LUTC MINS 05-01-2017City of Federal Way
City Council
Land Use /Transportation Committee
May 1, 2017 City Hall
5:00 p.m. Council Chambers
MEETING SUMMARY
Committee Members in Attendance: Committee Chair Bob Celski and Committee members Lydia
Assefa- Dawson and Mark Koppang. Council members in attendance: Deputy Mayor Burbidge and Councilmember
Honda.
Staff in Attendance: Public Works Director Marwan Salloum, Deputy Public Works Director /Street Systems
Manager Desiree Winkler, Assistant City Attorney Mark Orthmann, City Traffic Engineer Rick Perez, Community
Development Director Brian Davis, Building Official Scott Sproul, Solid Waste & Recycling Coordinator Rob Van
Orsow, Street Systems Project Engineer Christine Mullen, Principal Planner Margaret Clark and Administrative
Assistant II Shawna Upton.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Celski called the meeting to order at 5:03 PM.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT (3 minutes)
Cheryl Hurst is the Vice President for the Citizens for Federal Way Schools and stated that the schools cannot
handle any more kids in the district. As of now, the district is 1100 children over capacity at this time. South
King Fire and Rescue services are stretched as well as Police services, so bringing additional multi - family units,
other than senior housing, into the city is not a good idea and will overburden schools and public services.
Dana Hollaway expressed her desire for Council to extend the moratorium on multi - family housing. She feels
the proposed amendments failed to address the impact high - density, multi - family housing has on the City,
public facilities, public services and residents. She further noted the City is struggling financially to provide
services to the current population including police, schools, fire, and roads. She would like to see the City
follow its own comprehensive plan regarding development and growth.
3. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Topic Title/ Description
A. Approval of Minutes: April 17, 2017
Committee approved the April 17, 2017 LUTC minutes as presented.
Moved: Koppang Seconded: Assefa- Dawson Passed: 3 -0
Forward to
Council
N/A
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Celski, Chair Marwan Salloum, P. E., Public Works Director
Lydia Assefa- Dawson, Member Shawna Upton, Administrative Assistant II
Mark Koppang, Member 253 - 835 -2703
B. ORDINANCE: Amendment and Adoption of NFPA 130 Standard for Fixed May 16, 2017
Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems Current Addition Ordinance
First Reading
Mr. Sproul noted this is an amendment to the code for Sound Transit to use
when determining occupant loads at transit stations and guideways. A brief
discussion continued to discuss the difference between the current code and
the proposed changes. The new code is being proposed to address occupancy
loads based on the number of transit riders instead of square footage.
Committee forwarded Option #1 as presented.
Moved: Assefa- Dawson Seconded: Koppang Passed: 3 -0
C. 21St Ave S (S 320th St to S 316th St) Pedestrian Improvements — Bid Award May 16, 2017
Consent
Ms. Mullen stated five bids were received and opened on April 19, 2017 and the
lowest responsive, responsible bidder is Active Construction Inc. (ACI) with a
total bid of $685,685.00. She outlined the estimated expenditures and
available funding for the project noting there is a budget shortfall. Staff
requests the transfer of Local Infrastructure Financing Tool Funds (LIFT funds)
to cover the shortfall.
Committee forwarded Option #1 as presented.
Moved: Koppang Seconded: Assefa- Dawson Passed: 3 -0
D. RESOLUTION: Setting Public Hearing Date for 2018 -23 Transportation May 16, 2017
Improvement Plan Consent
Mr. Perez said there will be no Power Point presentation on this issue. This is
simply a resolution to set a public hearing date for June 20, 2017 to hear the
transportation improvement plan for the next six years.
Committee forwarded Option #1 as presented.
Moved: Assefa- Dawson Seconded: Koppang Passed: 3 -0
E. Submittal of Transportation Grant Application May 16, 2017
Consent
Ms. Winkler introduced a new grant funding opportunity for the City. She
indicated WSDOT issued a call for projects for the new federally- funded
National Highway System (NHS) Asset Management Program. A few years ago,
the NHS expanded the program to include all principal arterials. Staff evaluated
eligible roads and their pavement ratings to select the best grant candidates.
Each city is limited to two applications and staff selected SW Campus Drive from
19th Ave SW to 1st Ave S and 16th Ave S from SR 18/S 348th to SR99 /Pacific Hwy
as the two projects to submit for grant funding. A brief discussion ensued
regarding how the state is scoring the projects and what criteria the City
typically receives high point scores from. Mr. Salloum reminded Council that
WSDOT has $40M available for the grants and competition is state -wide.
Committee forwarded Option #1 as presented.
Moved: Koppang Seconded: Assefa- Dawson Passed: 3 -0
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Celski, Chair Marwan Salloum, AE., Public Works Director
Lydia Assefa- Dawson, Member Shawna Upton, Administrative Assistant II
Mark Koppang, Member 253- 835 -2703
F. ORDINANCE: Adopt Code Amendments Related to Multi - Family Dwelling Units,
Senior Housing, and Special Needs Housing
Mr. Davis addressed suggestions made from the previous week's meeting.
Concerns centered on parking, open space ground floor requirements and other
uses. A concern was shared about requiring underground parking on the first
floor of multi - family developments in the multi - family zones outside the
commercial and core zones. Staff addressed that concern. Another concern
deals with commercial uses in multi - family developments and where they are
required versus where they are an option. Staff will retain this as an option but
not a requirement. At the last meeting, a discussion was held regarding the
100 -foot setback if it's adjacent to single - family rather than all residential zones.
Staff and Councilmembers discussed and decided that the requirement will be
applied when it's next to single - family. There was a question about roof lines
and why there was a requirement for it being in the guidelines. Staff has
deleted that reference from that section. Mr. Davis addressed concerns related
to open space that required 48 square feet of private open space for each unit
that could consist of patios or some other open space with the intent of
providing tenants an opportunity for activities within their own private open
space. It was felt that in the core areas, there would be less of a need for that
because open space activates can take place at adjacent uses. However, there
was still some desire of the Committee to retain that requirement even in the
outlying multi - family zones. What staff proposed is that the collective open
space will remain a requirement but the private open space, if the developer
opts to do that, can be credit towards the collective open space requirement.
Councilmember Koppang asked to revisit the roof line conversation noting his
understanding is that Committee wanted some variation in the roof lines
instead of straight gable, slab -sided developments that were aesthetically
boring and that the Committee wished to create an aesthetic appeal to the
developments and one way to do that is with a varied roof line adding peaks and
valleys. Staff indicated the varied roof lines are currently provided as a
guideline but not a requirement for the developer. Councilmember Koppang
also commented on the open space topic asking for clarification if it was more
cost effective for the developer to build one common area as opposed to
multiple small areas. Staff indicated that could be the case if it were a per unit
requirement but developers currently build housing with per unit features so it
just depends on how the developer wants to tailor their specific development
for their tenants. Further discussion was held regarding open space
requirements and credits and how they are applied to the development. Deputy
Mayor Burbidge asked that a summary ratio of the minimum open space
required for a particular complex size be provided to Council before their next
meeting, using Uptown Square as an example. She also commented on
modulation and sloped roofs giving her impression that flatter roofs are perhaps
an attempt to maximize potential space under the height requirements. She
strongly prefers the visual appeal of sloped roofs and wanted to know what the
actual requirements are in that regard. Staff indicated that currently the sloped
roofs are a guideline and not a requirement. Deputy Mayor Burbidge feels it's
important to have some requirement be in place for sloped roofs because a
guideline may not be enough to encourage developers to build sloped roofs.
She would also like more information on modulation. Staff indicated modulation
is a guideline as well but if the Committee would like to propose changes, it
May 2, 2017
Ordinance
First Reading
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Celski, Chair Marwan Salloum, P. E., Public Works Director
Lydia Assefa- Dawson, Member Shawna Upton, Alrrumstrative Assistant II
Mark Koplyang Member 253- 835 -27 03
would help staff to receive specific direction from the Committee. Discussion
continued regarding the difference in angles of sloped roofs and how the
neighborhoods have visually changed over the years and how the height
requirements differ between the core areas and residential areas. At the last
meeting, staff discussed a proposal that for any development over 100 units in
the core and frame areas, a minimum of 25% of their parking needed to be
structured, underground or on the first floor of the building. Also at that
meeting, a lengthy discussion took place and there were some different
viewpoints on this. Some were concerned that downtown needed to preserve
space for parking and at the same time, there were concerns about being too
burdensome to developers within downtown because structured parking is
considerably more expensive than surface parking. Staff looked at a tiered
approach to address this issue recommending that as you get closer to
downtown, the parking requirement is greater and as you move further away,
the parking requirement would be less. Mr. Davis indicated staff looked into
parking requirements from a planning profession standpoint as well as best
practices for cities of our size. What staff proposed is that the parking
requirement is at a certain level for surface parking but if the developer chooses
to go underground or structured parking, the overall requirement for parking
would be reduced. That gives the developer incentive to use the land more
efficiently with structured parking. Conversation continued regarding how our
parking requirements compare to other cities. Councilmember Honda asked if
market -rate housing was built next to the light rail, and were concerned with
building parking they don't feel they need, would the City consider adjustments.
Staff indicated they would consider changes and noted that by the time Sound
Transit is completed, a Transit Oriented Development plan should be in place
and that would likely address those issues. Chair Celski asked if parking would
be provided to the tenants for free or if the owner could charge for parking.
Staff indicated they would require some assurance that the minimum parking
required would be available to the tenants to limit the need for tenants to park
on the street or at nearby business. Staff then addressed the Committee's
comments that were received over the last few days. The first comment
addressed was about mixed use development in the downtown area. Ms. Clark
indicated the existing language in the code requires a certain percentage of
each building fagade to be commercial use. Staff revised the code to read each
building no longer needs to include its own commercial use but instead it would
be a percentage of the total fagade. Chair Celski wondered if requiring
commercial space in every building, rather than a percentage, would be more
beneficial. He also indicated he'd like to see a requirement that parking cannot
be viewed from the street in the city center core and as recommendation in the
city center frame area. Staff presented a map illustrating the buildable areas
are for multi - family properties, most of which are in the city center core and city
center frame areas and it indicates which areas are considered redevelopable
and which are vacant and has potential for being built. Councilmember
Koppang has heard that the amount of housing inventory in Federal Way needs
to meet a certain standard by 2035 and wondered if the inventory as currently
zoned capable of supporting those goals. Mr. Davis indicated that is one of the
next steps in long term planning for the department. Ms. Clark provided
additional information on the 2012 housing targets and capacity goals and a
question and answer session continued. Chair Celski mentioned there is no
requirement in the code that requires Senior Housing to have first floor retail
or other uses and staff confirmed but noted the current code allows it as a
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Celski, Chair Marwan Salloum, P. E., Public Works Director
Lydia Assefa- Dawson, Member Shawna Upton, Administrative Assistant II
Mark Kopparrn Member 253 - 835-2703
stand -alone use. Staff proposes to allow the option for the developer to have
commercial use on the first floor. Councilmember Honda is concerned about
our infrastructure with potential building in the future noting it seems road
capacity is full, and fire, police, water and sewer services seem to be stretched.
Ms. Clark said she talked with the General Manager at Lakehaven Water and
Sewer District and was told there is adequate capacity for water and sewer in
the city center and is in the process of constructing a new sewer main
downtown. Mr. Perez stated there are a few critical road connection locations
in the comp plan currently but staff doesn't recommend adding any new roads.
He provided additional information on the Growth Management Act, level of
service standards, and concurrency codes. He further explained that if there is
a development that triggers a level of service failure under the concurrency
code, staff would give the developer the option to either reduce the size of the
development or mitigate the impact of the development. That is apart from any
other required mitigation under the traffic impact fee and SEPA. He also stated
staff makes every attempt to provide projects on the Six Year Transportation
Improvement Plan that would head off the need for a concurrency failure. Staff
will enforce concurrency on all developments that provide for new trips and
there are no exempt uses, however credit is given for trips that were generated
at the previous use before redevelopment. The only use that is exempt is per
state law and that is for Sound Transit. Councilmember Koppang said that in
partnership with the School District, we've created a barrier to entry for market
rate development explaining that the per unit impact fee has slowed down
development within the city limits and mentioned there is a development in King
County at the corner of S 320th St and Military Road that will have an adverse
effect on the School District from an attendance standpoint. He asked if there
is an incentivized or reduced impact fee for any development currently. Mr.
Davis indicated there aren't any by zone but the only flexibility staff has is for
the payment of impact fees to be deferred prior to occupancy but that is
reserved for residential. Commercial developments need to pay that fee up
front before the permit will be issued. Councilmember Honda asked if school
impact fees are the same in the city center core. Staff replied that the fees are
calculated based on use and that there may be a reduced impact fee in the core.
Committee and staff continued to discuss concurrency, school impact fees and
impacts on the school district. Staff will provide additional details regarding
concurrency and impact fees to the Council at the next meeting. Chair Celski
wanted to make sure that if the City allows developers to construct buildings
upwards of 200 -feet high, South King Fire and Rescue would have the ability to
service a fire in a structure that tall. Councilmember Honda asked if the
moratorium was lifted, what are the next steps for the City and has the
Department seen any pending developments that will come forward if that
happens. Mr. Davis reminded the Committee that this is merely a first step on
this issue and changes can be made later if needed. He further explained that
once the moratorium is done, these code amendments would be in place, there
are no developers currently waiting to build, and noted there's one developer
that has been in contact with the City, who was vested prior to the moratorium
being put in place, that has discussed how the land would be developed. The
new owner of the mall property has had some questions recently as they are
interested in some aspect of multi - family development for the property but they
have indicated they are some time away from doing so. The only other one is
the Sound Transit properties which will be required to surplus their properties
system -wide, and will be required to use 80 percent of their property for
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Ceiski, Chair Marwan Salloum, P. E., Public Works Director
Lydia Asseta- Dawson, Member Shawna Upton, Arlmirristrative Assistant II
Mark Kopparrg, Member 253.835.2703
affordable housing. One the moratorium is lifted, staff anticipates moving to
the next step of analysis to refine the code updates, especially as it relates to
Transit Oriented Development as it relates to the future Sound Transit station.
Discussion continued regarding the next steps that will be taken, Transit
Oriented Development and the possibility of increased natural open space
requirements. Committee members and staff briefly discussed multi - family
housing in neighboring cities, the impacts to Federal Way and how it's currently
dealt with. Staff sought clarity from the Committee by outlining the changes
requested by the Committee. Chair Celski indicated this moratorium has been
in place for approximately 11 months and feels satisfied that the services with
the contingencies discussed will cover that. He also shared that several school
bonds failed while he was in High School and he remembers the need for
additional schools due to overpopulation. Some years later, several new
schools were built due to the pressure from the community to satisfy those
needs. Deputy Mayor Burbidge added that she also lived in Federal Way when
the levies were failing and the quick increase in population was very challenging
for the school district and noted part of the challenges for the schools is
inequitable school funding in our state. She also brought up the topic of
recycling stating she received an inquiry about the size of the facility for dealing
with recycling, the recycling and solid waste containers and wondered if city
requirements are comparable to other jurisdictions. Mr. Van Orsow explained
that the existing code only requires recycling services. With the code changes,
staff is proposing a solid waste and recycling requirement noting that the
majority of cities require solid waste and recycling. A brief discussion continued
regarding enclosures for containers and the methods for accessing those. Staff
again outlined the changes as requested by Committee for clarification and a
brief discussion ensued to further define parking requirements and pitched
roofs.
Motion to direct Staff to incorporate the changes as discussed and
forward the ordinance to the May 2nd Council Meeting for first
reading.
Moved: Koppang Seconded: Assefa- Dawson Passed: 3 -0
4. OTHER
5. FUTURE MEETINGS /AGENDA ITEMS:
The next LUTC meeting will be Monday, June 5, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.
6. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 6:06 PM.
Attest,
c-Shawn Upton
Administrative Assistant II
Approved by Committee: OJA 5. 2017
Committee Members City Staff
Bob Celski, Chair Marwan 5alloum, P. E., Public Works Director
Lydia Assefa- Dawson, Member 5hawna Upton, Administrative Assistant II
Mark Koppang, Member 253- 835 -2703