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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Land Use and Planning Board - 07/08/2013 LAND USE & PLANNING BOARD MINUTES • KE T JULY 8, 2013 W� �T.l Land Use & Plannina Board Members: Chair Jack Ottini, Vice Chair Barbara Phillips, Frank Cornelius, Steve Dowel l-a bsent/u nexcu sed, Navdeep Gill, Alan Gray, and Randall Smith. Ottini called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. City Staff: Economic & Community Development (ECD) Director Ben Wolters, Planning Director Fred Satterstrom, Long-Range Planner Gloria Gould-Wessen, Assistant City Attorney Kathy Hardy 3. Approval of Minutes Board member Gray Moved and Board member Phillips Seconded a Motion to approve the January 28, 2013 Minutes. Motion CARRIED 6-0 with Dowell absent. 4. Added Items - None S. Communications - None 6. Notice of Upcoming Meetings - None 7. Public Hearing 7.1 Downtown Subarea Action Plan;Zonina Districts &Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments, and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement rCPZ/CPA-2012-11 Wolters lead the introduction stating that Kent has made great strides towards improving downtown, stating that the city's efforts to improve downtown is part of a renaissance happening on a nationwide scale. He cited examples such as; ShoWare, Kent Station and the construction of the Commuter Rail Station. He stated that the economy is recovering and the city is realizing opportunities to add more private investment. Wolters stated that Kent's focus is on creating urban centers which includes bringing housing to downtown. Satterstrom presented a fly-over sketch up, illustrating how downtown could look and envisioning what the narrative would suggest. Buildings are depicted from 2-5 stories in height and encourage a mix of uses for business, commercial and residential as encouraged by the Downtown Subarea Action Plan (the Plan). The Plan looks at the potential for incentivizing a designated area within a depressed part of downtown to encourage development by reducing or eliminating specific development fees. Gould-Wessen stated that that the City conducted an analysis of land use actions which are incorporated in the Plan. Gould-Wessen submitted the following exhibits for the record: (Exhibitl) Email Comments received from Paul Seim, Mill Creek Neighborhood; (Exhibit 2) Email Comments and letter received from Kelly Rider, Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County; and (Exhibit 3) Email Comments and letter received from Chuck Maduell with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on behalf of K-Mart Corporation. Gould-Wessen stated that the Plan is made up of four chapters and three appendices. Chapter 1-describes the purpose and intent of the Plan to ensure that downtown Kent remains the heart of the community. Chapter 2-describes the Downtown Study area in detail, examines environmental conditions, demographic and economic trends, growth estimates and expectations, and includes three alternative growth estimates; (1) no action, (2) moderate growth, and (3) high growth. Chapter 3-describes a 20-year Vision for Downtown guided by nine Planning Principles endorsed by Kent City Council and that maintains downtown as the heart of Kent. Staff conducted web-based surveys receiving over 500 responses. The Vision envisions downtown as a buzz of activity with more people living downtown, where businesses will stay open later, where bike lanes will be designed for easy commuting, and where compatibility will exist between the urban and residential areas. The Vision builds downtown with sustainability in mind by using green technology such as low impact development techniques and installation of electric vehicle charging facilities. Chapter 4-is the Framework for Downtown consisting of 47 goals, policies and actions related to distinct downtown districts. Gould-Wessen stated that Actions are a 'to do' list and that the Plan is an active action-oriented document with an ultimate intent for Council to adopt these actions. Gould-Wessen stated that the DRAFT Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) incorporates the Actions and informs the Plan. The DSEIS includes a detailed report by Berk and Associates analyzing the three action alternatives and includes a summary of impacts and mitigation measures. The DSEIS deals with key environmental issues. For example the Transportation Section considers impacts to alternative modes of transportation such as bicycling, pedestrian and transit. Gould-Wessen identified eleven (11) proposed Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map Amendments describing them as: LU-1 amends Industrial (I) to Urban Center (UC) to coincide with its Multifamily use; LU-2 amends Mobile Home Park (MHP) to UC; LU-3 amends Medium Density Multifamily (MDMF) to UC; LU-4 amends I to UC, housekeeping amendments; LU-5 amends Mixed Use (MU) to Industrial acknowledging existing industrial uses; LU-6 amends MDMF to UC due to existing multifamily; LU-9 amends I to UC in keeping with the vision for downtown; LU-10 amends Parks and Open Space (OS) to UC (ShoWare's location); and LU-11 amends Low Density Multifamily (LDMF) to UC to accommodate a mix of housing and commercial uses. Gould-Wessen identified several proposed Zoning Districts Map rezones such as rezoning the historic downtown area along Meeker Street from Downtown Commercial (DC) to Downtown Commercial Enterprise (DCE) to allow for more development flexibility. Incentives are needed to get development going and staff has found that downtown building owners have disinvested themselves from their properties. Gould-Wessen spoke about rezoning the site at the corner of Fourth and Cloudy and from James to Cloudy (located next to ShoWare Center) that has great visibility from Multifamily Residential Townhouse/16 Units per Acre (MRT-16) to DCE. Gray voiced concern that rezoning those sites would encroach into the North Park Neighborhood and allowing further commercial development would increase traffic congestion further impacting the North Park area. Ottini asked what the height restrictions were for north of James to Cloudy. In response to the Board members, Gould-Wessen stated that the purpose for rezoning the Fourth and Cloudy area to DCE is to incentivize several smaller parcels that could be grouped together for a larger development. That area houses a townhouse complex under its existing zoning of MRT-16 which serves as a buffer for the neighborhood to the north. Gould-Wessen stated that a Downtown Commercial Enterprise Transitional Overlay zone was created a few years back specific to the eastern portion of downtown and is not applicable to North Park. Mixed-Use Overlays need to be addressed city-wide. Not much mixed use development exists in Kent due to heavy emphasis on residential and commercial development as expressed through the City's regulations. Gould-Wessen stated that the first step for Kent is to establish a plan than evaluate Kent's mixed-use regulations. Board members Phillips and Gray stated that more emphasis needs to be placed on bringing affordable housing to downtown, and questioned if there were a way to provide mixed-use affordable housing options for those people who might otherwise be displaced and adopting different language for inclusion in the Plan to address affordability. With respect to affordable housing Gould-Wessen stated that the premise by the City as a whole is that there many forms of affordable housing (included subsidized housing) exist throughout the City and Kent would rather focus on providing vibrant, quality housing in the downtown area. Ottini called for a Motion to Accept the Exhibits into the record. Gray MOVED and Smith SECONDED a Motion to accept three exhibits submitted by Gloria Gould- Wessen for the record. Motion PASSED 6-0 with Dowell absent. Chair Ottini declared the Public Hearing Open. WPB Minutes July 8,2013 Page 2 of Chuck Maduell, 1201 3b Avenue, #2200, Seattle, WA 98101 stated that he represents the interests of the K-Mart Corporation. Maudell stated that a rezone from General Commercial (GC) to General Commercial/Mixed Use (GC-MU) could affect K-Mart's ability to maintain or expand their retail operation at their West Valley location. He stated that a GC-MU zone is more restrictive, subject to design review, and could position K-Mart as a nonconforming use. Maduell suggested retaining the GC zone or a rezone to GC with a MU-Overlay. Gary O'Keefe, 815 Is' Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032 voiced his concern that a downtown rezone to DCE would wipe out any remaining downtown parks including the small Kiwanis community park in his neighborhood. He cited the soccer fields that were removed to make way for ShoWare Center. O'Keefe stated that the quality of life would diminish for children if there is no place for them to play. He drew attention to the fact that bicycle connections need to be improved particularly at Willis and Hwy 167. Tina Budell, 323 W Cloudy St., Kent, WA 98032 stated that she is the President of the North Park Neighborhood Association. She voiced opposition to rezoning the Fourth and James/ James to Cloudy Street site from MRT-16 to DCE as it would ruin the North Park community consisting of 311 homes which includes apartments where 12 low-income working families live in one-bedroom apartments who could be displaced were that area rezoned to DCE with Mixed-Use development were higher end apartments or condominiums developed. She recommended that the City should concentrate efforts on getting downtown property owners to redevelopment their buildings. Melvin Roberts, 9421 S 241s' St, Kent, WA 98030 stated that as a bicycling advocate, Roberts opined about the importance for bike lane connectivity throughout Kent. He specifically noted that the east/west bike path connections on both Meeker and James Streets need to have lights installed, sidewalks added, availability to secured bicycle parking facilities- i.e. bike racks or bicycle cages. Roberts encouraged staff to include provisions that provide for bicycle lanes when developing. Roberts cited facts that showed when bicycle traffic increased, businesses saw their customer base double. Barbara Smith, 202 W Gowe St., Kent, WA 98032 stated that she is the Executive Director of the Kent Downtown Partnership and voiced her support for the Vision for historic downtown Kent and stating that lighting, bicycling, landscaping and extending outdoor restaurant seating is important. Greg Blount, Manufactured Housing Community Preservationist, PO Box 22167, Seattle, WA 98122-0167 stated that he owns Paradise Mobile Home Park which includes 40 households made up of single individuals and immigrant families who receive Community Development block grant funding. He stated that he purchased the Bonel Mobile Manor and voiced his concern that these parks could become a nonconforming use and that the opportunity to maintain those sites as mobile home parks could be jeopardized. Mr. Blount asked for assurance that they would not lose their vesting and that these proposed changes would not jeopardize their manufactured housing. Wade Schwartz, 207 E Meeker St., Kent, WA 98032 stated that his business is located in a one story building in downtown. He voiced concern that if developers tear down the single story buildings to develop 4-5 story buildings, it will destroy the affordability for small business owners to remain in downtown. Schwartz recommended that the City should retain the small downtown businesses and assist the downtown in rejuvenating itself. He asked for clarification on how the city intends to upgrade the historic downtown. Schwartz recommended that perhaps the city could look at options to merge the two sets of train tracks into one area, in order to free up access to downtown and reduce response time for emergency vehicles to the downtown area. Elizabeth Peterson, 924 3a' Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032 stated that she has lived in the North Park Neighborhood since 2010 and appreciates the easy access to the Interurban Trail. She supports commercial uses north of James Street but asked that the City stay out of North Park and concentrate efforts within historic downtown Kent. WPB Minutes July 8,2013 Page 3 of Bill Doolittle, 412 Washington Avenue N #31, Kent, WA 98032 stated that he has lived in Kent for 40 years, that times have changed and we need to accept that growth is inevitable. Seeing no further speakers, Ottini declared the Public Hearing Closed. Gould-Wessen addressed Mr. O'Keefe, Mr. Blount and Mr. Schwartz's concerns regarding parks, mobile home parks and historic downtown Kent by stating that it is not the city's intent to take and redevelop them into something else, that Mobile Home Park zoning is not changing and that the reference to upgrading historic downtown Kent implies that although there has been neglect, downtown is vibrant enough for those property owners to invest in and upgrade their buildings. Satterstrom addressed Mr. Maduell's concerns concerning rezoning the K-Mart site to GC- MU by stating that GC-MU may add some development restrictions but will not limit K-Mart from expanding through a conditional use permit if they wish. It is not staff's intent to limit GC uses. Satterstrom addressed the North Park Community's concerns. He stated that the city recognizes the importance of the surrounding neighborhoods acknowledging the symbiotic relationship of the North Park, Mill Creek, Scenic Hill, and SoDo communities recognizing that downtown survives because of these neighborhoods. It is not the city's intent to systemically destroy those neighborhoods. The MRT-16 zone has served as an expression of the urban center and was initially rezoned to act as a transition zone. Satterstrom stated that zoning near North Park will remain primarily the same even with rezoning MRT-16 to DCE for the site located west of Fourth Avenue, between Fourth and Fifth Avenue, bounded on the West side by ShoWare and on the North by Cloudy. Satterstrom stated that staff is open to reviewing design guideline regulations to address concerns related to protecting property from excessive shading due to the bulk and height of buildings. Board Members Ottini, Gray, Smith and Phillips supported a continued hearing to July 22"' Ottini clarified for Satterstrom that the Board's concerns related to how rezoning would affect the North Park area, K-Mart, and the area south of Meeker Street. Satterstrom assured the Board that he would talk to Public Works regarding accessibility impacts and will take a closer look at zoning action taken 8 years ago for the subject site located near North Park proposed to be rezoned from MRT-16 to DCE. Gray MOVED and Smith SECONDED a MOTION to continue the hearing to July 22, 2013. Motion CARRIED 6-0 with Dowell absent. Adiournment Ottini adjourned the meeting at 9:25 pm Charlene Anderson, AICP, Planning Manager/Board Secretary WPB Minutes July 8,2013 Page 4 of