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Home My WebLink AboutLUTC MINS 02-02-2009G:\LUTC\LUTC Agendas and Summaries 2009\02-02-09-Minutes.doc City of Federal Way City Council Land Use/Transportation Committee February 2, 2009 City Hall 5:30 PM City Council Chambers MEETING MINUTES In attendance: Committee Chair Linda Kochmar, Committee Member Dini Duclos, Committee Member Jim Ferrell, Council Member Jeanne Burbidge, Director of Community Development Services Greg Fewins, Assistant City Attorney Peter Beckwith, Public Works Director Marwan Salloum, Assistant City Manager Bryant Enge, Contract Senior Planner Jim Harris, Contract Senior Planner Lori Michaelson, Senior Planner Margaret Clark, Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Gross, Street Systems Project Engineer John Mulkey, Street Systems Engineer Jeff Huynh, City Traffic Engineer Rick Perez, and Administrative Assistant II Darlene LeMaster. 1. CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Kochmar called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. All members were present. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The January 5, 2009 LUTC meeting minutes were approved. Moved: Duclos Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 3. PUBLIC COMMENT One public comment was received: Tom Heunisch, Federal Way, WA – Mr. Heunisch is concerned over the land development on 1st Ave S and S 293rd Place. As the land has been cleared and graded, tires, wires and mesh have been uncovered and stacked on the property. Progress on the land has stopped. Mr. Heunisch called Code Enforcement twice and nothing has been done, supposedly since there are open permits on this project. It has been two years since the first call to Code Enforcement and two years without any activity on the project. Mr. Heunisch would like to get this trash cleaned up and would like to also know when this may happen. The Committee asked staff for comment on this issue. Director of Community Development Greg Fewins asked the committee for clarification…were they asking for a Code amendment? Mr. Fewins explained that all Code amendment requests must be submitted prior to September 30th deadline each year to be put on the docket to be addressed in the following year. Mr. Fewins will follow up with Mr. Heunisch and work to resolve this issue. Mr. Fewins will report back to LUTC at the February 23rd meeting to report his findings and to determine if a Code amendment is necessary or if it can be handled through Code Enforcement. 4. BUSINESS ITEMS Committee Member Duclos moved to bring agenda item F, Cedar Creek NTS to the top of the agenda; followed by the remaining agenda items in the order presented. Moved: Duclos Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 F. Cedar Creek Neighborhood Traffic Safety (NTS) Rick Perez provided background information on the item. Public comment was received: Phyllis Bowman, 32820 20th Ave S, #25, Federal Way – Ms. Bowman feels that a pedestrian crosswalk with overhead lighting is desperately needed where 20th Ave S and 20th Way S meet. Ms. Bowman requests that Council strongly consider this request. Jim Lauger, Cedar Creek HOA Treasurer, Federal Way, WA – Mr. Lauger is requesting an overhead light to be installed on an existing pole on the SE corner of 20th Ave S at S 328th St. Mr. Lauger has already spoken to PSE and has sent a written request to Soma Chattopadhyay, Traffic Engineer. Land Use/Transportation Committee Page 2 February 2, 2009 G:\LUTC\LUTC Agendas and Summaries 2009\02-02-09-Minutes.doc Mr. Perez commented that the issue with street illumination can be easily resolved using the existing pole. The City has submitted for additional lighting through the federal stimulus project for street lighting up 20th Way S to S 324th St.. Mr. Perez does not advocate a marked crosswalk due to its suggested location (curve of highly traveled road). There is not enough sight distance and crossing at this location would be very unsafe. Chair Kochmar asked if staff needed direction from the committee to add the additional street light to the staff recommendation. Mr. Perez said that staff would go ahead and add the additional street light to the existing pole to this NTS project. Moved: Duclos Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 Committee forwarded Option 1, with the addition of an additional light on an existing pole to the February 17, 2009 City Council Consent Agenda for approval. Public comment continued: Jack Louter, Resident, Federal Way – Mr. Louter asked when this project might actually happen or be complete. Mr. Perez explained that the City needs to establish a contract with a contractor. Installation is weather dependent. For a contract to be executed and the weather to be cooperative, staff estimated it would probably be sometime in May of this year for installation of speedhumps. For the light to installed on an existing pole by PSE would probably be sooner (April). Phyllis Bowman returned to the podium to explain how the west side of 20th Ave S does not have a continuous crosswalk. How can a person in a wheelchair or hover-around legally cross this street in this area? Mr. Perez suggested marking a crosswalk in a safer location. Unfortunately, staff does not have a sidewalk installation program as part of NTS. Mr. Perez suggested converting one of the speedhumps into a raised crosswalk. The location would have to be at a long, safe stretch of roadway. The signage and markings in the roundabout can be relooked at and reevaluated for modification. Chair Kochmar asked that Mr. Perez report back to LUTC sometime this spring with an informational item, following up with the committee on this particular project. Mr. Perez suggested amending the previously approved motion. Moved: Duclos Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 Committee forwarded Option 1, with the addition of an additional light on an existing pole and the conversion of one speed hump to a raised crosswalk on 20th Way S (if feasible), to the February 17, 2009 City Council Consent Agenda for approval. A. 500 Gallon Above Ground Fuel Tank – Final Project Acceptance and Retainage Release Ray Gross provided background information on the item. There was no discussion. Moved: Ferrell Seconded: Duclos Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 Committee forwarded Option 1 to the February 17, 2009 City Council Consent Agenda for approval. B. S 356th St at SR 99 Intersection Improvements Project – Bid Award John Mulkey provided background information on this item. Chair Kochmar asked what the engineer’s estimate for this project had been and how much below was the apparent lowest bidder. Mr. Mulkey answered that the engineer’s estimate was $4.3M and Cecanti came in at $2.6M, $1.6M below the engineer’s estimate. Moved: Ferrell Seconded: Duclos Passed: Unanimously, 2-0 Chair Kochmar recused herself. Committee forwarded Option 1 to the February 17, 2009 City Council Consent Agenda for approval. C. Churches and Design Guidelines Contract Planner Jim Harris provided background information on this item. Committee Member Duclos asked about Mr. Harris’s to explain the two sets of standards and to explain their differences. Mr. Harris explained that the residential, BN and PO zones have one set of standards, based upon being a less intense use zone. The CE and BC have slightly different standards as their land use is more intense, for example: building heights and parking standards. The guidelines have not become any more restrictive. Committee Member Duclos asked if current churches wanting to make changes be impacted by the new standards. Mr. Land Use/Transportation Committee Page 3 February 2, 2009 G:\LUTC\LUTC Agendas and Summaries 2009\02-02-09-Minutes.doc Harris answered that only application for new churches would be impacted. Council Member Burbidge inquired on façade regulations. Is the intent to provide variation in design and materials used? Mr. Harris responded that the intent is to allow variation with structural modulation in commercial (ie. Symphony) and institutional uses. As far as residential zones, they are exempt from these provisions with the exception of cluster or zero lot line subdivisions. Council Member Burbidge noted some of the larger garage structures that are being installed in residential areas that do not blend with the other structures/homes. Mr. Harris stated that we currently do not have provisions for residential single-family zones. Moved: Ferrell Seconded: Duclos Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 Committee forwarded Option 1 to the February 17, 2009 City Council Ordinance Agenda for first reading. D. Adult Family Homes, Social Services Transitional Housing, Day Care and Home Occupation Code Amendments Contract Planner Lori Michaelson provided background information on this item. Committee Member Duclos asked about adult family homes. Are we bringing our city up to state code? Ms. Michaelson affirmed that we are. Until now, although the City is not changing any of its current practices, there has been no code regulation for adult family homes. This code amendment allows for adult family homes within a residential structure. Committee Member Duclos asked for the definition of family. Ms. Michaelson answered that the code definition of family is up to five unrelated people or any number of people related either by blood or by marriage. Unfortunately, the city does not have a clear way to enforce the number of people residing in one residence. The City establishes code that will not violate the Federal Fair Housing Amendment Act. This same definition applies to transitional housing. There is a process for public notice for transitional housing that has more occupants than would be allowed for under the definition of “family”. Questions from residents or citizens can be answered by staff with respect to this new code. Moved: Ferrell Seconded: Kochmar Passed: Unanimously, 2-0 Committee Member Duclos recused herself. Committee forwarded Option 1 to the February 17, 2009 City Council Ordinance Agenda for first reading. E. Proposed Resolution to Grant Noise Variance to WSDOT Peter Beckwith provided background information on this item. WSDOT representatives presented a more detailed picture of what is being proposed. Committee Member Duclos expressed some concern over contractors disrupting families and working on the weekends, especially on Sunday. Mr. Beckwith stated that this variance is only for this project and has been issued this one time only. In the future, it will be considered on a case by case basis. Notice to surrounding residences will be made once a firm schedule is in place and a more accurate time line for the work is in place. Moved: Ferrell Seconded: Duclos Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 Committee forwarded Option 1 to the February 17, 2009 City Council Resolution Agenda. Mr. Fewins also shared that there is code amendment currently in progress that addresses night work on the weekends. It is being reviewed again by the Planning Commission that will forwarded to committee in the upcoming months. 5. FUTURE MEETING The next regular LUTC meeting falls on a holiday (February 16) and will therefore be postponed until Monday, February 23, 2009 at 5:30 PM in City Council Chambers. 6. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 6:45 PM.