Planning Comm MINS 12-08-2004K:\Planning Commission\2004\Meeting Summary 12-08-04.doc
City of Federal Way
PLANNING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
December 8, 2004 New City Hall
6:00 p.m. Hylebos Conference Room/2nd Floor
MEETING MINUTES
Commissioners present: John Caulfield Hope Elder, Dave Osaki, Dini Duclos, Bill Drake, Merle Pfeifer,
and Lawson Bronson. Commissioners absent: None. Alternate Commissioners present: Christine Nelson
and Pam Duncan-Pierce. Alternate Commissioners absent: Tony Moore (unexcused). Staff present:
Community Development Director Kathy McClung, Senior Planner Margaret Clark, Assistant City
Attorney Amy Jo Pearsall, and Administrative Assistant E. Tina Piety.
Chair Caulfield called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
It was m/s/c to adopt the September 1, 2004, minutes as presented.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Ms. McClung delivered the Administrative Report, which she broke down into: a) budget; b) GMA
resolution; c) stakeholders; and d) development activity.
Budget – Ms. McClung informed the Commission that the City Council adopted the 2005/2006 and the
Community Development Department will not lose any positions. However, the Korean Liaison and of
the Volunteer Coordinator positions have been funded for only one year.
GMA Resolution – Ms. Clark informed the Commission that in order to meet the December 1, 2004,
deadline for the state (Growth Management Act [GMA]) mandated seven-year comprehensive plan update,
the state’s Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) suggested that cities
prepare a resolution stating either that they have met the update requirements, or if not, what they have
accomplished and their intent and plan to accomplish the remaining requirements. Last night the Council
adopted a resolution stating that the City is in substantial compliance with the GMA requirements and
outlined the City’s plan to accomplish the remaining requirements. To meet these requirements, the City
will update the comprehensive plan’s Transportation chapter to address concurrency requirements. Also,
the comprehensive plan Housing chapter and the City’s official zoning map and/or development
regulations will be amended as necessary to adopt policies that facilitate the provision of sufficient
development capacity to accommodate the City’s 2001-2022 housing targets. In addition, the state has
mandated that Urban Growth Areas (of which the City is one) must have a density of no more than four
dwelling units per net acre, unless they contain large and/or complex environmentally sensitive systems. In
light of this, the comprehensive plan designations and zoning map will be amended as necessary based on
a review of existing comprehensive plan designations and zones with densities of less than four dwelling
units per net acre to determine whether they contain environmentally sensitive systems that are large in
scope (e.g., watershed or drainage sub-basin), their structure and functions are complex, and their rank
order value is high.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 December 8, 2004
K:\Planning Commission\2004\Meeting Summary 12-08-04.doc
Stakeholders – Ms. McClung informed the Commission that a few years ago the City embarked on a
process to improve the permitting system. The City convened a stakeholders committee to study the
permitting system and suggest changes. They developed 32 suggested changes and the City has
implemented most of them. As part of this process, a survey had been done of all of those who had applied
for a permit. That survey was repeated this year and the City improved its performance in every category,
with the exception of remaining at the same level in one category.
Development Activity – The following developments are in process: transit center, Christian Faith Center, a
new head start, a number of plats, several small banks and credit unions, Federal Way Crossings (a
commercial development), and Federal Way Market Place (a commercial development).
COMMISSION BUSINESS
ANNUAL DINNER MEETING – Discussion of 2005 Work Program
Ms. McClung led the discussion, which she broke down into: a) 2004 accomplishments; b) draft 2005
work program; c) how often do we meet; and d) other.
Ms. McClung went over the Planning Commission’s 2004 Accomplishments, which are as follows:
1) Participation in Annexation Study and Subarea Plan
2) Wellhead Protection Ordinance
3) Review of Freeway Commercial Zone
4) Review of proposed Freeway Commercial signage
5) Quadrant comprehensive plan change
6) Update of comprehensive plan
7) SEPA code amendment
She went on to outline the draft 2005 Planning Commission Work Program. The 2005 work program has
many holdovers from 2004 that the staff and/or consultants are currently working on. In January, this work
program will be presented to the Land/Use Transportation Committee (LUTC) for prioritization, and then
to the City Council for adoption. The LUTC and/or City Council may add or delete items. The list includes
the current status of the items and number 15 lists the Commission’s ideas generated this evening.
1) 2004 Comprehensive Plan Update – Draft Housing chapter completed
One Site-Specific Request – Not started
2) 2004 Development Regulations – Not started, have two requests
3) Traffic Concurrency – Public Works, 1st Quarter of 2005
4) City Center amendments – Included as part of the Planned Action SEPA
5) Signs for athletic fields – Draft staff report completed
6) Sign regulations for freeway signs – Draft regulations completed
7) Shoreline Stringline Setback – Consultant hired
8) Neighborhood Business Zone – Consultant in research phase
9) Traffic Related Neighborhood Meetings – Not started
10) 2005 Comprehensive Plan Update – Not started
11) Reasonable Measures – Not started
12) Density – Not started
13) Essential public facilities regulations – Not started
14) Retention of vegetation – Not started
Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 December 8, 2004
K:\Planning Commission\2004\Meeting Summary 12-08-04.doc
15) Planning Commission Ideas – The Commission made a number of suggestions, including:
addressing standards for parking and storage of recreational vehicles and boats in residential
zones; reviewing the standards for parking of oversized vehicles on public roads; adopting
standards to the City Center in order to discourage one-story commercial buildings; and
increasing the height and density in the downtown.
As the Commission discussed their concerns on how often they meet, two major issues emerged: 1) how
often the Planning Commission meets, and 2) the relationship between the Commission and LUTC/City
Council and the affect this has on the citizens of Federal Way.
During discussion of how often the Planning Commission meets, Commission Bronson noted that
according to the RCW the Commission should meet at least once during seven or eight months of the year.
They did not meet that often this last year. The Commission requested that the Law Department research
the RCW on this issue and also find out if there are consequences to not meeting this often. Chair
Caulfield also requested that the Commission be informed how often they have met over the last four
years. An attached table shows this information.
Staff commented that the City has 1.5 FTE for long-range planning. Of that, .5 FTE has been concentrated
on annexation issues, leaving only 1 FTE for Planning Commission issues. This FTE works on items as
directed by the Planning Commission Work Program that is approved by the City Council. Items are sent
to the Planning Commission when they are ready for a public hearing. The Commission agreed that they
did not want to hold meetings just to meet, but they did discuss ways in which they could meet more often.
One suggestion was to hold study session on issues in order to give the Commissioners an opportunity to
better understand the issue before the public hearing. Another suggestion was to hold training meetings.
The Commission would like to hold training sessions on transportation issues, economic development, and
a planning short course (Ms. Clark suggested the short course be tailored to the City’s procedures). The
Commission would also like to see shorter staff reports and increase public notice.
In regards to the relationship between the Commission and the LUTC/City Council, the Commissioners
asked if this is an efficient system. Citizens attend the Planning Commission to give their testimony, and
then they are encouraged to attend the LUTC and City Council meeting as well. Is there a way to
streamline the process? It doesn’t seem fair to the citizens. Chair Caulfield will seek to meet with the
Mayor to discuss this issue.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
None.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 4 December 8, 2004
K:\Planning Commission\2004\Meeting Summary 12-08-04.doc
Planning Commission Meetings 2000 – 2004
Year Month Number of Meetings
2000 February 2
March 1
April 1
May 2
June 2
September 1
October 2
November 1
Total 12
2001 February 1
March 1
April 2
June 2
July 1
August 2
September 1
October 1
November 1
December 1
Total 13
2002 January 1
April 1
May 1
July 1
September 2
October 1
November 2
December 1
Total 10
2003 March 2
May 1
June 1
July 1
October 1
November 1
December 1
Total 8
2004 March 2
April 2
September 1
December 1
Total 6