Planning Comm MINS 04-21-2004K:\Planning Commission\2004\Meeting Summary 04-21-04.doc
City of Federal Way
PLANNING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
April 21, 2004 City Hall
7:00 p.m. Council Chambers
MEETING MINUTES
Commissioners present: John Caulfield, Hope Elder, Dave Osaki, Dini Duclos, Bill Drake, and Grant
Newport. Commissioners absent: Marta Justus Foldi (excused). Alternate Commissioners present: Lawson
Bronson, Tony Moore, and Merle Pfeifer. Alternate Commissioners absent: Christine Nelson (unexcused).
City Council present: Deputy Mayor Linda Kochmar and Council Member Jeanne Burbidge. Staff present:
Community Development Services Director Kathy McClung, Community Development Services Deputy
Director Greg Fewins, Senior Planner Margaret Clark, Associate Planner Isaac Conlen, Assistant City
Attorney Karen Jorgensen, Traffic Engineer Rick Perez, Contract Planner Janet Shull, Jones & Stokes Lisa
Grueter, and Administrative Assistant E. Tina Piety.
Chair Caulfield called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
It was m/s/c to adopt the April 7, 2004, minutes as presented.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
None
COMMISSION BUSINESS
PUBLIC HEARING – Potential Annexation Area (PAA) Subarea Plan
Mr. Conlen delivered a presentation on questions raised at the last public hearing. It was stated that a
development agreement is an option for the Rabie property.
PUBLIC HEARING – New Freeway Commercial Zoning Classification
Ms. Shull delivered a presentation on questions raised at the last public hearing. Because the Commission
wanted to know what parcels this proposed zoning could be applied to, she showed a map of the current
zoning in the areas considered for this proposed zoning classification. Ms. Shull commented that if this
zoning classification is approved, any owner wishing to apply this proposed zone to their property would
have to go through the City’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment process.
PUBLIC HEARING – 2003 Comprehensive Plan Amendments – Quadrant Site-Specific Request
Ms. Clark delivered the staff report. Commissioner Newport recused himself from the Quadrant site-
specific request. This is a request to delete a proposed road from the Federal Way Comprehensive Plan
(FWCP). The road in question is an extension of Weyerhaeuser Way. The City Council required the
Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 April 21, 2004
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applicant to prepare a traffic study analyzing the effects of deleting this street from the comprehensive
plan. The study concluded that no roadway improvements would be needed by 2020 as a result of the
proposed action. Due to this proposal, Mr. Perez asked the Commission to consider amending the
comprehensive plan to make 32nd Avenue South a principal collector from South 320th Street to
approximately South 316th Street.
The meeting was opened to public testimony. Commissioner Duclos informed the Commission that she
had spoken to Steve McNey and encouraged him to bring his comments to this public hearing.
Wally Costello – Applicant for the Quadrant request. He explained their proposal for the parcels
the road would pass through and showed how the road would be detrimental to the proposed
project. There are wetlands on the property that will restrict development and a road would
restrict it further.
Joanne Kirkland – She spoke in opposition of the Jackson request. She stated that the map in the
staff report shows 312th as a through street (from 32nd to Military), but it is not. The report also
says that a grocery store would decrease the amount of traffic in the area, but how could adding
retail decrease the amount of traffic? She also commented that she recently learned that the PAA
process has been going on for some two years, but this is the first she has heard about it. She is
concerned that annexation would raise taxes and services would go down. This is a safe area for
children and she is concerned that will change.
Chairman Caulfield asked if King County mailed a notification of the PAA Subarea Plan to those within
the PAA? Ms. Grueter replied that the issue was on the King County website, but for the most part, the
City of Federal Way mailed the notifications. A notification had been sent in the utility mailings.
Charles Gibson – He spoke his support of the Northlake request and said he was available if the
Commission had any questions.
Cindy Cope – She spoke in opposition of the Jackson request. She feels there is no need to bring
more retail into the area. There is a lot of available retail space in Federal Way, such as the
vacant theater and empty spaces in the Mall and Ross Plaza and SeaTac Village, etc. This area is
a very private neighborhood that is safe for children to ride their bikes. Opening 32nd would
bring more traffic, which would make it more dangerous for children to ride their bikes and
would bring in more crime.
Steve McNey – He is the Jackson property manager. They want Community Business (BC)
zoning because they feel they can best serve the neighborhood and the City with that zoning.
They are not trying to compete with the downtown core. A grocery store in this area would
decrease traffic on 320th, would proved a tax base to the City, and would provide a service to the
neighborhood. They have submitted a docket to King County asking for a zoning change to
commercial business.
Kristen Wynne – She spoke in opposition of the Jackson request. She feels the proposed Freeway
Commercial zone is not compatible with existing uses. If a car dealership were to go into the
area, it would mean more lights and noise. She commented that 320th is already a disaster area
on the weekends. A more intense traffic study should be done before a decision is made. In
addition, in terms of aesthetics, a car dealership at the entrance to Federal Way is a step in the
wrong direction.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 April 21, 2004
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Public testimony was closed. It was m/s/c (unanimous) to recommend adoption of the Neighborhood
Business comprehensive plan designation and Neighborhood Business (BN) zoning for the Davis PAA
site-specific request. It was m/s/c (unanimous) to recommend adoption of the Single Family, High Density
comprehensive plan designation and Single Family 9.6 zoning for the Northlake PAA site-specific request.
The Commission discussed how the owner of the Rabie PAA sit-specific request could utilize a
development agreement. Mr. Fewins informed the Commission that annexation of this area is not
anticipated in the near future and the owner plans to develop soon. It was m/s/f (one yes, four no, one
abstain) to recommend adoption of the Neighborhood Business comprehensive plan designation and
Neighborhood Business (BN) zoning for the Rabie PAA site-specific request. The Commission expressed
concern over downzoning the property. It was m/s/f (three yes, three no) to recommend adoption of the
Single Family, High Density comprehensive plan designation and Single Family 7.2 zoning for the Rabie
PAA site-specific request; with the stipulation that the Planning Commission feels strongly that a self-
storage/mini-storage use would be an acceptable use on this site. After further discussion, it was concluded
that the Rabie PAA site-specific request would go forward with no Planning Commission recommendation.
It was m/s/f (one yes, five no) to recommend adoption of the Community Business comprehensive plan
designation and Community Business (BC) zoning for the Jackson PAA site-specific request. It was m/s/c
(four yes, two no) to recommend adoption of the Office Park comprehensive plan designation and Office
Park (OP) zoning to the south part of the Jackson PAA site-specific request, and Single Family High
Density comprehensive plan designation and Single Family RS 9.6 zoning to the north part of the Jackson
PAA site-specific request.
It was m/s/c (five yes, one no) to recommend adoption of the staff recommendation for the New Freeway
Commercial Zoning Classification. It was m/s/c (unanimous) to recommend adoption, with the
aforementioned changes, of the staff recommendation for the PAA Subarea Plan. It was m/s/c (four yes, one
no, one excused) to recommended adoption of the staff recommendation for the Quadrant site-specific
request with the amendment that 32nd Avenue South, from South 320th Street to approximately South 316th
Street, would be reclassified from a minor to a principal collector, it would use Cross Section “O,” Map III-
6 would be modified to reflect this, and 32nd Avenue South from South 320th Street to approximately South
316th Street would replace Weyerhaeuser Way as Map ID #35 on Table III-19.
The Public Hearings were closed at 8:55. These items will be scheduled for the May 3, 2004, City Council
Land Use/Transportation Committee, which will meet at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
None.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.