HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-10-18 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers
Meeting Minutes of January 10, 2018
Call to Order
Chairwoman Patricia Byers called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
Roll Call
YPC Members Present: Chairwoman Patricia Byers, Vice -Chair Al Rose, Jacob
Liddicoat, Bill Cook, Peter Marinace
YPC Members Absent: Rob McCormick
Staff Present: Joseph Calhoun, Planning Manager; Lisa Maxey, Planning
Specialist
Others: Sign -in sheet in file
Staff Announcements
Planning Manager Joseph Calhoun informed the commission that new FEMA maps for
the Cowiche Creek floodplain are expected to be received within the next month or so.
Calhoun reported that city staff have been attending advisory group meetings for
amendments to the Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan (CFHMP),
particularly relating to northern Yakima.
He reminded commissioners that they have a public hearing scheduled for February
14th pertaining to a rezone request.
Lastly, Calhoun announced that there is still one vacancy on the Planning Commission.
Election of Chair and Vice -Chair of the Yakima Planning Commission
It was motioned by Commissioner Cook and seconded by Commissioner Marinace to
retain Patricia Byers as chair of the commission and retain Al Rose as vice -chair. The
motion passed unanimously.
Audience Participation
None noted.
Approval of Meetin Minutes of December 13 2017
Vice -Chair Rose noted a grammatical error in the minutes. It was motioned by Vice -Chair
Rose and seconded by Commissioner Liddicoat to approve the minutes of December 13,
2017 with that correction.
Discussion: O eniLaof the 2018 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Process
Calhoun summarized the process to open the annual comprehensive plan amendment
cycle, which includes City Council adopting a resolution (planned for the February 6th
council meeting) and the Planning Commission holding a hearing to officially open the
process (planned for the February 28th commission meeting). Commissioner Cook
inquired about any public interest expressed for amendments this year. Calhoun
responded that there have been about two or three preliminary discussions between staff
and members of the public.
Introduction to Potential Zoning Code Amendments
Calhoun went over the current list of zoning code amendments that the commission
will be reviewing at a later date, including: updating references to the new Right -of -
Way vacation chapter in Title 14, rewording the sign chapter to address flags in the
residential districts, adding language to the wireless communications chapter to add
standards/ review process for small cell infrastructure and for communication facilities
on utility poles, addressing inconsistencies between the text and the table which dictate
the classification of use of an accessory dwelling unit, broadening the accessory
dwelling unit category to include other concepts like cottage housing or create a new
land use category, adding a new use or modifying an existing use to accommodate
temporary worker housing, and updating the rezone section per the Planning
Commissions recent discussions on non -project rezones.
Discussion took place regarding a public hearing for an interpretation relating to
temporary worker housing which will go before the hearing examiner on January 11t".
The commission and staff had additional discussion on other housing types.
Opportunity for Commissioners to Discuss Items for Additional ReviewConsideration
Commissioner Cook brought up a request from an earlier commission meeting to have
an Open Public Meetings Act training at city hall for the commissioners and to invite
the county's planning commission members as well.
Commissioner Cook requested an overview on annexations. Calhoun mentioned that
an annexation was processed for the northwest corner of South 64+" Ave. and Ahtanum
Rd., which has been forwarded to the boundary review board. Additional discussion
took place on annexations.
Other Business
Calhoun announced that Councilman Brad Hill was appointed to serve as the council
liaison to the Planning Commission but that due to scheduling conflicts the liaison may
be reassigned.
Council members discussed the lack of audience member turnout and their desire to
bring in more people to these meetings and hearings. As part of this effort, commissioners
had consensus to work towards hosting an open house for members of the public to
provide feedback to the commission and planning staff and ask questions, and host a
similar event for developers in the community. This topic will be revisited at a future
meeting in order to work out the details.
Adjourn,
A motion to adjourn to January 24, 2018 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting
adjourned at;00 p.m.
I
Byers
Date
This rr ee rig was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Planning Specialist.
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