Planning Commission MINS 01-15-2014CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
PLANNING COMMISSION
January 15, 2014 City Hall
7:00 p.m. Council Chambers
MEETING MINUTES
Commissioners present: Merle Pfeifer, Lawson Bronson, Tom Medhurst, Sarady Long, and Wayne
Carlson. Commissioners absent: Hope Elder and Tim O'Neil (both excused). Staff present: Planning
Manager Isaac Conlen, Principal Planner Margaret Clark, and Assistant City Attorney Peter Beckwith.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Pfeifer called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The minutes of September 18, 2013, were approved as presented.
AUDIENCE COMMENT
None
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Chair Pfeifer inquired about the status of the SHAG project. Planning Manager Conlen clarified that this
is a senior housing project located on Pacific Highway South at the old Dunn Lumber site. The city is
waiting on the applicant and once they submit the requested items, the building permit will be issued.
Chair Pfeifer asked what the projected length of construction of the project is. Planning Manager Conlen
replied it is hard to say due to numerous possible situations; it will likely take four to six months. They
are proposing two buildings and therefore, are likely to phase the project, so the time would be for the
first phase. Commissioner Carlson asked what is being built near Lowe's. Planning Manager Conlen
replied it is a Taco Time.
COMMISSION BUSINESS
ELECTIONS
Commissioner Lawson Bronson was nominated for vice - chair. There were no other nominations and no
discussion. Commissioner Bronson was elected vice- chair. Commissioner Tom Medhurst was
nominated for chair. There were no other nominations and no discussion. Commissioner Medhurst was
elected chair.
ORIENTATION
Assistant City Attorney Beckwith delivered the orientation. He went over what the Planning
Commission rules and how they operate. He gave them a memo from the Law Department and a copy
of the Planning Commission Rules and Procedures.
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According to the Law memo, the Commission is responsible for giving the City Council
recommendations on amendments to the Federal Way Comprehensive Plan, development regulations,
and legislative rezones. Commissioners are subject to the city's Code of Ethics. If any Commissioner
has a financial interest in a topic before the Commission, they should inform staff and staff will
determine if they should be requested to recuse themselves. All actions taken by the Commission are
subject to the Open Public Meetings Act. This includes any deliberation or discussion (in- person,
telephone, or email) about any topic before the Commission that takes place with a quorum (four or
more Commissioners). Any document created by or for the city is a public record and potentially
subject to public disclosure. If the document (or email) is done on a home computer, the computer
records could become subject to public disclosure. Commission business should be conducted without
bias (Appearance of Fairness). Public facilities cannot be used for campaign purposes.
Under the Rules and Procedures, in order to make a recommendation, there must be a majority yes vote
from the entire Commission, not just a quorum of those present. The issue has arisen in the past
regarding how often the Planning Commission is required to meet under state law. RCW 35.63 requires
planning commissions to meet once a month or at least nine times in a year. However, the Federal Way
Planning Commission is not subject to this law because it is under RCW 35A.63, which does not have a
meeting requirement. They meet as needed.
BRIEFING — 2014 Planning Commission Work Program
Principal Planner Clark delivered the briefing (no action by Planning Commission) on the potential
2014 Planning Commission Work Program (it will go before the City Council for adoption). She
discussed staff reports that do not go before the Commission. She went over what the Commission (and
staff) accomplished in 2013. Currently, staff is working to revise zoning regulations for the siting of
Group Homes Type III and amending the process for updating the comprehensive plan. The remainders
of the proposed 2013 amendments have not been started and staff recommends they be carried over to
2014. The staff will also be working on the annual updates for the comprehensive plan and
development regulations. The city did not receive any development regulation amendment requests
from citizens, but did receive two requests for site - specific zoning changes to the comprehensive plan.
The following actions are required: 2015 Comprehensive Plan Update (to be completed by June 30,
2015); Critical Areas Regulations Update (to be completed by June 30, 2015); amend zoning
regulations for the siting of Group Homes Type III; and adopt marijuana - related code amendments in
response to state law. High priority requests include: amend process for updating the comprehensive
plan; amend the nonconforming provisions; and amend regulations to increase exempt levels for SEPA.
Medium priority requests include: adopt a more streamlined process for binding site plans; amend
regulations pertaining to types of improvements or structures allowed in required yards; broaden uses
and standardize bulk and dimensional requirements by zone and provide more appropriate setbacks and
landscape buffers for commercial uses; adopt zoning regulations for the Twin Lakes Commercial Sub -
Area; increase the maximum allowable building height in the CC -C Zoning District; make review of
variances an administrative process; and amend noticing provisions to incorporate new technologies
and remove inconsistencies. Low priority requests include: allow oversize vehicles in approved
enclosures in residential zones; allow senior housing/assisted living in the PO zone; and adopt an
ordinance addressing historic preservation.
In addition, the city has received interest from a mobile home community to adopt regulations to
preserve existing mobile home parks. City Council has requested staff to prepare a "white paper" on
this topic. The white paper will be presented to the Land Use /Transportation Committee (LUTC) on
February 3`d, along with the proposed 2014 Planning Commission Work Program. LUTC will have the
option to add this topic to the Planning Commission Work Program.
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Finally, amendments may be added that may be necessary at any time of the year to correct existing
language. Any amendment may rise to a high priority if approved by the City Council. The next step is
to present the proposed 2014 Planning Commission Work Program to the LUTC, who will make a
recommendation to the City Council, who will make the final decision.
Commissioner Carlson noted that the Commission has often dealt with the issue of increasing the
building height in the City Center -Core (CC -C). Is it possible to have a more general requirement
without specific heights so the city doesn't have to deal with this issue every couple of years? Principal
Planner Clark replied that currently there is no cap on building height in the CC -C. The height can be
increased if the developer meets certain criteria. This proposed amendment will consider putting a cap
on the height.
Chair Medhurst asked what kind of development activity is the city seeing; residential or commercial?
Planning Manager Conlen responded that as things first picked -up there was a lot more residential. Now
it is more multi- family projects as opposed to single - family. Retail /commercial development is still
pretty slow. The city is receiving new businesses, but not a lot of construction.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
None
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
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