Planning Comm MINS 10-17-2012
K:\Planning Commission\2011\Meeting Summary 10-17-12.doc
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
PLANNING COMMISSION
October 17, 2012 City Hall
7:00 p.m. Council Chambers
MEETING MINUTES
Commissioners present: Tom Medhurst, Hope Elder, Sarady Long, Lawson Bronson, Wayne Carlson, and
Tim O’Neil. Commissioners absent: Merle Pfeifer (excused). Staff present: Planning Manager Isaac
Conlen, Associate Planner Matt Herrera, 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 July 18, 2012, were approved as presented.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
None
COMMISSION BUSINESS
PUBLIC HEARING – Proposed Amendments Related to Required Parking Spaces
Mr. Herrera delivered the staff report. The number of required parking spaces is unique for each use. They
are typically provided as a ratio to floor area (e.g. one space per 300 square feet). An applicant must
provide the minimum spaces to receive a permit. However, not all uses have a minimum parking spaces
requirement. There are 50 uses that parking is determined on a case-by-case basis. Typically, this results in
the applicant having to provide a professionally prepared parking study. This results in more time, money,
and frustration for the applicant. The proposed amendments will provide codified minimums for the most
common uses (29 uses) and maintain and clarify case-by-case determination for less common, hard to
define uses (21 uses). The city will keep parking studies as an option for applicants if they choose to
provide less than the minimum ratio. Staff surveyed several Washington cities and of Federal Way’s 50
current case-by-case determination uses, found significant data for 29 to propose minimum required
parking spaces. Of the 21 other case-by-case determination uses, staff found little or no data and therefore,
are leaving them as case-by-case determination. In these cases, when an application is made, staff will
make a determination based on parking spaces using the applicant’s written determination of need and
staff expertise. If the applicant would like to provide fewer parking spaces than the staff determination,
they may submit a professionally prepared parking study per existing modification procedures.
The public comment period was opened and there was no public comment.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 October 17, 2012
K:\Planning Commission\2011\Meeting Summary 02-22-12.doc
Commissioner Long asked if staff had compared the proposed parking with a current parking study. He
wants to be sure that the proposed required parking is not more than what has been required in the past
due to a parking study. Commissioner Carlson agreed. Associate Planner Herrera replied that staff has
researched this issue and the proposed required parking is not more than what has been required in the
past. He noted that under the proposed amendment, an applicant can do a parking study if they disagree
with the city’s determination.
Commissioner Bronson noted that in the matrix on page 3 of the staff report, chemical manufacturing and
related products would have required parking spaces of 1 for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area,
but on page 4, chemical manufacturing is on the list of uses that would have a case-by-case determination
of parking. Associate Planner Herrera confirmed the typographical error in the staff report and said
chemical manufacturing will have a 1 space per 1,000 square feet ratio for parking.
Commissioner Long asked why park uses have a determination by the parks director, instead of being
consistent with a case-by-case determination. Associate Planner replied that due to the varied nature of
parks, staff felt it was appropriate for the director to make the parking determination.
Commissioner Bronson moved (and it was seconded) to recommend approval of the staff’s
recommendation as written with the exemption that if a change needs to be made to the use zone charts to
correct the mistake regarding chemical manufacturing, it be done. There was no further discussion. The
motion carried unanimously.
The public hearing was closed.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
The next Planning Commission meeting will be November 7, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council
Chambers. It will be a public hearing on the 2012 Comprehensive Plan Amendments.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.