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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Land Use and Planning Board - 01/12/2009 LAND USE & PLANNING BOARD MINUTES JANUARY 12, 2009 BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT/ABSENT: Chair Jon Johnson, Vice Chair Dana Ralph, Barbara Phillips Absent/Excused, Steve Dowell, Alan Gray, Aleanna Kondelis, Jack Ottini STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Charlene Anderson, Beth Tan, Mike Mactutis, Pamela Mottram APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Ottini MOVED and Dowell SECONDED a motion to APPROVE the November 24, 2008 Minutes. Motion PASSED 6-0. Added Items, Communications, Notice of Upcoming Meetings None ZCA-2008-2 Flood Hazard Regulations KCC Section 14.09 Environmental Engineer Beth Tan stated that staff is pursuing changes to the City's Flood Plain Regulations as the result of a meeting with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representative who found language lacking within the Kent City Code, 14.09. Tan stated that updating Kent City Code (KCC) Section 14.09 at this time, will allow the City to enter into a "Community Rating Systems Program", and enable the City to obtain a discount for home and property owners located within Kent's Flood Plain area. She stated that since the time of the 1995 map, FEMA has drafted a preliminary digital flood insurance rate map which expands the flood plain boundaries within Kent. Tan reported on proposed amendments to specific sections of KCC 14.09; citing changes to Section 14.09.060 which establishes special flood hazard areas. Tan cited changes to Section 14.09.150 which designates the local administrator and the floodways (referenced under Section 14.09.180). Tan cited Section 14.09.170, explaining why staff recommends that residential structures be built a minimum of two (2) feet above the base flood elevation. She stated that if Kent receives a discounted insurance rate, the cost to raise a residential structural one extra foot would be paid for within three years due to the insurance discount the residents receive. Tan stated that Section 14.09.175 Compensatory Storage has been deleted from the City's Surface Water Design Manual (SWDM) and incorporated into KCC as a new section that will aid in regimenting and funneling the administrative variance process through the Hearing Examiner. Tan stated that staff is using a 1995 flood map along with a preliminary map that FEMA has developed under Kent's current city code. She stated that Kent has filed Land Use and Planning Board Minutes January 12, 2009 Page 1 of 3 an appeal map along with other jurisdictions in the County. She stated that staff recommends incorporating the definitions "best available data"and "or any revision thereto" within the flood hazard regulations to avoid the need to pursue code revisions at a later time after the appeal process has ended and FEMA has released their final version of the map. Tan spoke about the 1995 Flood Insurance Rate Map, and the 2007 Preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (FEMA's original proposal for Kent's flood plain) covering the area from valley wall to valley wall. Tan described how Kent appealed FEMA's 2007 Flood Insurance Rate Map through a complex engineering process. She stated that a larger extent of Kent would be located within the flood plain. Tan displayed aerial photos of several areas of flooding in Kent taken by staff on January 9. Tan stated that after tonight's hearing, staff would like to take this issue to the January Public Works Committee meeting and to City Council for approval in February. Tan stated that these changes must be implemented in February in order for Kent to receive approval for its CRS application and 20 percent discount in October 2009. If this deadline is not met, staff will look at completing the application in April 2010. In response to Ottini, Tan stated that structures must be built to the standards of whatever flood insurance rate map is current at the time of construction, and would not affect those structures insurance rates in the future, were the map updated with more restrictions, as those structures would be governed under the older map. Tan stated that people are not restricted to a two-foot height minimum and expressed that it is her understanding that there are some Federal Programs that provide grant monies for those people residing in a flood plain who wish to pursue raising their home's elevation. Chair Johnson declared the Public Hearing open. Elizabeth Albertson, 304 Summit Ave N, Kent, WA 98030 stated that she resides half-way up the hill between James and Smith and serves on Kent's City Council. She stated that she is interested in knowing where Kent is going to establish their flood hazard plain area, as she experienced flooding in her home following the heavy rain storm and feels that the flood plain should be bigger than just telling people they must build their structures higher. Ottini opined that Albertson's flooding might be the result of rain water runoff conducted through a clay bank that runs through the hill. He stated that Kent would not be able to acquire insurance if flood plain boundaries were drawn 30 feet up the hill. Seeing no further speakers, Ottini Moved and Gray Seconded a Motion to close the Public Hearing. Motion CARRIED. Land Use and Planning Board Minutes January 12, 2009 Page 2 of 3 Ottini Moved to adopt ZCA-2008-2 Flood Hazard Regulations as proposed by staff along with amendments to add and delete specific language as presented at the meeting of January 12, 2009. Ralph seconded the Motion. Motion CARRIED 6-0. ADJOURNMENT Ottini Moved and Dowell Seconded a Motion to adjourn. Motion CARRIED. Johnson adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Charlene Anderson, AICP, Planning Manager Secretary of the Board S:\Permit\Plan\LUPB\2009\MINUTES\011209_LUPB_Min Mnal.doc Land Use and Planning Board Minutes January 12, 2009 Page 3 of 3