HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/20/2011 - Minutes
RENTON PLANNING COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
April 20, 2011 Renton City Hall
6:00 p.m. Conferencing Center
Planning Commissioners Present: Michael Chen, Michael Drollinger, Gwendolyn High, Michael O’Halloran, Nancy
Osborn, Kevin Poole, Ed Prince, Ray Giometti
Planning Commissioner Absent: Martin Regge
City Staff Present: Chip Vincent, Planning Director; Jennifer Henning, Current Planning Manager; Erika Conkling,
Senior Planner; Rocale Timmons, Associate Planner, Kris Sorensen, Associate 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. Commission Chen arrived late.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None.
4. CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED: None
5. AUDIENCE COMMENTS: None
6. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: None
7. DIRECTOR’S REPORT:
The new draft proposal for the King County Wide Planning Policies was released on April 13. It is
available on the KC website or a copy can be requested from the Director. The County Wide Planning
Policies will help guide us and update our Comprehensive Plan as the City works towards the 2014
milestone as required by the Growth Management Act.
We are hosting the Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC) Public Hearing Meeting in the
Council Conference Center on April 27. County Executive Dow Constantine will chair the GMPC and
public comment will be accepted.
The City has not had a response from the Department of Ecology (DOE) in respect to their Shoreline
Master Program (SMP).
Erika has been working on a Walkability Audit grant for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on
the Benson Hill area around the Cascade Shopping Center. Our partner, the EPA, will have a public
outreach campaign for the development of the Benson Hill Community Plan. Chip and Erika are
preparing a Request for Proposals soliciting consultants to help the City on the next Benson Hill
Community Plan after completing the City Center Plan.
We have not heard from the EPA regarding Quendall Terminal’s issues we raised on the environmental
baseline; a meeting will be scheduled with the EPA.
The State Legislature Bill on transportation funding was successful for the Strander Blvd. Project
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completion, and the I‐405 Tolling Bill initiated by Department of Transportation is waiting for the
Governor’s signature. There is a possibility of receiving $1M for assistance in the West Hill area work.
The bill amending the Growth Management Act passed, but only extended the updates by one year to
eight years instead of 10 year cycle requested; this impacts the Shoreline Master Program updates
timelines.
The Council adopted our Clean Economy Strategy on April 18. Kris has been working hard with Cascadia
Consulting Group developing our Clean Economy Strategy the first step to long term sustainability for
the City. The Clean Economy Strategy was adopted by the City Council.
The Comprehensive Plan Amendment T‐06 Landscaping item on this agenda has been deferred.
Erika discussed the Cascade Area Walkability Audit. The audit is also intended to build community
capacity to discuss planning issues, and issues of how to build an active and livable community. We plan
to meet the first week of June and give a short presentation, complete the walking audit and vision
exercise. Invitations will be sent out to key stakeholders in the Cascade area, the Council, Benson Hill
community and an invitation will be extended to other neighborhood organizations.
On March 12 staff volunteered to work at The Habitat for Humanity Development (LaFortuna Project).
King County sold the property under financial duress to Habitat for Humanity who picked up the
entitlements.
Chip gave an update on community planning at the Neighbors‐to‐Neighbor Neighborhoods meeting.
The Benson area has no community plan and is therefore a challenge. In February, this item was
presented to the City Council retreat requesting feedback.
8. SUNSET AREA PUBLIC HEARING DELIBERATIONS: PLANNED ACTION ORDINANCE, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AMENDMENTS, AND DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN
Erika presented this item and recommended refinements and no changes in overall direction or conclusions of
the Planned Action Ordinance, Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Drainage Master Plan. The Planned
Action Ordinance approval was recommended with the following changes; more specific monitoring periods and
thresholds, clarify development thresholds, and address utilities, and additional clarification addressing the
roadways as part of infrastructure. The Comprehensive Plan Amendment incorporated capital projects
identified in the Sunset Area Planned Action Amendments to Comp Plan Elements (Capital Facilities,
Transportation, and Utilities). The City will refine elements again by December 2011 per regular cycle. In the
Drainage Master Plan it was recommended to replace Appendices A and B, to include model output in Appendix
D for background information, and add cross references to appendices in the Plan text.
Lisa Greuter gave a presentation on the recommended changes of the Planned Action Ordinance,
Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Drainage Master Plan. In response to the last Planning Commission
meeting question “Was inflation included in the cost estimates”? And the answer was no. The capital cost
estimates are for the year 2011, because we do not know the precise year within the 20‐year period when some
of these improvements would be made.
Planning Commission Recommendation:
MOVED BY GIOMETTI, SECONDED BY OSBORNE to accept the Sunset Area Planned Action Ordinance,
Comprehensive Plan and Drainage Master Plan including the amendments, as requested by Commission Prince.
NINE FOR, ONE ABSENT. MOTION CARRIED.
9. 2011 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS:
#M‐01: Vantage Glen Mobile Park
Rocale discussed the vacant Vantage Glen parcel. The parcel was subdivided from the Vantage Glen Mobile Park
in 2008 and the site vested to King County Housing Authority (KCHA), owner of the subject parcel. KCHA plans to
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redevelop the site with a 48‐unit multi‐family project. Staff recommends approval of the request for the RMF
land use designation zoning. The amendment would provide consistency with vested land uses for the subject
parcel as well removing the criteria for not expanding residential multi‐family and offering that there be some
kind of transition between land use designations which have high intensity to lower intensity land use
designation areas. The City does have a transportation plan addressing the access issues to that parcel.
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Recommendation is that the public be notified of this proposed redevelopment land use designation change.
#M‐06: Duvall
Vanessa discussed the private party request made by David and Marsha Rockabrand owners of the property
located at 1625 Duvall Avenue NE. Staff recommends approval of the amendment as requested, with a
condition that the site is re‐graded when redeveloped, to bring the new development on grade with Duvall Ave.
NE. The request supports the Vision embodied in the Comprehensive Plan. The amendment would provide for
new employment opportunities and at the same time have the potential to provide a mix of housing types
within the City. The site has been an established commercial site for more than 13 years, and would bring the
existing uses into conformance with the zoning and promote a walkable healthy community.
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Recommendation is that the neighbors be notified by a poster of the changes, and clarification of conforming
and non‐conforming uses terminology.
#T‐01: Sustainability
Kris discussed the City of Renton’s Comprehensive Plan policies that have a wide variety of sustainability related
policies, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; vehicle miles traveled, and single occupancy vehicle travel. He
provided a definition from the City of Portland’s Planning Director Susan Anderson that everything’s connected
and whatever you do today affects tomorrow. It is about our neighborhoods, our families, our jobs and
economy, our health and our connection to the future. The Vision for the City is simply stated – “Renton – The
center of opportunity in the Puget Sound Region where businesses and families thrive.” These few words are
intended to provide a representation of how the City views itself at the present time and into the future;
communicating both truths about and hopes for the City of Renton. Staff recommends that the City adopt
sustainability themed language into the Vision and Mission sections of the Comprehensive Plan. Proposed text
for the Vision statement is a supportive statement that mirrors City policies and programs to create a more
sustainable future.
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Recommendation is to change the City statement from”Renton – The center of opportunity in the Puget Sound
Region where businesses and families thrive” to “Renton – The center of opportunity in the Puget Sound Region
where families and businesses thrive.”
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12. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: The next Planning Commission meeting will be on May 4, 2011. The
Planning Commission Comprehensive Plan Amendments Public Hearing is on June 1, 2011.
13. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:17 p.m.
Ed Prince, Chair
Michael O’Halloran, Secretary