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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Economic and Community Development - 11/14/2011 (3) ECDC Minutes November 14, 2011 Page 1 of 3 ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES NOVEMBER 14, 2011 Committee Members Committee Chair Jamie Perry, Elizabeth Albertson, with Deborah Ranniger (Absent). Perry called the meeting to order at 5:40 p.m. 1. Approval of Minutes Councilmember Albertson Moved and Councilmember Perry Seconded a Motion to approve the October 10, 2011 Minutes. Motion PASSED 2-0 with Ranniger’s concurrence. 2. Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP) Report January 2010-June 2011 KDP Executive Director Barbara Smith stated that the KDP’s focus is on the historical district within the downtown core bounded by Washington, Central, James and Willis. Smith stated that KDP helps to recruit new businesses and provide existing businesses with educational tools to help them succeed. She stated that KDP is part of the Main Street Program, an organization developed to assist downtowns dying as a result of losing anchor stores. She stated that people can participate in the Main Street Program through the Business & Occupation Tax Incentive Program (BOTIP). KDP is redesigning their logo, developing an emergency disaster program and updating their website. Smith stated that in 2010 Kent had 331 buildings. 47 new businesses started and 16 businesses were lost. In 2010 public investment totaled $1,450,000 and private investment totaled $6,901,000. Informational Only 3. Resolution 1757 Revising the Name of the South Kent Community Neighborhood Council to Kent SODO Neighborhood Council. Neighborhoods Program Coordinator Toni Azzola introduced the new Neighborhood Council President Lauren Stephan. Stephan stated that she headed up an effort to revitalize her neighborhood which included having litter cleared from the streets and alleyways, and contacting the City’s Parking Enforcement to discourage residents from using the street to park their cars. The revitalization effort included changing the community’s name to Kent SODO which better reflects its location south of downtown. Councilmember Albertson Moved and Councilmember Perry Seconded a Motion to recommend Council adopt a resolution amending Resolution No. 1757, renaming the “South Kent Community Neighborhood Council” to “Kent SODO Neighborhood Council”. Motion PASSED 2-0. 4. Medical Marijuana Collective Gardens Zoning Regulations [Z CA-2011-2] Follow-up from the October 10, 2011 Public Hearing. Planning Director Fred Satterstrom submitted an amended motion to the Committee that adds the language; “directs the City Attorney to prepare the necessary ordinance”. Satterstrom asked the Committee to consider options for a collective garden definition, zoning district alternatives, and separation requirement options. Councilmembers Perry and Albertson voiced support for Option A, adopting the RCW’s ‘collective garden’ definition. Albertson asked that the ordinance include language that states the City would follow whatever the current State RCW is. City Attorney Tom Brubaker stated that the City may not have the legal authority to include language stipulating if state law changes that the City’s definitions follow whatever the state says. Brubaker said he would look into the legal affects. Councilmember Albertson Moved and Councilmember Perry Seconded a Motion to recommend adoption of the medical cannabis collective garden definition Option A, recommend adoption of zoning districts as amended Option C adding zoning districts ECDC Minutes November 14, 2011 Page 2 of 3 GC and GCMU and excluding NCC, DC and DCE districts, and recommend adoption of separation requirements Option B to the City Council and direct the City Attorney to prepare the necessary ordinance. Motion Passed 2-0. Satterstrom stated that this ordinance would be presented to the committee at their December 12th meeting, then brought forward to City Council at their December 13 th meeting. Brubaker indicated that the 6 month moratorium ordinance expires January 5th. If the medical cannabis ordinance passes on December 13th, it goes into effect January 13th leaving an 8 day gap. Brubaker stated in response to Albertson that Council could vote to lift the moratorium at any time and indicated that he would discuss the appropriateness of holding a hearing to extend the moratorium until the effective date of the medical cannabis ordinance considered at a hearing before the ECDC at their December 12th meeting. 5. Midway Subarea Plan, Zoning Regulations, and Design Guidelines Long Range Planner Gloria Gould-Wessen stated that the Land Use and Planning Board (LUPB) recommends adoption of the Midway Subarea Plan, Design Guidelines, development regulations and the zoning and land use maps. The Planned Action Ordinance is not part of this package and will be discussed later. Adoption of these products will take the vision of Midway forward, provide certainty for property owners and developers, and strengthen the City’s position as Sound Transit conducts an environmental analysis for link light rail and station location in the vicinity of Highline Community College (HCC). Gould-Wessen stated that the Midway Subarea Plan (the Plan) and all implementing regulations support light rail. Support for high capacity transit is there by adding density and expanding types of allowed uses within the area designated transit -oriented community. Office, commercial and residential uses are allowed to stand alone and can be mixed within the same structure which provides flexibility for developers to respond to market needs. Gould-Wessen stated that building height maximums are 55 to 200 feet. Regulations and design guidelines of the built environment are written to ensure an engaging, attractive, safe and convenient urban community with short walkable blocks or pedestrian passageways for connectivity between uses. The Plan promotes construction of a regional storm detention system that doubles as a park to encourage development and provide public amenities. Outside the Transit-Oriented Community Designation (TOC), the allowable regional commercial uses expand to include light industrial business parks and live/work units. Gould-Wessen stated that a variety of questions and concerns were raised at the October 20, 2010 Council workshop centering around the status of light rail into Midway, the impacts rezoning would have on property taxes, and the timing for moving forward on the Plan and development regulations. Gould-Wessen introduced Rachel Smith, Sound Transit’s Government and Community Relations staff person who reported on Sound Transit’s background and the impacts that the recession has had on Sound Transit and the progression of link light rail into the Midway south corridor area citing a 32 percent revenue shortfall in the South King County subarea. Smith introduced Eric Chipps, Planning Manager and Cathal Ridge, the High Capacity Transit South Corridor Project Manager who reported on the scope and timelines for the extension project from South 200th Street Station in Sea Tac down to Kent Des Moines. Smith stated that light rail will extend from the airport station to South 200th Street in SeaTac by 2016 and will provide for 2000 jobs in South King County. Sound Transit has applied for a grant to receive 24 million dollars to bring into the South King County subarea because of this project. Sound Transit will build light rail to the Kent Des Moines HCC area by 2023 but will be unable to deliver light rail to the South 272nd area by 2023. Gould-Wessen submitted a letter for the record, defined as Exhibit 1, from the King County Assessor’s office issued in response to concerns over property tax increases as a result of rezoning. Gould-Wessen submitted a letter for the record, defined as Exhibit 2, from Highline School District asking that Kent collect school impact fees to mitigate accommodating future growth in Midway. Councilmember Albertson accepted Exhibits 1 and 2 for the record. ECDC Minutes November 14, 2011 Page 3 of 3 Satterstrom stated that public comment alleged that adoption of th e Plan would drive property values and subsequently property taxes due to the increase in value. Satterstrom stated that comments made in the letter from the Assessor’s Office refutes that opinion . Satterstrom concluded that the increase in land value and taxes is going to be whether or not there is development under the new zoning that will drive the increase in land values not necessarily the mere act of zoning itself. Gould-Wessen spoke about the importance of having the Plan, Design Guidelines and Development Regulations in place so that Kent is ready to affect the station location and rail alignment, apply for grants to move forward with infrastructure development, and be able to compete within the current aggressive economic climate. Gould-Wessen recognized stakeholders who worked on this project thanking them for their involvement. Councilmember Albertson Moved and Councilmember Perry Seconded a Motion to recommend to the full Council adoption of ordinances regarding the Midway Subarea Plan and Comprehensive Plan amendment; the Midway Design Guidelines and Zoning Code Amendment; amendments to Kent City Code; the Land Use Plan Map and Comprehensive Plan Amendments; and amendments to the Zoning Districts Map as recommended by the Land Use and Plannin g Board. Motion PASSED 2-0. 6. Economic Development Report Economic Development Director Ben Wolters reported on the meeting held with 35 key businesses and community leaders in an effort to help identify key strategies for incorporation into Kent’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. Wolters reported that wholesale distribution businesses; Lenox Industries has located in Kent into a 5600 sq ft space, and Cameo Logistics has relocated from Renton to 9100 sq ft in Kent expanding into a 240,000 sq ft. space. With the economy recovering, vacancy rates are decreasing, building the values of those properties and getting the investment community moving again which in the long term could create revenue from the City’s real estate excise tax to funnel into the City’s capital funds. Wolters stated that the City is working with Stan Tech a large engineering consulting firm out of Canada with local offices in Kirkland to apply for two $200,000 EPA ground field community assessment grants that would help Kent identify contaminant sites within the city targeting areas in West Hill, Downtown, the Industrial Valley and East Hill of. Kent has good opportunity to secure the grants. Staff will report back to the Committee on the status. Informational Only Adjournment Committee Chair Perry adjourned the meeting at 7:00 p.m. ______________________________________ Pamela Mottram, Secretary Economic & Community Development Committee