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Planning Comm MINS 02-22-2012 CITY OF FEDERAL WAY PLANNING COMMISSION February 22, 2012 City Hall 7:00 . .m. Council Chambers MEETING MINUTES Commissioners present: Tom Medhurst, Hope Elder, Wayne Carlson, Tim O'Neil, and Sarady Long. Commissioners absent: Merle Pfeifer and Lawson Bronson (both excused). Staff present: Planning Manager Isaac Conlen, Principal Planner Margaret Clark, Assistant City Attorney Peter Beckwith, and Administrative Assistant II Tina Piety. CALL TO ORDER Vice - Chair Medhurst called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of February 1, 2012, were approved as presented. AUDIENCE COMMENT None ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT None COMMISSION BUSINESS PUBLIC HEARING — Proposed Amendments Related to Allowing Signs for City Sponsored Civic or Community Events in the Public Right -of -Way Ms. Clark delivered the staff report. This issue is not part of the Planning Commission Work Program. At their January 28 2012, council retreat, the City Council requested staff to prepare a code amendment to allow sign and pole banners over and in the right -of -way for city sponsored civic and community events. Numerous city- sponsored civic and community events that occur in the city are advertised via newspapers and online, but many people still do not hear about them. This would give those events added exposure, which in turn should increase the audience. The city will purchase and erect the poles for the over the street banners (already have poles in the right -of -way for pole banners). The poles will be engineered to withstand the wind, which might mean one pole on each side of the street and one (or two) in the median. Organizations will purchase banners that the city will put up. Duration of the banners will be on a case - by -case basis. Normally, the Planning Commission's recommendation goes first to the city's Land Use/ Transportation Committee (LUTC) for review and then to the city council for a first reading and then a second reading at the next city council meeting. The City Council has instructed staff to bypass the LUTC and send the Planning Commission's recommendation directly to City Council for first and second reading (with adoption or rejection) to the March 6, 2012, City Council meeting. They have requested this short timeline in order to have the poles in place for events that will happen soon. The hearing was opened to public comment. K:Planning Commission\2011'Meeting Summary 02- 22- 12.doc Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 February 22, 2012 Wayne Triplett — He is strongly in favor of the proposed amendment. He is with the Federal Way Kiwanis and stated there has been a long time need for event banners in order to advertise events. Many people do not know about the events they would support if they knew. He meets many people who have no idea an event is happening. He has talked to people who did not know the sand sculpturing event happened. Some say they would have gone if they had known. He suggested the proposed amendment be expanded to include banners for service groups (Kiwanis, Rotary, etc.). He suggests a banner with a logo of all the Federal Way service groups that would be placed during times no event is being advertised. Beverly Triplett — She also spoke strongly in favor of the proposed amendment. John Hatcher, Sand Sculpturing Tournament — It would have been beneficial to the tournament to have had banners for additional advertising. He works as a caterer and knows there are events held almost all year long that would benefit from this additional advertising. Banners would provide a persistent, constant message for their duration. He is thrilled the City Council has shortened the procedure timeline. Bob Kellogg — The King County Aquatic Center holds events that are sparsely attended because few know about them. He has spoken to people who did not know the Center held the synchronized swimming trails last year. Many of the Center's events generate a lot of money for the city's economy and banners are likely to bring more people and more money to the city's economy. Commissioner Elder commented that she has been in favor of banners in the right -of -way for many years and is very happy it is finally happening. She has spoken to many people who were unaware of events that were happening and this should help advertise those events. Commission Carlson noted that the staff report alludes only to placing banners over 320 Street. Could they be placed on other streets? Also, he supports the idea of service organization banners, but does not want to slow down the process for this proposed amendment. He suggests that the issue be placed on the Planning Commission's work program. Commissioner Elder also likes the idea of service organization banners. Principal Planner Clark stated that the proposed amendments do not limit over - the - street banners to 320 Street. Commissioner Long noted that in Table 1, the civic event or community service event wall mounted signs have a timeline and suggested that the proposed street pole and over the street banners also have a timeline. Commissioner Carlson stated he likes the idea of 30 days in advance, but what if there are two events close together? Would the earlier event have 30 days and the second event fewer? Principal Planner Clark responded this is why staff proposed the case -by -case basis. Commissioner Medhurst asked for the proposed banners, how is city- sponsored and government defined? For example, the city supports FUSION, but does not give financial support to their annual event. Would FUSION qualify for a banner under the proposed amendment? Assistant City Attorney Beckwith responded that the city code does define civic event and government. In order for an event to be considered a city- sponsored event, the city council would need to acknowledge that they support the event. Commissioner Medhurst asked who would control the content of the banner. Planning Manager Conlen commented that it would be up to the city council to develop policies about whom and what type of language they would support. Commissioner O'Neil asked who would pay for the poles and put up the banners. Principal Planner Clark replied that the city would purchase and construct the poles. The organization would purchase the banner(s) and the city would put the banner(s) up. K:\Planning Commission\2011\Meeting Summary 02- 22- 12.doc Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 February 22, 2012 Commissioner Carlson moved (and it was seconded) to recommend adoption of the proposed amendments to FWRC Chapter 19.140, "Signs," as presented by staff. The motion carried (unanimously). The public hearing was closed. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS The next Planning Commission meeting will be March 7, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. It will be a briefing on the Planning Commission's Work Program. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. K:'Planning Commission \2011'Meeting Summary 02- 22- 12.doc