HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 05/13/2013
ECDC Minutes
May 13, 2013
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ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES
May 13, 2013
Committee Members Committee Chair Jamie Perry, Deborah Ranniger, Bill Boyce.
Perry called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
1. Approval of Minutes
Committee Member Ranniger Moved and Committee Member Boyce Seconded a Motion
to approve the Minutes of March 11, 2013. Motion PASSED 3-0.
2. Growing Transit Communities Action Strategies Update
Planning Manager Charlene Anderson briefly introduced the difference between two projects that
affect the Midway area. One is the work by Sound Transit to analyze alignments and station
locations for light rail. The second is the work of the Growing Transit Communities Partnership
(GTCP) which is engaged in determining appropriate strategies for building communities around
station locations for mass transit.
Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Planner Michael Hubner stated that the GTCP is a grant-
funded effort through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Department of
Transportation (DOT), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Hubner stated that PSRC
received a five-million dollar grant in 2010 to undertake a 3-year work program focusing
specifically on transit-oriented development and communities around light rail stations. The
opportunity here is to build those communities around the $15 billion investments being made in
light rail, bus rapid transit and commuter rail investments.
Hubner spoke about the Regional Equity Network (REN), an effort to elevate the profile of equity
and fairness by building a regional coalition of nonprofits and governmental agencies to elevate
the issues of equity regionally, identify major community needs, and empower local community
groups through a small grants program. Hubner mentioned the ‘Draft Growing Transit
Communities Strategy’ (DGTCS) report which has just been released, and encouraged
comments during the public comment period which ends on June 7, 2013. The final document is
targeted for completion in July, 2013 with public outreach and implementation of the strategies
beginning in August, 2013.
Hubner spoke about an analysis by the REN to evaluate access to opportunities and stated the
Oversight Committee is making a series of recommendations to address inequities in access to
opportunities throughout the region.
Hubner spoke about recommendations made by the GTCP on strategies for attracting growth,
providing housing choices, and access to opportunities. He described 24 strategies and their
corresponding goals within the DGTCS.
Hubner mentioned a Regional Compact, described as a ‘statement of commitment and support
for next steps within whatever form or with whatever resources are available that are
appropriate to each jurisdiction’. Signatories of the compact would continue to engage in the
effort and be part of an advisory group that would steer the work of the PSRC.
Hubner stated Kent would be asked to consider in their work program a menu of best practices
and approaches from the DGTCS report that would be the most applicable in Kent, implement
those practices, and work with the GTCP to document the practices as part of regional
monitoring of successes. The regional ‘Transportation 2040’ plan will include recommendations
from the DGTCS report.
The PSRC is discussing station area planned implementation grants to provide cities with some
resources that could, for example, enable Kent to implement portions of the Envision Midway
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May 13, 2013
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Plan. The regional council already provides tools and technical assistance and is fully armed for
regional partnerships.
Upon a request from Ranninger for clarification, Hubner stated that he would provide Kent City
Council with a narrative and slide presentation applicable to Kent regarding Growing Transit
Communities Action Strategies.
Informational Only
3. 2012 Building & Fire Codes Adoption
Building Official Bob Hutchinson stated that this item relates to the adoption and amendment of
the 2012 additions of the Fire, Building and other related codes according to the State Building
Code Act. The Act determines which codes will be in effect statewide, requires cities and counties
to enforce those codes, empowers the State Building Code Council to enact amendments to
those codes, and narrowly limits the authority of cities to amend them.
Hutchinson stated that the code editions include statewide amendments incorporated in the
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) which takes affect July 1 st. The WAC adopts the
International Energy Conservation Code with a number of state wide amendments. Most of the
other changes from the 2009 editions are relatively minor in impact as are most of the statewide
amendments. The two proposed ordinances adopt the fire code with amendments and adopt new
editions for the building, residential, mechanical, energy, and plumbing codes along with local
amendments. The local amendments primarily provide for administration of the code and carry
over provisions from previous editions. One amendment allows for an extra story of height for
apartment buildings, residential condos, and hotels. The proposed ordinance does not adopt the
requirement (from the 2009 editions) that allows local jurisdictions to require fire sprinklers in
new single family homes.
Fire Marshal Jon Napier stated that a fair amount of code amendments are administrative in
nature. Napier stated that after considering how the fire codes impact the development
community, the 7000 square foot fire alarm requirement was eliminated which means the base
fire code would not require smoke alarm systems to be installed in all buildings but rather just in
specific buildings that have life safety hazards/issues, such as apartments, daycares, or
institutional occupancies. There are sprinkler systems in all buildings.
Napier stated that the code was modified in order to provide flexibility for access in
developments. Some of the fire lane requirements have been modified to be less prescriptive on
where they are set next to a building, and allows Fire to work with the applicant to find the best
route around a building. Code language has been clarified in the areas of water supply.
Committee member Boyce MOVED and Committee member Ranniger SECONDED a
Motion to recommend adoption of the two ordinances amending various sections of
Chapters 13.01 and 14.01 of Kent City Code to adopt the 2012 editions of the
International Building, Residential, Mechanical, Energy Conservation and Fire Codes,
and Uniform Plumbing Code, together with the City’s local amendments to those codes
as depicted in these ordinances, to revise Section 14.08.020 to refer to the newly
adopted codes, and to make other housekeeping amendments. Motion PASSED 3-0.
4. Neighborhood Urban Centers Recommendation for Next Steps
Planning Manager Charlene Anderson spoke about the research staff undertook related to the
viability of corner stores, the analysis that staff conducted related to walkability, and the public
outreach meetings that were held where input was received from the business community, the
private sector, and the community residents.
Staff received a mix of responses with respect to corner stores, including concerns related to
congestion, trash, all night party noise, pulling unknown elements into neighborhoods and
graffiti. The community said they would prefer community centers rather than corner stores in
each of their neighborhoods and that perhaps those community centers could be used for a
combination of uses. The community stated that they would like infrastructure improvements
first, to be able to walk to existing commercial areas, and that they wanted neighborhood events
and interaction.
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May 13, 2013
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Anderson stated that the Committee adopted planning principles in November, 2012 for moving
the project forward. Staff’s walkability analysis indicated that Kent’s walk score was 37 out of
100, meaning that Kent was auto dependent.
Staff reviewed the goals and policies in the comprehensive plan , stating most are supportive of
place-making, pedestrian orientation and a multimodal transportation systems approach that are
required for corner stores. One policy to “limit conversion of residential to commercial ” will need
to be changed or reconfirmed if Kent wants to add additional commercial areas to the
comprehensive plan designations. Staff created a list of potential regulations for single corner
stores as well as for creating additional nodes of commercial related to the size of the lot,
building size, how the uses are going to be allowed, what parking might be required, separation
requirements from other commercial areas, hours of operation and design review.
Anderson stated that staff’s research indicates that existing commercial areas need to be
intensified not necessarily enlarged, verifying what the community was saying. When Phase II of
the Economic Development Strategy and Analysis is completed, strategic investments and
recruitment will be performed based on that analysis.
Anderson stated that the City’s efforts could concentrate on a few strategic areas, such as
Downtown, East or West Hills, before creating additional commercial areas or corner stores.
There is an impending growth management update on the comp rehensive plan due to be
adopted by June 30, 2015. Anderson stated that staff recommends incorporating the analysis of
the commercial area corner store issue in to the comprehensive plan update (CPU), and asked for
the Committee’s support.
Economic and Community Development Director Ben Wolters stated that his propensity is to
focus on what Kent already has and make those areas more accessible. He stated that the Lake
Meridian Shopping Center (at Kent Kangley and 132nd) could be a great area for the City’s
efforts; it has many opportunities as well as challenges. Wolters stated that one of Kent’s
fundamental economic development goals is to attract a new investor who will turn the Lake
Meridian Shopping Center around and make it everything it can be as an attractive destination
providing more services and entertainment for the residential community there.
Wolters stated that one of the core goals of looking at creating more convenient locations for the
corner store was to provide easy accessibility. Research highlighted how auto-dependent the
City’s infrastructure is. There are things staff can do now with what already exists, to foster the
Council’s goal of improved connections. Between now and the work on the comprehensive plan,
staff can focus some attention on immediate opportunities, then as part of the comprehensive
plan look at whether the City should be planning for more concentrated centers within the
residential community.
Wolters stated Economic Development believes that building connections means attracting new
investment in those areas. On the public side it is prioritizing infrastructure improvements to
those areas, such as improved sidewalk connections or whatever the assessment identifies.
Then, planning can begin in a more comprehensive way for potentially adding new areas.
Ranniger stated that she would like to see a plan where some immediate progress could be
made, than look at ideas for implementing a more substantive change through the
comprehensive plan two years from now. Perry asked if staff could offer something similar to a
cottage housing demonstration project, which once built could be duplicated in other areas.
Boyce concurred with the concept of a pilot project . Wolters stated that his preference would be
to identify a site where the City might have a reasonable chance at success. Staff could
investigate possible sites, return to the Committee with this information, and assess whether the
Committee wants to consider it for a pilot project.
Perry asked that staff provide her with an action plan on how staff can make the city more
walkable and provide gathering places for the communities. Wolters stated that given where he
sees this project currently, his preference would be to pursue increasing and improving
connectivity to Kent’s current centers.
Anderson stated that the Urban Land Institute recommends intensification of what currently
exists so as not to dilute the viability of existing commercial development. Research and
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May 13, 2013
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feedback from the private sector and developers are saying something similar by stating create
connectivity first before expanding existing commercial.
Wolters stated that staff would return to the Committee with an outline of what a plan or
strategy would look like for making the community more walkable, with some short-, medium-
and long-term timelines and recommendations. The outline may include elements from the
options under discussion as well as elements that have been informed by this conversation with
the Committee.
5. LEAN Initiative
Planning Director Fred Satterstrom stated that Economic and Community Development is the
first department in Kent to go through the LEAN exercise, which refers to working leaner or
more efficiently. It is an exercise gleaned from a similar exercise employed by Toyota who too k
people off the manufacturing floor, asking them how the process, can be improved, and how
corners can be cut without sacrificing quality. LEAN is a philosophy that gives a continuous
improvement and looks at efficiencies. It differs from other quality management processes in
that LEAN involves the people who are directly involved in doing the work.
Satterstrom stated that ECD held a 5-day workshop where they chose to look at two permits --
a new commercial building and civil construction. These permit types to some extent reach all
the different divisions in the permitting process. The workshop was sponsored by the Human
Resources Department Director. Permit staff was involved and the workshop was facilitated by
Gordy Anderson from Impact Washington who led ECD through looking at the permit process.
Satterstrom stated that the current permitting process was mapped out and the future process
subsequently mapped out. Small group di scussions were held with staff regarding the permitting
process and consideration on possible process changes. Satterstrom stated that a significant
outcome was that the timelines for new commercial building permits was reduced from 9 to 4.5
weeks.
Adjournment
Committee Chair Perry adjourned the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
______________________________________
Pamela Mottram, Secretary
Economic & Community Development Committee
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