Planning Comm MINS 12-20-2006
K:\Planning Commission\2006\Meeting Summary 12-20-06.doc
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
PLANNING COMMISSION
December 20, 2006 City Hall
7:00 p.m. Council Chambers
MEETING MINUTES
Commissioners present: Hope Elder, Dave Osaki, Dini Duclos, Merle Pfeifer, Lawson Bronson, and Wayne
Carlson. Commissioners absent: Bill Drake (unexcused). Alternate Commissioners present: Kevin King and Caleb
Allen. Alternate Commissioners absent: Richard Agnew (excused). Staff present: Senior Planner Lori Michaelson,
Assistant City Attorney Amy Jo Pearsall, and Administrative Assistant E. Tina Piety.
Chairperson Elder called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Duclos moved and it was seconded to adopt the November 8, 2006, minutes with the change that
Commissioner Osaki was not present at the November 8, 2006, meeting. The motion was carried.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
None
COMMISSION BUSINESS
STUDY SESSION – Proposed Amendments to Business Park (BP) and Community Business (BC) Zoning
Districts
Ms. Michaelson delivered the staff report. She stated that research still needs to be done. Staff hopes to have the
public hearing on this project in February. The proposal would rename the BP zone to Commercial Enterprise
(CE). The new CE zone would also incorporate BC zoned property located south of South 339th Street (if
extended); except the property located south of South 336th Street and west of SR-99 and the property located at
the northwest corner of SW Campus Drive and 1st Avenue South (Kitts Corner and Winco property).
Commissioner Pfeifer expressed concern over auto body repair shops. Auto body repair shops are different from
automotive mechanical repair. Will they be allowed? Ms. Michaelson responded that automotive mechanical repair
is currently allowed as a principal use in the BC zone, but body repair and painting must be accessory. Staff is
proposing both mechanical and body repair be allowed as a principal use in both the BC and new CE zones.
It is proposed to eliminate senior housing from the CE zone, or require it to be part of a mixed-use development.
Currently, senior housing is allowed in the BP zone (which will become the CE zone). Subject to further research,
the only senior housing that staff is aware of that would be affected by this change is Mitchell Place. Commissioner
Duclos expressed concern that making Mitchell Place nonconforming by eliminating it as a use in the CE zone
could affect the funding for Mitchell Place. She asked what other uses/businesses would be made nonconforming
by this change. Ms. Michaelson replied that information would be included in the public hearing staff report, but
use nonconformances are expected to be minimal.
Ms. Michaelson stated that staff is still researching the numbers for the proposed height increase for hotels/motels
and mixed use housing. Other text amendments they are researching include (among other things) whether
multifamily density caps are needed and decreasing the amount of open space required for multifamily and
including private space (i.e. decks) as part of the open space.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 December 20, 2006
K:\Planning Commission\2006\Meeting Summary 12-20-06.doc
Commissioner Duclos asked what the zoning will be for the Kitts Corner property. Ms. Michaelson responded that
the zoning for this property is governed by a development agreement and the proposed amendments do not affect
this property.
Commissioner Duclos stated that the city should not make any current uses nonconforming because it restricts what
the owner can do with the use. Commissioner Hope agreed with her. The Commission discussed rezoning the
Mitchell Place property and Commissioner Bronson suggested that the property be rezoned as part of these
amendments. Ms. Michaelson and Ms. Pearsall explained that rezoning Mitchell Place would be a site-specific
rezone (which would be part of the comprehensive plan update) and a separate request would have to be made to
the city and that request would be part of the next comprehensive plan update. The process could take a year or
more. Commissioners expressed dismay that the city is contemplating a change that would make Mitchell Place
nonconforming and that the process to bring it into conformance could take a year or more.
Commissioner Pfeifer stated that while the proposed amendments may by good for a majority of property owners in
this area, it is not true for all of them. Who came up with this geographic line? Why is the Kitts Corner property not
included? Ms. Michaelson replied that Kitts Corner, Christian Faith Center, and a few smaller properties were not
included because their zoning is governed by concomitant agreements, and/or the current use is not incompatible
with industrial uses. Originally, the City Council considered one zoning district for BP and BC. Staff suggested it
would be better to have two zoning districts, with some changes, and the Council agreed with this approach.
Commissioner Carlson stated that the nonconforming issue aside, he likes the proposed separation of heaver
industrial uses. For light industry/manufacturing, he would like more of an idea of how they will work. He images
they would be manufacturing to sell on site (i.e. making jewelry in the back room to sell in the shop), but would it
include manufacturing of items to be sold elsewhere? The CE zone seems more appropriate for such
manufacturing, even if it is a small business. Ms. Michaelson said the definition will be crafted to ensure very
limited manufacturing and a principal retail use.
Commissioner Osaki asked for a map of the entire city showing the entire BC zoning. If senior housing is allowed
in the BP zone, why not the CE? He likes the amendment, but is concerned with traffic in regards to industrial
uses. He wants a traffic analysis preformed. Ms. Michaelson replied that the SEPA process will address traffic.
Commissioner Bronson commented that the proposed amendments make the city less attractive for industrial uses.
There has been a downturn the last 20 years for manufacturing (and thereby of business looking for property for
industrial uses), but that does not mean the downturn will continue. He has seen some resurgence of heavy industry
and is concerned that Federal Way could lose potential businesses because of the proposed amendments. Ms.
Michaelson noted that heavy industry would continue to be allowed in the CE zone and there will be more total
land available in the proposed CE zone than currently available for such uses in the exiting BC zone.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
None
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 p.m.