HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/04/2011 - Minutes
RENTON PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
May 4, 2011 Renton City Hall
6:00 p.m. Conferencing Center
Planning Commissioners Present: Michael Chen, Michael Drollinger, Ray Giometti, Gwendolyn High, Michael
O’Halloran, Nancy Osborn, Kevin Poole, Ed Prince, Martin Regge
Planning Commissioner Absent: Michael Chen and Kevin Poole
City Staff Present: Planning Director Chip Vincent Absent; Jennifer Henning, Current Planning Manager; Vanessa
Dolbee, Senior Planner; Laila McClinton, Administrative Secretary
1. CALL TO ORDER: Commission Chair Prince called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL: Commission Secretary O’Halloran called roll.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of April 6, 2011 were approved as written.
MADE BY PRINCE, SECONDED BY DROLLINGER, to accept the April 6, 2011 Revised minutes, SIX FOR, TWO
ABSENT. MOTION CARRIED.
4. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED: None
5. AUDIENCE COMMENTS: None
6. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Commission Giometti commented on the newspaper article regarding rain
gardens in Ballard (Seattle) that are not draining properly, and the $400,000 cost incurred for pumping out
trenches. There will be a totem pole dedication at the Fred Meyer parking lot on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 9:00
pm.
7. DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
On behalf of the Director, Jennifer Henning gave the report.
Community Planning & Stewardship agenda item has been deferred to a future meeting.
8. NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM:
Bonnie Rerecich, Neighborhood Resources and Events Manager, and Norma McQuiller, Neighborhood Program
Coordinator, Community Services and Parks, gave a presentation on the Renton Neighborhood Program. The
program was started as a pilot program with two neighborhood groups in 1997, and now 72 neighborhoods are
officially recognized. To be officially recognized as a neighborhood by the City of Renton Program an application
process is required. This gives the neighborhood the opportunity to apply for grants, have a liaison and also have
a neighborhood picnic. Renton developed the neighborhood boundaries throughout the City and fit them into
the community planning area boundaries. The boundaries were established prior to the Community Plan. In
2009, the Planning Department attended the Neighbor to Neighbor Workshop when the community planning
process began. The Neighborhood Program helped design the different areas utilizing maps including sewer,
water, streets, and boundaries to help define the community planning areas. At this year’s Neighbor to Neighbor
Summit, the Planning Department was well received for all the effort and hard work in the Neighborhood
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May 4, 2011
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Program. Information on neighborhoods can be found on the City’s website, Channel 21, and the quarterly
Neighbor to Neighbor electronic newsletter. There are three levels in the Grant Program: communication grants,
project grants, and the new mini grants (up to $1,000). Sixteen neighborhood grants were given out including
funding for community gardens and playgrounds, and $29,000.00 is still remaining for the mini grants. Picnic
Program eligibility requires the neighborhood be registered as an “officially” recognized neighborhood, provide
matching contributions; plan, promote and coordinate picnic volunteers; provide insurance, and provide a
community service project. The City liaisons are employees who volunteer their time working with
neighborhoods and providing a link to the departments and services to the City. The Liaison Leadership Summit
outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Liaison Program introducing new programs, and provides tools for
successful Neighborhood Program.
9. 2011 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS BRIEFING:
#M‐05: Barbee Mill
Vanessa presented this docket item. This is a private party request made by Conner Homes at Barbee Mill. The
City expanded Conner Homes request to include all properties located in the Barbee Mill Subdivision. The
property request included 115 lots with a total of 22 acres. The property is located west of Lake Washington
Blvd. along Lake Washington. The Quendall Terminal property is north of the Barbee Mill, 21 acres, and north of
that Seahawks facility and proposal of the Hawks Landing Hotel. The applicant originally requested R‐14 zoning.
Further analysis identified that the existing density of Barbee Mill was less than the minimum density for R‐14
zoning. The applicant agreed to change the request to R‐10 which results in consistency with the minimum
density requirements of the zone. R‐10 permits all existing unit types in addition to single family. COR zone
permits commercial, office, and retail uses; and does not permit single family residential. The existing conditions
in Barbee Mill consist of duplex, triplex, and fourplex development patterns. The change to R‐10 would also
increase the mix of housing options in the development.
Staff recommends approval of the amendment as requested. The request eliminates conflicts with policies in the
Comprehensive Plan. The change would correctly reflect the existing densities on the ground and maintain the
residential character of the Barbee Mill development. Staff also recommends the re‐designation of the shoreline
environment to Shoreline Residential as a part of a future SMP update. The different policies of R10 and R14 can
both be met by the subdivision.
AUDIENCE COMMENT: None
10. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: The next Commission meeting will be on May 18, 2011.
11. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.
Ed Prince, Chair
Michael O’Halloran, Secretary