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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/01/2021 - Minutes SEPTEMBER 1, 2021-PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION 6:00 PM - Wednesday, September 1, 2021 Zoom Video Conference CALL TO ORDER Commissioner Chair Shannon Matson called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. ROLL CALL Secretary Bayan called roll. Present: 1. Josephine Bayan 2. James Alberson 3. Mara Fiksdal 4. David Fleetwood 5. Shannon Matson 6. Charles Seil 7. Dana Rochex 8. Sunayana Kannur 9. Kevin Poole Absent: None STAFF PRESENT 1. Chip Vincent- CED Administrator 2. Paul Hintz- Principal Planner 3. Katie Buchl-Morales- Senior Planner 4. Angie Mathias-Long Range Planning Manager 5. Vanessa Dolbee- Planning Director 6. Matthew Herrera- Current Planning Manager 7. Patrice Kent- Senior Assistant City Attorney 8. Mark Santos-Johnson- Community Development and Housing Manager 9. Hannah Bahnmiller- Acting Community Development and Housing Manager 10. Danielle Marshall-Recording Secretary CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED There were 15 correspondence on Retail Pet Sales received: 1. Monica and Jeremy Bowen- 08/24/2021 2. Tom May-08/24/2021 3. Carolyn Clark-08/25/2021 4. Cathleen Powell-08/25/2021 SEPTEMBER 1, 2021-REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 5. Elizabeth Oreck-08/25/2021 6. Jill Servais-08/25/2021 7. Justin Kerr-08/25/2021 8. Lindsay Youngquest-08/25/2021 9. Sarah McNiesh-08/25/2021 10. Susan Sivyer-08/25/2021 11. Albert Sardinas-08/25/2021 12. Ashly Dale-08/25/2021 13. Carmen River-08/25/2021 14. Nicole Burrell-08/25/2021 15. Paula Sardinas-08/25/2021 AUDIENCE COMMENTS No Audience comments on Non-Agenda items. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS No Commissioner comments. ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT Chip mentioned that Commissioner Seil represented the Commission at the Ground-breaking Ceremony of the Solera Project yesterday. Said project is no. 1 transformational project that realizes the vision of the City bringing affordable housing, etc. Chip also announced the suspension of any course of action on Retail Pet Sales from the Planning Commission until City will be able to review all comments since the last Public Hearing and be able to work closely with the City Attorney’s Office. DOCKET 16 GROUP B DELIBERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Katie presented D-191: ADUs as Necessary Uses to Religious Institutions (See Attached Powerpoint Presentation) DISCUSSIONS COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Poole asked about the agreement preventing religious institutions from discrimination against certain classes of people. Patrice confirmed that we follow all applicable laws and rules which may include various housing Acts, etc and she mentioned that there are specific limitations when faith- based organizations are or not exempted from the various anti-discrimination rules. So, to try to cover everything in the Ordinance would be time and paper consuming and unlikely to be able to evolve to meet the requirements as they may change. Commissioner Poole raised his concern that we might be just setting ourselves up for potential law suit. In response Patrice suggested that if we have to talk about legal ramification, an Executive Session should be held. Chip assured that we will tie this back to various housing Acts as mentioned earlier by Patrice and that we are balancing all the issues. He also commended Patrice in working with the Staff on this. Patrice further explained that there is a dual tension in supporting faith-based and social SEPTEMBER 1, 2021-REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES services organizations who are working with City. She thought that the City is doing an excellent job in providing affordable housing. Commissioner Fleetwood raised his concern that some church would not build an ADU and be very upset when they have to rent that unit to a gay couple, etc. and whether this is worth-doing when there are other things that we can potentially do to free this up that would not run into this kind of land mines potentially and to avoid cost to the City on litigation. Chip appreciated Commissioner David for raising this question early so we can be proactive and thoughtful in crafting the Ordinance and he emphasized that in order to be effective and successful, everybody has a role. Commissioner Fleetwood said he understood where Chip is coming from but he did not agree on certain players having a role. Commissioner Rochex asked a clarification if for instance we approve this, is it the City’s liability or the church’s which choose not to rent it for someone for some reason. Patrice raised once more that if we really need to discuss legal concerns and liabilities we have to really go in an Executive Session. Chip explained that there is always a legal risk when regulating this kind of activities and that it is important to try to work on the legal framework that we have and try to minimize risk to the extent possible. He also mentioned that advancing good public policy should come first before legal stuff. Commissioner Matson raised the motion to accept, reject or revise the recommendations. Motion to accept the recommendations made by Commissioner Alberson, seconded by Commissioner Rochex. All ayes except Commissioners Seil, Fleetwood and Poole, motion carried. AUDIENCE COMMENTS No Audience comments. D194- Retail Pet Sales- Deferred as per Chip in the Administrators’ Report Angelea presented D196- Height and Setbacks in RMF Zone. DISCUSSIONS AUDIENCE COMMENTS No audience comments. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS No Commissioner comments. Motion to accept recommendations made by Commissioner Seil, seconded by Commissioner Alberson. All ayes, motion carried. Paul presented D199- Residential Accessory Structures. Please see attached PowerPoint presentation. SEPTEMBER 1, 2021-REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES DISCUSSIONS COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 1. Commissioner Alberson asked for clarification on the recommendations. Paul explained that the proposal is to choose Option B which allows the city to choose the majority of the zones within the city as opposed to every zone which allows hotel. 2. Commissioner Rochex clarified if the discussion is related to emergency shelter housing which Paul affirmed. 3. Commissioner Fleetwood asked if the language on restricting to one (1) covid facility is still in the presentation. Paul confirmed and he explained that this specifically refers to the Red Lion with respect to the deintensification center. Commissioner Fleetwood expressed that he was not in support to Option B as he believes that sending residents to another city’s facility is not a good idea. 4. Commissioner Fleetwood also asked how to determine if someone is homeless from the City of Renton. Paul responded that most Cities look at where they had last tenure/ lease agreement on housing. Commissioner Fleetwood expressed that Option A is still the fairest and most equitable approach. Chip confirmed the calculation on how number of homeless people in the City of Renton was done and that he expressed the importance of identifying adequate available land that can accommodate this need. AUDIENCE COMMENTS No Audience comments. Motion to adopt Option A (allow emergency shelters and emergency housing in zones where hotels are allowed) made by Commissioner Fleetwood, seconded by Commissioner Rochex. Commissioner Fiskdal requested further clarifications on the two (2) options before the Commission can vote. Ayes by Commissioner Fleetwood, nayes by Commissioners Matson, Alberson, Fiskdal, Bayan. Motion not carried. Motion to accept Staff recommendation (Option B) made by Commissioner Alberson, seconded by Commissioner Seil. All ayes except Commissioner Fleetwood. Motion carried. Paul presented D201- UC Zone Development Standards. Please see attached PowerPoint presentation. DISCUSSIONS COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 1. Commissioner Rochex clarified if the stand-alone commercial buildings are required to have underground parking or not. Paul explained that general offices have commercial use which means that they could be served by surface parking lots. Chip illustrated Southport for choosing structured parking. 2. Commissioner Matson clarified if there is still parking ratio that buildings are obligated to which Chip confirmed and the goal is to re-organize these for future development. SEPTEMBER 1, 2021-REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Motion to accept Staff recommendation made by Commissioner Rochex, seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. AUDIENCE COMMENTS No Audience comments. RENTON CITY HOUSING ACTION PLAN BRIEFING Hannah presented Renton City Housing Action Plan. DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 1. Commissioner Seil thanked Commissioner Alberson on the time he put in this presentation, the latter welcomed the former. AUDIENCE COMMENTS No Audience comments. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Commissioner Seil, seconded by Commissioner Alberson. All ayes, motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:39 PM. Shannon Matson, Commission Chair Josephine Bayan, Commission Secretary Danielle Marshall Recording Secretary