Planning Comm MINS 08-20-1997 SUMMARY
Commissioners present: Robert Vaughan (Chair), Todd Suchan, Dean Greenough, Peter Morse,
and Tim Carr. Commissioners absent: Lu Joslin. Staff present: Principal Planner Greg Fewins,
Contract Planner Don Largen, and Administrative Assistant E. Tina Piety.
Chair Vaughn called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
None.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Mr. Fewins informed the commission that the telecommunications went to the LUTC. They
made some minor and two major changes. They eliminated monopoles in residential zones
(carriers can collocated on existing structures) and they reinstated the provision to require a
technical study for disputed collocation. The City Council chose not to fill the vacant position at
this time. It will be filled in September which is when it was due to expire.
COMMISSION BUSINESS
It was m/s/c to name Peter Morse vice-chair due to the resignation of Commissioner Noble-
Gulliford, the previous vice-chair.
SUBDIVISION CODE AMENDMENTS - con’t
The public hearing was reopened at 7:10. Mr. Largen reviewed the commission’s past actions.
He proposed some alterations to the PRD ordinance. Incentives were being applied to the gross
area, changed it to apply after subtracting right-of-way, sensitive areas (excluding buffers), and
open space. Also changed the bonus density increases. Discussed the King County bonus
program. It is very specific while ours is very general. It was m/s/c (yes-4, no-0) to incorporate
subtracting right-of-way, sensitive areas (excluding buffers), and open space for incentive
calculations.
City of Federal Way PLANNING COMMISSION
August 20, 1997 City Hall
7:00 pm Council Chambers
Planning Commission
August 20, 1997 2
It was m/s/c (yes-3, no-1) to deny changing the open space requirement from 15 percent to 10
percent. It was m/s/c (yes-4, no-0) to prepare a more specific bonus list. A concern was expressed
that preliminary plats do not go before the City Council, but final plats do go before the City
Council. The concern was that an applicant could put in a lot of work on the preliminary plat,
only to have it overturn at the very last stage of final plating. It was noted that the only alternative
to this is sending the preliminary plat to the hearing examiner which is counterproductive to
streamlining the permit process. The commission took no action on this issue.
It was m/s/c (yes-4, no-0) to require a preliminary plat certificate instead of a title report. It was
m/s/c (yes-4, no-0) to include an appeal process for staff interpretations. It was m/s/c (yes-4,
no-0) to send the subdivision code amendments (as amended) forward to the City Council. The
meeting was opened to public testimony.
Dennis School, Walter Group, 120 Lakeside Ave, #310, Seattle - He has lived
and/or worked in the Federal Way area since 1967. He is a consulting engineer
and does a lot of development work. He was very disappointed with the original
city code and the effect it had on stopping development. He wants to help to fine
tune the code.
The public testimony was closed. The public hearing was closed at 8:10.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
The commission will next work on updates to the environmentally sensitive areas. The big issues
are buffers (where, how big) and implementation of a classification system (a three tier system
will be recommended with provisions for exceptions for size).
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADJOURN
It was m/s/c to adjourn the meeting at 8:22 p.m.
082097.SUM