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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/20/2026 - Agenda Packet AGENDA Planning Commission Meeting 6:00 PM – Wednesday, May 20, 2026 Council Chambers, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S Grady Way Virtual: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88034659736?pwd=z1TyxJNsMEloal0MglAamlJkjbnLaR.1 or call 253-215-8782 (meeting ID: 880 3465 9736, password: Weplan2024) 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED 4. AUDIENCE COMMENT (Opportunity for public to comment on agenda and non- agenda items, with the exception of items for public hearings. Comments for public hearing items will only be taken during the public hearing.) Each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Groups or organizations may select a spokesperson to speak on their behalf. Alternatively, you are encouraged to provide written comments to planningcommission@rentonwa.gov at least five days before the meeting. 1. Virtual Attendees: Attendees will be muted and not audible to the Commission except during times they are designated to speak. Use the “Raise Hand” option to indicate you would like to speak (if you are calling in, use *9 to raise hand and *6 to mute/unmute). 2. In-person Attendees: Raise your hand to indicate you would like to speak. When recognized by the Chair, come to the podium to make your comments. 5. APPROVE MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 6, 2026 6. DIRECTOR’S REPORT 7. DELIBERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS a. Docket 20 Group D, D248: Large Site Master Plan & Development Agreements b. Docket 20 Group D, D249: Planned Urban Development (PUD) Open Space c. Docket 21 Group A, D250: Affordable Housing Waived Fees 8. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 9. ADJOURNMENT Hearing assistance devices for use in the Council Chambers are available upon request. For more information on the Planning Commission, visit www.rentonwa.gov/Government/Boards-Committees-Commissions May 6, 2026 - PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION 6:00 PM - Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Zoom and Council Chambers, 7th Floor, City Hall – 1055 S. Grady Way CALL TO ORDER Chair Artze called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. ROLL CALL Commissioner Fiksdal called roll. Present: 1. Chair Artze 2. Commissioner Bayan 3. Commissioner Petek 4. Vice Chair Plants 5. Commissioner Poole 6. Secretary Rochex 7. Commissioner Matson Absent: 1. Commissioner Kelly STAFF PRESENT 1. Matt Herrera- Planning Director 2. Angie Mathias- Long Range Planning Manager 3. Maya Simon – Associate Planner 4. Patrice Kent-Senior Assistant City Attorney 5. Muang Saelee - Recording Secretary PUBLIC ATTENDANCE 1 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED None AUDIENCE COMMENTS (NON-AGENDA ITEMS) None APPROVE MEETING MINUTES FROM APRIL 1, 2026 May 6, 2026 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 1. Chair Artze asked for motion to approve minutes from April 1, 2026 meeting. 2. Commissioner Fiksdal moved to approve. Seconded by Commissioner Poole. All ayes, meeting minutes were approved. 3. Chair Artze and Commissioner Fiksdal signed the minutes. DIRECTOR’S REPORT 1. Matt made an amendment to agenda to postpone briefing for the Valley Subarea Plan (item 8a). Item is not ready. Will update the commission at the next meeting. 2. Planners just got back from National APA Conference in Detroit. Record turnout with almost 5,000 attendees. #1 topic discussed was housing and the housing crisis across the country. States trying to pre-empt local jurisdictions ability to zone. AI was discussed. Planning industry is being bombarded with AI. Possibly will help permitting become more efficient. 3. June 6th grand opening of Legacy Square. Wants to send a formal invite to Planning Commissioners. This is a capital project led by CED, proud of it. Paul Hintz led the project and it’s looking good. PUBLIC HEARING – DOCKET 20 GROUP D, D-248: LARGE SITE MASTER PLAN & DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS Chair Artze asked for a motion to open the public hearing. Commissioner Poole made a motion to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. Matt presented DISCUSSION Commissioner Comments 1. Chair Artze asked who initiates the development agreements. 2. Matt responded that it’s usually the property owner or the developer who would reach out. They are the ones who request it as they believe a development agreement would be the best route to do a large project. Can do a development agreement without code amendment, however those agreements would have to be completely consistent with city code. Would not be able to modify development standards, and that’s what this code amendment would satisfy. We are putting language in code to allow applicant to modify development standards as part of a development agreement. 3. Chair Artze asked in terms of ability to update standards, would this involve a phased approach where different phases will have different standards the project would need to meet? 4. Matt responds that the negotiated development agreement would identify the standards that we would modify or put in place at each stage. We would not modify land use. If the zoning district does not allow a certain use, you can’t modify that through a development agreement. Development standards such as setbacks, height, etc. Development agreement would identify phases and then identify what development standards would be in play to modify. We would want to leave some room for negotiation in the future. Things can change within 10-15 years; applicant would not want to commit to something 10-15 years from now. May 6, 2026 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 5. Chair Artze asked if the change would involve changing how the different developers would sign onto the agreement. Asked if since it’s a long-term plan, you would want multiple agents on the same agreement? 6. Whoever property owner is, when development agreement is reached, it will be recorded on the property and will follow whoever purchases the property in the future, they would be bound by that. Whoever purchases would hopefully do their due diligence and know it’s tied to a development agreement and know the parameters. Audience Comments None Commissioner Bayan made a motion to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Poole. All ayes, motion carried. PUBLIC HEARING – DOCKET 20 GROUP D, D249: PLANNED URBAN DEVELOPMENT (PUD) OPEN SPACE Commissioner Poole made a motion to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. Maya presented DISCUSSION Commissioner Comments None Audience Comments None Commissioner Poole made a motion to close the public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. PUBLIC HEARING – DOCKET 21 GROUP A, D250: AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAIVED FEES Commissioner Fiksdal made a motion to open the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Matson. All ayes, motion carried. Angie presented DISCUSSION Commissioner Comments 1. Commissioner Petek asked about the analysis of zoning and the minimum number. Asked which zone people would see affordable housing/dense housing in. 2. Matt mentions there is more of these projects in multi-family mixed use. One example is the Sunset Terrace/Highlands neighborhood, in the Center Village zone. A project we are trying to use this for is in the Commercial Arterial zone. The issue May 6, 2026 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES we are running into is the minimum density. By lowering threshold for affordable units it gives us the ability to ensure that we are providing subsidy for the family size units, not just incentivizing the studios and 1 bedroom type projects. 3. Commissioner Petek commented that most families who are in affordable housing are multi-generational. He said lowering the minimum to 4 is much better than 8. 4. Matt mentioned this new minimum would be consistent with middle housing. 5. Chair Artze asked why there was a change in allowable AMI % from 120% to 100%. 6. Angie said they are following state law and is unsure why it was changed. 7. Chair Artze asked if we could incorporate a sliding scale so there is still some benefits for those individuals. Can we do a similar version of affordable housing waived fees incentives for ADUs? 8. Angie responds that we already have incentives in place for ADUs. Audience Comments None Chair Artze asked for a motion to close the public hearing. Secretary Rochex made a motion to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. TRAINING ON ROBERT’S RULE OF ORDER Chair Artze called on Sr. Assistant City Attorney Patrice Kent to present. Sr. Asst. City Attorney Patrice Kent presented. Commissioner comments 1. Vice Chair Plants asked what advice Sr. Asst. Attorney Patrice would have for when someone from the public is using harmful or abusive language. 2. Sr. Asst. Attorney Patrice says 1st amendment rights have a great deal of protection. If it is an attack or inciting violence, then that would not have the protection of the 1st amendment. Is commentor disruptive to meeting? If so, then Chair can suspend the meeting for a period of time or ask the person to leave. It would have to be very disruptive. In meetings, there is a 3-minute limitation so we can limit time, but we cannot censor comments before they are made. Public hearing is different than public comment. 3. Matt is wondering if we can close the public hearing when we are done with public remarks, and if there are questions that the commissioners have, then can we have that discussion after closing the public hearing? 4. Sr. Asst. Attorney Patrice clarifies that questions from commissioners to better understand the presentation and the proposed legislation is fine, it is reasonable to have that during public hearing. However, discussion amongst the commissioners about questions/answers or about public comment would fall under deliberations and recommendations stage and are not for public hearing. 5. Commissioner Petek wondered why we have to wait until 3rd meeting to have deliberations and recommendations. May 6, 2026 - PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 6. Sr. Asst. Attorney Patrice responded that the current schedule we have offers the Planning Commission time to take in all the necessary information. During the public hearing, we are taking in only the public remarks at the time. If the deliberations and recommendations are done the same night as the public hearing, the commissioners would not have the chance to consider the written remarks that are submitted as legally we have to allow a certain number of days for public to send in comments after the public hearing closes. This is all so commissioners can make an informed recommendation. 7. Chair Artze asked about the “limiting of discussion” motion and if that is used among commissioners? Or can it limit the public remarks? 8. Sr. Asst. City Attorney Patrice clarifies that the “limiting of discussion” motion is only for the commissioners to use amongst themselves. 9. Commissioner Poole asked if it’s possible to extend a public hearing if it was taking too long. 10. Sr. Asst. City Attorney Patrice said she is not sure if they would continue into the next meeting or if a special meeting would need to be held to finish up the public hearing. 11. Commissioner Fiksdal asked how we can help people understand that they are making a remark about something at the wrong time in the process. 12. Sr. Asst. City Attorney Patrice says to let them know that they may want to make their remark at the appropriate time so that it can be recorded under the appropriate section. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 1. Commissioner Fiksdal thanked the Planning team for the food. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Commissioner Poole. Seconded by Commissioner Fiksdal. All ayes, motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM. Andy Artze, Commission Chair Dana Rochex, Secretary Muang Saelee Recording Secretary