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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-053 Class 3 Review Requirement for Social Card Rooms ORDINANCE NO. 2002- 53 AN ORDINANCE of the City of Yakima, Washington, relating to land use and development regulation and amending section 15.02.020 and Table 4 -1 of section 15.04.030 of Title 15 of the Yakima Municipal Code to require Class (3) review for social card rooms, as defined herein, in the zoning districts of Small Convenience Center (SCC), Large Convenience Center (LCC), Central Business District (CBD) and Central Business District Support (CBDS) and prohibiting social card rooms within five hundred (500) feet of any public or private school, church, or park by adopting a special design standard as new section 15.09.190. WHEREAS, the state legislature and the Washington State Gambling Commission have expanded the ability of gambling licensees to conduct social card games as a commercial stimulant for the licensee's business; and WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to ensure that public participation regarding the location of social card rooms should be encouraged as fully as possible; and WHEREAS, on a case -by -case basis, a proposed social card room may be incompatible with the existing land use environment in a particular zoning district; and WHEREAS, social card rooms shall not be permitted in proximity to schools, churches, and parks; and WHEREAS, Class (3) uses in the UAZO may be allowed after review by the Hearing Examiner in a public hearing to evaluate and promote compatibility between land uses; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Urban Area Regional Planning Agreement, the Regional Planning Commission has reviewed and issued its recommendations regarding the following proposed amendments to the City's development regulations; now, therefore: BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA: Section 1. Definition of "game room ": The existing definition of "game room" as set forth in UAZO Section 15.02.020 shall be amended as follows: "Game room" means a commercial facility, or a portion thereof, open to the general public, in which card games, pool, electronic games, bingo, etc., are played; provided, however, that this definition shall exclude "social card room" as defined herein. Also, see "meeting hall." Section 2. Definition of "social card room ": A new definition to UAZO 15.02.020 shall be added as follows: "Social card room" means a commercial facility, or a portion thereof, open to the general public, in which house - banked social card games are played, as that term is defined by RCW 9.46.0282 (or as the same may be subsequently amended hereafter), or in which other activities occur that constitute gambling and are authorized by the Washington State Gambling Commission under RCW 9.46.070 (or as the same may be subsequently amended hereafter), to the extent -- that said activities include any gambling activity engaging in the use of, or associated with, slot machines (whether mechanical or electronic) or any gambling activity engaging in the use of, or associated with, any other electronic mechanism including video terminals. Section 3. Class (3) Review: Effective January 12, 2003, any land use that constitutes a "social card room" as the same is defined herein, shall be a Class (3) use in the following zoning districts, which shall be the only zoning districts in which the land use "social card room" may be permitted: Small Convenience Center (SCC), Large Convenience Center (LCC), Central Business District (CBD), and Central Business District Support (CBDS). The table of permitted land uses (Table 4 -1) set forth at UAZO Section 15.04.030 shall be amended commensurate with this ordinance to provide for a new defined land use of "social card room" subject to Class (3) review as provided herein. -2- Section 4. Proximity prohibition: A footnote to the table of permitted land uses (Table 4 -1) set forth at UAZO Section 15.04.030 shall be added to the entry for the land use of "social card room," which footnote shall refer to a new section added as UAZO Section 15.09.190, which new section shall read as follows: 15.09.190 Special requirements for social card rooms. No social card room shall be permitted within five hundred (500) feet of any public school, private school (meeting the requirements for private schools under Title 28A RCW), church or park, as measured according to RCW 66.24.010(9) or as the same may be hereafter amended. Section 5. Severability: If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance. Section 6. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective thirty (30) days after its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approved this 29 day of October, 2002. ,ary 3Z: Place, Mayor ATTEST: B y � City Clerk Publication Date: 11 -1 -2002 Effective Date: 12 -1 -2002 -3- • • BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. /0 For Meeting of October 29, 2002 ITEM TITLE: Consideration of (A) an Ordinance adopting the amending section 15.02.020, Table 4 -1 of section 15.04.030 and adding a new section 15.09.190 of Title 15 of the Yakima Municipal Code to require (A) Class (3) review for social card rooms in zoning districts of Small Convenience Center (SCC), Large Convenience Center (LCC), Central Business District (CBD) and Central Business District Support (CBDS); (B) Prohibiting social card rooms within five hundred (500) feet of any public or private school church, or park.; and (C) Definition for "Social Card Rooms ". SUBMITTED BY: William R. Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development Department CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: Doug Maples, Code Administration and Planning Manager (509) 575 -6121 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: On June 18, 2002, Council passed legislation for a six -month moratorium on social card games (house banked card rooms). On October 15, 2002, a public hearing with the joint City Council and County Commissioner's for amending the Urban Area Zoning Ordinance (UAZO) was held. Council directed staff to develop legislation for amending the UAZO. This ordinance would modify the class level of review for the four existing zoning districts that a social card room is presently allowed. In addition, it would place a 500 -foot distance restriction that a social card room could be located from a private or public school, church or park. The ordinance provides a definition for "social card room" to help provide guidance and indicate what kind of activities would constitute such a land use. (Continued) Resolution Ordinance X Other (Specify) Proposed amendment Contract Mail to (name and address): Phone: Funding Source APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL�`b City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION:This is a Council Policy issue. BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: COUNCIL ACTION: At the joint City Council and County Commissioner's meeting on October 15, 2002, it - was mentioned that any modification to a development regulations, such as the City /County Urban Area Zoning Ordinance, would require the Planning Division to send notification to Washington State Community Trade Economic Department (CTED) within 60 days prior to final adoption. (RCW 36.70A.106(3)). Based upon this 60 -day notification requirement from the October 29, 2002 meeting the 60 day would be December 30, 2002 as the effective date for the ordinance. The 6 -month moratorium is still in effect until January 19, 2003. Therefore these modifications within this ordinance would not be used until the end of the moratorium. ® MEMORANDUM TO: Doug Maples, Code Administration and Planning Manager Bill Cook, Director Community and Economic Development Dick Zais, City Manager Ray Paolella, City Attorney FROM: Kenneth W. Harper, contract legal counsel SUBJECT: CTED notification of amendment to development regulations (re: card room legislation) DATE: October 22, 2002 This memorandum provides guidance regarding the applicability of a portion of the Growth Management Act (GMA) to the proposed card room legislation • under consideration by the City. Specifically, RCW 36.70A.106 imposes an obligation on counties and cities to notify the Department of Commerce Trade and Economic Development (CTED) sixty (60) days prior to "final adoption" of any comprehensive plan or development regulation (including amendments thereto), and to submit a copy of any such change ten (10) days after final adoption. RCW 36.70A.106(1) and (2). No Washington cases have discussed these requirements, but several decisions of the Growth Management Hearings Board refer to this statute. In short, the Hearings Boards have held that cities and counties must submit proposed amendments (not just enactments of new development regulations or plan provisions) to CTED as required by the statute, except in the case of "interim regulations for natural resources lands and critical areas, and to regulations or amendments which are merely procedural or ministerial." WAC 365 -195- 820(2). The proposed card room legislation does not fall within this exemption. 40 Failure to meet the 60 -day notice provision can clearly result in a finding that a city or county is out of compliance with GMA, but it is less clear whether this would have any effect on the validity of the ordinance in question. See Wilma Memorandum re: CTED notice -1- v. Stevens County, 1999 EWGMHB LEXIS 319 (1999)( "...the Board has no remedy provided under RCW 36.70A for failure to notify CTED 10 days after adopting an Ordinance or Resolution. . . .); Woodmansee v. Ferry County, 2000 EWGMHB LEXIS 330 (2000)( "The County's failure to comply with RCW 36.70A.106 is not fatal to the enactment. "). Because it is far better practice to avoid an issue of noncompliance (even if the consequences of noncompliance are not necessarily fatal to an enactment), I would strongly recommend that the City take action to consistently implement the obligations imposed by RCW 36.70A.106 in any circumstance where comprehensive planning or development regulations are at issue. For the sake of reference, RCW 36.70A.106 is set forth, in its entirety, below: § 36.70A.106. Comprehensive plans -- Development regulations -- Transmittal to state (1) Each county and city proposing adoption of a comprehensive plan or development regulations under this chapter shall notify the department of its intent to adopt such plan or regulations at least sixty days prior to fmal adoption. State agencies including the department may provide comments to the county or city on the proposed comprehensive plan, or proposed development regulations, during the public review process prior to adoption. (2) Each county and city planning under this chapter shall transmit a complete and accurate copy of its comprehensive plan or development regulations to the department within ten days after final adoption. (3) Any amendments for permanent changes to a comprehensive plan or development regulation that are proposed by a county or city to its adopted plan or regulations shall be submitted to the department in the same manner as initial plans and development regulations under this section. Any amendments to a comprehensive plan or development regulations that are adopted by a county or city shall be transmitted to the department in the same manner as the initial plans and regulations under this section. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance on this matter. KWH:sk Memorandum re: CTED notice -2-