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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Economic and Community Development - 08/11/2014 (3) `✓ KENT ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES AUGUST 11, 2014 1. Call To Order Committee Member Bill Boyce called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. 2. Roll Call Committee Members Chair Bill Boyce, Dennis Higgins and Jim Berrios were in attendance. 3. Changes to the Agenda Economic Development Manager Kurt Hanson asked that the Economic Development Report be given after the report on the Meeker Street Underpass with the Committee concurring. 4. Approval of Minutes Berrios MOVED and Higgins SECONDED a Motion to approve the Minutes of July 14, 2014. Motion PASSED 3-0. S. Riverbend Surplus Property Comprehensive Plan &Zoning Amendments Senior Planner Erin George stated that when considering zoning, some things to consider are environmental constraints, the surrounding uses and zoning, as well as the topography of the site. George stated that the Comprehensive Plan (CP) establishes land use designations with the subject site currently designated on the Land Use Map as (OS), Parks and Open Space and MDMF, Medium Density Multifamily with a current zoning designation of SR-1, Residential Agricultural and MR-M, Medium Density Multifamily Residential George described four (4) zoning options. The first two options fit Council's vision for a mixed-use development. Option 1 (MCR), Midway Commercial Residential, is intended for use in the Midway area but could work for Par 3 site. The MCR designation allows up to 200 foot height limits, which may not be appropriate for the Riverbend site. Staff expects that the highest building likely to be built would be 80 feet. Option 2 (GC-MU), General Commercial Mixed Use ensures some commercial development as multifamily residential must include 5% commercial use as a percentage of total building square footage. The City recently expanded the GC-MU zoning district further west through adoption of the Downtown Subarea Action Plan (DSAP). Option 3 (MR-M), Medium Density Multifamily Residential does not allow any commercial development. Option 4 is No Action (SR-1). At the July 28, 2014 Land Use and Planning Board (LUPB) Hearing, the Board recommended Option 2 for a (GC-MU) General Commercial Mixed Use Zoning Designation as recommended by staff that included concerns related to walkability, human scale design, height restrictions, public use spaces, and citizen input. The Request for Proposal (RFP) process and a development agreement will ensure a quality development and will include various conditions related to land use and design, which should address the Board's concerns. Committee Member Boyce opened the floor to anyone wishing to speak. Chris Ullrich, Richard Sample, Manny Espinosa, and Thomas Brice spoke in opposition to developing the Par 3 site with additional residential and commercial. They voiced opposition to the City selling the site. They spoke in favor of retaining existing zoning, with Espinosa suggesting taking the subject of selling the site to a citizen vote. Concerns were raised with the issue of adding to already high volumes of traffic congestion, and with the issue of property value decreases. Seeing no further speakers, Boyce closed the public hearing. Parks and Community Services Director Jeff Watling addressed questions raised by Committee Member Berrios with respect to finding some possible funding solutions for the ECDC Minutes August 11,2014 Page 1 of 4 Riverbend Golf Enterprise comprised of the 18 Hole Golf Course, the Par 3, and the Driving Range. He spoke about the need to re-drill the well on site at a cost of $300,000-$400, 000 dollars with a proposal submitted to the Mayor for budgetary consideration. Staff is looking at the idea of assessing an admissions tax for the 18 Hole and Par 3 golf course site as a possible solution; which would require a policy decision by City Council. Staffing changes have been proposed to save operating costs. Staff has made some hard operational decisions to resize the golfing facilities which will reduce the operational footprint at the Par 3 site, the Golf Course and the Driving Range, where now there are three tills staffed seven days per week. If the City chooses to stay at the current footprint, moving forward, there will be a lot of challenges associated with that decision. If a resized model were to work, the city would need a sustainable budget. Higgins clarified that rezoning the subject site does not mean that the city is required to sell the property with George and Watling concurring. Higgins further stated that based on the financial shortfalls it seems the only solution is to sell the property but that he is open to finding alternative solutions. The cost to implement Capital Improvements would be $6 million dollars. Economic Development Manager Kurt Hanson stated that he reviewed a letter received by the City from Dr. Edward Vargas Superintendent of the Kent School District voicing concern over possible impacts caused by redevelopment of the Riverbend Golf complex to add additional housing. The City collects school impact fees and redistributes those fees to the School District which could help offset some of the cost for school expansions. In response to the Committee, Hanson stated that the site has an expansive trail system with great connectivity attributes. Hanson stated that with development moving east towards downtown, densification will lead to more people but there are mitigation measures in place that can address issues related to increased densification. To gauge the marketability of the site, zoning needs to be in place, and staff needs to assess the market place. Committee Member Boyce stated that Council deliberated over what to do with the Riverbend site and the general feeling was to not sell, but the city does not have the funds to sustain that site. The site can be rezoned and staff and City Council can continue to work towards finding some alternative options for the site that would not require selling it. Committee Member Higgins MOVED and Committee Member Berrios SECONDED a Motion to recommend to the Full City Council approval of Option 2, a comprehensive plan land use designation of MU, Mixed Use and a zoning designation of GC-MU, General Commercial Mixed Use for the Riverbend Surplus Property. Motion PASSED 3-0. Boyce stated that this item will go to Council under Other Business. 6. Green River Corridor District Zoning Code Amendment George stated that the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) began in 1971. The Kent Shoreline Master Program (SMP) was adopted in 1974. The Green River Corridor (GRC) Plan was adopted in 1980. In 1985 GRC District Regulations were adopted regulating areas within 1,000 feet of the Green River. The GRC District limits building height to 35 feet and building length to 200 feet within 1,000 feet of the Green River. The Zoning Code and the SMP also regulate building height. The 35 foot height limitation conflicts with the new 65 foot height limit applied by the Downtown Subarea Action Plan (DSAP) for the GC-MU zoning district, a portion of which is located within the GRC. Buildings may exceed 200 feet in length if vegetative screening is provided. The SMP requires a 15 foot landscape buffer between new buildings or parking lots and the Green River Trail and Mixed Use Design Review requires aesthetic treatment. Staff presented the Land Use and Planning Board (LUPB) with four options. The LUPB approved staff's recommendation of Option 1 to eliminate the height restriction and add GC-MU to the building length exception. ECDC Minutes August 11,2014 Page 2 of 4 Committee Member Berrios MOVED and Committee Member Higgins SECONDED a Motion to recommend to the City Council approval of Option 1, amending the Zoning Code to eliminate the Green River Corridor District height restriction and add GC-MU to the building length exception. Motion PASSED 3-0. 7. Meeker Street Underpass Planning Manager Charlene Anderson presented proposed improvements to the Meeker Street Underpass located in the middle of the Meeker Street Corridor which includes; power washing, added lighting, painting and landscaping; as well as improving the pork chop island with landscaping and removing the left turn lane onto Smith Street from Meeker, thereby eliminating maneuvering issues. These improvements are intended to encourage pedestrian movement along the Meeker Street Corridor, which is a good cross connection and gateway to downtown. Informational Only S. Economic Development Report Hanson revealed that the new Economic Development Specialist is William Ellis. Mr. Ellis comes from Eugene, Oregon and holds a Master's degree from Cornell University. He begins on September 2nd Hanson stated that over 30% of the Platform has been preleased. The Committee Members were invited to tour the building. Perspective tenants have been allowed hard hat tours since August Is'. The Platform is targeted for completion and official opening by the end of September. As the result of focusing on quality (MF-R) Multifamily-Residential development in the downtown area, Kent is seeing wonderful rentals returns from the Platform. Tarragon applied for their MF Design Review for a 150 apartment unit development within Kent Station with parking to be located under the apartment building. Trader Joes is scheduled to hold their grand opening in October. They are heavily involved in the community and will bring in elements of Kent's history through their decor. Mod Pizza is moving into the former Los Margaritas site with outdoor seating at the Market Place on Lake Meridian. The Grandview Apartments are completing a purchase and sales agreement with the City representing over $2 million dollars in closing fees, of which 46% of their proceeds from sales will go to Kent. Kurt stated he will report back to the Committee soon. As the Puget Sound area grows, Kent's great location will drive that interest. The intent for downtown will focus on the young professional set who are better positioned for higher quality housing and who will utilize alternative transportation systems such as Sounder. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released their Request for Proposals (RFP). Kent submitted proposals to the FAA for consideration of the Naden Avenue and Riverbend site. If the FAA responds favorably to either of the Kent sites, the FAA would build a 300,000 facility that would employ 1600 people. The FAA deadline for submittals is November. Kent Downtown Partnership Executive Director Barbara Smith spoke in support of the proposed improvements project for the Meeker Street Underpass. She stated this area is a gateway into historical downtown. Kent has a good relationship with the State Department of Transportation that allows Kent to implement the needed improvements. Informational Only 9. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Principal Planner Matt Gilbert spoke about the updated rules regarding the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) found in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 197-11. He spoke about SEPA rules that have changed allowing local agencies to increase their base exemption thresholds under which environmental review for minor new construction is not ECDC Minutes August 11,2014 Page 3 of 4 required. This means cost and time saving to the developer and a streamlined process will move projects through quicker and save staff time as well. Gilbert spoke about the public notification, cultural, and historic resource requirements that the City must have in place through Kent City Code prior to adopting the new SEPA thresholds. Gilbert asked for Committee concurrence to send notice out to affected agencies, jurisdictions, Department of Ecology and local tribes that the SEPA Thresholds are changing. The Committee unanimously agreed. Gilbert stated he would return to the Committee within 60 days with an update. Informational Only 10. Short Plat Activity Update Gilbert reported on the issue of short plat (short subdivisions with nine or less lots) expiration periods. He stated that in 2009 City Council extended the validity period for preliminary short plats from two to four years with no allowable extension in response to the housing market collapse. Under current rules, applicants have four years to complete required improvements and record a final short plat before preliminary approval expires. The time extension benefitted 44 short plat projects. Six projects made it through to recordation while the remaining 38 expired. Since the four-year timeline was enacted in 2009, 35 new short plats have been filed, 9 recorded, 5 expired, and 21 remain active. Staff finds that even with the four years, developers are requesting additional extensions. There are no provisions in code to change the expiration time period. Stormwater, wetland, and development regulations have changed. If a developer is vested under old regulations, they would build under those old standards. If a project expires the developer can refile a similar project and move forward under new standards. In response to the Committee, Gilbert stated that he has been counseled that in order to avoid litigation; any adopted changes would not be applied retroactively. Standard practice is to send letters to the developers to inform them of the four-year window and a notification letter to those developers whose short plats are about to expire. Informational Only 11. Sound Transit Update Anderson referenced a letter sent by City Staff to Sound Transit in response to their long range plan update. Staff has engaged the Urban Land Institute Technical Panel. An invitation was sent to all of the Council members to attend a half-day discussion session scheduled with the Panel on September 91h. Staff will give the Technical Panel a tour of the Midway area. The concept is for the Technical Panel to inform staff of the pros and cons in their opinion of the various station locations in Midway, how Kent can support Transit Oriented Development (TOD). Following that half-day session, the Panel will spend a day deliberating to come up with some recommendations, and then submit their report to Kent. Informational Only Adiournment Committee Member Boyce adjourned the meeting at 7:05 p.m. Pamela Mottram, Secretary Economic & Community Development Committee P:\Planning\E DC\2014\Minutes\08-11-14 Min.doc ECDC Minutes August 11,2014 Page 4 of 4