HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoards & Commissions - Land Use & Planning Board - 10/28/2024 (2) Approved
� Land Use and Planning Board
�KENT Land Use Regular Meeting
Wp ° °T°° Minutes
October 28, 2024
Date: October 28, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Chambers
Members: Sandra Pereira Reynolds, Chair
Bryan Kesterson, Co-Chair
Shane Amodei,
Dione Dittmar,
Sally McDonough,
Justus Phelps,
Benjamin Reid
Agenda:
1. Call to Order 6:00 p.m.
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Sandra Pereira Reynolds Chair Excused
Bryan Kesterson Co-Chair Present
Shane Amodei Excused
Dione Dittmar Present
Sally McDonough Present
Justus Phelps _ Present
Benjamin Reid Excused
3. Approval of Minutes dated September 23, 2024
MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated September 23, 2024
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Justus Phelps
SECONDER: Sally McDonough
AYES: Kesterson, Dittmar, McDonough, Phelps
EXCUSED: Pereira Reynolds, Amodei, Reid
4. Changes to the Agenda
None
S. Draft 2044 Kent Comprehensive Plan
Staff provided an overview of the recently released Draft 2044 Kent
Comprehensive Plan.
The Kent Comprehensive Plan is the guiding policy document for all land use
and development regulations in Kent. State law requires the City to plan for
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Land Use and Planning Board Land Use Regular October 28, 2024
Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
and accommodate 10,200 new housing units and 32,000 jobs over the next
20 years. The project team has spent the past two years working with the
community to make updates to the plan to better reflect a shared vision and
guiding principles to inform how we plan for Kent's future.
The Kent Comprehensive Plan is the guiding policy document for all land use
and development regulations in Kent. State law requires the City to plan for
and accommodate 10,200 new housing units and 32,000 jobs over the next
20 years. The project team has spent the past two years working with the
community to make updates to the plan to better reflect a shared vision and
guiding principles to inform how we plan for Kent's future.
The Comprehensive Plan includes ten chapters:
• Introduction, Community Profile, Vision
• Land Use Element
• Housing Element
• Transportation Element
• Parks and Recreation Element
• Economic Development Element
• Capital Facilities Element
• Utilities Element
• Shoreline Element
• Climate Element
Kent's updated Comprehensive Plan includes its first ever Climate Element as
well as changes to more holistically address sustainability, human services,
and equity. The 2044 Comprehensive Plan also includes substantive changes
to content, goals, and policies in all chapters and map amendments to the
future land use designations to implement the vision for growth. The Draft
2044 Comprehensive Plan can be found online at
www.Engage.KentWA.gov/FutureKent.
At the LUPB special meeting on November 12, 2024, LUPB will hold a hearing
and be asked to make a recommendation to Council regarding the Draft 2044
Kent Comprehensive Plan. The Draft 2044 Comprehensive Plan must be
adopted by the end of 2024 and needs to be consistent with the WA state
Growth Management Act, Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Multicounty
Planning Policies, and King County Countywide Planning Policies.
LUPB members had few clarifying questions relating to growth targets
including needs for unsheltered populations, coordination with external utility
providers, and need for police funding/staffing. Overall, LUPB members
expressed their appreciation for the process to develop the Comprehensive
Plan and the final document format.
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Land Use and Planning Board Land Use Regular October 28, 2024
Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
6. Rezones and Zoning Changes to Support the Comprehensive Plan
Update
Planning Staff shared zoning map updates and development code changes to
support the land use map changes associated with the Comprehensive Plan
update.
Every ten years, fully planning cities and counties must conduct a thorough
review of their Comprehensive Plan and development regulations. As part of
the City's Comprehensive Plan update, the city is initiating rezones to support
the land use changes being made.
There are two changes proposed in response to community input for
commercial zones:
Allowing nurseries, greenhouses, garden supplies, tools, etc. in the
Neighborhood Convenience Commercial (NCC) zone; and
Restricting new gasoline service stations in the NCC zone as well as mixed
use and downtown zoning districts.
Future zoning code changes are anticipated through the housing
implementation effort (expected adoption date is June 2025) and the Benson
Corridor Project (starting in 2025)
There were no questions.
7. Briefing of SEPA Infill Exemptions
Planning staff provided a briefing about new SEPA exemptions for
development that supports the State's goal of accommodating more housing
within urban growth areas and streamlining development permitting.
In 1971, the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) was
established to help agencies identify likely environmental impacts from
specific development. In 1990, the Washington State Growth Management
Act was adopted, requiring state and local governments to manage
Washington's growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural
resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive
plans and implementing them through capital investments and development
regulations.
As a Planning City under RCW 36.70A.040, Kent is authorized to establish
categorical exemptions to SEPA if the criteria can be met and the
development proposed supports infill within urban growth areas. There are
several different types of SEPA exemptions. Some are authorized by state
law and do not require a jurisdiction to adopt any ordinances. Others require
a jurisdiction to take specific action in order to authorize an exemption.
The City of Kent intends to:
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Land Use and Planning Board Land Use Regular October 28, 2024
Meeting Kent, Washington
Minutes
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Adopt a new SEPA infill exemption for development consistent with the
Comprehensive Plan EIS (RCW 43.21C.229, established in the 2023 WA
State legislative session);
Update the flexible thresholds categorical exemption for minor new
construction that is not covered under the new infill exemption (WAC 197-
11-800); and
Repeal the Downtown Kent Planned Action Ordinance (PAO) and Infill
Development categorical exemption because it would result in conflicting
processes.
Staff proposed retaining some of the standards in the Downtown PAO (KCC
11.03.215) and relocating them to more appropriate locations in KCC (such
as development standards in Chapter 15.04 KCC).
LUPB did not have any questions or comments.
S. Adjournment 7:20 p.m.
7'a4vvyaw KOVP,YV
Committee Secretary
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