated with the n ational economy, the
banking crisis and issues with credit availability, and to assist in stimulating the development
industry. The two ordinances related to extending both Short -Plat and Building Permit
validity periods.
Gilbert explained that the conti nuing slump in the national economy continues to plague
builders and developments in Kent, necessitating consideration of extending the amount of
time to keep permits and short plats valid, and to consider more options for keeping
development viable.
Gilbert stated that City Council passed an ordinance in 2008 extending short-plat validity
periods an extra two years for recording. He stated that 102 separate short plats with over
1200 lots are represented in that pipeline. Based on the prior extension, most of those short
plats will not expire until late 2011.
In 2009 the Council granted extensions for issued building permits, and permit applications
submitted to the City for review. Issued permits were to remain valid until Dec ember 31,
2010 and Applications were to remain valid until June 30, 2010.
Gilbert stated that the City has about 24 permits ready to be issued but have not been
picked up because these projects have either stalled or been pulled back by the banks. They
ECDC Minutes
January 11, 2010
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are not being expired because of this ordinance. Gilbert stated that staff feels it would be
simple to extend the permit application validity period out one additional year.
Gilbert spoke about the importance of Short Plat Approval referred to as Entitlement and
stated that staff is looking into deferring the collection of impact fees for traffic impacts,
schools, parks, and utility connections closer to the time a house sells to eliminate credit
issues for builders. These fees are estimated at between $12,000 and $18,000 per home.
Gilbert explained that a builder does not recoup his money until a house is sold, which could
be an indefinite amount of time based on today’s market.
Garrett Huffman, Master Builder’s Association, spoke in support of further extensions that
the City can provide on behalf of builders and supports the proposal to defer the collection of
fees, further stating that the Association is lobbying in Olympia to propose a deferment bill
state-wide.
Ranniger spoke in favor of working with the development commu nity by deferring impact
fees suggesting that staff develop an ordinance that could serve as a model for traffic impact
fees as well.
After the Committee deliberated, Albertson MOVED to direct staff to begin to draft an
ordinance regarding deferring impact and development fees such as Parks and Traffic impact
fees. Ranniger SECONDED the Motion. Motion PASSED 3-0.
Staff stated that they would return to committee with an update on considerations to amend
the existing ordinance pertaining to short plat extension periods.
Director of Economic & Community Development Department Ben Wolters requested
clarification from the Committee if it was their desire that staff explore recommendations
pertaining to the extension of the building permits, and that staff should bring this item back
before the Committee for further discussion. The Committee concurred.
This report was for informational purposes only.
4. COTTAGE HOUSING UPDATE
Planning Manager Charlene Anderson reported that the Cottage Housing Committee meets
on Wednesday, January 13 at 1:00 p.m. to review two cottage housing proposals. Staff has
not received a recommendation on whether or not to move forward with either one of the
applications.
Anderson stated while reviewing these projects, an issue arose in that one of the proposals
requests 30 units on a site 4.09 acres in size. The Demonstration Ordinance staff currently
allows a maximum of 24 units. Anderson stated that unless the current ordinance is
amended, staff cannot move forward with the one proposal as it would not comply with the
ordinance. The second proposal requests 8 units and the site contains two existing duplexes
on 1.3 acres.
This report was for informational purposes only.
Adjournment
Acting Chair Thomas adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m.
________________________________________________
Pamela Mottram
Economic & Community Development Committee Secretary
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