The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutLUTC MINS 11-15-2010City of Federal Way City Council Land Use/Transportation Committee November 15, 2010 City Hall 5:30 PM City Council Chambers MEETING SUMMARY Committee Members in Attendance: Committee Chair Dini Duclos, Committee Member Jack Dovey and Committee Member Jim Ferrell. Council Members in Attendance: Mayor Linda Kochmar and Council Member Burbidge Staff Members in Attendance: Director of Parks, Public Works and Emergency Management Cary Roe, Director of Community Development Services Greg Fewins, Planning Manager Isaac Conlen, City Traffic Engineer Rick Perez, Principal Planner Margaret Clark, Senior Planner Deb Barker, Associate Planner Matt Herrera, Assistant City Attorney Peter Beckwith, and Administrative Assistant II Darlene LeMaster. 1. CALL TO ORDER Committee Chair Duclos called the meeting to order at 5:39 PM. 2. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no public comment. 3. BUSINESS ITEMS Forward Topic Title/Description to Council A. Approval of the November 1, 2010, LUTC Minutes Committee approved November 1, 2010, LUTC minutes as presented. Moved: Dovey Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 N/A B. Zoning and Development Code Text Amendments Related to Keeping Chicken and Ducks Associate Planner Matt Herrera presented information on this item. There was one public comment: Elbert Fields, 30412 11th Ave S – Mr. Fields stated that chicken grain and feed is attractive to mice and rats. Chickens are also vulnerable to coyotes. Committee Member Dovey asked where Suburban Estates (SE) zones existed inside City limits. Mr. Herrera replied that there is a small area near Dumas Bay/Camp Kilworth as well as in the Spring Valley area. Roosters have and will be allowed in the SE zone because farming is a permitted use in the SE zone and roosters conform to that use. Committee Member Dovey commented that the SE zone near Dumas Bay is surrounded by smaller parcels and wondered if crowing roosters might be a problem to neighboring residents. Mr. Herrera noted that roosters in the SE zone of the Dumas Bay area have not been addressed as a concern. In an effort to standardize the types of coops that residents build, Committee Member Dovey supports requiring three alternatives for chicken coop design. Mr. Herrera responded that the City’s existing nuisance regulations don’t allow for chickens to roam off of their owner’s property; it would be considered out of compliance. Mr. Herrera noted that the City of Seattle has a great resource handout available to residents that offers suggested designs and materials for chicken coops as well as lots of advice on caring for urban chickens. The pamphlet also lists a variety of resources available to residents that have additional questions. Dec. 7, 2010 Ordinance First Reading Land Use/Transportation Committee Page 2 November 15, 2010 G:\LUTC\LUTC Agendas and Summaries 2010\11-15-10 Minutes.doc Committee Member Dovey stated that he has strong feelings on having regulations/required plans for chicken coops. He wants more than a reference pamphlet with suggestions. Chair Duclos and Committee Member Ferrell were also in agreement. Council Member Burbidge commented that chickens won’t always be in their coops. How will “coop” be defined? It will be important to have resources available on raising chickens and ducks as well as how to protect them from predators. Committee Member Dovey asked about the ten foot setback. Mr. Herrera stated that the setback is for the structure only. Best practices say that four chickens require between 24 to 48 square feet. Committee Member Dovey also would like to see roosters banned immediately. After discussion between committee and council members, the consensus was to allow residents six months to get rid of their roosters. Committee Member Dovey moved to adopt the Planning Commission’s recommendation as amended to codify language in the Code that allows for three (3) alternatives for chicken coops and to reduce the time for owners to comply with no roosters to six months from the date of enactment. Moved: Dovey Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 C. Portable Signs in Street Side Planter Strips Code Amendment Senior Planner Deb Barker presented information on this item. There was no public comment: Sam Pace – Seattle/King Co. Association of Realtors, 29839 154th Ave SE, Kent – Mr. Pace wanted to thank the Committee for their consideration of this code amendment. Committee Member Dovey asked Mr. Pace if he approves of the drafted language. Mr. Pace responded that he is not sure the language regarding a sight distance triangle reserve area would hold up in court, however, he did not see that as an issue. Mr. Pace feels the proposed code language may be a viable solution for portable signs in street side planter strips. Committee Member Dovey commented further that the sight distance triangle reserve area serves as a sight distance safety area. Chair Duclos confirmed with Mr. Herrera that a portable sign placed outside of the sight distance triangle reserve area would be acceptable. Chair Duclos commented in favor of the enhanced photo depicting the sight distance triangle reserve area, saying it helped her understand the portable sign language. City Traffic Engineer Perez addressed the Committee and offered some further explanation of the code language. Explaining that the existing City Code allows for a larger sign that could cause a sight distance issue, staff felt the better option was to propose the sight distance triangle reserve area with the existing sign size versus reducing the sign size for this permitted use. Enforcing the code would become complicated with varying sign sizes. Committee Member Dovey suggested distributing a handout/brochure for realtors to have on this code amendment. There was brief discussion on how to do that… potentially by emailing a .pdf of the brochure to area real estate offices and having them print and distribute to their colleagues. Mayor Kochmar was concerned over the possibility that someone could sue the City on this issue. Asst. City Atty. Beckwith stated that worst scenario is that the court may rule our code language non-constitutional and the code would revert to its former language, thereby making the language more restrictive. Dec. 7, 2010 Ordinance First Reading Land Use/Transportation Committee Page 3 November 15, 2010 G:\LUTC\LUTC Agendas and Summaries 2010\11-15-10 Minutes.doc Mr. Pace reiterated that he did not foresee anyone taking the City to court on this issue. Also, he would volunteer to help distribute any educational materials on sight distance triangle reserve area to area brokers. Mr. Pace and the Committee discussed the sketched diagram and the enhanced photo diagram of the sight distance triangle reserve area and concluded that both depictions should be included in the code amendment. Committee forwarded Option #1 as presented. Moved: Dovey Seconded: Ferrell Passed: Unanimously, 3-0 4. OTHER Committee Member Ferrell requested the next LUTC meeting be scheduled for 6:00 PM. 5. FUTURE MEETING The next LUTC meeting will be held Monday, 12/6/10 at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. 6. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 6:13 PM. Attest: Darlene LeMaster, Administrative Assistant II COMMITTEE APPROVAL: Dini Duclos, Chair Jim Ferrell, Member Jack Dovey, Member