HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-24-2024 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) Meeting Minutes
April 24, 2024
Call to Order
Chair Liddicoat called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.
Roll Call
YPC Members Present: Chair Jacob Liddicoat, Lisa Wallace, Leanne Hughes -Mickel, Mary
Place, Charles Hitchcock, Colleda Monick
YPC Members Absent: Frieda Stephens (excused)
Staff Present: Eric Crowell; Senior Planner/Acting Planning Manager, Eva
Rivera; Planning Technician
Staff Announcements — Senior Planner/Acting Planning Manager Crowell announced the
following:
• The open submittal period for Comprehensive Plan Amendments concludes this week.
The city has received some applications and is working on one of its own. Applications
are due by April 30th.
March 27, 2024 Meeting Minutes — It was motioned by Commissioner Place and seconded by
Commissioner Hitchcock to approve the meeting minutes of March 27, 2024, as presented. The
motion carried unanimously.
Text Amendments — Title 15/16 Appeal Sections Crowell explained that after some discussion
with the legal department regarding the appeal process, it was recommended to remove the City
Council from the appeal process. Any appeals would now go directly to the Superior Court with
the new changes. Commissioner Monick agreed with the recommendation. He continued with the
text changes in the different sections related to appeals. Chair Liddicoat enquired about the
number of appeals the city had. Crowell replied that there were not many, perhaps one every few
years. Crowell clarified that if an administrative decision is appealed, it would first go to the
Hearing Examiner. If the decision is further appealed, it would then go directly to the Superior
Court. On the other hand, if a decision made by the Hearing Examiner is appealed, it would go
directly to the Superior Court.
Text Amendments — Mixed Use/Downtown Development, Class 1 Uses, and Signs — Crowell
continued with the changes discussed at previous meetings. He had separated Mixed -use
buildings and Downtown Development as agreed in the previous meeting to make things easier
and more understandable. He continued with the layout of the first floor of mixed -used buildings
and provided examples of cities similar to Yakima and what their requirements were. He also went
over some recent mixed -use projects in existing buildings that staff have reviewed. The
commission discussed the proposed changes. Crowell provided an update to the commission
regarding the introduction of the new section 15.09.26 Downtown Business District development
the commission engaged in a discussion on the matter. He went over the Type 1 review
exemptions and added the alteration of parking lots to require a Type 1 or modification process.
Crowell had no updates on the sign codes.
Public Comment — Anne Knapp, a Yakima resident, had some comments and suggestions about
the proposed text amendments discussed during the meeting.
Other Business — Commissioner Place raised a query directed at Councilwoman Deccio
regarding the requirement set by the City Council for 12,000 signatures on the petitions. In
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response, Commissioner Place requested an extension of time for the petitioners to gather
additional signatures.
Commissioner Monick suggested adding the text amendments being reviewed to be put onscreen
and public comment be moved higher up on the agenda.
Chair Liddicoat inquired about the progress regarding the appointment of new planning
commissioners. Councilwoman Deccio provided an update, stating that interviews for the
positions are scheduled for next week. Additionally, Chair Liddicoat expressed interest in involving
a member of the commission in the interview process. Councilwoman Deccio expressed
openness to this suggestion, welcoming participation from a commission member in the
interviews.
Adjourn - A motion to adjourn to May 8, 2024, was passed with a unanimous vote. The meeting
adjourned at approximately 3:59 p.m.
hair Liddicoat
5/8/2-9-
Date
This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Eva Rivera
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