LUTC MINS 06-18-2001
MEETING SUMMARY
In attendance: Committee members Dean McColgan, Chair, Jeanne Burbidge and Eric Faison; Deputy Mayor
Linda Kochmar; City Manager David Moseley; Director of Community Development Services Kathy McClung;
Public Works Director Cary Roe; City Attorney Bob Sterbank; Assistant City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick; Street
Systems Engineer Marwan Salloum; Senior Planner Margaret Clark; Traffic Engineer Rick Perez; Administrative
Assistant Sandy Lyle; David Graves, Madrona Planning Contract Planner.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair McColgan called the meeting to order at 5:36 pm.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of the June 4, 2001, meeting were approved as presented.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment on any item not included in the agenda.
4. BUSINESS ITEMS
A. Mega Churches Code Amendment – As part of the 2001 Planning Commission Work
Program, the Planning Commission reviewed and recommended approval of a code amendment related
to the siting of Mega Churches in the Business Park (BP) zone, where there are large parcels available
and infrastructure, particularly arterial streets. The proposed definition of Mega Church is a church,
synagogue, or other place of religious worship establishment with seating capacity of 1,000 persons or
more, the principle purpose of which is religious worship and for which the principal building or other
structure contains the sanctuary or principal place of worship. A Mega Church may include related
accessory uses. Chair McColgan prefaced public testimony with a few words about the gravity of the
decision before the Land Use/Transportation Committee, the Council and the City. The fate of the
Mega Churches code amendment will influence current and future churches in Federal Way. Public
testimony was accepted as follows:
Gil Hulsman of Abbey Road Land Development and a resident of Puyallup, presented technical and
quantitative comments. He stated his hope that the Mega Churches code amendment would be
approved.
Wayne Rankin, Chief Financial Officer of the Christian Faith Center, who realized that the Mega
Churches code amendment is not site specific, spoke about the benefits that would come to the City of
Federal Way if Christian Faith Center were to locate here. Those benefits included a 5000 seat
auditorium that could be used by groups other than church members, a state of the art audio-visual
system, a gameworks center, a safe place for kids to go, and first class athletic fields. The church
would bring people who spend money to the community.
Sandra Curansa, Minister of Education at Christian Faith Center, added that the Christian School would
be a blessing to the community and would provide more educational choices for Federal Way Families.
The school is very involved in community service and many people would move here to be nearer the
school. People would shop, eat, play here. Community servants would come from the church. There
would be extracurricular activities. There would be an inherent cradle to college concept.
City of Federal Way
City Council
Land Use/Transportation Committee
June 18, 2001 City Hall
5:30 pm Council Chambers
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Molly Vensky voiced her support of the Mega Churches Amendment even though it was not intended
to be site-specific. As Arts Director at the Christian Faith Center she spoke about the music, performing
arts, and seasonal presentations that would be possible in the new church, if built. She cited specifically
the funeral service held in the Christian Faith Center building in Des Moines for Police Officer
Underwood, slain in the line of duty. The building was the only one in Des Moines large enough to
accommodate the media and a crowd as large as the one attending the service.
Crystal Meserve of Bothell shared how the Christian Faith School changed her life and brought out the
best in her. She emphasized how the school makes a big deal of small accomplishments and makes it
“cool” to do right things. She spoke of her many school friends and acquaintances who learned many
things beyond the classroom when they volunteer to help the homeless or in hospitals.
Daniel Meserve, also of Bothell, said she is a stronger, better person for having attended the Christian
Faith School. She told of the many positive activities provided by the church and the school to replace
activities that create undesirable youth behaviors.
Marv Smith, a businessman in Federal Way for seventeen years, thinks his business would double if
Christian Faith Center were to locate in Federal Way.
Brian Jenson of Auburn spoke of his experience in the Christian Faith Center where negative behavior
is reversed. Troubled kids are turned around. Great families and great marriages are built. Christian
Faith Center is a church where people help people. Business comes and goes; great families do not.
Mary Sawyer of Federal Way said that codes are written to protect home and businesses. She
questioned the support of the Federal Way Mirror for the Christian Faith Center’s location in Federal
Way. She told about a narrow road (20th Avenue South) with no shoulders or sidewalks where children
play. An increase in traffic generated by the daylong activities and a school at the Christian Faith
Center would place those children at higher risk than they currently are with extended rush hour traffic.
Barry Turnbull of Federal Way asked the Council to vote its conscience and consider what is best for
Federal Way, using the 320th Street improvements and Celebration Park as good examples of projects
that benefit the entire City.
Neal Cook, a resident of Belmor Park, presented a petition in opposition to the Mega Churches code
amendment signed by many of the residents of Belmor Park. His (their) concerns include the heavy
impact on the infrastructure brought on by siting the Christian Faith Center or any Mega Church in
Federal Way, and specifically at the South 336th Street and 20th Avenue South location.
Frosty Hardison, Federal Way resident, has previously home-schooled his children who currently
attend the Christian Faith School. Christian Faith School is not just for church members; it is for all the
community. He agrees that South 336th Street is a quiet street, but without change there is no growth.
He strongly encourages the Mega Churches code amendment.
Rick Brassfield, a Federal Way businessman, spoke about the huge economic benefits to the City if
the Christian Faith Center is located in the City. He thinks that allowing Mega Churches in the BP zone
is sensible and sees a business boon for himself and others from this church if built here.
Patricia Artz, a Federal Way realtor, stated that this code change creates many questions for her. She
is concerned about gridlock and the impact of the Christian Faith Center on the infrastructure.
Gayle Hardeson of Federal Way said that it is important for her children to learn good values and learn
how to put them all together to make sense of the world by the time they grow up. The Christian Faith
Center would provide a climate for children to learn and be grounded, where honesty, kindness, and a
sense of responsibility were promoted.
Martin Durkan of Renton recalled the spot zoning of King County prior to incorporation of the City of
Federal Way and the development of the current Comprehensive Plan as a response to that zoning.
Churches were allowed in residential zones only. He said allowing Mega Churches in a BP zone makes
a lot of sense.
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Bernice Kari of Federal Way opposes the rezone of the BP zones to allow Mega Churches. The
Christian Faith Center with its school violates the intent of the zoning of the property. If Christian Faith
Center is allowed to locate a school there, then the property should have been offered to the Federal
Way School District as a potential school site. If this acreage is offered as a site for a Mega Church, the
only remaining site available for another Mega Church will be right next door. She said that gridlock
would instead be deadlock.
Elizabeth Kari, a Federal Way resident, opposes the amendment to the zoning code to allow Mega
Churches in a BP zone. She sees the amendment as an amendment for the Christian Faith Center and
its sports complex. She said she views the traffic information presented by CFC as inaccurate. She
asked the Council Committee who it was they were working for: the residents of the City or the people
who will move here.
Brennan Joe, a SeaTac City Council member, recommends the passage of the amendment to allow
Mega Churches in a BP zone. He stated that there were no crime statistics related to the Christian
Faith Center. He added that traffic would not be as bad as some believe because much of it would take
place during non-peak hours although parking would be a problem. He commended the CFC’s open-
door policy, their diversity, and their family-friendly atmosphere.
Sheila Criscione is opposed to the Mega Churches code amendment. She recalled when the SeaTac
Mall was built on wetlands, 320th Street flooded every time it rained. She asked what would happen to
the surrounding area when the wetlands located on this proposed project were changed.
Gene Lynch of Federal Way told of the very positive impact the Christian Faith Center has had on him
and his family, his community and in the lives of thousands of people he knows. He applauds those
who uphold the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Chair McColgan stated that the Land Use/Transportation Committee represents over 83,000 Federal
Way residents. When a company makes a mistake, they lose sales. When a government makes a
mistake, thousands of people are effected. There are no do-overs in land-use decisions. Approving
one Mega Church means approving others. It would be the multiple Mega Churches that would have
major implications for the infrastructure. The Committee had concerns about the definition of a Mega
Church, stating that the definition should not be based upon number of seats, but should consider the
impacts associated with the use. For example, there is a difference in impacts associated with 5,000
seats and one service compared to 5,000 seats and three services. Other concerns included how the
definition of a Mega Church would impact other churches, potential legal challenges from smaller
neighborhood churches, compatibility of a Mega Church and residential zones, concerns about reduced
taxes and increased traffic, and wanting to do what was best for all of the City. After discussion and
comment, the Committee voted unanimously not to recommend approval of the Mega Churches code
amendment to the City Council at the July 3, 2001, meeting.
B. Setting the Public Hearing for Milton Road Street Vacation – EPI Realty Holdings has
petitioned the City to vacate a portion of Milton Road South, south of Enchanted Parkway South on the
eastern boundary of the Enchanted Parks parking lot property. The street vacation is being sought as
part of a lease agreement with the City which states that on or before six months from the date of the
lease, the lessee agrees to file with the City a petition for vacation of that portion of the leased area
located east of the easternmost boundary of improvements required for Milton Road South as shown in
the City of Federal Way Comprehensive Plan. The area to be vacated has only one abutting
landowner, EPI Realty Holding. Vacating the requested area of right of way would not interfere with the
current or any future function of the roadway. The Committee m/s/c recommendation to the City Council
at the July 3, 2001, meeting to approve the Resolution to fix the date and time of the Public Hearing, to
be held at the City Council meeting on August 7, 2001, at 7:00 pm.
C. Non-Conformances Created by Government Acquisition of Right of Way – As part of the
2001 Planning Commission Work Program, staff has proposed a code amendment related to the
widening of road rights-of-way to accommodate local, state or federal road improvement projects
without penalizing property owners if their existing buildings or signs become nonconforming as a result
of any government acquisition of right-of-way for the proposed road project. The Committee amended
FWCC 22-335, Nonconforming Signs, by adding in one 12-month period in section (b). The Committee
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also added acceptable to the City as regards appraisals of assessed valuations in FWCC 22-339
section (b) and m/s/c their recommendations to the City Council to approve the amended amendments
at their July 3, 2001, meeting.
D. Resolution Setting the Public Hearing for TIP – The City is required to adopt a revised
Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) and Arterial Street Improvement Plans (ASIP) on an annual
basis that reflects the City’s current and future street and arterial needs. Once the revised plans have
been adopted by Resolution, a copy of the respective plans must be filed with the Washington State
Secretary of Transportation and the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board. The
Committee m/s/c recommendation of approval to the City Council at the July 3, 2001, meeting to
schedule a public hearing for the July 17, 2001, City Council meeting for the review and adoption of the
2002-2007 TIP and ASIP.
E. Potential Annexation Area (PAA) Scope of Work – City of Federal Way staff, with assistance
from King County, has drafted a Request for Proposals (RFP) to prepare a Sub-Area Plan and
Feasibility Study for the Federal Way Planned Annexation Area (PAA). The goal of the Sub-Area Plan
is to prepare a comprehensive plan and appropriate zoning designations for the PAA. Based on the
Sub-Area Plan, the consultant team(s) will forecast anticipated costs and revenues that will be incurred
as a result of annexation. The consultant team(s) will utilize the feasibility study to develop and
recommend an annexation-phasing schedule. The Sub-Area Plan and Feasibility study will advise and
guide the City of Federal Way during the annexation process. The Committee took no action on this
information-only item.
5. OTHER
6. FUTURE MEETINGS
The next meeting will be held in Council Chambers at 5:30 pm on July 2, 2001.
6. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 7:20pm.